Florida Rep. Trey Radel Pleads Guilty To Cocaine Possession
Source: DCist
Rep. Trey Radel, a freshman Republican from Florida, pleaded guilty this morning to a misdemeanor count of cocaine possession.
As many media outlets reported, Radel was sentenced to a year of probation by a D.C. Superior Court judge. Radel purchased 3.5 grams of cocaine from an undercover agent he met at a Dupont Circle restaurant in a "buy and bust" operation. The deal, worth approximately $250, went down in the officer's car. Radel was then informed by officers that the jig was up and returned with them to his apartment. He was never arrested.
Read more: http://dcist.com/2013/11/florida_rep_trey_radel_pleads_guilt.php
Rep. Trey Radel pleads guilty on charges of cocaine possession
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/rep-trey-radel-expected-to-face-judge-on-charges-of-cocaine-possession/2013/11/20/b029caba-51ce-11e3-a7f0-b790929232e1_story.html
By Keith L. Alexander, Dana Hedgpeth and Aaron Blake, Updated: Wednesday, November 20, 10:49 AM
Freshman Rep. Trey Radel (R-Fla.) pleaded guilty in D.C. Superior Court on Wednesday to a misdemeanor charge of possession of cocaine, after buying the illegal drug outside a restaurant in Dupont Circle late last month.
....
Judge Robert S. Tignor sentenced Radel to one year one probation while he undergoes treatment in Florida. Radel said he is also seeking counseling in the District. Tignor said he took into account that this was Radels first offense.
If Radel violates the probation, he will have to serve 180 days in jail. He also had to pay a $260 fee. His attorney had sought six months probation at the court hearing.
Well, that takes care of that. Probation and $260 in court costs. See? Crime* does not pay.
* I'm sufficiently libertarianish to believe that if someone chooses to use drugs recreationally, if said use is not causing him any health issues or exposing the greater community to any risk, he ought to be able to do just that and, further, that said use does not constitute a crime.
Additionally, if drug use does cause someone or the community problems, the proper course of action is treatment, not incarceration. If the user has committed crimes to feed his habit, that activity should be dealt with by the legal system.
brucefan
(1,549 posts)mahatmakanejeeves
(57,600 posts)Last edited Thu Nov 21, 2013, 09:33 AM - Edit history (2)
ETA: a commenter at DCist.com pointed out this:
Article I, Section 6, Clause 1: Privilege from Arrest
http://www.law.cornell.edu/anncon/html/art1frag20_user.html#art1_sec6
Section 6. Clause 1. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.
Also:
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html
More editing: The amount of cocaine he purchased (not "was alleged to have purchased," as he pled guilty) added up to a misdemeanor.
Major Hogwash
(17,656 posts)Jail is for Black people.
Just us.
diabeticman
(3,121 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,361 posts)Or can he stay there if he wants?
mahatmakanejeeves
(57,600 posts)I think members can be stripped of their seniority or removed from committees. Since he's been in office a grand total of nine months, he doesn't have a whole lot of seniority for stripping.
atreides1
(16,093 posts)....or at least what the elite consider it to be...
MyNameGoesHere
(7,638 posts)this penalty is in line with what white or affluent people receive in DC. Now the real question is will his fellow teabaggers look the other way whilst preaching morals? I think we know the answer to that already.
Dopers_Greed
(2,640 posts)This idiot supported drug testing people on food stamps.
mahatmakanejeeves
(57,600 posts).
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)docgee
(870 posts)Turbineguy
(37,365 posts)Don't forget that.
Ghost of Tom Joad
(1,356 posts)Anthony Weiner? Probably not.
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)Gothmog
(145,554 posts)Proving that the Good Ole US of A wont get shown up by anyone, Republican congressman Trey Radel of Florida has been arrested on cocaine charges.
Way to go, USA.In the statement, Radel said he realizes the disappointment my family, friends and constituents must feel. Believe me, I am disappointed in myself, and I stand ready to face the consequences of my actions.
The arrest, he said, has a positive side. It offers me an opportunity to seek treatment and counseling, he said.
Yeah, lets keep a positive light on the fact that youre a rightwing Republican making choices about peoples lives for them while youre. on. freekin. cocaine.
Berlum
(7,044 posts)...hypocrisy is the rock upon which Republiconism is piled.
mahatmakanejeeves
(57,600 posts)http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/john-boehner-cocaine-controversy-trey-radel-100148.html
By JAKE SHERMAN and ANNA PALMER | 11/20/13 3:33 PM EST
John Boehner has made swiftly dealing with bad behavior a signature of his leadership, at times working behind the scenes to orchestrate an exit or levy a punishment on lawmakers caught in ethical or legal mishaps.
But House Republican leaders are not calling for first-term Rep. Trey Radel (R-Fla.) to step down after he pleaded guilty in D.C. Superior Court to possessing cocaine. Radel was swept up in a drug sting in October by an undercover police officer and an acquaintance with whom he had done cocaine, according to court documents.
The Florida Republican has not said he will resign while he seeks treatment and GOP leaders are not pressuring him to give up his seat. He didnt tell GOP leadership about the sting until Tuesday, according to multiple sources familiar with the incident roughly three weeks after it occurred.