Warrants: Limbaugh Was 'Doctor Shopping'

My Way.Com ^ | 12/4/03 | Jill Barton

[Lucky2]

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Investigators raided the offices of Rush Limbaugh's doctor Thursday, saying in search warrants that the conservative radio commentator engaged in illegal drug use and "doctor shopping" for prescription painkillers.

The warrants show investigators were looking for records including prescription disbursements, appointment schedules, receipts and a medical questionnaire.

"Mr. Limbaugh's actions violate the letter, and spirit" of the law that relates to "doctor shopping," stated one of warrants, signed by Asim Brown, a law enforcement agent assigned to the state attorney's office anti-money laundering task force. Doctor shopping refers to looking for a doctor willing to prescribe drugs illegally.

Limbaugh denied any wrongdoing to listeners on his radio show earlier Thursday and accused prosecutors in Palm Beach County of going on a "fishing expedition."

[Boxsford]

I didn't know doctor shopping was against the law.

No kidding. I didn't either. Are we being watched this much?

[Alas Babylon!]

There are so many things that have been made illegal over the years. Probably we are a whole nation of criminals if they wanted to enforce each and every law on the books. And it's not going to get better.

[Alberta's Child]

"Mr. Limbaugh's actions violate the letter, and spirit" of the law that relates to "doctor shopping," stated one of warrants . . .

Maybe it's just me, but the wording of this warrant sounds rather odd. Why not just say that his actions violated Section X, Item Y of the Florida Criminal Code?

[twntaipan]

Rush's real crime? Offending the liberal elite. Some Florida prosecutor is trying to make a name for himself. The prosecutor will be found to be a close friend of some national demonRAT leader (but that point will never be widely publicized by the major media--except for Fox).

[Boxsford]

Don't make me go to the dictionary, what does that mean?

[Boxsford]

LOL!!! hilarious!

[Sloth]

Apparently it is:

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Broward woman charged with deceiving doctors to get drugs
©Associated Press
September 28, 2002

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HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- A woman has been charged under a new "doctor shopping" law passed to prevent deception in obtaining prescription drugs.

Marilyn Georges, 53, was charged Thursday with six felony counts of "doctor shopping": obtaining the same controlled drugs from more than one doctor within a 30-day period by using deception. The law went into effect July 1.

"This is the first time we've filed such a case in this division," Broward Assistant State Attorney Sharon Mullane said. "I believe there will be plenty of others. This is a problem that has existed for some time."

Prosecutors said three unsuspecting Broward doctors wrote Georges eight prescriptions for oxycodone, a narcotic painkiller, and alprazolam, a sedative, in a little more than a month.

Police first questioned Georges last month after two people died days apart in her home. One death was due to a drug overdose, according to the Broward Medical Examiner's Office. Authorities are conducting tests in the other case.

Georges told police she "misled" three doctors into prescribing for her at least 130 tablets of alprazolam, the generic form of Xanax, during three days in August, according to police records.

Georges is accused of visiting three doctors to obtain prescriptions for oxycodone and alprazolam on July 24 and 25, and again on July 10 and Aug. 16, according to prosecutors.

Plans for a database to monitor an estimated 13.4-million prescriptions written every year in Florida failed to win approval during last spring's legislative session. State officials estimated it would cost taxpayers $1.5-million to collect the prescription data.

Walgreen's has a system that can track prescriptions filled at any of its more than 500 branches in the state.

However, that system does not interact with other drug stores and chains.

"There are more deaths from prescription drugs in Florida right now than illicit drugs. This is the drug abuse problem right now," said Joe Spillane, a pharmacologist at Broward General Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale. "There's got to be a way to make a better system."

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Note this article says the law is "new" in 2002 so they'd have to show that Rush was doing it after that time.

[Judith Anne]

Psych patients ALL know which doctors will prescribe what they want in the quantities they want, in my experience. So do prisoners in jail, who want scripts for stress and pain, sleep, depression, etc.

[org.whodat]

a law enforcement agent assigned to the state attorney's office anti-money laundering task force

I would like for this clown to point out to me where the so-called money laundering was??

[demlosers]

"Mr. Limbaugh's actions violate the letter, and spirit" of the law that relates to "doctor shopping," stated one of warrants, signed by Asim Brown, a law enforcement agent assigned to the state attorney's office anti-money laundering task force.

They don't got squat.

[Lando Lincoln]

ping - I said earlier that the left and the media will make this as painfull as possible for Rush.

Lando

[babygene]

"I didn't know doctor shopping was against the law"

Wow! When I wanted a viagra prescription I didn't go to the family doc... He might tell my wife, and she thinks I'm a stud.

I didn't realize I was breaking the law.

[Trytophan Man]

More records for Hitlery's big brother computer files.

[hapc]

Yes, but why is the money laundering task force writing this search warrant if they are going to put him up for a show trial on this newly created 'doctor shopping' charge?

[lonevoice]

What should the penalty be: life in prison, or the chair?

Naaaa, forget the formalities and expense. Let's just get a rope. Better yet, whoever's behind the witch hunts needs to get a life!

[Billthedrill]

I agree - that'd be the funniest-sounding warrant ever issued. Perhaps they were quoting the officer, not the warrant. Or perhaps they made it up.

[NittanyLion]

You could be right...I guess we'll see.

[beckett]

Much as I like Limbaugh, he actions seem to be very much against the spirit of our drug laws, if not, contrary to what the reports states, against the letter of them.

I am not a dittohead and never have been one, so it's not like he lost a fan. But I am surprised that he let this situation go on for so long. It's a character issue, all the touchy-feely talk about the steel-jawed trap of addiction notwithstanding.

[hattend]

Did they "raid" the doctors' offices or did they walk in and ask for the records after flashing the warrant?

Stupid presstitutes.