Judge orders Limbaugh's medical records released

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/12/23/limbaugh.hearing/index.html

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (CNN) -- A Florida judge Tuesday ordered radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh's medical records released to prosecutors in connection with an investigation into illegal prescription drug purchases.

The ruling came a day after an attorney for Limbaugh charged that the conservative talk show host was being blackmailed by the Florida couple whose allegations triggered an ongoing investigation into his purchases of painkillers.

Prosecutors are investigating whether Limbaugh obtained and used prescription painkillers illegally and want the records opened.

Limbaugh has insisted he has done nothing illegal, and no charges have yet been filed against Limbaugh.

more

[Hokie]

1. Until Jeb steps in?

Jeb will not let the BFEE mouthpiece go down unless they think he has outlived any usefulness to them.

[rocktivity]

8. If Rush had bought his drugs from the right Floridian

He wouldn't be having all these problems.


rocknation

[NNN0LHI]

13. She really does resemble her daddy Jeb Bush. Never really noticed before

Can see a little of her uncle George there too. I think its the eyes?

Don

[0007]

49. Naw, shes a dead ringer for junior. You been drinking Don? LOL!

[saigon68]

26. WHO IS THAT?

Is that a bush?

[Bunny]

38. Jebbie's daughter.

Noelle.

[Sideways]

40. Yes This Is Jeb's Darlng Little Drug Slug

His lovely doped out of her mind daughter. Family values my fucking ass. Darling No No Noelle is just the perfect Christmas gift. Pass the hillbilly heroin around folks Rush is buying.

[0007]

51. I just love the way you put things in the right propective, LOL!!

Do Drug Slugs drive or craw? Cuz if Noelle is driving these days I bet Noelle is looking for a new pharmacy.

[ThomC]

52. What exactly has she done to deserve such scorn?

I don't believe she is out preaching against liberals or anything like Rush. She has or had a drug problem and that is the extent of her guilt as far as I know. Why lay into her like that?

[rppper]

54. well, for starters.......

she twice violated the terms of her judges order while in rehab..once for cheeking meds and the other for haveing a large chunk of crack cocaine hidden in a shoe, not to mention she was double dipping...aka-doctor shopping for zanex. the crack and the double dipping alone should have brought noelle 10 years in prison, at least it would have had her last name not been bush.

it's not about hating noelle bush...i pity her...i work in the recovery field as well, and i can tell you from experience there is a two tiered system in the sunshine state. had her name not been bush and her family so well connected in this state, she would have been the pet of some large butch inmate named helga.....

the following is just my humble opinion, but jeb bush got a free pass with his daughter...it did raise quite a stink here about her treatment and the treatment of the average addict...he is not going anywhere near limbaughs case...mark my words...the differences in volume of drugs and the type alone is part of it. noelle bush was a victim of a disease, like rush, and was also caught doctor shopping, again like rush. the difference is that noelle bush doesn't have a high national profile...she hasn't been on record saying all drug abusers should get prison time. limbaugh is WELL documented...too much so.

noelle was also addicted to crack cocaine, and was more than likely getting the zanex she was busted with to help come down from or trade for the coke...at least this has been my experience with poly-substance abusers...rush was buying 4500 oxycontins a month...more than 150 a day...that would kill the heartiest bull rhino btw....and oxy's are well documented as killers when abused, more so than zanex will ever be. i would also like to add that there is a big difference between ingesting oxy's and shooting them...this coming straight from the mouths of the addicts i have treated...ingesting them orally works for pain, but there is a distinctly different buzz when the are shot up, much akin to that of heroin, from which it is derived from.....i have always questioned how limbaugh took his pills......

this is karma coming around to haunt limbaugh...he brought this on himself...god works in mysterious ways....

[girlphoenix]

44. Jeb's daughter

Isn't just just so upstanding? I guess being propped up against the wall helps...

-the girl

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

2. Oooooo gimme LEAKS! (nt)

[PaDUer]

3. Great!

He's addicted...Does anyone know if he's cross-addicted? Wouldn't surprise me..And yet, these people are the ones who paint themselves "holier than thou" and are the ones who should be jailed like everyone else who's caught...Wonder if he's going to cry that Jebthro's daughter "made him do it!" Guess he's been to many oxy parties..

