Hatch almost hits pedestrian with Cadillac

This has to be every press secretary’s nightmare:

The senator was driving slowly, Eddington said, when Hatch suddenly saw an umbrella “come down on his car.”

Yes, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) almost whacked a pedestrian when leaving the Capitol Tuesday night. During the midst of a rainstorm, Hatch says he didn’t see the almost-victim until after the incident.

“He immediately stopped, looked to his left and saw a woman who appeared to have jumped back clear of the vehicle,” Eddington said. “She seemed shaken and was obviously upset.”

The senator, “who had not seen her and was mortified by what had nearly happened,” rolled down his window and apologized, Eddington added.

The Senator’s spokesman says the Hatch called Capitol Police to report the incident after he got back to his home in Virginia, but the police don’t seem to have any report on file. In any event, Senate Sergeant at Arms Terrence Gainer told the Trib that the matter is moot, since the victim has not come forward to complain.