Posted on 06/27/2006 4:00:45 PM PDT by doesnt suffer fools gladly
Limbaugh Likely to Wait Several Days
By BRIAN SKOLOFF
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Rush Limbaugh will likely have to wait several days to find out if he violated his deal with prosecutors in a prescription fraud case when authorities found him in possession of a bottle of Viagra that was apparently prescribed to someone else, a spokesman for the state attorney's office said Tuesday.
Limbaugh, 55, was detained for more than three hours Monday at Palm Beach International Airport after he returned on his private plane from a vacation in the Dominican Republic. Customs officials found Viagra in his bag, but his name wasn't on the prescription, Palm Beach County sheriff's spokesman Paul Miller said.
Limbaugh's lawyer, Roy Black, said the prescription was written in his doctor's name "for privacy purposes." The conservative radio host was released without being charged and investigators confiscated the Viagra, which treats erectile dysfunction.
Limbaugh joked about the search on his radio show Tuesday, saying Customs officials didn't believe him when he said he got the pills at the Clinton Library and he was told they were blue M&Ms. He later added, chuckling: "I had a great time in the Dominican Republic. Wish I could tell you about it."
It is generally not illegal under Florida law for a physician to prescribe medication in a third party's name if all parties are aware and the doctor documents it correctly, said Mike Edmondson, a spokesman for the state attorney in Palm Beach County. He would not discuss specifics in the Limbaugh case Tuesday.
The sheriff's office was continuing its investigation and would turn the case over to prosecutors in several days, Edmondson said. The alleged violation could be a second-degree misdemeanor if Limbaugh's doctor doesn't confirm the prescription.
Under last month's deal with prosecutors, authorities will dismiss a "doctor shopping" charge if Limbaugh doesn't get arrested for 18 months, among other terms. Prosecutors had said he illegally deceived multiple doctors to get overlapping painkiller prescriptions. Limbaugh denied the charges but admitted he was addicted to painkillers.
This latest case may simply be dismissed if prosecutors can confirm with Limbaugh's doctor that the prescription was indeed for Limbaugh, said Kendall Coffey, a former U.S. attorney in Florida.
"It's perhaps a little embarrassing but not highly incriminating," Coffey said.
In addition, possession of Viagra is in a "completely different universe than a matter that would involve Schedule Two (controlled) substances such as OxyContin" Coffey added.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, Viagra is not considered a controlled substance because "it's not something you can be addicted to," said DEA Investigator Maria Gilbert.
The Food and Drug Administration oversees regulations concerning non-addictive drugs that are not considered controlled substances, Gilbert said. A telephone call to the FDA was not immediately returned Tuesday.
Leno and Letterman must be just rubbing their hands together in glee. Rush caught with Viagra!!!! Half their work is done for them!!
"Limbaugh Likely to Wait Several Days" - Not with Cialis.
End of story.
55 year old man uses Viagra. Wow.
NY Times exposes legal classified anti-terrorist program. Zzzzz.
I think Rush set these fools up with this one.
Investigators confiscated the viagra.
That's just great. The world is safe once more.
What a damn witch hunt.
"Generally"?? How about "just leaving the word 'generally' out of it, spokesClown for the PBC Crowbar Brigade? And the sniffers who were stopping Rush knew that. But lo and behold, the news gets out about the Viagra. How convenient.
LOL, first hand experience maybe:)
Personally, I think Rush is diabetic, although I don't know that for a fact.
But I remember when he suddenly lost a lot of weight and then hired a full-time chef to cook him nutritious meals. That type of strict, sudden change suggests to me that he finally began to take seriously what were probably high sugar counts, especially given his weight and dietary habits at the time. Fortunately for him, he had the resources to make the dietary change relatively painless. But I can't imagine him making a sudden change like that for a less urgent reason.
Viagra could easily be on the pill roster for a Type II diabetic. So typical of the misanthropist progressives to make fun of him because he might have a serious affliction that affects 20 million Americans.
Again, I don't know whether he is or isn't diabetic. Just my hunch. It would explain a lot.
Did anybody catch Rush on his show today say something like, "Up next, my new theme song by Mac Davis," as he went to a commerical? I thought I heard him say that, and I had to take a phone call so I don't know if he played a Davis song or not. I was listening to the live stream on his website.
But when has that ever stopped a government criminal from attempting to unjustly coerce a citizen...
I have bad news; he's put on a lot of weight again....
Painkillers can lead to weight loss as well. Since he's been off them, he's gained some of the weight back.
Oh no. I could not resist.
Interesting idea. A little known side effect of being diabetic is "erectile dysfunction." (wow, the marvel of modern advertising..it acquainted me with a new term...)
I heard the remark, I just assumed it was one of his inside jokes. Couldn't quite remember who Mac Davis is.
Singer, sometime actor. Was in North Dallas 40. Most recently he's done voices on King of the Hill. Wrote some Elvis songs I think.
It would only be 36 hours if it were Cialis. :=P
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