cannabisnews.com: Limbaugh Won't Be Prosecuted, Attorneys Wager Limbaugh Won't Be Prosecuted, Attorneys Wager Posted by CN Staff on October 03, 2003 at 23:22:13 PT By John Pacenti, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Source: Palm Beach Post West Palm Beach -- Rush Limbaugh's alleged addiction to painkillers may be documented in e-mails. His reported drug deals may have been taped by his former housekeeper.And the talkative maid and her handyman husband could even be willing to testify against the conservative talk-show host. They sure were willing to spill everything to a supermarket tabloid. But the chance of criminal charges ever being filed against Limbaugh is next to nil, say criminal defense attorneys who have handled numerous drug cases.And some local lawyers say they are hearing from sources within State Attorney Barry Krischer's office that Limbaugh -- who lives in a $24 million mansion on Palm Beach -- will indeed not be charged.Sources also said Limbaugh won't even be questioned by law enforcement officials, unless the commentator chooses to cooperate on his own.Roy Black is the Miami powerhouse attorney Limbaugh has reportedly hired to represent him. But Black, who has represented such celebrities as Marv Albert and William Kennedy Smith, won't return calls to confirm he has been retained. And Limbaugh said on his radio show Friday he wasn't at liberty to address the allegations.James Martz, the prosecutor who heads up a task force on money-laundering, said he is more interested in finding the heads of such distribution cells as opposed to prosecuting low-level drug users -- whether they are celebrities or not.Plus, to prosecute drug abusers, authorities need to catch them in possession of the illegal substance, he said. "Shy of that, we have very little leverage in the state system," Martz said.What it all comes down to, attorneys say, is that the court of public opinion is a far cry from the court of law."I think that the state better have a heck of a lot more than what I'm seeing, hearing and reading right now," attorney Michael Salnick said. "First of all you have a major credibility issue with these witnesses. The credibility issue starts with the fact they sold their story to The National Enquirer."The former maid, Wilma Cline, and her husband, David Cline, told The Enquirer for its latest edition that Limbaugh bulldogged them into supplying him with thousands of painkillers between 1998 and 2002. They said Limbaugh took hydrocodone, Lorcet and OxyContin.The story came out on the heels of Limbaugh resigning from his job as an ESPN sports analyst after he said Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated because the media wanted a black quarterback to succeed. Maid said she taped transactionsIt is unknown if the timing was coincidental, but The Enquirer's story is full of juicy details. According to the piece, it all started when Limbaugh asked for some extra pain pills from David Cline's legitimate prescription for a back injury. Soon, Limbaugh demanded that they continue to supply him with pills when the prescription ran out. That's when Wilma Cline started keeping a log of her deliveries and preserved desperate e-mails from Limbaugh in which he referred to pills as "small blue babies."Wilma Cline said she would meet Limbaugh in parking lots, passing a cigar box filled with pills through his Mercedes' windowDuring her two last drug deliveries, Wilma Cline told The Enquirer, she secretly audiotaped the transactions.Late last year, the Clines went to prosectors, who gave them immunity. Sources say the couple helped prosecutors in their investigation into tracking some 450,000 pills of hydrocodone back to the source.Authorities believe some of Limbaugh's supply was dispensed from a small suburban Lake Worth pharmacy, World Health Association. The couple that ran the operation, Gloria and Louis Beshara, were arrested in May, seven months after the Clines came forward. The Besharas currently face trafficking charges.Also, what could undermine the Clines' credibility is that David Cline has a criminal history. He was arrested in 1982 in Collier County for cocaine trafficking, serving five years in prison. In 2000, he was arrested on charges of identity theft -- using the name George Earl Taylor -- of possessing a fake driver license and fake vehicle registration, as well as possession of marijuana and resisting arrest. He served 18 months probation.It is unknown if the couple received full immunity from prosecutors for information they gave about how they provided pills for Limbaugh. If Wilma Cline did tape Limbaugh without his knowledge, that is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison, attorneys say. Plus, Martz said such tapings can't even be heard by prosecutors. As for e-mail evidence, Martz said any such evidence is problematic because there is trouble verifying who sent the e-mail.So where does this leave Limbaugh's criminal liability?"I think it's legal suicide to go after a guy like Limbaugh with evidence as flimsy as this," Salnick said.Two former prosecutors, now in private practice, agree.Robert Gershman said most of the time, users are prosecuted only for possession. He said the Clines probably wouldn't have even gotten in the door of the state attorney's office if they weren't outing a celebrity.Marc Shiner said the celebrity issue taints the case. "Why would drug dealers turn in their client unless they are trying to save their own neck -- or trying to make a couple hundred thousand dollars peddling their story to the tabloids?" he asked. "If I was Roy Black, I'd be sitting on the beach right now sipping a pina colada or watching a Marlins game and not worrying too much about Rush Limbaugh's criminal liability right now."Source: Palm Beach Post, The (FL)Author: John Pacenti, Palm Beach Post Staff WriterPublished: Saturday, October 4, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Palm Beach PostContact: letters pbpost.comWebsite: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/Related Articles:Limbaugh Linked To Painkillershttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17458.shtmlLimbaugh In The Shadow Of His Own Words http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17457.shtmlRush Limbaugh in Pill Probe http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17452.