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Rush Limbaugh in pill probe
New York Daily News ^ | 10/02/03 | TRACY CONNOR

Posted on 10/02/2003 1:21:45 AM PDT by kattracks

Talk-radio titan Rush Limbaugh is being investigated for allegedly buying thousands of addictive painkillers from a black-market drug ring.

The moralizing motormouth was turned in by his former housekeeper - who says she was Limbaugh's pill supplier for four years.

Wilma Cline, 42, says Limbaugh was hooked on the potent prescription drugs OxyContin, Lorcet and hydrocodone - and went through detox twice.

"There were times when I worried," Cline told the National Enquirer, which broke the story in an edition being published today. "All these pills are enough to kill an elephant - never mind a man."

Cline could not be reached for further comment yesterday, but her lawyer, Ed Shohat of Miami, said his client "stands behind the story."

The Daily News independently confirmed that Limbaugh is under investigation.

His lawyers, Jerry Fox and Dan Zachary, refused to comment on the accusations and said any "medical information" about him was private and not newsworthy.

They said Limbaugh - who has a top-rated syndicated radio show but resigned early today from a weekly ESPN football segment amid criticism of racial comments about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb - was traveling and had no comment.

The Palm Beach County state attorney's office, which is running the probe, said it could not confirm or deny the allegations.

Scoring in parking lot

Cline told the Enquirer she went to prosecutors with information about Limbaugh and others after four years of drug deals that included clandestine handoffs in a Denny's parking lot.

She said she wore a wire during her last two deliveries to the conservative commentator and gave the tapes to authorities.

She also gave the Enquirer a ledger documenting how many pills she claimed to have bought for him - 4,350 in one 47-day period - and E-mails she claimed Limbaugh sent her.

In one missive, Limbaugh pushed Cline to get more "little blues" - code for OxyContin, the powerful narcotic nicknamed hillbilly heroin, she said.

"You know how this stuff works ... the more you get used to, the more it takes," the May 2002 E-mail reads. "But I will try and cut down to help out."

The account Cline gave the Enquirer is that she became Limbaugh's drug connection in 1998, nine months after taking a housekeeping job at his Palm Beach mansion.

It started after her husband, David, hurt himself in a fall, and Limbaugh asked how he was.

"He asked me casually, 'Is he getting any pain medication?' I said, 'Yes - he's had surgery, and the doctor gave him hydro-codone 750,'" Cline said. "To my astonishment, he said, 'Can you spare a couple of them?'"

Husband's pills

Cline said she gave Limbaugh 10 pills the next day and agreed to give him 30 of her husband's pills each month. When the doctor stopped renewing the prescription in early 1999, Limbaugh allegedly went ballistic.

"His tone was nasty and bullying. He said, 'I don't care how or what you do, but you'd better - better! - get me some more,'" Cline said.

The housekeeper said she found a new supplier and arranged to hide Limbaugh's stashes under his mattress so his wife, Marta, wouldn't find them.

After several months, Limbaugh told her he was going to New York for detox and didn't need any more pills, Cline said.

But a month later, he said his left ear was hurting and asked her for hydrocodone, followed by an order for OxyContin.

Limbaugh, 52, suffered from autoimmune ear disease, a condition that left him deaf and had to be corrected with cochlear implant surgery two years ago.

Cline said she continued to make deliveries to Limbaugh even after she quit as his housekeeper in July 2001 - but he became increasingly paranoid, even patting her down for recording devices, she said.

In June 2002, Limbaugh told her he was going to New York for detox a second time.

After he returned, "I went to talk to him, and he cried a little bit," she said. "He told me that if it ever got out, he would be ruined."

She claimed that a lawyer for Limbaugh gave her a payoff - $80,000 he owed her, plus another $120,000 - and asked her to destroy the computer that contained the E-mail records.

Soon after, Cline and her husband retained Shohat and contacted prosecutors.

Feeling no pain

The drugs Rush Limbaugh is accused of abusing are legal only with a doctor's prescription. All are habit-forming.

- Hydrocodone

Anti-cough agent and painkiller similar to morphine. Side effects include anxiety, poor mental performance, emotional dependence, drowsiness, mood changes, difficulty breathing and itchiness.