[SpiralHawk]

4. Oh no, does that mean

we are going to have to read about Jeff Christie's anal cysts?

I think this calls for a massive news boycott.

I will not entertain any "innuendo" that Rush avoided military service because of some lame-o anal excuse -- so please don't even mention it. Agreed?

Yours for a "fresh new start"
and no "special treatment "
for "special people" because we are all 'equal" citizens
of these here fruited plains, SH

[Atman]

5. Goin Down

Floatin’ down the river
With a saturated liver
And I wish I could forgive her
But I do believe she meant it
When she told me to forget it
And I bet she will regret it
When they find me in the morning wet and drowned
And the word gets ’round
Goin’ down
Goin’ down

Coming’ up for air
It’s pretty stuffy under there
I’d like to say I didn’t care
But I forgot to leave a note
And it’s so hard to stay afloat
I’m soakin’ wet without a boat
And I knew I should have taken off my shoes
It’s front page news
Goin’ down
Goin’ down

I wish I had another drink
It wouldn’t be so hard to sink
I should have taken time to think
Besides I got the picture straight
She must have had another date
I didn’t need this extra weight
I wish that I could see the way to shore
Don’t want no more
Goin’ down
I’m goin’ down

And now I see the life I led
I slept it all away in bed
I should have learned to swim instead
And now it’s really got me stumped
I can’t believe why I jumped
I’d like to get my tummy pumped
I can’t believe they drink this stuff in town
This dirty brown
Goin’ down
Goin’ down

I wish I looked before I leaped
I didn’t know it was so deep
Been down so far I don’t get wet
Haven’t touched the bottom yet
This river scene is gettin’ old
I’m hungry, sleepy, wet and cold
She told me to forget it nice
I should have taken her advice
I only want to go on home
I’d gladly leave that girl alone
What a way to spend the night
If I don’t drown, I’ll die of fright
My pappy taught me how to float
But I can’t swim a single note
He threw me in to teach me how
I stayed there floatin’ like a mama cow
And now I’ve floated way down stream
I know this has to be a dream
If I could find my way to shore
I’d never, never do this anymore
I’ll give you three, I’ve been down nine
I’m goin’ down just one more time.
Goin’ down.
Goin’ down.

Now the sky is gettin’ light
An everything will be alright
Think I finally got the knack
Just floatin’ here lazy on my back
I never really liked that town
I think I’ll ride the river down
Just movin’ slow and floatin’ free
There’s a river swingin’ under me.
Waving back to the folks on shore
I should have thought of this before
I’m floatin’ on down to new orleans
Goin’ to pick up on some swingin’ scenes
I know I’ll know a better day
I’ll go down groovin’ all the way
Goin’ down
Goin’ down

[zanana]

6. I love it...

Who wrote it?

[patcox2]

14. Sounds a lot like Young Tom Waits

That would be my guess; he starts another song with "I've got a bad liver, and a broken heart."

[mac56]

19. Written by the Monkees and Diane Hilderbrand.

Minor hit for the Monkees in summer of 1968.

[Atman]

17. LOL! The Monkees!

Mickey Dolenz vocals with a kick-ass scat/jazz sax lead. The absolute best thing the Monkees ever did. Find it...you'll be hooked. One of my favorite songs by ANY band.

Edit: Okay, so it wasn't B&H. There is a very good remix of it as an extra track on one of the Rhino re-issues from few years back. I think it was only a b-side single until Rhino put it on the cd, because the original albums were so short they needed more material to fill the disks.

[truthisfreedom]

22. rush's lawyer blames "Democrat" for orchestrated leaks. turns out rethug

supporter as well. rush's lawyer black wants the guy barred from the case because "Our
research shows he worked in a number of Democratic campaigns." hah-hah-hah, mr.
black. the new age of mccarthyism isn't celebrated by most courtrooms, goofball.


