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.

[Scarchin]

Ok - perhaps someone already said this in the prior 600 posts, but it bears repeating - Let's see how the media covers this vs. the way Rush was covered. It will be interesting to see how Rushbo approaches this Monday.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Why didn't he say this in his FIRST STATEMENT?

Because he's lying.

[BigSkyFreeper]

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.

He "appeared intoxicated" but wasn't given a sobriety test. Kennedy is a creep, and these DC cops are incompetent buffoons.

[harpo11]

"I consumed no alcohol prior to the incident."

Of course not, Kennedy's don't just consume, they bathe in it.

[harpo11]

Big Boozers
It's good to know that the
good people of Massachussetts and Rhode Island
are in such safe, er ah, shaking hands...

[MaineVoter2002]

Strange! The libs are blaming it on Bush and Rove!

"It's a shame that a supposedly professional police department needs to lie in order to make some kind of ticket quota. I'm sure the Capitol Police were pressured by Rove & Bush. Capitol Police LIED!"

That's what they're saying in USENET POLITICAL NEWSGROUPS

[tina07]

What a riot! I can't stop laughing!

[AirBorn]

Although...I use to "Laugh" all the time at these clowns.

Now I realize how Dangerous they really are to America--it's not funny anymore.

And how low can a liberal get?

Trying to HIDE behind an excuse they figured would save him from closer inspection? Can't you just hear it NOW from his press agents??? :

"....well....How can you judge ME harshly...when a few months ago YOU all were asking for understanding in RUSH LIMBAUGH's situation???..."

Why ELSE would he come up with the " perscription drugs "
excuse instead of achoholism and just being a Kennedy in the first place!!

" THE KENNEDY CURSE ??" !!!!!!!--

His mighty family's press minions are Already out there with This new Spin-Machine Attempt to try to tame sympathy with everyone!!

"...Why!! those POOR Kennedy's!!...THEY have such BAD LUCK!...it must be a Curse!!"

When "Luck" shines on them it's always," They WORKED for THEIR Successes!!; while when they screw up : blame away on everyone and everything but themselves.

DAB

p.s. I am still surprise he didn't try the " ..someone PUT something in my DRINK..." Excuse!

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

It is interesting how addiction to sex and drugs runs in the Kennedy 'clan.'

[bert]

At least one Kennedy advisor watches Fox and Friends. Dr Manny recently did a piece on sleeping pills including Ambien and sleep walking.

[EQAndyBuzz]

I guess I will take it as you liked the comment? :)

[girlangler]

I loved it.

Some of the comments on these threads are so funny. That's why I am addicted to this forum.

[Ptaz]

Sounds like a classic case of denial.

[danamco]

Wow, you are a miserable hypocrite. You just spent the last week defending and pleading forgiveness for Rush and now you cant wait to pile on Patches.

That's what I meant by intellectual honesty, you got your Dittohead kneepads now.



Like you were spewing your many lies here on FReepers that Rush Limbaugh had been ARRESTED, did they ALSO arrested patrick kennedy???

[danamco]

Wow, you are a miserable hypocrite. You just spent the last week defending and pleading forgiveness for Rush and now you cant wait to pile on Patches.




It seems to me that you TOO must be on Ambien, or is opticoax another name for a drug addict???
Nobody but nobody were defending or pleading forgiveness for Rush, but as a radio talk show host he has the freedom to say on the air what pleases him, it's called free speech, buster, if you know what that is!??!
But you don't have any right trying to muzzle him of his God given free speech and nobody else have!
You lonely "wolf" in sheep clothing, constantly posted here like a "drive-by" L.S.M.-trained "Canary" that Rush Limbaugh had been ARRESTED, which we were several FReepers protesting you as a big "Liar, Liar, pants on fire!!!

[danamco]

Wow, you are a miserable hypocrite. You just spent the last week defending and pleading forgiveness for Rush and now you cant wait to pile on Patches.






Posted on 05/11/2006 9:31:48 PM EDT by Panerai

Patrick Kennedy has been a party animal for quite some time, according to the National Enquirer, which comes up with some never-before-seen photos of the Rhode Island congressman partying like a rock star in the late ’80s and early ’90s.

Now there’s a shock . . . .

The 38-year-old son of Sen. Ted Kennedy, who just checked himself into rehab for prescription-drug addiction after an early-morning car crash in Washington, D.C., dressed up like disgraced pop star Michael Jackson - complete with blackface - for a party at his father’s Virginia home in 1989.

“He applied dark makeup to his face and had a costume like one worn by the then-King of Pop,” a pal told the tabloid. “(He) was smashed.”

Although, if Patches were really interested in looking like Michael he should have used white face paint. But we digress . . .

In even more revealing photos from an early-’90s bash at the Kennedy Compound in Hyannisport, Kennedy is shown doing “body shots” with a couple of female party guests who sucked tequila from the congressman’s navel. Ew.

Capitol Hill police are still investigating the early-morning crash a week ago that launched the latest Kennedy scandal. Patrick says he rammed his Ford Mustang into a D.C. security barrier after taking a combination of the sleeping pill Ambien and the gastrointestinal drug Phenergan. But a waitress at a Capitol Hill bar told the Herald the congressman had been in there drinking.

He checked himself into the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota the day after the incident.