- Lorcet

Brand name for the combination of Tylenol and hydrocodone, prescribed for moderate to severe pain. Side effects include dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, dizziness, tiredness, muscle twitches, sweating and itching.

- OxyContin

Potent time-release medication for relief of moderate to severe pain, known as hillbilly heroin because of black-market popularity in some rural areas. Side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, sweating, muscle twitches and decreased sex drive. A large dose can be fatal.

Originally published on October 2, 2003



TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: eib; nationalenquirer; rush; rushlimbaugh; slander; vicadin; wodlist
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To: kattracks
HOLY CROKE! Look at who Ed Shohat, Cline's atty, is...Click here.
21 posted on 10/02/2003 4:10:33 AM PDT by mewzilla
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To: Iowa Granny
Shouldn’t this housekeeper be arrested for drug pushing? Isn’t it interesting that the (compassionate) media is attacking the addict and not the evil drug supplier? What happened to the free needle exchange program mentality? Those evil democrats attacking a poor innocent drug addict and letting the pusher go free; they should be ashamed of themselves!! Maybe if Rush were black, (...oh I’m sorry only Rev. Al Sharpmouth can use that word and make those kind of comments), what if it had been O.J. or Rodney in this situation, would things be different?? Once again the News Media and the Liberals display their hypocrisy and their hate speech. “ Can’t we all just get along?”
22 posted on 10/02/2003 4:10:43 AM PDT by Dr. I. C. Spots
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To: Captiva
I don't know.

Painful ear condition leading to extended use of pain killers?

23 posted on 10/02/2003 4:11:15 AM PDT by kattracks
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To: kattracks
If it is true that the police say Rush is under investigation and they refuse to confirm or deny specifics concerning the case it is possible that the story has some elements of the truth. I don't believe he was taking almost 92 pills per day but he may have developed a drug problem due to all his hearing stuff. It seems odd however that he would get drugs from his housekeeper since he know everyone is out to get him and would be smart enough not to put himself at risk. I would think he would use a doctor.

If it turn out he has an addiction it would make no difference in my opinion of his work or of him as an individual. I would just feel sad that he would have such a painful problem to confront. Addiction is a very compelling force and will make people do things that they would never have dreamed of doing before they fell under their control.

24 posted on 10/02/2003 4:11:24 AM PDT by foolscap
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To: kattracks
Good point
25 posted on 10/02/2003 4:12:56 AM PDT by Captiva (DVC)
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To: Captiva
Extended use of pain killers related to hearing loss?

Yes, it is one of the side effects of Vicodin I believe. Rush's hearing problem was auto-immune so I doubt it applies here.

26 posted on 10/02/2003 4:15:37 AM PDT by foolscap
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To: Dr. I. C. Spots
Shouldn?t this housekeeper be arrested for drug pushing?

Just a small detail that the media would rather not pursue. After all, she did them a favor.

27 posted on 10/02/2003 4:16:10 AM PDT by kattracks
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To: kattracks
Okay, I'm looking at the dates in the article and thinking, "Someone has been sitting on this for a long time."

Pretty cool that we got a heads up right here on FR, the day before it showed on DRUDGE.

The politics of personal destruction ... I wonder who's behind this, for real?

28 posted on 10/02/2003 4:17:15 AM PDT by Yeti
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To: William Creel
I won't believe this unless they have tapes of Rush admitting it. There is no way Rush would be a drug addict, breaking federal laws on a daily basis! No way this is true.
29 posted on 10/02/2003 4:18:11 AM PDT by fortaydoos
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To: Dr. I. C. Spots
Shouldn’t this housekeeper be arrested for drug pushing?

It is possible she is working with the police in exchange for having all charges dropped against her.

30 posted on 10/02/2003 4:21:43 AM PDT by foolscap
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To: Madstrider
Good find BUMP
31 posted on 10/02/2003 4:22:57 AM PDT by putupon (Those who disagree w/ me need sense beaten into their hard heads with a Blunt Instrument of Truth.)
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To: Yeti
"The politics of personal destruction ... I wonder who's behind this, for real? "

clintons
32 posted on 10/02/2003 4:22:57 AM PDT by OldEagle (Haven't been wrong since 1947.)
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To: kattracks
The maid probably is not being detained because her lawyer obviously made a deal for some kind of immunity for her in exchange for wearing the wire.

