Ex-Florida governor candidate Andrew Gillum involved in drug incident, Miami Beach police report

[Jose Garcia]

Source: South Florida Sun Sentinel

A Miami Beach police report about an apparent drug overdose in a Miami Beach hotel room overnight Thursday says that one of the three men present in the room was Andrew Gillum along with three small plastic bags containing suspected crystal meth.

One of those involved, named Gillum, is 40, the police report states, the same age as the 2018 gubernatorial nominee.

The police reports that officers responded to a room at 1100 West Ave., which is the address of the Mondrian South Beach. Police found fire rescue treating a man for a possible drug overdose.

Police found two other men in the room, including Gillum, described as an “involved other.”

Read more: https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-ne-andrew-gillum-miami-beach-drugs-20200313-3plsrtuvdnhcpglfo34ojrehvu-story.html

[BusyBeingBest]

1. WTF, with this guy?

He was being talked up for Veep not long ago. This shows the importance of not plucking Veep candidates from relative obscurity--they need to be nationally known and VETTED.

[oldsoftie]

35. There were already stories about him out before the '18 elections.

But posting any of them here wouldn't fly

[BusyBeingBest]

37. Oh, I had not heard anything negative--OK.

[Lexblues]

38. What were the rumors about exactly?

[oldsoftie]

40. You can search.

Even if its legit news articles a lot of people alert shit they dont like

[jberryhill]

57. Yep

[karynnj]

43. There were corruption stories in Tallahassee and the question was

whether he was involved.

I never got why he was considered someone who would be a superstar after he lost.

[oldsoftie]

56. I know. There are plenty of people who have shown a LOT of potential.

I dont really like the psuh for Stacy Abrams for VP. She's just not a national figure

[karynnj]

68. I have heard her in speak in serious interviews and she is fantastic

What she is doing on voter suppression is very well done, very needed and she has inspired many people - even in an election year - to join her effort. If Biden were to name her, it would be after vetting her thoroughly. (Gilliam would not have ever passed that.)

I agree she is not a national figure, but in reality, other than to political junkies, very very few people are until they gain a platform. She is probably in a similar position to Beto, except would be considered as VP, not President.

[oldsoftie]

69. I live in GA, so I've seen & heard her many times. I'd just prefer Harris.

And thats going with the "must have a woman of color" line. The PERFECT choice IMO, would be Michelle Obama. Actually, if SHE was at the top of the ticket I dont think Trump would stand a chance

[still_one]

2. Very sad

[Dennis Donovan]

3. Fuck...

I was praying this wasn't true...

[marble falls]

7. Give it a day to develop first, THEN make plans for self immolation. I think there's a lot of ...

details missing.

[Dennis Donovan]

9. No charges is a big indication that it's an incomplete picture.

And, um, isn't "self-immolating" a bit of a melodramatic description of my reaction to the news? All I said I was hoping it wasn't true...

[marble falls]

12. I don't ever see a steady hand such as yourself self-immolating. I was joshin yer ...

Sam Stein ✔ @samstein (MSNBC)

GILLUM: "I was in Miami last night for a wedding celebration when first responders were called to assist one of my friends. While I had too much to drink, I want to be clear that I have never used methamphetamines."

10:59 AM - Mar 13, 2020

[Dennis Donovan]

13. Okay

Thank you for the clarification.

[marble falls]

14. I read everything you do, check out your recommends sometime.

[Dennis Donovan]

19. I think everything's finally starting to get to me

I'm sorry if I came across as cross.

[Laurian]

4. Waiting for more details, myself.

[marble falls]

5. Just a little too soon to be pillorying Gillum. Can we at least wait for the whole story?

[brush]

31. Yes, it could be being in a hotel room while black.

[marble falls]

32. Well, it is Florida, there's probably a law.

[Coventina]

6. Aw geez.

[csziggy]

8. Update on article - statement from Gillum

At same link as in OP:

Gillum confirmed his presence in a statement Friday.

“I was in Miami last night for a wedding celebration when first responders were called to assist one of my friends. While I had too much to drink, I want to be clear that I have never used methamphetamines. I apologize to the people of Florida for the distraction this has caused our movement,” Gillum said.

[DrToast]

10. Barely involved him it sounds like

He was just there.

[csziggy]

11. Yes - the police report described him as an "involved other."

But that is way at the end of the article.

[stopdiggin]

23. which means exactly nothing

involved other could be the person who makes 911 call ...
or just about anything else.

[csziggy]

33. Correct - but the editor buried it at the end of the article

Leading with information that seemed to imply that Gillum was one of the meth users.

[janterry]

58. I'm not sure

From what I am reading, the other man is a male escort who was NOT there for a wedding.

