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Officer Disciplined in Kennedy Crash (Too late boys)
ABC News ^ | 5 May 2006 | Lisa Stark and Mary Walsh

Posted on 05/06/2006 1:43:39 PM PDT by SkyPilot

Investigation Continues as Congressman Enters Mayo Clinic

May 5, 2006 — Capitol Police have taken disciplinary action against a watch commander for the handling of Rep. Patrick Kennedy's car accident, acting Capitol Police Chief Christopher McGaffin said.


Lou Cannon of of the Fraternal Order of Police for the District of Columbia said there are questions about whether Rep. Patrick Kennedy received special treatment. (ABC News)

McGaffin said the incident was improperly delayed due to "poor judgment" on the part of police managers and that a field sobriety test should have been administered to Kennedy after his car hit a barrier near the Capitol at 2:45 a.m. on Thursday.

The police report said Kennedy was speeding and his eyes were "red and watery." It also stated that his speech was slightly slurred and that upon exiting his vehicle his balance was "unsure."

Kennedy announced earlier today that he would enter the Mayo Clinic for treatment for addiction to prescription pain medication.

There are questions about why Kennedy was not given a sobriety test immediately after the accident.

"I would say within law enforcement that there is probably … concern that consideration was given a member of Congress that would not be afforded a normal citizen on the street," said Lou Cannon, president of the Fraternal Order of Police for the District of Columbia.

McGaffin would not elaborate on the disciplinary actions, but he did say "significant administrative and personnel corrective action has been taken." Other officers may be disciplined. No one has been fired at this point.

The report indicates alcohol may have played a role in the crash, but officers from the Capitol Police on the scene were apparently told by their supervisors to simply drive Kennedy home. Kennedy has said that he did not ask for special treatment.

A police officer in Los Angeles said it appears that standard procedures, which would include a field sobriety test if the driver was found to have bloodshot eyes or slurred speech, were not followed.

LAPD Detective Felix Padilla said if an officer suspects driving under the influence he has an "obligation to do that."

"We have a duty to the public to protect the public, and to ignore that would be neglect on our part," he said.

Kennedy has said he was not drinking but had taken the sleeping pill Ambien and another drug that can cause drowsiness. Experts say Ambien has been linked to so-called sleep driving — where users are not even aware they are behind the wheel.

Kennedy has long struggled with depression and drug addiction and now the congressman admitted that he once again needs help.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; US: Rhode Island
KEYWORDS: 2setsoflaws; abovethelaw; abuseofpower; alibi; ambien; anothersecondchance; aristocrat; buyacop; buyadate; capitolpolice; coddled; congress; corruption; democrats; depression; districtofcolumbia; donutwatch; doublestandard; drugaddiction; druggie; drugs; drunk; dui; dynasty; fop; getoutofjailfree; getoutofjailfreecard; hewasdrunktoo; homo; idiotvoters; idlerich; isheaswisher; kennedy; lawisforlittlepeople; littlepeopleobeylaws; mayoclinic; mustbenice; notagain; painmedication; pampered; patrickkennedy; pkwilldoitagain; privilege; queer; ratcrime; ratsarespecial; recidivism; rehab; royal; royalty; scandal; scotfree; sobrietytest; sot; taxdollarsatwork; technicoloryawn; toff; wastrel; whopays; youpayforthis
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To: thoughtomator

.........I've seen Webb Hubbell with the same exact look on his face...........

Was that before he lusted for Hillary's fat ass, or after he partook of his pleasure, and was ready to vomit???


161 posted on 05/06/2006 7:58:28 PM PDT by aShepard (I Hope that Patches career goes Sink-a de Mayo)
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To: SkyPilot

It will just put more crooked cops on the Kennedy payroll. Unlike Clintoon, they are not required to commit suicide.


162 posted on 05/06/2006 8:07:14 PM PDT by Steamburg (Pretenders everywhere)
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To: Howlin
And Fox is saying he has admitted to binge drinking.

Hmmm. A Kennedy admitting to binge drinking isn't news.

Now, a Kennedy admitting to binge sobriety, now THAT'S news!

