Report: Rush Tooks As Many As 30 Pills a Day

NewsMax ^ | Monday, Oct. 13, 2003 | PRNewswire

[yonif]

NEW YORK -- None of Rush Limbaugh's friends contacted by Newsweek seemed to know the talk-radio host had a drug problem. "What's interesting," one of these friends told Newsweek, "is that he apparently hid the pills from his wife." Limbaugh's dependence on painkillers began after an unsuccessful back surgery in the late '90's, reports Assistant Managing Editor Evan Thomas in the October 20 issue of Newsweek, (on newsstands Monday, October 13).

In last week's radio confessional, Limbaugh told his listeners that he had twice gone to a hospital to detox. "What did he tell his wife when he checked into the treatment center? -- unless these were 24- to 48-hour clinics to clean out your system. There's an awful lot of mystery about it," said the friend.

Law-enforcement sources tell Newsweek that Rush Limbaugh's exposure as a pain-pill addict began when his former housekeeper Wilma Cline, 42, showed up at the Palm Beach County state attorney's office late last year eager to alert the cops to her boss's drug use. Her motive remained murky, but her story -- how she had met Limbaugh in parking lots to exchange sandwich bags filled with "baby blues" (OxyContin pills) for a cigar box stuffed with cash-was luridly damning, reports Thomas.

According to Cline, Limbaugh took as many as 30 OxyContin pills a day. It is not clear why Cline went to the authorities. She could still be prosecuted, despite a partial grant of immunity, say law-enforcement sources. The investigation has so far produced an arrest of a Palm Beach County couple accused of pushing hydrocodone and OxyContin.

Journalists who have spent time with Limbaugh have been struck by the contrast between Rush the Radio Know-It-All and the private, ill-at-ease Limbaugh.

Friend Bill Bennett, whose book, "The Moral Compass," Limbaugh touted on radio, says he knew nothing of Limbaugh's pill opping.

"He's a very private man," Bennett told Newsweek. "He takes problems into himself."

Limbaugh lasted only a year in college. He jokes that he flunked Public Speaking. Actually, he got a "D," his speaking teacher, Dr. Bill Stacy, told Newsweek. Limbaugh's father maneuvered him into the communications class,hoping his son would like it enough to stay in college and eventually become a lawyer.

Limbaugh was more interested in riffing off the top of his head.

"You need to make an outline. You need some data to support your assertions," Stacy told young Limbaugh.

Failed Disc Jockey

"Frankly, he wouldn't do those things." He was not much of a success as a disc jockey, either. Fired twice (and briefly on the dole, a detail Limbaugh overlooks when he rants against welfare), Limbaugh finally scored when he replaced Morton Downey Jr., an angry right-wing talk-radio host, on a Sacramento station.

He quickly became the patron saint of conservative talk radio and has stayed on top of the charts for more than a decade. (His most recent contract, signed in 2001 for eight years, was for $285 million.)

But his personal life left something to be desired.

His self-absorption made dating difficult. Two women who dated Limbaugh told conservative activist (and Limbaugh friend) Paul Weyrich that they couldn't seem to get his attention. "They both said, 'I'll never go on a date with him again'," Weyrich told Newsweek. "They did not have a good time. He talked about himself and didn't seem interested in them at all."

Limbaugh may have dropped a hint about his addiction a few months ago when he joked, in a seemingly offhand way on his radio show, that he had been "popping pills" for back pain. He drew a very sympathetic response two years ago when he announced that he had suddenly gone deaf-the result of some kind autoimmune illness, he said at the time.

Suspicion has now turned to his drug habit: repeated large doses of hydrocodone, a painkiller sold under the brand name Vicodin, can cause severe hearing impairment.

The penalty for illegally buying large quantities of prescription painkillers in Florida can be five years in jail, and contrary to some published reports, prosecutors do go after users as well as pushers -- especially if they want to make an example of a celebrity.

Limbaugh's best shot at keeping his vast audience is by being open about his problem, reports Thomas. Glenn Beck, an up-and-coming conservative talk-radio host who is regarded as one of the heirs if Limbaugh falters, is himself a former drug addict and recovering alcoholic.

"The hardest thing I had to do was stand up in front of a room of people and say, 'I'm an alcoholic,' and those were people who were sympathetic to what I was saying. He had to do it in front of 18 million...I can't imagine how hard it was to get on the air and say I have a problem."

[Mr. Mojo]

Rush Tooks As Many As 30 Pills a Day

Man, Rush tooks a lot.

[Old Sarge]

One of many hit pieces to come.

[madison10]

What does Newsmax have against Rush Limbaugh? Jealousy?

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[A CA Guy]

30 Oxys a day would kill an elephant, especially a Republican elephant.

[AdamSelene235]

Far out, man.

[madison10]

Note to self: Newsmax LINKS to other news stories...they don't do their own.

