LIMBAUGH CASE: JUDGE IN PALM BEACH HOOKED ON OXYCONTIN, REHAB, REMOVED FROM BENCH; NO CRIMINAL PROBE

Drudgereport ^ | March 5, 2004 | Drudgereport

[rockinonritalin]

XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX FRI MARCH 05, 2004 10:07:34 ET XXXXX

LIMBAUGH CASE: JUDGE IN PALM BEACH HOOKED ON OXYCONTIN, REHAB, REMOVED FROM BENCH; NO CRIMINAL PROBE

A Palm Beach Country Judge -- who operated in the same jurisdiction that is current hearing the Rush Limbaugh pill case -- was hooked on OxyContin and forced from the bench, but was never investigated if he obtained the pills legally, the DRUDGE REPORT can reveal.

MORE

Within the last 18 months, Palm Beach Country Judge Robert Schwartz was "involuntarily retired" and removed after he checked himself into a treatment center for dependency of the painkiller OxyContin -- the same drug at the center of the Limbaugh probe.

"He was severely addicted to prescription pain killers," an insider tells the DRUDGE REPORT. "He probably got them from a variety of sources. But unlike Rush Limbaugh, he was never prosecuted! His records do not appear to have been seized nor were his doctors’ offices raided. Talk about friend of the court!"

MORE

News of the Palm Beach judge's ordeal appears to give credence to Limbaugh's claim that he is being selectively prosecuted.

Palm Beach County State Attorney Barry Krischer refused to comment Friday on the Judge Schwartz/Limbaugh confusion.

Judge Schwartz was hooked on OxyContin for eight years, says a source. He was removed from the bench in October 2002 only after he was unable to hold court, staying in his chambers for several hours a day!

Schwartz suffered from numerous psychological and emotional disorders, including drug dependency, anxiety, panic disorder and sleeping disorder.

Last fall, Limbaugh publicly acknowledged that he's addicted to pain medication and has completed a drug rehabilitation program.

He remains under investigation by Palm Beach County prosecutors for alleged doctor-shopping.

Now if only Palm Beach Country Judge Robert Schwartz was available to hear the case...

Developing...

[The G Man]

Just when you think this story can't get any more complicated ....

[StriperSniper]

Some animals are more equal ping.

[mabelkitty]

Rush's rights are being violated - equal protection under the law.
This has been a busy Friday, and it's only mid-morning!

[kevao]

Someone's got some splainin' to do.

[BCrago66]

I don't doubt that the basics of this story are true, but you'd think that at this point Drudge would not report every detail of the lurid allegations. There is such a thing as defamation, even though the ex-judge would likely be deemed a public figure, making a case more difficult.

[OXENinFLA]

This is soooooo Funny.


Rush's show should be really good today.

[writer33]

Holy prescription drug follies! Talk about your oxymorons.

[steveo]

heh, heh, heh... sweet.

[cyborg]

well isn't that special?

[cynicom]

Judges wear those robes for a reason, to hide their own failings and their corrupt practices.

[rockinonritalin]

In my view, look for Rush to downplay this story. I think he will be reluctant to drag this judge's personal problems into the open, something that he himself has had to suffer through. The double standard was obvious before this story came out.

[Bush Cheney]

Just when I thought things couldn't get any stranger.....

[anniegetyourgun]

Agreed. However, I do expect there will be some sarcasm dripping in his sidebar commentary.

The lib/dem politics in PB county stinks to high heaven.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Defamation cannot occur from speaking the truth (in the U.S.)

[4everontheRight]

Oh, but these cases are totally different. I'm sure this poor judge had good reason to take these pills, unlike Rush who obviously just did it to exploit himself!!!

[Sofa King]

I don't think that this complicates things at all. It was a political witch hunt in the beginning and it still is.

[dogbyte12]

This is cute, but Drudge is making a bit more out of it than it actually appears to be.

A judge who is not involved in this case whatsoever, but happens to reside in the same jurisdiction is a pill popper. Yes, there is hypocrisy in his treatment, vis a vis Rush. However, when clicking on the headline, I was thinking that the Judge who is in charge of this case was the one guilty of oxy abuse. That would have been an entirely different animal all together.

I suspect that Palm Beach is going to quietly drop this as it is anyways.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Nothing to see here. Move along. Move along.

[BraveMan]

Schwartz suffered from numerous psychological and emotional disorders, including drug dependency, anxiety, panic disorder and sleeping disorder.

A guilty conscience wreaks its havoc . . .