Posted on 10/04/2003 2:30:53 AM PDT by bikertrash2
The man who claims, along with his wife, that he provided Rush Limbaugh with an illegal supply of painkilling drugs for four years has a criminal record.
David Cline was arrested in Palm Beach County in April 2000, during the time he and his wife Wilma allege they were buying thousands of pills for the radio star, the Palm Beach Post reported. He was charged with identity theft, having a counterfeit or stolen driver license and a false vehicle registration, possessing marijuana and resisting arrest.
Rush Limbaugh's Palm Beach mansion (Photo: WPBF-TV, West Palm Beach, Fla.)
The paper said David Cline ended up with a combined sentence of time served, 18 months probation, community service and court costs.
In 1982, Cline was arrested for cocaine trafficking in Collier County, Fla., the Post said. He skipped bond, according to the paper, and lived as a fugitive in New York and Fort Lauderdale under assumed names until he surrendered in 1989. He was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison.
Limbaugh, the most listened-to radio talk-show host in history, is under investigation by Palm Beach County prosecutors, the National Enquirer reported this week.
The probe was confirmed by numerous news agencies, including the Associated Press.
The drug allegations came on the heels of the embattled radio star's resignation from ESPN for his comment that a black star football player is overrated by the media.
The supermarket tabloid reported Wilma Cline, 42, who served as a housekeeper, said Limbaugh went through detox twice and was addicted to the highly potent prescription drugs OxyContin, Lorcet and hydrocodone. Cline said she handed over information to Palm Beach County, Fla., prosecutors, who reportedly have given her and her husband immunity.
According to the Enquirer story, the Clines claim they sold Limbaugh 11,900 tablets over six months in 2001. They said they eventually got nervous, however, and contacted noted Miami criminal defense lawyer Edward Shohat, who took them to Palm Beach County prosecutor James Martz late last year.
Shohat is known for his defense of narcotics dealers, including Colombian drug lord Carlos Lehder.
Under immunity, prosecutors used the Clines to arrest Louis and Gloria Beshara last May. The Besharas are believed to be the source of the Clines' illegal supply.
The National Enquirer's Editor-in-Chief David Perel has not said whether he paid the Clines for the story, but acknowledged the tabloid has a regular practice of paying for interviews.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel quoted a defense attorney, Michael Salnick, who said the Clines might have credibility issues that would weaken the case against Limbaugh, because they spoke with the Enquirer before the investigation concluded.
'Trust me on this'
Meanwhile, Limbaugh spoke briefly about the drug allegations in the opening monologue of his much-anticipated program yesterday.
"I don't yet know what I'm dealing with here, folks," he said. "When I get all the facts, when I get all the details of this, rest assured I will discuss this with you and tell you how it is."
Limbaugh said he was tempted to respond to what is being reported about the allegations in the press, but would not at this time.
"Trust me. It makes no sense for me to go there," he said. "Trust me on this."
President Bush expressed support Thursday for Limbaugh to his top staff, according to the Drudge Report, calling him a "great American," who has championed the conservative movement for decades.
"I am confident he can overcome any obstacles he faces right now," the president reportedly said.
Rush Limbaugh on ESPN's "Sunday NFL Countdown
The Enquirer, according to the Drudge Report, is considering releasing Internet audio tapes of Limbaugh made by the former housekeeper, who said authorities gave her a wire to record conversations during her last two deliveries of pills.
It is unlikely she would be able to release such recordings, however, and covertly recorded tapes made on her own would be restricted under Florida's tough wiretap laws.
This whole thing is orchestrated by the dNC on the eve of the California election because Rush influences MILLIONS of people every day.
To take Rush down, even a notch, could help the DNC keep California.
One would expect so. I would be deeply saddened if he wasn't a certified criminal.
Even in internal meetings, when we asked about the progress/disposition of the case, the answer was "no comment" from our supervisors under attorney's orders. I seem to recall Kobe Bryant getting BLASTED by all the legal pundits because he came out and denied his innocence. They all agreed that this would hurt him, even if he is innocent, because it just gives the other side more evidence. The less you say, the better.
I would think a dedicated effort to "plant" someone inside his house, while difficult, could be done. Once in, she could forge docs, plant "evidence," etc. It goes to show that you are BETTER OFF CLEANING YOUR OWN DAMN HOUSE!
Rush could acquire the Trashy Enquirer for the sole purpose of breaking it up. That would make me laugh!
No. He would have died from terminal constipation. Those things dry out the last 10 feet of the digestive tract.
I suspect that Rush has some investigations of his own going on right now - I think that the RATS are going to come up very short on this one.
Unless Rush was also involved in dealing, but that's doubtful.
100% correct.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.