The man who rented the room, Aldo Mejias, 53, said he went to the room before midnight on March 12. Mejias said that he found Dyson and Gillum “under the influence of an unknown substance.” Mejias said that Gillum had been vomiting into the toilet and that Dyson was unconscious. Mejias performed CPR on Dyson until the paramedics arrived.

Mejias had given his credit card to Dyson to rent the hotel room. Dyson describes Gillum as someone he has been friends with for awhile.

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/andrew-gillum-in-alleged-meth-incident-in-miami-beach-police-say-11594094

ETA: original source is the police report

[marble falls]

15. From Gillum ...

Sam Stein ✔ @samstein (MSNBC)

GILLUM: "I was in Miami last night for a wedding celebration when first responders were called to assist one of my friends. While I had too much to drink, I want to be clear that I have never used methamphetamines."

10:59 AM - Mar 13, 2020

[mahina]

16. Looks like an opportunistic takedown of a talented future star and

Brother.

Nice, Sun Sentinel, putting his statement at the end.

There’s a % who will read to the end and it’s tiny. There’s a % who will always “know” that he was busted for drugs.

God damn it. What was he supposed to do, not go help?

[Judi Lynn]

34. So glad you said that. They want him out of politics A.S.A.P. The wingers really hate him.

He has too much promise, and it's all positive, and they want to bring him down NOW before he picks up more steam.

I immediately looked to see if I could learn if the one who posted it is from Florida.

So many Democrats were watching this Governor's race, and expected this man to win, as he is FAR more qualified, and far cleaner than the sleazeball the Republicans put up.

How good it is to see your comments.

[rictofen]

44. Why does it matter where the poster is from?

[Haggis for Breakfast]

49. Yes, Judi, you're right.

Andrew Gillum is a good man and he was a great mayor for Tallahassee. But he scared the Florida bigots half to death with his popularity and they have been out to destroy him ever since. The Sun Sentinel isn't fit for bird cage bottoms. It is seldom more than 20 pages long, including the comics, it's more ads than news. The big paper down there is the Miami Herald, even for Broward residents.

Wait for the full story to emerge and then let's see if the Sentinel apologizes for the biased, slanted coverage. I won't hold my breath for that, but I also don't think Gillum is involved in drug usage.

[Judi Lynn]

50. Tremendous comments. Florida bigots are rabid. They control 29 votes.

Will never forget their behavior during the 2000 Presidential recount. They had a hideous reputation long before that, too.

That article surely smells to high heaven. Shame on them. Typical.

Thank you so much for your post, HfB.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

71. Judi - you are a gem.

I read all of your posts, and am especially grateful for the science posts. You keep me undated on so many interests I have.

Stay safe. Be careful.

[Chicago1980]

17. There goes his career.

That's too bad.

[mahina]

41. If he did drugs yes. See my post 16 above.

Looks like an opportunistic takedown of a talented future star and
Brother.

Nice, Sun Sentinel, putting his statement at the end.

There’s a % who will read to the end and it’s tiny. There’s a % who will always “know” that he was busted for drugs.

God damn it. What was he supposed to do, not go help?

[dansolo]

52. Perhaps, but hanging out with meth users will kill most political careers

It may be opportunistic, but it was also completely irresponsible for him to be present while someone else was taking meth. Meth is illegal, and even if he wasn't taking it himself, he didn't attempt to stop the other person from taking it.

[mahina]

54. How do you know they were hanging out?

What if he came in the room to help? I don’t know what happened and neither do you.

[LisaL]

65. Read the police report and then you might be able to figure it out.

[mahina]

70. Do you have a link?

[killaphill]

18. Nothingburger

He got drunk at a wedding. So what?

[Big Blue Marble]

20. It was after the wedding.

Meth was present and a person Od. Do not minimize this.

[killaphill]

21. Okay a wedding that had some unsavory characters

You can't control who else is at a wedding.

[Jose Garcia]

22. But you can not go into a hotel room with the unsavory characters

[rusty fender]

24. Maybe Gillum went into the room to help

his friend

[Jose Garcia]

25. The police report stated he was too inebriated to communicate

[janterry]

51. He was throwing up in the bathroom

Last edited Sat Mar 14, 2020, 07:27 AM - Edit history (1)

when police arrived.

see my post #58. He might not have taken drugs, I don't know. but this was not a room rented for the wedding. And Gillum was not there by accident.

[LisaL]

64. From what is described in the police report, due to being extremely intoxicated,

he was in no position to help anyone.

[LisaL]

62. I am not sure what this had to do with a wedding to begin with.

It happened in a rented hotel room. Read the police report.

[mr_lebowski]

26. Isn't the getting drunk part supposed to be after the wedding?

How about we don't maximize it before we know some details.

Being at the same wedding or even after-party (lots of times lots of people at weddings rent whole hotel room floors for the night after so everyone can continue to revel and not have to drive) as someone who did too much meth can REALLY not be someone's fault.

[pnwmom]

45. Drunk in a hotel room with crystal meth present. No Democrat could get over something like this.

Trump yes, but a Democrat, no.

[delisen]

67. I never say never to potential for political resurrection.

especially in a near future where we will have less and less privacy.

[HarlanPepper]

27. Well looks like we can take him out of Biden's VP pool

[Jose Garcia]

28. He was never being considered

Too many skeletons in his closet, and too little experience.

[HarlanPepper]

29. Inside source?

[geomon666]

30. I'd still vote for him over DeSantis

Fuck DeSantis

[oldsoftie]

36. Tampa Bay Times article:

https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2020/03/13/andrew-gillum-found-in-miami-beach-hotel-room-with-suspected-drugs-police-say/

[mahina]

42. Stop it

[at140]

47. A few shocking photo's in that link..nt

[madville]

48. Wow

There had been rumors that he had a male lover during the governors race (his friend that he took to the Hamilton play with the tickets he received in the ethics scandal), this certainly isn't going to help his image as a devoted family man.

[RandySF]

53. The OD victim was reportedly an escort.

[janterry]

59. Here is the police report

UPON ARRIVAL, MIAMI BEACH FIRE RESCUE (#11) WAS ON SCENE PROVIDING TREATMENT TO TRAVIS DYSON (PATIENT). MIAMI BEACH FIRE RESCUE ADVISED OFFICERS THAT MR. DYSON WAS BEING TREATED FOR A POSSIBLE DRUG OVERDOSE. HE WAS IN STABLE CONDITION BUT AS A PRECAUTION WAS GOING TO BE TRANSPORTED TO MOUNT SINAI FOR FURTHER MEDICAL TREATMENT (MBFR CASE #2020-4950). OFFICERS THEN MADE CONTACT WITH TWO OTHER MALES WHO WERE INSIDE OF THE HOTEL ROOM: ALDO MEJIAS (COMPLAINANT) AND ANDREW GILLUM (INVOLVED OTHER).

MR. MEJIAS STATED THE FOLLOWING TO OFFICERS: MR. MEJIAS PROVIDED HIS CREDIT CARD INFORMATION TO TRAVIS DYSON TO RENT A HOTEL ROOM FOR THE NIGHT; MR. MEJIAS WAS TO MEET MR. DYSON LATER IN DAY. TRAVIS DYSON RENTED THE ROOM AT APPROXIMATELY 1600 HOURS ON 03/12/2020. MR. MEJIAS ARRIVED AT THE HOTEL AT APPROXIMATELY 2307 HOURS, WHERE HE DISCOVERED TRAVIS DYSON AND ANDREW GILLUM INSIDE THE ROOM UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF AN UNKNOWN SUBSTANCE. PER MR. MEJIAS, MR. DYSON OPENED THE HOTEL ROOM DOOR AND IMMEDIATELY WALKED OVER TO THE BED AND COLLAPSED IN A PRONE POSITION. MR. MEJIAS OBSERVED MR. GILLUM INSIDE OF THE BATHROOM VOMITING. MR. MEJIAS STATED THAT HE OBSERVED MR. DYSON HAVING DIFFICULTY BREATHING, PROMPTING HIM TO WAKE HIM UP. MR. DYSON THEN BEGAN VOMITING ON THE BED AND IMMEDIATELY COLLAPSED AGAIN. MR. MEJIAS BEGAN CONDUCTING CHEST COMPRESSIONS ON MR. DYSON AND PROCEEDED TO CONTACT POLICE AND FIRE RESCUE.OFFICERS THEN ATTEMPTED TO SPEAK TO MR. GILLUM. MR. GILLUM WAS UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OFFICERS DUE TO HIS INEBRIATED STATE. MBFR (R1) RESPONDED A SECOND TIME TO THE HOTEL REFERENCE A WELFARE CHECK ON MR. GILLUM. FIRE RESCUE STATED THAT HE WAS IN STABLE CONDITION AND HIS VITALS WERE NORMAL (MBFR INCIDENT #2020-4952).

https://images.miaminewtimes.com/media/pdf/oi_2020-21902_redcated_copy_2.pdf

INSIDE OF THE HOTEL ROOM, OFFICERS OBSERVED IN PLAIN SIGHT THREE SMALL 2020-0002190203/13/20202033 GomezCase Page
CLEAR PLASTIC BAGGIES CONTAINING SUSPECTED CRYSTAL METH ON BOTH THE BED AND FLOOR OF THE HOTEL ROOM.

[LisaL]

60. It ain't pretty, that's for sure.

[janterry]

61. Sounds like he and his wife are going to have some hard discussions

[LisaL]

63. Yep.

Sure sounds like it.

[IluvPitties]

66. I am guessing Gillum has both a drug problem

and a need to be comfortable with his true self.