--------------------------

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/23/national/23RUSH.html?ei=5062&en=d5dae99669792f5e&ex=1072846800&partner=GOOGLE&pagewanted=print&position=

December 23, 2003




Lawyer Accuses Housekeeper of Blackmailing Limbaugh


By JIM RUTENBERG

<snip>

Asked about the blackmail accusation against the Clines, Ed Shohat, their lawyer, said:
"I'm not aware of any fact that would support such a claim. It's not surprising under the
circumstances."
During Mr. Black's presentation, the most detailed defense of Mr. Limbaugh since the
investigation became public in October, the lawyer called the prosecution of his client a witch hunt built on leaks tailored to smear Mr. Limbaugh's reputation.

<snip>

In court yesterday, Mr. Black accused Michael Edmondson, a spokesman for the state attorney's office in Palm Beach County, of orchestrating leaks to several organizations.
He asked that Mr. Edmondson be barred from the case.

In an interview afterward, Mr. Black added, "Our research shows he worked in a number of Democratic campaigns."

The Sun-Sentinel, a newspaper in South Florida, reported in November that Mr. Edmondson was going to help the campaign of the West Palm Beach police chief, Ric Bradshaw, a Democrat, in his race for sheriff next year. But a June 2002 report in The Palm Beach Post said that Mr. Edmondson had been helping Nancy Graham, a Republican, as she considered a run for mayor.

<snip>

Mr. Black said Mr. Limbaugh had paid a significant amount of money to the Clines over a number of years. He said they went to the state attorney's office in December 2002, after deciding they had "bled him dry." Mr. Black said that Mr. Limbaugh had at that point decided to stop paying them. But Mr. Shohat, the Clines' lawyer, called that description "not a true statement."
<snip>
Prosecutors argued that the records would be crucial in establishing whether he had "doctor shopped," or gotten several doctors to prescribe pain medication. In Florida, that recently became a felony, punishable by up to five years in jail.
According to The Associated Press, James Martz, an assistant state attorney, said that Mr. Limbaugh had picked up 2,000 painkillers, which were prescribed by four doctors, at a pharmacy near his Palm Beach home.
Mr. Black said in court that Mr. Limbaugh had not doctor shopped and that if anything, the records would show that the many prescriptions were legitimately related to ailments, like severe back and hearing-loss problems, treated by different doctors. Nonetheless, Mr. Black said, he opposed the opening of the medical records on privacy grounds.
Mr. Black said in an interview afterward: "There was no doctor shopping. The only shopping was celebrity shopping."

[Seldona]

34. Ahh now that is just messed up.

I cannot believe he wants someone removed from the case because he has worked for a Democratic campaign.

This is getting surreal.

Then again maybe there is precident for me to get out of jury duty.

Hey, according to Rush I cannot be fair and impartial. So how could I serve?

Thanks Rush.

:puke:

[Serial Mom]

50. Black worked for a Democrat, so should he barred from case

He was attorney for the Kennedy who was charged with rape in Florida years ago.

Rush also was making fun of attorneys who represent the guilty Hollywood types the other day - naming Gregarios, Cochran and Shapiro - I wanted to call him and tell him to add Black to that list.

On the Today show today, Black said Rush had received prescrips from doctors, such as two that were in practice together and one was his hearing specialist - and if the judge had asked they could have told him who the doctors were and why Rush had to see them. So he publicly named only 3, but didn't mention how many OTHER doctors he had prescrips from!

Rush and Black are such two faced slimeballs . . .

[amazona]

7. whooty hoo

Who'd a thunk it? Honest prosecutors AND an honest judge in the same area of Florida?????

I hope they are actually going to prosecute this criminal and not just give the appearance of prosecuting him....I'm actually starting to get a tiny dim hope that there is a chance of fair play in this matter.

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. From what I've heard

The folks in Palm Beach really don't care much for Limpballs. They say he's really brought a bad attitude with him and has changed the climate in the area. Most of the high whites there would really rather he just go away.

[NNN0LHI]

15. He brought the heat down on them all

I suspect that the Dr. Feelgood doctors he was going to have a client list that would make your eyes pop out. Now they are all afraid to get their regular fixes at Walgreens. Rush may have to go? Just a guess though?