This is the part that worries me...i.e., any tapes.

I'm so sick over this, I barely slept last night. I've listened to Rush regularly for about 13-14 years now. He's been my rock.

With the left's volley of vicious attacks this week, I'm sure most of us are reeling.

But we have to remain strong, pick ourselves up and each do our part in counter-attacking.

Leni

33 posted on 10/02/2003 4:23:52 AM PDT by MinuteGal
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To: sethhenschon
Mr. Sethhenschon is a plant from the left. He just joined FR yesterday and he knows that Rush is not scheduled to be on the show today due to traveling to the Marconi awards. The awards ceremony today is probably the event causing this "story" to come out today.

The long term staging is that they plan to have Rush tied up in knots for months at the critical time when the Rats are choosing their candidate for POTUS in 2004. It will of course be Hillary and I am going to start buying stock in her csmetics supplier. Her face appeared to be melting this morning when she was "calling for a special counsel on the Wilson matter." [ BTW, another product of Local 8520, IMHO.--see below]

I do not know what the truth is, but you can count it as a take-down effort by the geheimstattspolitzei of the Clinton National Socialists Unon, Local 8520 --Special Operations Division.

34 posted on 10/02/2003 4:24:28 AM PDT by ontos-on
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To: AmericaUnited
Exactly. Any coincidence this is coming on the heels of this attempt to re-regulate radio? An attempt that Rush mobilized his listeners to slow down, if not stop? And notice that Nikita Dean is constantly focusing on Rush? There is something up here: Rush possibly is being way too effective, and/or (I know, get out the tinfoil) there is a deal for Rush to absorb some of the beating here in the dog days to cut Bush some slack until the economy picks up or the WMDs appear. (tinfoil off)
35 posted on 10/02/2003 4:25:29 AM PDT by LS
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To: Schnucki
See my post, below.
36 posted on 10/02/2003 4:26:37 AM PDT by LS
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To: kattracks
Rush is just a man.

He is not a diety.

I personally hope he has or will get a handle on his problem and continue his show.
37 posted on 10/02/2003 4:26:37 AM PDT by WhiteGuy (The next time I vote, I'm demanding a receipt! (you should too!))
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To: backhoe
... and the stuff just makes me feel slow and stupid.

That's right. My aunt had a pharmacist who kept re-filling a prescription for it... for over 20 years! It didn't make her stupid but she was “slow motion” in spades.

I'm just wondering who fu_k this “Wilma Cline” is.

38 posted on 10/02/2003 4:27:33 AM PDT by johnny7 (“I HAVE A RIGHT TO DESTROY THIS FRIGGIN' COUNTRY!!” -Hillary Clinton)
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To: RJayneJ
If Rush says it's true then I'll believe it, until then it's a steaming load of lib-dem crappola.

A lot of people here -- and I mean a lot -- are starting to sound like the dummycrats in the days that followed the initial reports in the Enquirer and on Drudge about Clinton and a little known intern at the time named "Monica." You know, the stuff about "right wing conspiracies," and "how the 'right' is trying to destroy the greatest president since Jimmy Carter [yuk]," and "the Enquirer and Drudge are trash," and "until Bill tells us so, I'm not going to believe a word of that crap."

May I suggest that we give Rush our support and our prayers, but until all of the facts come out, we ought to shy away from the "left wing conspiracy theory," to avoid sounding like the enemy, and perhaps looking like fools at a later date.

From my own personal experiences and observations, drug abuse knows no boundries -- age, sex, race, ethnic, relgious, economic, or political affiliation.

39 posted on 10/02/2003 4:29:22 AM PDT by Labyrinthos
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To: MinuteGal
We've only heard one side of the story, so far.

The one really odd thing that jumped out at me was that the maid stated he kept these pills under his mattress.

Like the rest of this story, it seems strange.

40 posted on 10/02/2003 4:29:45 AM PDT by kattracks
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