163 posted on 05/06/2006 8:16:34 PM PDT by VeniVidiVici (ICE, ICE Baby.)
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To: VeniVidiVici
You can bet that an envelope with no return address stuffed with Benjamins, postmarked somewhere in Nebraska will appear in the watch commander's mailbox by the end of next week.
164 posted on 05/06/2006 8:23:53 PM PDT by The Antiyuppie ("When small men cast long shadows, then it is very late in the day.")
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To: SkyPilot

"There are questions about why Kennedy was not given a sobriety test immediately after the accident."

He's a kennedy. What more proof do you need that he was drunk.


165 posted on 05/06/2006 8:30:35 PM PDT by NavySon (Ted Kennedy, the only man whose BAC is greater than his IQ)
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To: aShepard
The ones from a couple of weeks ago came from Findlaw (sorry don't have the link) and the ones from this past Thursday you can find here:

http://www.wnbc.com/politics/9165923/detail.html?rss=ny&psp=news
166 posted on 05/06/2006 8:31:49 PM PDT by AmeriBrit (ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION, IT INCLUDES TERRORIST SLEEPER CELLS!!)
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To: gunnedah
There are only three things he could be arrested for if indeed he were on the way to vote and DUI is not one of them.

Not so. The courts have held that "treason, felony, or breach of the peace" covers all criminal offenses. Nowadays, a privilege against arrest in a civil case is no great matter; but it was important in the early days of the Union, when imprisonment for debt was common.

In any case, the Capitol Police officers would have known the House was not in session; it's their job to know.

I wondered to whom the Capitol Police answer. It tuns out that the force is under a Board consisting of the Architect of the Capitol and the Sergeants-at-Arms of the two Houses. The Architect of the Capitol is a Clinton appointee (his term expires next year), but the Sergeant-at-Arms of each House was elected by the current membership.

167 posted on 05/06/2006 9:00:09 PM PDT by Christopher Lincoln
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To: SkyPilot

Going by this witness's statement here there's no doubt in her mind that Kennedy was at fault in the accident April 15th 2006.



http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode_island/articles/2006/05/06/kennedys_behavior_driving_is_questioned_by_eyewitness/




RHODE ISLAND ACCIDENT
Kennedy's behavior, driving is questioned by eyewitness
By Jonathan Saltzman, Globe Staff | May 6, 2006

NEWPORT, R.I. -- A woman who witnessed a two-car collision involving Representative Patrick J. Kennedy outside a Portsmouth, R.I., drugstore last month said he had been weaving and driving aggressively beforehand and was impaired when she confronted him outside his car afterward.

''He was swaying, and his eyes were glazed," said Sheila Lash, 75, of Newport, who alleges that Kennedy briefly drove against traffic on April 15 before he turned his car into the CVS parking lot and collided with another car turning in from the opposite direction. ''Then he said the most unlikely thing: 'I'm so sorry for the fuss.' "
Portsmouth police provided copies of the accident report yesterday but declined to comment.

Lash, who said Kennedy almost struck her car before the 10:09 a.m. accident, added that she could not tell whether he had alcohol on his breath because she has a poor sense of smell from having broken her nose years ago.

But the part-time antiques saleswoman was so appalled by Kennedy's appearance and driving, she said, that she gave her phone numbers to the other driver and told him to give them to police because she had to leave for Providence. The responding officer called her later that day, she said, and she described what she saw.


168 posted on 05/06/2006 9:23:36 PM PDT by AmeriBrit (ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION, IT INCLUDES TERRORIST SLEEPER CELLS!!)
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To: AmeriBrit

NECN Extra: Full Kennedy announcement


Congressman Patrick Kennedy announces that he will enter rehab for addiction to prescription pain medication Friday, after a highly publicized crash near the Capitol. NECN's R.D. Sahl has more.


http://www.boston.com/news/necn/


Scroll down to "More Top Stories".




Kennedy checks into rehab to kick addiction


Rhode Island Congressman Patrick Kennedy checked himself into the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota late Friday to get help for his addiction to pain medication. This is his second trip to the clinic in the last five months. David Muir has the latest.


http://www.boston.com/news/necn/


Scroll down to "More Top Stories".