Don

[Caution]

18. High whites?

Rush Limbaugh is certainly higher than most people.

[MoonAndSun]

9. CNN link

<http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/12/23/limbaugh.hearing/index.html>





I will be watching with baited breath, I want to see the perp walk.

[NNN0LHI]

12. Thank you M&S for the link. I was looking all over for one

I will use your link for this post while I can still change it. Thanks again.

Don

[MoonAndSun]

16. You're welcome, NNNOLHI.......

:hi:

[underpants]

11. Well they should only be released to a court

the court can determine what the police and prosecutors need to see. Ironically this is a privacy issue, not he and his kind are that keen on the ACCUSED being given any rights or benefit of the doubt (see "If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to worry about").

[pansypoo53219]

20. but leaks happen

this is WAY better than Kobe.

[DoYouEverWonder]

21. Not since the Patriot Act

And Rush fully supports the Patriot Act. His records should be released to the National Enquirer for all the world to laugh at.

[coldwatercyn]

31. If Rush did nothing wrong...

he has nothing to worry about. Don't know how you can play all that golf he brags about with such bad back pain. He is a liar and a hypocrite he should go to jail before Martha does at least she knows how to cook a turkey he is one.

[Bunny]

41. Good One!

And welcome to DU, coldwatercyn! :)

[smartamerican]

47. Would you want millions of people to see your medical records

even if you were innocent? I think his medical records are irrelevant anyways b/c he will never do any time in jail. But what the hell I'd like to see them.

[Oilwellian]

23. I think it's just the prosecutors who get them

The records were already released to them several weeks ago...I think Limbaugh's lawyer was trying to prevent them from being used against him. If they were deemed private, they couldn't be used in the case they're building against him. Also, they're getting his CA medical records as well.

[Maeve]

24. What's that line we keep hearing? "If you haven't done anything wrong..."

Payback bites bigtime, don't it? :evilgrin:

[cosmicdot]

27. that 'what goes around' thing can be a bummer ...... I think the 'comes

around' is in equal or greater proportion ...

if God exists, maybe that 'works in mysterious ways' thing has something to it, too

little here, little there
an underpinning here, another over there

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

25. I name him Wormtongue.

It seems somehow appropriate. I just can't wait for him to be cast down the steps and banished from the Keep!

[thebaghwan]

28. There is something that doesn't add up on the Limbaugh Case

They are after ol' Limpballs for doctor shopping which means he was getting multiple prescriptions from multiple doctors.

What I don't understand is whether they are saying that the Clines (his housekeeper) was also supplying more prescription painkillers except these came from off the street???

Exactly where do the Clines fit in on providing drugs to Limpballs???

[salin]

29. If I recall the initial story....

Husband of the maid... has some kind of injury and gets painkiller... Limbaugh asks if he can have a few from hubbies perscription (eg get a perscription for 30 days - but skim some of those for Rush). She claimed at the time the story broke, that as her hubbies perscription was running out... Rush was applying more and more pressure for her to find additional pills (eg from other sources... eg ILLEGAL.)

[DoYouEverWonder]

30. He was getting drugs from both

The Clines were part of a lengthy investigation into the illegal buying and selling of drugs on the street. That was how the authorities found out about Rush in the first place. Then Rush made a big deal that he was addicted to "perscription drugs" implying that he had bought these drugs legally. Hence the new can of worms that he opened about whether or not he was doctor shopping as well as buying drugs through his housekeeper.

[Devils Advocate NZ]

46. Hold up - maybe we have this backwards?

What if, Rush was getting his pills from pharmacies with prescriptions, and then giving some to the Clines to sell on the street?

Could it be that the Clines are actually trying to protect rush by claiming he was buying from them, when in fact he was selling TO them?

Could this be why it is so necessary to see his medical records? For example, if he was prescribed far more pills than he could use, why would he then buy more from the Clines?

[BiggJawn]

32. And he "had more than he could use"...

As pointed out in another thread, that comes under the heading of "Trafficking"...

