cannabisnews.com: Limbaugh Linked To Painkillers





Limbaugh Linked To Painkillers
Posted by CN Staff on October 03, 2003 at 08:16:57 PT
By John Pacenti and Mary McLachlin, Staff Writers
Source: Palm Beach Post
West Palm Beach -- A former housekeeper for Rush Limbaugh claims she supplied the conservative commentator with thousands of doses of painkillers, some of which may have come from a mom-and-pop pill mill busted earlier this year in Lake Worth. The housekeeper and her husband, residents of The Acreage, told their story to a Miami lawyer, and then to the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office after a promise of immunity from prosecution. Then they sold the tale to The National Enquirer, which splashed the allegations across their front page in Thursday's edition under the headline: "Rush Limbaugh Caught In Drug Ring."
Whether State Attorney Barry Krischer is interested in prosecuting Limbaugh isn't known. But prosecutors rarely pursue drug addicts unless they catch them with drugs. The Enquirer story stopped short of saying Limbaugh was caught red-handed.Krischer's office would neither confirm nor deny the allegations Thursday. But sources said prosecutors would not be surprised if Limbaugh contacted them.Limbaugh, 52, wasn't talking, either, but he was communicating with powerhouse criminal defense attorney Roy Black of Miami, who had no comment. Limbaugh, in a statement posted on his radio show's Web site, said: "I am unaware of any investigation by any authorities involving me. No governmental representative has contacted me directly or indirectly. If my assistance is required in the future, I will, of course, cooperate fully." Limbaugh wasn't on the air Thursday. Instead he gave the keynote speech at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Philadelphia. He made no mention of the drug allegations, but focused instead on his resignation as an ESPN sports analyst late Wednesday.He gave up the job three days after saying on the sports network's Sunday NFL Countdown that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed.The sources for the Enquirer's exposé were former housekeeper Wilma Cline, 42, and her husband, David, 41, who claim they were Limbaugh's drug suppliers from 1998 to 2002 and that he paid them tens of thousands of dollars.They said they sold him 11,900 tablets over six months in 2001. Many exchanges of drugs and money took place at a Denny's restaurant parking lot on Belvedere Road, they alleged.Trail leads to pharmacyThe Enquirer story said the couple got nervous and contacted Edward Shohat, a noted Miami criminal defense lawyer. Late last year, Shohat escorted them to Palm Beach County prosecutor James Martz. Given immunity, the Clines became part of a drug probe that led to the arrest of Louis and Gloria Beshara last May. Authorities believe that the Clines' illegal supply of painkillers came from the Besharas.Investigators tracked 450,000 doses of the powerful narcotic painkiller hydrocodone that were dispensed at the Besharas' small pharmacy, World Health Association, in suburban Lake Worth. The Besharas were charged with trafficking and conspiracy to traffic in hydrocodone, a painkiller similar to morphine.During a six-month undercover operation, law enforcement agents from the multi-agency task force also seized 73,000 narcotic tablets from the Besharas' home in Loxahatchee and from the pharmacy, and unearthed $806,000 in cash.Louis Beshara's attorney, James Eisenberg, told The Post he knew of no connection between the Clines and the Besharas."Those names (the Clines) have never come up. Never," Eisenberg said. "There is nothing in the case about Limbaugh, about the Clines, about anything like that. There is no connection as far as I can tell."Court documents show as many as four confidential informants were involved in the Beshara case, but Eisenberg said he didn't believe they included Wilma or David Cline.The Enquirer said the Clines backed up their claim of being Limbaugh's drug suppliers by providing e-mails that Limbaugh allegedly sent them with such messages as, "You know how this stuff works... the more you get used to, the more it takes."The messages also mention "small blue babies," an apparent reference to the painkillers.According to Wilma Cline's story, Limbaugh's descent into drug addiction happened after she told him that her husband was hurt in a fall from a ladder and that he was taking some hydrocodone. "To my astonishment, he said, 'Can you spare a couple of them?' " she told the Enquirer.She said David Cline was impressed by who Limbaugh was and gave him 10 pills from his prescription.The next day in the laundry room of Limbaugh's $24 million mansion, he asked his $370-a-week housekeeper for more pills, Wilma Cline told the tabloid. Soon, she said, the couple was supplying Limbaugh with 80 pills a month.When her husband's doctor stopped prescribing him painkillers, she said, Limbaugh got upset and yelled at her, "I don't care how or what you do but you'd better -- better! -- get me some more."With the help of an unnamed houseman, she said, she continued to supply Limbaugh illegally, hiding the pills under his mattress so his wife wouldn't find them. Several months later, Limbaugh told her he would be undergoing drug rehabilitation and wouldn't need the drugs.But one month later, Limbaugh called and asked if he could get an even more powerful painkiller: OxyContin, Wilma Cline told the Enquirer.She started to keep a log of her purchases, she said, and within the first 47 days she delivered 4,350 pills to Limbaugh.She said Limbaugh became increasingly paranoid, one time groping her to see whether she was wearing a wire for the authorities.He tried to kick his habit again at a New York hospital to no avail, she said, and piled up drug bills of $80,000.In 2002, Wilma Cline said, a Palm Beach attorney showed up on her doorstep, gave her a check for $100,000 and made her sign a promissory note, but said the "loan" would never be collected. Four months later, in November, the attorney gave her a check for $100,000 and told her not to give Limbaugh any more pills.The attorney also told her to hand over the computer retaining Limbaugh's e-mails, Wilma Cline said, but she took the hard drive from another computer and smashed it in front of him. Then the Clines sought legal help.Enquirer Editor-in-Chief David Perel declined to say whether the Clines were paid for their story, but said the tabloid does pay for interviews. The Clines could not be reached Thursday.David Cline was arrested for cocaine trafficking in 1982 in Collier County. He posted bond to get out of jail and then skipped, living as a fugitive in New York and Fort Lauderdale under different names until surrendering in 1989. He was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison.In April 2000, while he and his wife were allegedly supplying Limbaugh with drugs, Cline was arrested in Palm Beach County and charged with identity theft, having a counterfeit or stolen driver license and a false vehicle registration, possessing marijuana and resisting arrest. He wound up with a combined sentence of time served, 18 months probation, community service and court costs.The injury that put a hydrocodone prescription into David Cline's hands happened in March 1998, while he was doing odd jobs at the Palm Beach home of Patricia Bradshaw.A pull-down attic ladder broke, sending him crashing to the floor. The Clines sued Bradshaw for $75,000, but Circuit Judge Jorge Labarga ruled against them in January 2001.Under questioning by Bradshaw's lawyer, Cline said he had made $40,000 to $50,000 a year and that he had not filed any income tax returns for the preceding five years. He also said he had used an alias to avoid paying child support for two children from a previous marriage.The Clines live at the end of a dirt road, where some of the 2-acre lots are fenced, with locked gates and "No Trespassing" and "Beware of Dog" signs.Their house is a 10-minute drive from where Louis and Gloria Beshara live in the Fox Trails community near Lion Country Safari. Their Besharas' house is surrounded by a high stone wall.Crews from CNN and the NBC network joined local reporters in a stakeout on the road in front of the Clines' yard Thursday. Scott and Cathy Pauldino, who live across the street, said the Clines had always been helpful and neighborly in their five years as neighbors."They're good people," Cathy Pauldino said. Limbaugh called good boss Wilma Cline had told them Limbaugh was a good person to work for, but revealed no details about the commentator's personal life.Limbaugh's friends also defended him.Advertising executive Dina Sontag, who worked with Limbaugh from 1993 to 1996, said she never saw Limbaugh take any drugs."As far as I know, it's all ludicrous," she said.Limbaugh's fill-in host on Thursday, Sacramento broadcaster Tom Sullivan, alluded briefly to the fact that "Rush is in the headlines today.""Nobody better to talk about Rush than Rush," Sullivan said at the beginning of the three-hour broadcast. "And when he gets back, he will, I'm sure, delve into all of the news about him as he always does."Source: Palm Beach Post, The (FL)Author: John Pacenti and Mary McLachlin, Palm Beach Post Staff WriterPublished: Friday, October 3, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Palm Beach PostContact: letters pbpost.comWebsite: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/Related Articles:Limbaugh In The Shadow Of His Own Words http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17457.shtmlRush Limbaugh in Pill Probe http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17452.shtmlLimbaugh Said Target of Drug Probe http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17451.shtml 
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Comment #13 posted by FoM on October 04, 2003 at 19:56:24 PT
mayan
You're welcome. I wonder if his interest in Alaska has anything to do with his boat? Here's an article.Rock Star's Sailboat Aids Marine ResearchNeil Young's 90-year-old schooner used in whale countPORT TOWNSEND -- A 90-year-old Danish schooner owned by rock musician Neil Young made a stop in Port Townsend after a two-year voyage to Hawaii and Alaska to count whales.It was a homecoming of sorts for Charlie Smith, captain of the Ragland.Complete Article: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/138886_sailboat10.html
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Comment #12 posted by mayan on October 04, 2003 at 19:18:53 PT
FoM...
Thanks for the info on Greendale. I'm not tired of it yet either! That's cool about your Greendale site!
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on October 03, 2003 at 19:42:10 PT
News Article from NBCSandiego.com
Tabloid: Maid Was Limbaugh's Drug SupplierLimbaugh To Cooperate With Drug ProbeOctober 3, 2003PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh remained silent on allegations he bought illicit drugs in South Florida, but the conservative commentator hired prominent Florida attorney Roy Black to defend him Thursday. Black, an NBC and NBC6 Miami legal analyst, will reportedly represent Limbaugh, who is a target of an investigation by Palm Beach authorities, who are investigating alleged trafficking in prescription pills by pharmacists and others. News of Limbaugh's involvement in the probe broke on Thursday, just hours after Limbaugh resigned as a sports commentator for ESPN in the wake of a scandal over racially-charged comments he made on a Sunday afternoon sports program. A story in the supermarket tabloid the National Enquirer claimed Limbaugh has been secretly battling an addiction to prescription pain pills, and that Limbaugh's former housekeeper illegally supplied the top-rated radio host with black market narcotics including OxyContin, for several years. The tabloid's October 2 issues features an interview with Wilma Cline, who reportedly showed e-mails reportedly sent to her from Limbaugh asking for more OxyContin. The magazine also claims Limbaugh has gone through drug rehabilitation twice because of his alleged addiction. Limbaugh, a conservative commentator, has said he will cooperate with the probe, which Palm Beach officials said does not focus on him, but rather targets the dealers. But if allegations Limbaugh purchased the narcotics on the black market prove true, he could face criminal charges. Limbaugh took a break from his top-rated radio program on Thursday, retreating to his Florida mansion, according to a story in Friday's New York Daily News. A spokeswoman said he would return to the air on Friday. Keven Bellows of Premier Network, which syndicates Limbaugh's program, "The Rush Limbaugh Show," said he would be on the air, but refused to answer questions regarding the drug use allegations. Premiere Radio Networks issued a statement from Limbaugh earlier Thursday saying: "I am unaware of any investigation by any authority involving me. No government representative has contacted me directly or indirectly. If my assistance is required, I will, of course, cooperate fully." The statement also appeared on Limbaugh's web site on Friday. Cline has told reporters, and reportedly the FBI, that she supplied the 52-year-old Limbaugh with "thousands" of OxyContin, Lorcet and hydrocodone pills between 1998 and 2002. She claimed some of the handoffs occurred in the parking lot of a South Florida Denny's restaurant. Cline told the Enquirer she would hand Limbaugh a cigar box full of pills and he would return the box to her, full of cash. "Here's the cabbage," Limbaugh would reportedly tell Cline. Palm Beach authorities were expected to question Limbaugh by within days. According to the Post, one target of the probe is Limbaugh's pharmacist Louis Beshara and his wife, Gloria, who are under investigation for allegedly supplying drug dealers with prescription hydrocodone pills. A law enforcement source told the Post Florida is cracking down on the illegal prescription drug trade, and that Limbaugh's fame won't shield him from prosecution. Notoriety didn't shield the daughter of Gov. Jeb Bush; last year, Noelle Bush was arrested for filing a phony prescription for the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and for allegedly possessing a small amount of crack cocaine while in drug rehabilitation. Limbaugh's legal woes come on the heels of a controversy over comments he made as a football analyst for ESPN's "NFL Sunday Countdown" program. He quit ESPN Wednesday amid furor over his statements that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated, and was being promoted by the NFL and the media because he was black. The comment sparked outrage and ESPN was deluged with calls for Limbaugh's ouster. Democratic presidential candidates including Gen. Wesley Clark and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, along with elected officials including Tennessee Rep. Harold Ford Jr. also demanded Limbaugh be fired or step down. And presidential candidate and civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton threatened a boycott of ESPN and its parent company Disney and their advertisers. Limbaugh resigned on Wednesday, saying he wanted to spare his co-hosts and the network from the controversy. He did not take questions from reporters, but told the National Association of Broadcasters at its convention in Philadelphia on Thursday; "The great people at ESPN did not want to deal with this kind of reaction. The path of least resistance became for me to resign."Copyright 2003 by NBC5.comhttp://www.nbcsandiego.com/politics/2530611/detail.html
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Comment #10 posted by E_Johnson on October 03, 2003 at 16:36:04 PT
Holy Cow 
I checked out the NYDN article and right next to the story, there was a sponsored link box for an offer for ordering Vicodin online.
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on October 03, 2003 at 16:12:52 PT
mayan
Sun Green will be shown on October 10th for 24 hours.http://www.neilyoung.com/premiere.htmlI was surprised when my web site that I made about Greendale came in at the top of All The Web Search. I've had lots of fun making these pages. I still listen to Greendale everyday. I'm not tired of it yet.http://www.alltheweb.com/search?avkw=fogg&cat=web&cs=utf-8&q=neil+young+greendale&_sb_lang=pref
Neil Young: Greendale
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on October 03, 2003 at 15:32:56 PT
Thanks mayan for the Articles
I'm watching MSNBC and looking at the different articles about Rush Limbaugh. What makes me angry is he won't say if he is dependent on pain drugs or not. This is my nasty side so don't take me too seriously but all they need to do is watch him closely and if he doesn't take any drugs for a few days he isn't addicted. A person that is really strung out will display symptoms of withdrawal within a day or two at the most.
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Comment #7 posted by mayan on October 03, 2003 at 15:24:07 PT
More on the Idiot...
I'll spill on pills, Rush vows: 
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/123150p-110588c.htmlLimbaugh at center of controversy again:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2003-10-02-limbaugh-controversy_x.htm
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Comment #6 posted by observer on October 03, 2003 at 11:09:35 PT
breaking Limbaugh news 
breaking Limbaugh drug news 
http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/index.cgi?q=limbaugh
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Comment #5 posted by CorvallisEric on October 03, 2003 at 09:47:27 PT
WolfgangWylde (comment #1)
LOL!Maybe he could jump the gun by being introduced to pot the way William F. Buckley was - on a boat in international waters outside his country's jurisdiction.Chretien really seems to be saying, like Dickens, that "the law is an ass."
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Comment #4 posted by Jose Melendez on October 03, 2003 at 09:43:14 PT
deeper still
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/beshara1.html
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Comment #3 posted by Jose Melendez on October 03, 2003 at 09:19:29 PT
the rest of the story
http://www.news-journal.com/news/content/coxnet/headlines/1003_rush.html;COXnetJSessionID=19fUtPKV8iC83d6GbQ8c9jy1403uegvH4bB3bT9LeYZtbznxQK47!2123086895?urac=n&urvf=10651973327740.12014792038844013Ugh that's a long url
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Comment #2 posted by Jose Melendez on October 03, 2003 at 09:07:30 PT
try THIS!
http://www.msnbc.com/news/975443.asp?0cv=NB10
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Comment #1 posted by WolfgangWylde on October 03, 2003 at 08:29:56 PT
Off topic...check this out from Reuters
Canadian PM Mulls Smoking Marijuana When He RetiresOTTAWA (Reuters) - Now Canada can understand why Prime Minister Jean Chretien seems to be in such a hurry to push through a law decriminalizing marijuana. Chretien, 69, said in an interview published on Friday that he might give pot a try once it is no longer a criminal offense -- presumably after he retires in February. Under the new law, pot users would only pay a fine if caught with small amounts. "I don't know what is marijuana. Perhaps I will try it when it will no longer be criminal. I will have my money for my fine and a joint in the other hand," he said in an interview with the Winnipeg Free Press. 
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