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City rep, arrested at party, apologizes

A 20-year-old state representative from Nashua has apologized for drinking alcohol at a party and said he realizes he is held to a higher standard of conduct because of his position as a lawmaker.

Brian Poznanski was arrested early Friday morning, along with 21 other underage people, at a house party in Bedford.

Officers responded to the residence after receiving reports of a fight and learned most the people there had been drinking alcohol all night, police said.

Poznanski, a Democrat, apologized Monday. Rather than resign from the House, the young representative said he will move on and use his arrest as a learning experience.

“I definitely made a mistake. I wish it was one that I hadn’t made. The only thing I can do now is learn from it and go forward,” he said.

Poznanski is in his first term as a representative. He was elected in November 2008 and represents Wards 5, 8 and 9 in District 26.

He graduated from Bishop Guertin in 2007 and attends Saint Anselm College. A junior, he is majoring in politics.

Poznanski and 19 others were charged by Bedford police with unlawful possession of alcohol.

Two others face charges of facilitating an underage alcohol party and prohibited sales of alcohol.

“I’m disappointed in myself,” Poznanski said. “I might have let others down. I feel like I might have let down my friends, family members, people I work with at school. I might have disappointed them.”

Poznanski said he hadn’t considered the idea of reaching out to youth and speaking about the consequences of underage drinking.

He said one of the reasons he ran for office was to “give a voice to young people.”

Poznanski added that he realizes “as a state representative, people hold me to a higher level of scrutiny ... I hold myself to a higher level of responsibility. That’s why I’m disappointed I let others down.”

He recognizes drinking alcohol at his age is against the law, and “no one is above it.”

Poznanski said he talked to several Democrats in the Legislature and they have offered support. He said he hasn’t heard anything about a reprimand.

House leaders have said they weren’t aware of any rules that would require Poznanski to step down. Derek Richer, press secretary for the state Democratic Party, said Poznanski has apologized and “acknowledged he learned from the mistake.”

“He’s been a positive and productive member of his community,” Richer said. “And I’m sure he will continue to be in the state Legislature.”

Albert McKeon can be reached at 594-5832 or amckeon@nashuatelegraph.com.