Rush Limbaugh-2 Buttholes-No Waitng.

[Garbo]

33. The whole thing is just absurd......

......IMHO.

I don't want access to Bill Clinton's records, or Dean's, or Clark's,......or Rush's.

I don't want access to yours, and I don't want you to have access to mine.

Just because I can't stand the guy I should have access to his private information? Bill's sex life was private, and so are Rush's medical records.

If a crime was committed in getting drugs w/out a prescription, then the medical records aren't needed for that. Did he have drugs? If tes, then did he have a prescription? No? Convict his sorry ass.

Just my opinion. Not meant to start a flame war. I think medical records should stay private. Period.

[Devils Advocate NZ]

48. How do you find out if he had a prescription or not...

if you can't access his medical records? Ask him? Also, there is a law against "doctor shopping" in other words going to multiple doctors to get multiple prescriptions for the same complaint, which would result in a person being prescribed far more drugs than they are supposed to get.

The only way to tell if that happened is to access the medical records to see what he got prescriptions for.

There is also one more factor: Everyone is focusing on what charges Rush may get from this, but what about the doctors? What if the doctors KNEW that Rush was getting more than he should? They would be guilty of trafficing if they were supplying unnecessary drugs.

Would you prefer that such doctors be allowed to get off scott free?

[toopers]

35. Isn't anyone here concerned?

The government getting access to private medical records doesn't worry anyone on this board, no matter whose records they are? When the Government takes over healthcare in its entirity, this will be a very scary issue. Who will stop the distribution of information about us?

[NNN0LHI]

36. There is nothing we can do right now with the Patriot Act in effect

I want to get rid of the Patriot Act. Rush supported the Patriot Act by the way. But we have to get the Chimp and his minions packing back to the Bush pig farm in Waco before we can get rid of the Patriot Act.

Don

[patcox2]

37. There's nothing new or unusual about the police obtaining records

Medical records have never been immune from warrants or subpoenas in either criminal or civil litigation. There is nothing new or unusual about this, what was unusual was Limbaugh arguing that for some reason his medical records are entitled to more protection than anyone else's.

There is a privilege for information you tell your doctor, but thats different and somewhat limited in scope.

[NNN0LHI]

39. Here are some of Rush's own words concerning illegal drug use

1995 quote from Rush: “Too many whites are getting away with drug use. The answer is to ... find the ones who are getting away with it, convict them, and send them up the river.”

[dicknbush]

55. We should get a mail in campaign

And send this quote to dickwad in large quantities through his snail mail so he is inundated with his own pitard!

“Too many whites are getting away with drug use. The answer is to ... find the ones who are getting away with it, convict them, and send them up the river.”

[OilemFirchen]

45. Concerned?

Why?

Rusty isn't:

"There is no right to privacy specifically enumerated in the Constitution."

- Rush Limbaugh, June 27, 2003

[Cannikin]

42. I'd just hate it if I allowed anyone to forget....

http://www.fair.org/extra/0311/limbaugh-drugs.html

[bushisanidiot]

43. Yeah, Baby! What Do You Have To Hide Fat Boy??

let's see what good all american family values you're hiding in those medical records.


HAHAHAHAHAHA! What a hypocrite!

[Blaze Diem]

53. Rush will be a disenfranchised Florida voter...Felon...

In the State of Florida, once a felony conviction exists on one's record...Voting rights are forever suspended...Will Rush's Felony prevent him from voting in Florida? Irony is a remarkable thing.

[dicknbush]

56. This really is to funny

The more dickwad has to get on the radio and basically say " I AM NOT A DRUG ADDICT OR A CRIMINAL" the better. His sponsors must be having heart attacks. No matter what they say no body wants to be selling soap in between declarations of innocence that are obviously lies.

EL Fathead could be in real trouble here.

I love hearing the name Roy Black and Rush in the same sentence and it wouldn't surprise me one bit if he said that if Roy Black is your lawyer you know their guilty.

[midnight armadillo]

57. What I'm confused about

What on earth was Rush DOING with 150 pills/day? WAS HE RE-SELLING?