Judge rules Limbaugh medical records to remain sealed for now

Associated Press ^ | 12-24-03 | JILL BARTON

[wallcrawlr]

A judge resealed Rush Limbaugh's medical records Wednesday, giving the conservative radio commentator's attorneys time to appeal his earlier decision allowing prosecutors to examine the files for evidence Limbaugh illegally purchased painkillers.

Palm Beach Circuit Judge Jeffrey A. Winikoff ordered the records remain sealed for 15 days while Limbaugh's attorneys pursue their appeal. Winikoff had ruled Tuesday that prosecutors could examine the records, but could not make them public.

[JENINMO]

HIPAA was merely put into effect to 1) line the lawyers pockets 2) to put an inordinate burden on companies and doctor's offices to train, provide new forms, etc. HUGE amounts of money because you have to (gasp) seek out an attorney to even get the TRAINING, not to mention all the freak show forms required now!

HIPAA was Teddy Kennedy's little baby, need I say more?

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Pain Management Specialists are not available to many because of location or even the cause of the pain. I (as discussed in another thread) have experienced intractable pain due to a GI problem. It was nothing a Pain Specialist could have helped with---only surgery. I doctor shopped until I found someone willing to go the extra mile to diagnose a physical condition which is uncommon and aggressively treat my pain instead of telling me to "relax tough it out" (as I heard many, many times before).

[sinkspur]

He is no fool and knows full well that some of his supporters ARE "mind-numbed robots".

So anybody who listens to him now is a "mind-numbed robots"?

YOU are the fool.

[sinkspur]

In other words, the dittoheads may be all he has left once this is over with.

The two of you are engaged in a whole lot of wishful thinking.

[CWOJackson]

Merry Christmas to you sinkspur. I hope you and yours have a fine day.

[DanTheAdmin]

>"So anybody who listens to him now is a "mind-numbed >robots"?

>YOU are the fool."

AMEN! I just don't get it. No human is perfect - no two people will agree on every point. That being said, Rush has done one hell of a lot for the conservative movement and, I believe, deserves some credit for that. To hear anyone on "our side" simply dismiss him and those who enjoy listening to him by using negative, broad generalizations, usually flung by the hate-mongers from the left, gives me pause to wonder. These same people seem to have a vision into the future where Rush has already been tried by a jury of his peers and found guilty on all counts. The man is doing what he should, using the courts. He may be guilty as hell, but I don’t personally know that, so out of respect for a man, whom I feel has benefited me in my battle against liberal socialism, I will wait for all the “REAL” facts to come forth before I rush to judgment. I take friends and allies in this fight anywhere I can get them.

[snopercod]

I have been educated on HIPAA. Check out Prosecutors Can Examine Limbaugh Records, beginning at Post #305.

[RS]

"So anybody who listens to him now is a "mind-numbed robots"?
YOU are the fool."


Did you not actually read my comments ?

Do you NOT agree with my statement that SOME of his listeners ARE "mind-numbed robots" ?

Or is it you think that Rush does not know this ?

Or perhaps you are under the impression that Rush will not use this cadre of blind support for any purpose he deems necessary in order to minimize this impact on his lifestyle ?

What do you think this whole "political prosecusion" thing is about ? He obviously dosen't think he's going to get the ACLU involved - is he trying for Amnesty International ?

No - He is simply using them to open up another front - to divert attention from the simple matter at hand.

He's actually got many "good conservatives" thinking and saying that buying drugs from your maid is perfectly fine if you feel you need them !

Has your city passed a "medical marijuana law" yet ?
Has anyone asked Rush about those laws or has his screener blocked them out ?

[sinkspur]

Your comment was "all that will be left will be his mind-numbed robots."

I intend to continue to listen to Rush, regardless of what happens on this drug thing. He's an effective spokesman for conservatism, as long as that's what he focuses on, and not the name dropping that seemed to be part of his need for attention a year or two ago.

There is no doubt that this has turned into a vendetta against Rush; if they had the evidence, they wouldn't need to pore through his medical records.

[RS]

Isn't it surprising that you downplayed the fact that all your bold information came from Rush's lawyer ?

