Dittoheads of the world... Rush in drug scandal - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Cynthetiq · 10-02-2003, 05:18 AM

So the moral man falls like the rest of the moral pounders out there touting morality. They can talk the talk but they cannot walk the walk. Remember he's innocent until proven guilty, but in today's media jury IMHO he's pretty much toast like Jimmy Swaggart.

link

Rush Limbaugh in pill probe

Talk radio star had drug habit, maid sez

By TRACY CONNOR
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Rush Limbaugh

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.

National Enquirer

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

rogue49 · 10-02-2003, 05:36 AM

Well, between this and the racial remark scandal,
I'd say he'll be losing some contracts.

Unfortunately, celebrities have a way of getting past these "hiccups"
that would put us normal people permanently on the streeet or in jail

troit · 10-02-2003, 08:14 AM

Yeah but who's to say we should believe everything that we read... I mean look at the source.

anleja · 10-02-2003, 09:02 AM

Maybe his housekeeper is a FEMINAZI out for revenge.

ARTelevision · 10-02-2003, 10:56 AM

Yes.
As he suffers from that common malignancy of the ego, known as "fame," he exhibits yet another of its telltale symptoms...

Darkblack · 10-02-2003, 11:05 AM

Anyone got a better news break than this? I would love to see him back in jail but I can't beleive the NE.

smarm · 10-02-2003, 11:10 AM

From Fox21.com -

Limbaugh issues statement in response to reports of investigation

New York-AP -- Rush Limbaugh is responding to news reports that he's the subject of a drug-related investigation.
In a statement, the conservative commentator says he's "unaware" of any investigation. The statement was read this morning by an official with the radio company that syndicates Limbaugh's talk show.

Limbaugh's statement says no government authority has contacted him "directly or indirectly." But he says if that happens, he would cooperate.

The Daily News of New York reported that Florida prosecutors are investigating Limbaugh for allegedly abusing prescription painkillers. The newspaper didn't name its source, but said it had independently confirmed the allegations -- which were first reported in the National Enquirer.

The Enquirer had interviewed a woman identified as Wilma Cline, who was quoted as saying she became Limbaugh's drug connection after working as his maid. She says Limbaugh abused OxyContin and other painkillers.

A spokesman for prosecutors in Palm Beach County, Florida says he can't confirm or deny that an investigation is taking place. Limbaugh last night quit his T-V sports job at E-S-P-N, after some comments he made about a black quarterback sparked controversy.

<end quote>

--- Seems that the story is real enough to merit a comment from Rush... Did he actually say that the allegations weren't true in there anywhere?

sixate · 10-02-2003, 11:26 AM

I thunk Rush is a complete idiot and I hope this story is true. I love when dudes like this bust peoples balls, yet does the same shit that he says he's against. I hope he finally falls off the face of the planet. He's useless.

rodgerd · 10-02-2003, 12:39 PM

He's rich, white, and famous. He'll get a little time at a rehab clinic/holiday home, his supporters will claim it's all the "librul media" and the "feminazis" and treat the guy as a matyr.

Now, if he were poor, it might be different...

ARTelevision · 10-04-2003, 04:15 AM

Don't get me wrong. I like him. He's as responsible as anyone for the Republican Renaissance.

My comment applies universally to those who we contaminate with the "fame" disease.

uncle phil · 10-04-2003, 04:27 AM

couldn't happen to a nicer guy...well, a couple come to mind...

Fremen · 10-04-2003, 04:32 AM

On a different note, he's looking pretty svelte these days.

krwlz · 10-04-2003, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ARTelevision
Don't get me wrong. I like him. He's as responsible as anyone for the Republican Renaissance.

My comment applies universally to those who we contaminate with the "fame" disease.

Im with art on this one.

dy156 · 10-06-2003, 12:08 PM

For what it's worth, a friend of a friend is in Pharmaceutical sales for one of the drugs Rush is alleged to have acquired illegally, and he said that one of the lesser known side effects is loss of hearing. This may not be reliable, but I thought I'd throw it out there and see if anyone has heard something similar.

Cynthetiq · 10-06-2003, 12:23 PM

Howard Stern was talking about the side effects last week when the story broke. I'm going to say it seems a bit coincidental but Rush isn't denying the story at all. He's maintained nothing but,"giving full cooperation" to the investigation.

RoadRage · 10-06-2003, 07:25 PM

If he denies it and it's true, he can never make a comeback, thus the lack of denial.

If it isn't true, the worst thing he could do is start spouting off against the investigators. There's no sense in giving investigators incentive to dig deeper than they have to; they might find something as bad if not worse than painkiller-abuse. Hence he's keep his mouth shut.

Even the appearance of non-cooperation is the equivalent of an admission of guilt in many people's eyes, hence the "full cooperation."

The man's not stupid, just weak.

World's King · 10-06-2003, 08:37 PM

How can anyone have a wieght problem and a cocain problem?

Cynthetiq · 10-07-2003, 03:57 AM

WK where does it say he has a cocaine problem?

World's King · 10-07-2003, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cynthetiq
WK where does it say he has a cocaine problem?

It doesn't. But it was a good joke none the less.

10-02-2003, 05:18 AM	#1 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	Dittoheads of the world... Rush in drug scandal So the moral man falls like the rest of the moral pounders out there touting morality. They can talk the talk but they cannot walk the walk. Remember he's innocent until proven guilty, but in today's media jury IMHO he's pretty much toast like Jimmy Swaggart. link Rush Limbaugh in pill probe Talk radio star had drug habit, maid sez By TRACY CONNOR DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Rush Limbaugh 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. National Enquirer 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 __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

10-02-2003, 08:14 AM	#3 (permalink)
troit Transfer Agent Location: NYC	Yeah but who's to say we should believe everything that we read... I mean look at the source. __________________ I've yet to dephile myself...

