Rehnquist suffered delusions in 1981 after 10 year addiction to painkillers.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

Anybody catch this blurb on C-Span 1? So says the FBI in recently released papers of the late Chief Justice.

Ya gotta hand it to the repugs, they love their helpings of hypocrisy.

[Botany]

1. "had also gone to the lobby in his pajamas in order to try to escape."

Link

The late Chief Justice William Rehnquist's Senate confirmation battles in 1971 and 1986 were more intense and political than previously known, according to a newly released FBI file that also offers dramatic new details about Rehnquist's 1981 hospitalization and dependence on a painkiller.

snip -

The FBI's 1986 report on Rehnquist's drug dependence was not released at the time of his confirmation, though some Democratic senators wanted it made public. But it is in Rehnquist's now-public file, and it contains new details about his behavior during his weeklong hospital stay in December 1981. One physician whose name is blocked out told the FBI that Rehnquist expressed "bizarre ideas and outrageous thoughts. He imagined, for example, that there was a CIA plot against him."

The doctor said Rehnquist "had also gone to the lobby in his pajamas in order to try to escape." The doctor said Rehnquist's delirium was consistent with him suddenly stopping his apparent daily dose of 1400 milligrams of the drug -- nearly three times higher than the 500-milligram maximum recommended by physicians. The doctor said, "Any physician who prescribed it was practicing very bad medicine, bordering on malpractice."

more -

http://rawstory.com/showarticle.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fww...

[Double T]

3. It is comforting to know that the hypocritical lunatics are running the show

in Washington. SCOTUS judges should NOT have lifetime appointments; four year terms THEN out of here!!!

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. four years is too short to keep corruption out of the office --

the current system has a lot of flaws, but I've never heard rumors of corruption (with the possible exception of a certain duck hunting trip).

Ten years, with renewal dependent upon congressional confirmation -- that way, if one of them is quietly going nuts, he can be replaced relatively painlessly by not confirming reappointment. it also still confers the long term necessary to avoid corruption.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

5. his mental problems explain his behavior during the impeachment.

His robes with the racing stripes, his attitude, everthing.

[Nite Owl]

2. If he weren't a justice on the

SCOTUS would he have gotten these drugs? What would have happened to him if he were just an 'ordinary' citizen?
I feel for him if he were in pain but a lot people have trouble getting and affording the meds that they need just to live.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. I know Rehnquist's clerks wrote his opinions, but man! The prose

is so hard to follow, it makes sense he was on drugs if he helped to write any of them.

[Virginia Dare]

7. His daughter now lobbys for the pharmaceutical industry..

oh, the irony.

[zanne]

8. In his defense...

I can't believe I'm saying this, but, in his defense, it's very easy to get addicted to painkiller drugs. If you have to be on them for an extended period of time, your chances of addiction are very high. I've know a couple of people who became addicted and didn't even know it until they stopped taking them. Now I have to do penance for standing up for Rehnquist. OW! OW! OW! OW!

[Democrat 4 Ever]

11. I don't think the question is how easy it is to get addicted to painkillers

but the idea of a drug addict ruling on questions of law while he is delusional is quite scary. Not to mention his having a say on the appeals of people convicted for drug related crimes is beyond the pale.

I sympathize with anyone who faces addictions of any sort but I don't want them having any say over my life or that of my family or that of any of my fellow citizens. Roaming around in his pajamas? Rambling incoherent opinions? Facts hidden from the public during confirmation hearings? That just corrupts the entire court.

[zanne]

12. I believe he was detoxing at the time.

Hallucinations, incoherency and trying to escape a detox facility are quite common in the detoxification process. It usually lasts a week or two.

[valerief]

9. If baseball players need drug-testing, then I think Chief Justices do, too. nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. So, what's Bush's excuse?