... and isn't it surprising that Black's source was a reporter, who could NOT be called into court to give evidence regarding these so-called "leaks" ? HHmmmm?

[an amused spectator]

For starters, 'they' leaked that he was part of a drug investigation, then that he was part of a drug ring, then he was the center of a money laundering scheme, then that he was involved in drug trafficing...on an on.

Now, since all of this wouldn't stick, they've gone to the infamous crime of 'doctor shopping'.

Let's see: In December 2002, the Clines are given immunity for extortion and drug-peddling, so that Limbaugh can be prosecuted for the heinous new "crime" of felonious doctor-shopping.

Fortunately for the Killer Democrat Prosecutor Klowns, the Florida legislature passed a law felonizing "doctor-shopping" in July 2002 forward. This apparently made the issue of the years-long extortion by the Clines go away.

Maybe the local Dems can pass a felonious zoning ordinance violation, and have the Clines commit a "tiny little bit of arson" so that authorities in the form of local firefighters and police can crash the gates at Limbaugh's compound, in order to "discover" the felonious zoning violation. :-)

[deport]

A little from the statute :

[excerpts]

2003->Ch0893->Section%2013>
(7)(a) It is unlawful for any person:

8. To withhold information from a practitioner from whom the person seeks to obtain a controlled substance or a prescription for a controlled substance that the person making the request has received a controlled substance or a prescription for a controlled substance of like therapeutic use from another practitioner within the previous 30 days.

9. To acquire or obtain, or attempt to acquire or obtain, possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, or subterfuge.

(c) Any person who violates the provisions of subparagraphs (a)8.-11. commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. [end excerpts]

[doosee]

There is no doubt that this has turned into a vendetta against Rush; if they had the evidence, they wouldn't need to pore through his medical records.

Black was on with Katie Couric two days ago and she said to him, "If Rush has done nothing wrong, what harm would it do to release his medical records?" I about fell out of my chair with this logic. Black should have immediately asked her to release all of her medical records to the public.

[RS]

"Your comment was "all that will be left will be his mind-numbed robots."

Excuse me ? Never said that... If you're going to quote, you may try and get it right.


" if they had the evidence, they wouldn't need to pore through his medical records."

Isn't that a bit like saying " if they had the gloves , they wouldn't need to search OJ's car" ?

Rush is a small part of a major investigation that has been going on for over a year.
His "doctor shopping" may have started when the maid source got cut off.
His two other attempts to quit may have occured when a source dried up and before another source was located.
His evasion of money laundering laws might lead to an investigation of the banks as a source of information about other drug or extorsion schemes.


Since it appears he is not "fully cooperating", the investigation is continuing in whatever direction it needs to go.

[RS]

"In December 2002, the Clines are given immunity for extortion and drug-peddling, so that Limbaugh can be prosecuted for the heinous new "crime" of felonious doctor-shopping."

Funny - as far as we know his "doctor-shopping" did not occur untill AFTER the Clines as a source were cut off...

Do you have some inside information we don't know ? HHmmmmm?

[an amused spectator]

He's actually got many "good conservatives" thinking and saying that buying drugs from your maid is perfectly fine if you feel you need them !

I guess it's OK to commit extortion for a number of years, just as long as the legislature passes a law AFTER the extortion has started that criminalizes activity by the target of the extortion.

To summarize:

American federal and state governments have recognized for years beyond count that extortion is a serious crime (a REAL felony, so to speak).

Now, SOME state governments are beginning to felonize "doctor-shopping" - a "crime" which has only become a concern in recent years.

Apparently, the Killer Democrat Prosecutor Klowns in Limbaugh's area are so concerned about this year-and-a-half-old "crime" that they're willing to forgive and forget a little extortion in order to pursue the vicious perpetrator of this vile doc-shop scheme.

I'm wondering - would it be OK to commit a little arson to get Limbaugh? I know arson is an older crime, but if nobody got hurt, and it was only a little fire, maybe it would be OK? Perhaps the Clines could be forgiven a little bit of home-invasion to get some more info for the KDPKs, you know, if nobody got hurt, or maybe if there was just a little bit of assault? ;-)

[an amused spectator]

Funny - as far as we know his "doctor-shopping" did not occur untill AFTER the Clines as a source were cut off...

