Kennedy Blames Accident on Sleep Medicine

AP ^ | 5/4/06 | ANDREW MIGA

[Jean S]

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (news, bio, voting record) crashed his car near the Capitol early Thursday, and a police official said he appeared intoxicated. Kennedy said he had taken sleep medication and a prescription anti-nausea drug that can cause drowsiness.

Kennedy, D-R.I., addressed the issue after a spate of news reports. His initial statement said: "I consumed no alcohol prior to the incident."'

Later, however, he issued a longer statement saying the attending physician for Congress had prescribed Phenergan on Tuesday to treat Kennedy's gastroenteritis.

Kennedy said he returned to his Capitol Hill home on Wednesday evening after a final series of votes in Congress and took "prescribed" amounts of Phenergan and Ambien, another prescribed drug that he occasionally takes to fall asleep.

"Some time around 2:45 a.m., I drove the few blocks to the Capitol Complex believing I needed to vote," his second statement said. "Apparently, I was disoriented from the medication."

Kennedy appeared to be intoxicated when he crashed his Ford Mustand into a barrier on Capitol Hill early Thursday morning, said Louis P. Cannon, president of the Washington chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police.

Cannon, who was not there, said the officers involved in the accident were instructed by an official "above the rank of patrolman" to take Kennedy home.

No sobriety tests were conducted at the scene.

A letter written by a Capitol Police officer to Acting Chief Christopher McGaffin said Kennedy appeared to be staggering when he left the vehicle after the crash about 3 a.m. The letter was first reported by Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper.

Kennedy said he was late for a vote, officer Greg Baird said in the letter to McGaffin. Baird is acting chairman of the Capitol Hill chapter of the FOP police union. The last vote of the night had occurred almost six hours earlier.

Kennedy said he was driven home by Capitol police.

"At no time did I ask for any special consideration," he said. "I simply complied with what the officers asked me to do."

Kennedy, the son of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (news, bio, voting record), D-Mass., and his staff declined to discuss any further details of the accident. The congressman took part in House votes Thursday.

Capitol Police did not immediately return phone calls for comment. They issued a one-line statement saying they were investigating a traffic violation that occurred early in the morning at that location.

Baird wrote McGaffin that two sergeants who responded to the accident conferred with the watch commander and were ordered to leave the scene.

He said that after the officers left, Capitol Police officials gave Kennedy a ride home.

Kennedy spent time at a drug rehabilitation clinic before he went to Providence College. He has been open about mental health issues, including being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

___

Associated Press writer Laurie Kellman contributed to this report.

[bondjamesbond]

The real reason Patches said he was late for a vote:

US Constitution - Article 1 - Section 6: The Senators and Representatives shall receive a compensation for their services, to be ascertained by law, and paid out of the treasury of the United States. They shall in all cases, except treason, felony and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other place.

Patches has, no doubt, been told by a lawyer to always say that he is on his way to a vote or debate whenever he is stopped by the police. As long as he has not been found to be drunk, the police would not be allowed to detain him or even question him.

The Ambien story is just a way to explain the idiocy of claiming he is headed to a vote at 3:00 AM. Better to say he is disoriented by his medicine that to say he pulls this technicality out of his hat whenever he gets popped for drunk driving.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Kennedy's doctor's records should be subpoenaed.

Arrested for booze shopping...

[Hildy]

Reminds me of a joke I wrote to win the VILLAGE VOICE YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE CONTEST about 30 years ago:

Q: How many Kennedy's does it take to change a lightbulb?

A: One - but not until 18 hours after it blows out.

[Tiberius109]

Ok , lets see the medicine bottle with the date on it when he got it ..That's a simple way of proving it ..where is the druggest , where is the record that he got the perscription? That bullsh*t story could be confirmed or knocked down in an hour by even a half witted detective..
I hate the Kennedy's ..frauds the lot of them

[TASMANIANRED]

Jerkwad is claiming sleep driving...

[newnhdad]

the pills have a strange effect when you mix them with booze..

[don-o]

We may want to hold our fire for right now.

Hold fire will not happen, you know. Maybe Pat gets another rehab..

[TommyDale]

Ever wonder why the Kennedy family always finds trouble?

[LukeL]

From my expierence with many drunk people, I know that once a drunk person gets an idea into their head i.e. "I'm going to go vote and no one can stop me" nothing will stop them from carying out their task.

[M. Thatcher]

I have read reports of people getting up out of bed and sleep-driving under Ambien.

No doubt so has Patrick's lawyer. Hence the new storyline.

[Stand W]

I can't wait until that smarmy douche bag John Stewart gets ahold of this story. I'm sure he'll spare no pieties, dripping with irony (OK, I won't hold my breath!)

[avacado]

--- "Some time around 2:45 a.m., I drove the few blocks to the Capitol Complex believing I needed to vote," his second statement said. "Apparently, I was disoriented from the medication." ---

Pass the popcorn! This one is going to have the DNC spinning overtime!

My 2 year old daughter tells better lies! LOL!!! Butter on my popcorn... PLEASE!

[HighWheeler]

"Kennedy said he had taken sleep medication and a prescription anti-nausea drug that can cause drowsiness."



So Kennedy admits to DWI, (now called Driving While Impared) and needs to get booked on charges. I wonder if any up-and-coming prosecutor wants to charge him??

[Cecily]

Because they are a bunch of low rent thuggish louts (or loutish thugs, take your pick)?

[Radix]

What a POS he really is.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

[ConservativeStatement]

Howie Carr/Boston Herald is writing a column on this issue (tomorrow I think) in his own unique fashion.

[SevenofNine]

I got question does Patrick have any aide that could drive him home if he was not feeling well HELLOOOOO

[mikrofon]

Nuthin' like a little rheumatiz med'cine before ya vote...

[DocRock]

"I have read reports of people getting up out of bed and sleep-driving under Ambien."

I have read reports that we have laws that protect my family and friends from these "sleep-drivers". They are called DUI laws and I want them enforced.

[PGalt]

Fabulous FReeper comments bump!