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #13 posted by E_Johnson on October 04, 2003 at 20:41:37 PT A Cuban cigar "You are correct. The terms I personally heard him use was "dope users" as being "worthless to society" and that they "might as well lock them all away". This, the man who's always sucking on a cigar."A Cuban cigar, according to the boxes he used to transfer his drug money.What's this? A conservative smoking Cuban cigars?Oh yeah let's find him and old Soviet limo to drive around in while he smokes it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by Mike on October 04, 2003 at 16:42:50 PT MaryJaneFreedom You are correct. The terms I personally heard him use was "dope users" as being "worthless to society" and that they "might as well lock them all away". This, the man who's always sucking on a cigar.If you have listened to Rush then you would know that he is very prejudiced towards "dope users" and will spare no opportunity to stick in a little name-calling when it comes to them. Do I think he was serious when he made the statement? No, but Rush exaggerates to get his point across, and when on a "roll" he will say things even more absurd than that. Be careful whom you blindly defend. Unless your name is Marta.Too bad, because Rush is very right-on when it comes to sooo many political issues. He does know how to use his brain in many cases, but he speaks before doing so sometimes. I began listening to Rush in 1992 and for the most part have listened to him since whenever I've had opportunity to listen to the radio during the day. While I find his prejudiced attitude regarding "dope" revolting, his show is entertaining nonetheless.I also find his blind adoration of Abe Lincoln to be rather shallow-thinking. Lincoln truly destroyed how this country was founded, and because of him states lost their rights and we now have a nice fat federal governemnt in charge of everyone and everything.Democrats *are* socialists in the communal sense, and it turns my stomach having to ever vote for one, but if any candidate is not clear-headed enough to see that prohibition is a failure, then how can they be clear-headed enough to make other policy decisions? Too bad Libertarians didn't get a foothold before the Harrison Act.But its of no consequence, because I think re-legalization of cannabis will occur here only after being shamed into doing so by the rest of the world. Enlightenment is happening. It just takes a little longer with those who's heads are encased in concrete. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by john wayne on October 04, 2003 at 13:21:05 PT rush has a public forum Sure, the weaselly "law enforcement" types won't go after their hero Rush.But Rush is a public figure. He runs a (somewhat) public forum. He is well known and adored by the very mass population that heartily approves of the war on drugs.That's where his image can be used. Allegations disproved notwithstanding (and Rush has denied little), old Rush provides a very weak spot in the drug war dike.If Rush attempts to keep his public persona going, I plan to call his show repeatedly and ask pointed questions about his drug use, support of illegal drug dealing (hey! don't that support terrrorism?), and his experiences in rehab. I KNOW I won't get through to the show itself. But if even 10% of the folks who read this board make a few calls, I believe it will have an effect. If 10% of the people who have been arrested and jailed on trumped up drug charges call, it would swamp his show. I happen to fall into both groups. I'm calling!Rush LimbaughPremiere Radio Network 2 Penn Plaza 17th Floor New York , NY 10121Phone: 1-800-282-2882Fax: (212) 563-9166rush eibnet.comAir Time: Noon to 3 p.m. EST [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by WolfgangWylde on October 04, 2003 at 09:03:36 PT One of the basic principles... ...of the Drug War is that the government cannot go after the rich and powerful with the same draconian tacitcs used against the rest of us. If it did, the gov't would soon find those very same rich and powerful aligning themselves against the Drug War, and the whole thing would collapse. They know they have to go easy on the movers and shakers, or the laws will go down right quick. This is all very predictable.Meanwhile, in the real world where the rest of us live, a 70-year-old store clerk in Oklahoma has been convicted of selling 10 bottles of cold medicine to an undercover cop, and is facing up to 10 years in prison. 'Scuse me while I go puke. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Jose Melendez on October 04, 2003 at 08:35:26 PT I'm guessing Rush won't be debating Tommy Chong Maybe Tommy can call El Rushdo collect, from prison. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by kaptinemo on October 04, 2003 at 08:31:26 PT: I said he would be treated with kid gloves Well? Does anyone here think ol' Rushie-poo will ever be bedmates to a homosexual rapist for the felony he's committed? Nope. he'll diddy-bop into the sunset waving, chuckling and laughing, just like Ollie did. Republicans do take care of their own...no matter what, no matter why. A little matter of treason and lying to Congress about it? "No prah-bluhm". A little community service, and then you can earn megabucks lying about yourself all over again. And is justice served? "Fuhgedaboutit." Expect the same treatment given to Mr. Christie; he is just too useful, and the dittoheads are just too numerous, and the corporate control of the media now too well cemented. The fix was in before the wires went on. The housekeepers will be the ones who see jail, and "Rush" will see daylight and microphones and and klieg lights and lots