Do you have some inside information we don't know ? HHmmmmm?

Yeah, the "secret" (insofar as the mainstream media is concerned) transcript from the recent hearing:

MR. BLACK: I have about five minutes left and I will rush through it. David Cline with his wife decided to publically or threatened to publically disclose Mr. Limbaugh's addiction to pain medication, among other things. They obtained the security access codes to his Palm Beach studio. They cornered him in the parking garage to his studio and they demanded 4 million dollars in order to keep this quiet and not sell it to the Enquirer. They had followed him a number of times in order to be able to get to him personally. David Cline was sort of a wild man making threats not only against Mr. Limbaugh, but other people associated with him. At first Mr. Limbaugh adamantly refused to pay and wanted to inform the FBI about this extortion attempt by his former housekeeper and her husband. But he first sought advice on how he ought to proceed with others who are in the business with him. He was told that if he made a complaint to law enforcement, that the people in power would ignore the crimes being perpetrated against him and instead they would target him because of who he was.

He was told that his enemies would use the fact of this addiction as a weapon to discredit him, and, of course, all that this subsequently became true. Over years he paid substantial amounts of money to the Clines because of their extortion. After the Clines bled him dry, they then went to the Palm Beach County State attorney's office in December of 2002 where they were granted immunity from prosecution in order to be used as witnesses against Mr. Limbaugh.

=======================

From an October 2001 article (Rush Limbaugh Going Deaf But Conservative Commentator Says He Will Continue His Talk Show):

...then revealed he noticed several months ago that he was losing his hearing.

"The bottom line is, from May 29 [2001] up until about 10 days ago, I lost hearing every five days, to the point, ladies and gentlemen, I'm now totally deaf in my left ear," said Limbaugh, 50.

I would assume that the two ear doctors that are part of the "doctor-shopping" accusation were hired BEFORE July 2002, since he had his hearing problems before then. But you're free to continue your rant on the vicious felon, Limbaugh. ;-)

[RS]

"I guess it's OK to commit extortion for a number of years, just as long as the legislature passes a law AFTER the extortion has started that criminalizes activity by the target of the extortion."

So far it appears that the ONLY allegations of extortion have come from Limbaugh, and only recently.
Since I suppose the Clines did not issue him reciepts for the payments, it will be a little hard to prove or disprove this allegation.

Limbaugh knows this, so the only possible explanation for this suddenly appearing is to muddy the waters and give his staunch cadre of listeners a "legitimate reason" for his actions.

[RS]

I'm really surprised you are buying this lawyers "five minute story"

Some points to address -

"disclose Mr. Limbaugh's addiction to pain medication, AMONG OTHER THINGS." ??? HHmmmmm ??

"sought advice on how he ought to proceed with others who are in the business with him." - There are OTHERS (plural) who can back him up on this ?

"...where they were granted immunity from prosecution" - Is there any proof of this ?

"I would assume that the two ear doctors that are part of the "doctor-shopping" accusation " - Assume what you will, but we will never know if we can't look at the records will we ?

Are massive amounts of pain medication normal in ear implants, necessary for YEARS afterwards ? HHmmmm ?

BTW- Have you ever looked at the Application for the search warrents which lists the doctors and drug purchases from a single pharmacy in 2003 ?

[RS]

But you did bring up some VERY interesting points, let me put a few together -

"...disclose Mr. Limbaugh's addiction to pain medication, AMONG OTHER THINGS."

"..sought advice on how he ought to proceed with others WHO ARE IN THE BUSINESS WITH HIM."

-from another post

"Keven Bellows, a spokeswoman for Premier Radio Networks,... "
"Bellows said Limbaugh, ... and "certainly had more pills than he could ever use."
"Bellows said Limbaugh never INTENDED to sell the drugs.

Could this be it ???

Could the true, deep dark secret be that Rush had SOLD his excess supply at some time ? HHmmmmmm !!!!!!