[GOPyouth]

Dave's not here.

[Steve Eisenberg]

"What did he tell his wife when he checked into the treatment center? -- unless these were 24- to 48-hour clinics to clean out your system. There's an awful lot of mystery about it," said the friend.

One of the saddest things about being a celebrity much be attracting a "friend" like this.

[IncPen]

I haven't seen any comments on the flipside of the housekeeper's story, so I'll make a few.

I have a little bit of experience dealing with celebrities who inhabit Limbaugh's sort of realm. None of them would hire anyone into their inner circle without an iron-clad NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement). I would expect the housekeeper had one with Limabugh, and thus would expect that Limbaugh could recover from her any monies paid her for the story. Also, it occurs to me that if she is in breach of contract with Limbaugh, or if Limbaugh can prove that part of the Enquirer's story was fraudulently or criminally obtained (think: wiretap), Limbaugh's lawyers may be able to compel the Enquirer to reveal who else was paid in the gathering of the story. I think this could be very messy if it goes the way I suppose, but more about that in a minute.

Typically these NDAs are binding contracts which cover the term of employment and some extended length (for life, even) of time thereafter and are put in place to prevent kiss and tell, leaks and extortion. Not that those things couldn't be compensated after the fact in the courts, but by that time you're already 'outed' and you're looking for retribution for your pain. NDAs are to make sure the dirt never sees the daylight.

In exchange for this fealty, the help is usually generously compensated including money, lodging, trips, expenses, education, and other benefits. I saw people questioning a maid making $200,000. I assure you, this is not uncommon, and she was by no means extravagantly paid in this type of situation. Loyalty is prized among all else, and duly rewarded.

When the bond is broken, the aggrieved has several avenues. Sometimes the contract calls for binding arbitration, to keep the problem hidden. In Limbaugh's case, my feeling is that one of the reasons he kept his mouth shut, aside from the obvious, is that his lawyers may be putting together a criminal case of their own to present against the housekeeper and her accomplices. In my view (reading between the lines and apart from the obvious) she had two or three accomplices - private detectives, journalists, lawyers and perhaps someone (off the clock) from some law enforcement organization.

I know, I know, LEOs are supposedly investigating Limbaugh, but it seems likely to me (especially since Drudge claims the story has been cold for over a year) that some LEOs were cashing in on this off the clock. This cashing in may have been in providing the drugs, the wire, or surveillance. I'm thinking entrapment.

Just a hunch.

I'm suspicious of Limbaugh's timing in taking 30 days off also, but I'll save that for another thread.

As always, my 2 cents, your mileage may vary.

[Central Scrutiniser]

He shoulda used medical marijuana, oh yeah, he is against that....

[Alouette]

I find it hard to believe that anybody can take 30 oxy's a day and not drop dead. That much can stop your heart.

[strela]

30 hydrocodone a day is enough to drop a RINO.

[CWOJackson]

"Her motive remained murky..."

[lafroste]

One question has been nagging at me: Rush started on these pills because of (presumably) chronic back pain from a less than successful surgery. If he gets clean of them, isn't the pain still there? Is society really saying to him "being in constant pain is better for you than being addicted to these drugs, despite the overwhelming evidence that you are functional while taking them"? What does he do now for pain management when he'll be so closely scrutinized that National Enquirer would run stories of him taking a St. Joseph aspirin after this?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[Petronski]

Have you ever heard of anyone who tooks more than that?

[Mr. Mojo]

Aside from perhaps Hunter Thompson, no.

What's your takes on the matter?

[jim_trent]

Just curious. It appears that the woman (maybe through her husband, a convicted drug dealer) was the pusher. Rush was the user. I have heard of the police squeezing users to give up their dealer, but I have never heard of a dealer being squeezed to give up a user. Of course, Rush would be a quite a trophy for any prosecutor. Much more than a couple of unknowns.

BTW, keep in mind that prosecutors are the lowest of the low. They are politicians, first, last, and always. They depend on the public on re-electing them. So they will do anything, even if it is dishonest. We had a local prosecutor who turned loose a repeat offender (something like 140 arrests between the ages of 18 and 25). The perp shot and killed a cop, then he was in turn killed by other police. The prosecutor was too busy prosecuting a guy who had an "adult bookstore" (it took three trials to get a conviction), prosecuting a couple of politicians who were accused of groping a 17 year old in public in front of their wifes (it was proven in the trial that it was totally impossible for them to have done what she accused them of), and going after divorced gunowners when he could get an ex-wife to swear out a restraining order (even after the fact). He just could not be bothered to prosecute a perp who had been shot a couple of times and had shot people several times, culminating in the killing of a cop. I have absolutely NO USE and NO FAITH in the legal system as it is now structured.

[Mr. Mojo]

Ah, I see the Newsmax editor finally corrected the error.