of money. You watch... [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by charmed quark on October 04, 2003 at 07:57:17 PT Not enough evidence? When I think of all the no-knock warrents that are issued based on the testimony of one professional snitch ( often resulting in raids on innocent people or the arrest of entire populations, like Tulia), to hear the prosecutor say that there ins't enough evidence and the witnesses aren't credible lets me know that the double standard is alive and well. -Pete [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by goneposthole on October 04, 2003 at 06:53:12 PT Changed my mind about Rush, a doofus dork "If Rush has been illegally purchasing and using presciption medicine, then he should admit that he does." (corrected)How stupid can one man get? I was stupid to defend him. I won't apologize for him anymore; to do so will be too soon."Too late schmart, and too soon old."Not too late to change my mind. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Jose Melendez on October 04, 2003 at 05:55:12 PT transcripts, quotes http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v98.n186.a08.htmlhttp://mailman.lbo-talk.org/pipermail/lbo-talk/Week-of-Mon-20030929/024014.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Dark Star on October 04, 2003 at 05:48:26 PT Dissembling The double-standard is alive and well. Anyone that claims that this story isn't true is a fool. Limbaugh did not deny it, plain and simple.So, it's true, and nobody thinks it will go anywhere. A mere few hundred thousand pills. Any defendant in a similar case should say, "I want the deal that Rush got!" [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by goneposthole on October 04, 2003 at 05:11:22 PT boy, talk about passing the buck "Hey, get me some of those blue pills. I need some more, and hurry up about it." The 'dealer' is the criminal, but the low level user is not?Who was forcing Rush to purchase 450 thousand pills? Also, if he bought that many, shouldn't a prosecuting attorney be looking into what was done with those pills? "Where are those pills, Rush?" If he can buy 450 thousand 'little blue babies', how can he not be dealing them? Rush would be wise to own up to his indiscretions. Isn't he the one who yammers continuously about personal responsibility? If Rush has a been illegaly purchasing and using illegal presciption medicine, then he should admit that he does. However, He says that he is 'not at liberty to address the allegations'. That is because he maybe has been dealing them, too? More denial, more foolish talk, more passing the buck, more yammering about everything else about what is wrong in society, in general, more bovine excrement about nothing at all. Talk, talk, talk, jawbone, jawbone, jawbone, yammer, yammer, yammer, ad nauseum, ad infinitum. Nothing at all about what he can do to help in any way. Thoroughly disappointing. What can one expect anymore, except to be disappointed in the knaves and fools who rob us everyday? Typical hypocritical behavior that has run its course. The idiocy of it all is a black mark on history. Neocons warring on any and all who don't kowtow to the 'party line'. This stuff is repugnant. "James Martz, the prosecutor who heads up a task force on money-laundering, said he is more interested in finding the heads of such distribution cells as opposed to prosecuting low-level drug users -- whether they are celebrities or not." Open your eyes, Jimmy boy.Those who are not 'celebrities' have a different story to tell that needs to be told: "One day in 1992, under the relentless Nevada desert sun, Paul Choy was being hassled, harassed and taunted in order, purportedly, to build his character and straighten him out. Finally, in reckless desperation, he tried to defend himself. That was just the signal his tormentors, called "coaches," needed to put their "restraint techniques" to the test. They were ready, waiting and thorough.... After all, you can't allow dangerous, uncontrollable young delinquents to be mouthing off and threatening people, can you? When they say they can't take it anymore--they all say that--they're faking it. They're mostly a pack of liars and manipulators who never had any discipline. And, if you know your business, you don't relax your hold until they calm down and start cooperating. They aren't in boot camp to be mollycoddled, ya know, but to learn discipline, right?... That was the scene, more or less, at a place prophetically called Rite of Passage. The last I heard, Paul Choy had indeed become very cooperative and was celebrating his 16th birthday in a hospital bed, brain dead and on life support. His was the first such case to come to my attention.continuing... The purported benefits to those who pass through the camps remain entirely the stuff of myth and wishful thinking. Some studies have been done, and to date no one has been able to document that boot camp graduates fare better for the experience. As for the self-serving anecdotal "evidence" touted by the industry's enthusiasts and shareholders, it must set every skeptic's bullshit alarm bells ringing. My reading of the evidence suggests that the camps' clientele are nothing more than grist for a very profitable mill. The old-style reform school, but with "training" substituted for flogging, and phony "tough love" jargon substituted for the blunt (but more honest) cruelties of the original model, is enjoying a heady revival these days. It's a seller's market and business is booming. There's just one minor nuisance: the deaths." http://www.nospank.net/camps.htm [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by MaryJaneFreedom on October 04, 2003 at 03:24:58 PT Sorry Mike... Na, Rush never said that. You're making that up or were mis-informed. You can't believe everything you hear mike... [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Mike on October 03, 2003 at 23:33:02 PT "dope users" as Rush has said, should all be locked away. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment