Reports Stating Rush Limbaugh Was Arrested Are Inaccurate; Press Conference at 8:00 pm

Yahoo! NEWS ^ | April 28, 2006 | Source: Rush Limbaugh

[RonDog]

This just in, from Yahoo! NEWS:

Press Release

Source: Rush Limbaugh

Reports Stating Rush Limbaugh Was Arrested Are Inaccurate; Limbaugh's Attorney Holds Press Conference at 8:00 pm Tonight
Friday April 28, 7:55 pm ET

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- A spokesman for Rush Limbaugh said some news reports that state Mr. Limbaugh was arrested are inaccurate.

Separately, Rush Limbaugh's attorney, Roy Black will hold a press conference at 8:00 pm this evening at the Marriott Hotel at 1001 Okeechobbee Road in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Mr. Black will discuss the agreement reached today with the State Attorney's Office whereby a single count charge of doctor shopping that was filed today by the State Attorney will be dismissed in 18 months.

As previously announced, a primary condition of the dismissal, Mr. Limbaugh must continue to seek treatment from the doctor he has seen for the past two and one half years. This is the same doctor under whose care Mr. Limbaugh has remained free of his addiction without relapse.

Mr. Black stated, "Mr. Limbaugh and I have maintained from the start that there was no doctor shopping, and we continue to hold this position. Accordingly, we filed today with the Court a plea of 'Not Guilty' to the charge filed by the State.

"As part of this agreement, Mr. Limbaugh also has agreed to make a $30,000 payment to the State of Florida to defray the public cost of the investigation. The agreement also provides that he must refrain from violating the law during the 18 month period, must pay $30 per month for the cost of "supervision" and comply with other similar provisions of the agreement.

"Mr. Limbaugh had intended to remain in treatment. Thus, we believe the outcome for him personally will be much as if he had fought the charge and won," he said.

    Contacts:  Sitrick And Company
              (310) 788-2850
              (212) 573-6100
              Mike Sitrick
              Tony Knight
              Tammy Taylor
              Anne George

[furball4paws]

The disturbing thing is that Rush has to pay $30,000 to help defray the cost of the investigation which poked into his closest relationship with medical professionals.

There's something more than a little wrong with that. $30,000 is pocket change to him, but this stinks.

[yield 2 the right]

From rushlimbaugh.com
Settlement Agreement Ends State Investigation of Rush Limbaugh
• Read the press release from Rush's attorney Roy Black
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/menu/rushwire/settlement_agreement_ends_state_investigation_of_rush_limbaugh.guest.html

[Sooth2222]

ar·rest

v. ar·rest·ed, ar·rest·ing, ar·rests

v. tr.

To seize and hold under the authority of law.

v. booked, book·ing, books

tr.v. tr.

To record charges against (a person) on a police blotter.

[Dog Gone]

Sure it's extortion. But I guarantee the Florida DA spent far more than $30k trying to bring Rush down.

[RonDog]

8PM Pacific daylight?

Nope.

I called the number listed in the press release, and they said that the press conference was held at 8:00 pm Eastern time, i.e. about an HOUR ago.

Not sure exactly what happened at that press conference - yet. :o)

[yarddog]

I don't know the technical definition of "arrest", and I suspect a lot of lawyers don't either. I do bet Roy Black knows tho.

I once read in some legal article that a speeding ticket is technically an arrest but no one expects you to admit to being arrested even on a security clearance if that is all it was.

[Humal]

Channel 12 (WPEC News) just said Rush "turned himself in" tonight. That doesn't sound like what is being said on his web site or by his attorney, or does one have to be booked even under these circumstances?

[Ole Okie]

They don't bother to check to see if the report is accurate.

Ah, but they have editors, you see.

While we lack editors and thus may report some things incorrectly. /s

Bwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!

[VOA]

I saw Judge Napolitano (sp?) on O'Reilly expanding on the story (still
reported as an arrest and release at that point).
The judge made no bones about it: Mr. Limbaugh has been the victim of
malicious prosecution (and persecution) by a political hack of a DA.

And I hadn't heard that one reason this matter has taken so long is
that the issue of the police doing warrentless searches as part of the
investigation was argued up to the Supreme Court.
And it was decided that the warrentless searches were OK.
(I'd like to see/hear more about that)

[RandallFlagg]

I doubt there was even a mugshot. The charges will be entirely dismissed.

Actually, there was a mugshot:

They needed one for the media to plaster all over the Sunday talkshows.

[Road Warrior ‘04]

Channel 13 in Tampa is sticking by the story that he was arrested. What's the truth.

[RonDog]

Channel 12 (WPEC News) just said Rush "turned himself in" tonight. That doesn't sound like what is being said on his web site or by his attorney...

See also this short excerpt of a rather LONG review of this evening's media coverage, from newsbusters.org:

ABC Leads with Limbaugh “Arrest” But Doesn't Touch What CNN Calls a “Sweet Deal”

Posted by Brent Baker on April 28, 2006 - 20:43.

News broke on MSNBC at approximately 6:15pm EDT Friday night about the “arrest” of Rush Limbaugh on a “prescription fraud” charge. While the 7pm EDT Situation Room on CNN led with the “Breaking News” of the “arrest” -- which was really more of a booking session that did not put Limbaugh into handcuffs or any jail -- reporter John Zarella reported how it was really part of “a deal” between Limbaugh and the Palm Beach County prosecutor's office and CNN's legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin soon told anchor Wold Blitzer by phone that “the winner here is very clear: Rush Limbaugh. They cut themselves a very sweet deal.”

But while the reports on the CBS Evening News and NBC Nightly News conveyed how in exchange for 18 more months of drug treatment by Limbaugh, the one single charge would be dismissed, World News Tonight viewers were left assuming Limbaugh was in dire trouble...

[CarolinaGuitarman]

"There's something more than a little wrong with that. $30,000 is pocket change to him, but this stinks."

I agree. I don't quite understand the law myself. At least he was able to plead not guilty. The way I see it, the DA got pretty much nothing, other than whatever short-term political points he was trying to score.


I want to see how the Dummies react; especially going back to the original reports that were just saying he was arrested. It'll be like the reports of Kerry winning in 2004, with the hysterical cheers at DU and then.... oops! that was a mistake... and you had people about face and talk about a coup and jumping out of windows, it's all over...

That would make my day. :)

[BigSkyFreeper]

The media screwed up again ?

My theory is: Vandehei and Gregory were yapping and blocking the TV. Everyone in the room were telling the two bozos to sit down and shut up.

:)

[MC Miker G]

Well, if it came from a press release issued by Rush Limbaugh's attorney, it has to be accurate.

[TNdandelion]

Exactly. How many years have they been straining this gnat?

[RandallFlagg]

Sure it's extortion. But I guarantee the Florida DA spent far more than $30k of Florida's taxpayer's money trying to bring Rush down.

Fixed it for ya. That DA didn't spend a dime of HIS $$$.

[Right_in_Virginia]

God bless Rush.....hope he fares well

All he'll need is us!

[rodeocowboy]

I respectfully disagree. Rush admitted he was addicted to prescription drugs. If there had not been an investigation he probably would still be addicted. He has gone through treatment and people who have addictions need to continue through treatment for a long time. What would the Bush's pardon him from? As I understand it there is no more investigation.

My post may have been a tad biased based on the fact that I think drug laws are a farce (which is funny because Rush is for drug laws and was nailed by them). It would be political suicide for any republican to intervene in this case prematurely.