10-02-2003, 10:56 AM	#5 (permalink)
ARTelevision I change Location: USA	Yes. As he suffers from that common malignancy of the ego, known as "fame," he exhibits yet another of its telltale symptoms... __________________ create evolution

10-02-2003, 11:10 AM	#7 (permalink)
smarm Insane	Limbaugh's statement From Fox21.com - Limbaugh issues statement in response to reports of investigation New York-AP -- Rush Limbaugh is responding to news reports that he's the subject of a drug-related investigation. In a statement, the conservative commentator says he's "unaware" of any investigation. The statement was read this morning by an official with the radio company that syndicates Limbaugh's talk show. Limbaugh's statement says no government authority has contacted him "directly or indirectly." But he says if that happens, he would cooperate. The Daily News of New York reported that Florida prosecutors are investigating Limbaugh for allegedly abusing prescription painkillers. The newspaper didn't name its source, but said it had independently confirmed the allegations -- which were first reported in the National Enquirer. The Enquirer had interviewed a woman identified as Wilma Cline, who was quoted as saying she became Limbaugh's drug connection after working as his maid. She says Limbaugh abused OxyContin and other painkillers. A spokesman for prosecutors in Palm Beach County, Florida says he can't confirm or deny that an investigation is taking place. Limbaugh last night quit his T-V sports job at E-S-P-N, after some comments he made about a black quarterback sparked controversy. <end quote> --- Seems that the story is real enough to merit a comment from Rush... Did he actually say that the allegations weren't true in there anywhere?

10-04-2003, 04:15 AM	#10 (permalink)
ARTelevision I change Location: USA	Don't get me wrong. I like him. He's as responsible as anyone for the Republican Renaissance. My comment applies universally to those who we contaminate with the "fame" disease. __________________ create evolution Last edited by ARTelevision; 10-04-2003 at 04:47 AM..

10-02-2003, 05:36 AM	#2 (permalink)
rogue49 Loser	Well, between this and the racial remark scandal, I'd say he'll be losing some contracts. Unfortunately, celebrities have a way of getting past these "hiccups" that would put us normal people permanently on the streeet or in jail

10-02-2003, 09:02 AM	#4 (permalink)
anleja disconnected Location: ignoreland	Maybe his housekeeper is a FEMINAZI out for revenge.

10-02-2003, 11:05 AM	#6 (permalink)
Darkblack Banned Location: Pennsytuckia	Anyone got a better news break than this? I would love to see him back in jail but I can't beleive the NE.

10-02-2003, 11:26 AM	#8 (permalink)
sixate Registered User Location: Somewhere in Ohio	I thunk Rush is a complete idiot and I hope this story is true. I love when dudes like this bust peoples balls, yet does the same shit that he says he's against. I hope he finally falls off the face of the planet. He's useless.

10-02-2003, 12:39 PM	#9 (permalink)
rodgerd Psycho Location: Wellington, New Zealand	He's rich, white, and famous. He'll get a little time at a rehab clinic/holiday home, his supporters will claim it's all the "librul media" and the "feminazis" and treat the guy as a matyr. Now, if he were poor, it might be different...

10-04-2003, 04:27 AM	#11 (permalink)
uncle phil comfortably numb... Super Moderator Location: upstate	couldn't happen to a nicer guy...well, a couple come to mind... __________________ "We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done." - Robert S. McNamara ----------------------------------------- "We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches... We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles." - Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message" ----------------------------------------- never wrestle with a pig. you both get dirty; the pig likes it.

10-04-2003, 04:32 AM	#12 (permalink)
Fremen With a mustache, the cool factor would be too much Location: left side of my couch, East Texas	On a different note, he's looking pretty svelte these days. __________________ Google

10-06-2003, 12:08 PM	#14 (permalink)
dy156 cookie Location: in the backwoods	For what it's worth, a friend of a friend is in Pharmaceutical sales for one of the drugs Rush is alleged to have acquired illegally, and he said that one of the lesser known side effects is loss of hearing. This may not be reliable, but I thought I'd throw it out there and see if anyone has heard something similar.

10-06-2003, 12:23 PM	#15 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	Howard Stern was talking about the side effects last week when the story broke. I'm going to say it seems a bit coincidental but Rush isn't denying the story at all. He's maintained nothing but,"giving full cooperation" to the investigation. __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

10-06-2003, 07:25 PM	#16 (permalink)
RoadRage Stay off the sidewalk! Location: Oklahoma City, OK	If he denies it and it's true, he can never make a comeback, thus the lack of denial. If it isn't true, the worst thing he could do is start spouting off against the investigators. There's no sense in giving investigators incentive to dig deeper than they have to; they might find something as bad if not worse than painkiller-abuse. Hence he's keep his mouth shut. Even the appearance of non-cooperation is the equivalent of an admission of guilt in many people's eyes, hence the "full cooperation." The man's not stupid, just weak. __________________ Join TFP Team SETI 43K workunits complete, 34 members, more of each needed.

10-06-2003, 08:37 PM	#17 (permalink)
World's King Here Location: Denver City Denver	How can anyone have a wieght problem and a cocain problem? __________________ heavy is the head that wears the crown

10-07-2003, 03:57 AM	#18 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	WK where does it say he has a cocaine problem? __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!