169 posted on 05/06/2006 9:29:33 PM PDT by AmeriBrit (ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION, IT INCLUDES TERRORIST SLEEPER CELLS!!)
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To: Lady Jag

I dunno about the word privelge here...Kennedy was driving a lowball 1997 Mustang...not even the GT model. What gives? The Kennedys have hundreds of millions of dollars, this guy is a congressman and he drives a car that is worth $5,500 in the Auto Trader?

To me it looks like it is his drinking car. He takes it out when he knows he is gonna drink and do drugs and he doesn't want to bang up a $80,000 Mercedes.


170 posted on 05/06/2006 9:32:19 PM PDT by My Favorite Headache ("Scientology is dangerous stuff,it's like forming a religion based around Johnny Quest and Haji.")
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To: SkyPilot
A drunk here a murder in a park there. The whole area is corrupt.
171 posted on 05/06/2006 9:32:46 PM PDT by gathersnomoss
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To: SkyPilot

Just wait, whether he is or he isn't gay, Patches will come out of the closet and be guaranteed a seat (cough) for life.


172 posted on 05/06/2006 9:59:21 PM PDT by Darkwolf377 (If you flame me I'll ignore you. Assume that to mean I think you're an idiot not worth my time.)
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To: SkyPilot
There are questions about why Kennedy was not given a sobriety test immediately after the accident.

Does even ONE American have a question as to why this was done?

173 posted on 05/06/2006 10:00:00 PM PDT by Darkwolf377 (If you flame me I'll ignore you. Assume that to mean I think you're an idiot not worth my time.)
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To: mystery-ak
you know, I could care less if he's a drunk and a drug abuser.....all I want is for him to obey the laws that you and me and everybody else has to obey....

I am also sick of our non-partisan govt agencies....police,judges, CIA....playing favorites.....its like Communist Russia anymore..

174 posted on 05/06/2006 10:15:26 PM PDT by cherry (.)
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To: My Favorite Headache
He probably takes this car because it doesn't have a special plates. Wonder how many times this guy has REALLY been stopped and escorted home....without any report at all.

Does anyone REALLY think he's checking into the Mayo Clinic for rehab. I'm betting there is a well-reimbursed Doctor friend of the Kennedy's at the hospital. It's a hideway for Patrick...not a hospital.

One would suppose that googling might turn something up.

175 posted on 05/06/2006 10:18:03 PM PDT by Sacajaweau (God Bless Our Troops!!)
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To: My Favorite Headache
The car he had the wreck in on April 15th was bought by one of his foundations, "Friends of Pat Kennedy, inc". That was a 2003 Crown Victoria.

Odd that none of the reporters are mentioning the April 15th 2006 wreck.

Also they're trying to say it has been 5 months since he was last in the Mayo Clinic undergoing rehab but in his own words on one of the video's he says he went in just before Christmas and stayed there through the house recess which was sometime in January when they went back. Unless they're using the new math, that's only 4 months.

No wonder the countries in such a state when one of it's leaders spends more time in rehab than he does in house sessions.
176 posted on 05/06/2006 10:18:35 PM PDT by AmeriBrit (ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION, IT INCLUDES TERRORIST SLEEPER CELLS!!)
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To: Sacajaweau
My post #169 has a video of him giving a press conference at the Mayo Clinic.
177 posted on 05/06/2006 10:22:28 PM PDT by AmeriBrit (ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION, IT INCLUDES TERRORIST SLEEPER CELLS!!)
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To: AmeriBrit
Great find (#168).

Thanks for posting it.

178 posted on 05/07/2006 4:17:32 AM PDT by SkyPilot
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To: aShepard
Where did you find that pic of Kennedy's crash report??

Right here mate.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1627613/posts

179 posted on 05/07/2006 4:21:26 AM PDT by SkyPilot
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To: SkyPilot

....there was a threat of a full force revolt by the rank and file.

I hope it is true.

@@@@

I've heard that there are two conflicting groups within the Capitol Police - pre-9-11 officers who traditionally "look after" the members of Congress, and post-9-11 officers who want to be a serious security force.


180 posted on 05/07/2006 4:29:57 AM PDT by maica ( We have a destination in mind, and that is a freer world. -- G W Bush)
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