Posted on 06/28/2006 6:04:09 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Fox News host Bill O'Reilly is coming to the defense of his radio competitor Rush Limbaugh, claiming authorities in Palm Beach County, Fla., are "out to get" the conservative talk-show host, and are maliciously targeting him for prosecution.
"He is an American," O'Reilly said of Limbaugh last night on "The O'Reilly Factor," "and I believe powerful people in his home county are trying unjustly to harm him."
On Monday, Limbaugh was held up for more than three hours at Palm Beach International Airport after authorities found a bottle of Viagra pills in his possession prescribed to someone else.
Roy Black, Limbaugh's attorney, issued a statement noting a doctor had prescribed the drug, but it was "labeled as being issued to the physician rather than Mr. Limbaugh for privacy purposes."
Though Limbaugh was not arrested, O'Reilly noted it was unusual authorities checked the shaving kits of people flying on private planes, and that the story was leaked to the press almost immediately.
"This is malicious, and this is unnecessary," said O'Reilly. "I only can conclude that in Palm Beach, where Mr. Limbaugh lives, they're out to get this guy."
O'Reilly said he had no vested interest in coming to Limbaugh's defense, having met the fellow broadcaster only "once for about 10 seconds," but he ripped local officials for trying to destroy the most listened to man in the history of radio.
"It was a malicious, cheap, cheap tactic by the Palm Beach authorities, and they ought to be ashamed of themselves," he said. "If I were Limbaugh, I'd move right on out of there. I'd get out of there. ... This is a political persecution. That's what this is."
As WND previously reported, the state attorney's office is reviewing the case after being supplied a report from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.
"We believe there may be a second-degree misdemeanor violation, which is possession of certain drugs without a prescription, because the bottle does not have his name on it," sheriff's spokesman Paul Miller told the Associated Press.
On Limbaugh's radio broadcast yesterday, he made light of the whole affair.
"I've been racking my brain. I'm trying to figure out how Bob Dole's luggage got on my airplane," Limbaugh clowned. "I told the doctor, I said, 'Look, I'm worried about the next election, not ... .'"
Former Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas is well-known for his use and endorsement of Viagra, a male sexual-enhancement drug.
In April, Limbaugh and the Florida state attorney, Democrat Barry Krischer, reached a settlement in a long-running prescription-drug investigation of the conservative radio giant, who termed the matter a political witch hunt as well as a "fishing expedition" by prosecutors.
Under the agreement, a single charge of doctor shopping was to be dismissed in 18 months if Limbaugh continues to seek treatment from the doctor he has seen for the past two and a half years for back pain.
Halfway joking, but I think you are making too much of it.
PLEASE...You're saying I have more influence than O'Reilly???? I WISH!
Talk about it afterwards - protect yourself, Rush.
Rush...Move out of the leftist, liberal land of West Palm Beach and come on over to Fort Walton Beach or Navarre, Florida in the panhandle..just under Alabama. We are a very conservative area with two Air Force bases and Navy facilities. We have some of the prettiest beaches in the world and compaired to Palm Beach...real estate is a bargain!
If that is the case then Free Republic is guilty too. I keep seeing this on FR. I guess we are keeping it going.
"Halfway joking, but I think you are making too much of it."
Touche', T4B. Good call.
Regardless of what you think of his opinions, Rush is a national treasure.
The Democrats are a national disgrace.
Limbaugh would never do that.
I don't think the Palm Beach authorities are covered by HIPAA.
- "As required by HIPAA, the final regulation covers health plans, health care clearinghouses, and those health care providers who conduct certain financial and administrative transactions (e.g., electronic billing and funds transfers) electronically."
- "Health care providers who see patients will be required to obtain patient consent before sharing their information for treatment, payment, and health care operations."
hey bill! did you know the FL bar is stonewalling the bar complaint against the prosecutor?!
BTW folks, you don't need "standing" to file a bar complaint against a lawyer like the PB state attorney.
after i heard that the airport fiasco had been leaked, it immediately occurred to me that the best thing rush could do is announce that he has decided to "give back to the community" by moving from his very upscale mansion in palm beach so that it could be used instead as a homeless shelter, taking the worst cases from liberty city in miami and other locales "to give them a fresh start." and to announce that it was the palm beach county state's attorney who had inspited him to do this. i guarafriggingtee you the state's attormey would be removed from office almost at once.
I know what you are saying and I sort of agree, but this guy just got hung out to dry and not saying anything about it is just going to get them ready to sting him again any time or place they can. If Bill can bring some real heat on them it might just make them think a little before they try this crap again. I really do think that he should get the hell out of there a/s/a/p but we pushed him out of NY via the tax police and I really can't think of a place, except the mid-west where he would be OK. Rush is no wilting lilly and we must remember that. He's a big boy with a kick ass lawyer (Black) so maybe we should just sit back and watch for awhile.
""I've been racking my brain. I'm trying to figure out how Bob Dole's luggage got on my airplane," Limbaugh clowned. "I told the doctor, I said, 'Look, I'm worried about the next election, not ... .'"
It looks like Limbaugh stiffed them again.
""I've been racking my brain. I'm trying to figure out how Bob Dole's luggage got on my airplane," Limbaugh clowned. "I told the doctor, I said, 'Look, I'm worried about the next election, not ... .'"
It looks like Limbaugh stiffed them again.
So what you're saying is that I could disclose your personal health information without any consequences. Hm. Seems to me that's a serious loophole in HIPAA. Of course, HIPAA is a mess anyway.
This will come to nothing as Limbaugh broke no law.
"...And if they can't do that they want to destroy him "
It's not gonna happen. Rush has some deep roots. This is the reason they hate him with such passion. He exposes their idiocy, and people listen and agree. He sparks many avenues of thought that "they" would prefer the liberal lemmings of society never hear.
Of course, the hard-core liberal would only listen to Rush in order to test his blood pressure medications effectiveness.
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