Radel: 'I realize I need help'

[onehandle]

Source: The Hill

An avid Twitter user, Rep. Trey Radel (R-Fla.) was busy sending messages to his 8,000 followers on Oct. 29, promoting a radio appearance he was scheduled to make and criticizing ObamaCare. The 37-year-old freshman lawmaker also cast five votes in the House that day and, several hours later, was busted for buying cocaine at a posh restaurant in Washington, D.C.’s Dupont Circle, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty.

Radel, who pleaded guilty in a district court Wednesday to a misdemeanor charge of cocaine possession, became the first sitting congressman to be convicted of a drug offense in more than 30 years, and the first to be convicted for cocaine, according to congressional records.

In a brief statement prior to sentencing, a grim Radel said he had “hit a bottom where I realize I need help,” and apologized for letting his constituents down.

Mohanty, who prosecuted the government’s case, recounted the crime in a statement read to the court.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/191001-florida-congressman-radel-convicted-of-drug-possession

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He's a porn site dealer and cokehead, but IOKIYAR.

[gopiscrap]

1. why doesn't the fucker resign or considering the repubs "values"

why don't they force his resignation?

[davidpdx]

4. Because he still has 13 more months to milk his government salary

Funny given the fact it is the Republicans that scream about moochers.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

16. because, unlike Weiner, he broke the law...and IOKIYAR

He'll probably be greeted with a standing ovation when he returns, much like Diaper David Vitter was.
And the media will fail to note the double standard.
He's getting only a sliver of the coverage Weiner got, despite his actual lawbreaking.

[trusty elf]

21. Their values are always along party lines.

[IMG][/IMG]

[mpcamb]

2. "The 37-year-old freshman lawmaker also cast five votes in the House that day..."

Great to see he's still voting so his "constituents" still have a voice.

HAH!

[johnnyrocket]

3. This guy is full of shit. Fake tears, and nonsense apology. He needs to retire.

[gopiscrap]

6. I fully agree with you!!!

[Dawson Leery]

5. IOKIYAR indeed. Remember, the "Christian" coalition endorsed

Linda McMahon after years upon years of attempting to censor her business product.

[Half-Century Man]

14. Showing my ignorance.

IOKIYAR ?

[rdmtimp]

17. "It's OK If you're a Republican" EOM

[Half-Century Man]

18. Ah, thank you.

[QuestForSense]

7. I wish he'd realize that food stamp recipients are in need of help, too.

[Marie Marie]

8. And any of them who are also addicted will not have access to

the type of rehab that he can afford. No help for their addiction and now no food on top of it. And yet, for all his phony contrition, I doubt that he will ever have an ounce of compassion for those that he threw under the bus.

[brooklynite]

9. ...after I got indicted (not after I got arrested).

[moondust]

10. Somebody should ask him

if he would recommend mandatory drug tests for Congress since they receive taxpayer money.

(Lawrence O'Donnell carried his press conference live but I didn't hear that question asked.)

[hrmjustin]

11. I hope he gets that help.

[brewens]

12. "I'm sorry I got caught!" Kinda like Jimmy Swaggart. n/t

[Half-Century Man]

13. In spite of the stereotypes that "everyone who uses drugs is addicted" and

"addicts are non-functional human beings" it is very possible that Rep. Radel could do his job well and occasionally use an intoxicant. It is possible that he could regularly use intoxicants and do his job well. Considering his job; he could fulfill it while intoxicated and most likely not present an immediate physical danger. There maybe real consequences to others due to his intoxicated judgment, however as he is ideologically a republican, I hold his judgment is already impaired.

His hypocrisy of public political position vs actual behavior should not be surprising. The "war on drugs" is based on hypocrisy and racism. If we had spent the trillions of dollars on treatment instead of enforcement, we would have no drug problem. If we aided those affected instead of ostracizing them, a lot of the deep chasms within our society would not exist.

Him frantically trying to avoid the fate of those who become stereotypes is completely understandable. He, himself built part of that fate.

I sincerely believe the irony fairy chuckles at the pitiful techniques of the Spanish Inquisition.

[alp227]

15. Radel's seat should be an easy one to turn blue in 2014.

I don't think the voters down in his district will be as forgiving as the idiots who put Mark Sanford back in office.

According to Ballotpedia: "Democratic candidate April Freeman received the endorsement of Democrats Advancing Progressive Action in Congress (DAPAC) in late July 2013."

Her website: http://www.aprilfreeman.com/

[dmr]

19. I don't buy it. I did at first, but

he kept talking. Rationalizing.

He started off by saying the words we all want to hear; and saying it in the way we want to hear it.

But he kept talking, repetitively, with well-rehearsed words or phrases.

And then he rationalized it all out for us - something you'd expect his brother or best friend would do to help him save face.

Nope, I don't buy it. I've had my share of enabler heartbreak to recognize bullshit.

[renate]

20. so what's the problem? he realizes he needs help! nothing to see here, folks!

Move along, now. He's sorry. And IOKIYAR.

[VWolf]

22. O/T: I love your Tae Kwon Do gif!

I have two daughters in TKD, and I've seen that kind of non-contact sparring many times.

[Myrina]

23. Good, please retire to focus on your health & spend time with your family.

Best wishes to you, but I don't think taxpayers want to pay your salary or support your coke habit anymore, sir.

[packman]

24. Needs to quit and

, like all disgraced politicians, "spend more time with their families". I love to hear that phrase. It's when you know that they have been discovered, exposed, and caught with no where to go.

[booley]

25. he does need help

he clearly has a drug addiction and probably other serious problems.

Redel does need help. He should get help.

He's not a hypocrite because he says he needs help. He's a hypocrite because when given the chance he happily denied that help to others.

So lets not get too wrapped up in our schadenfruede that we forget a big part of being a Liberal is empathy, even for those we may despise.

and what does "porn" have to do with anything?

[Katashi_itto]

29. Being empathic is one thing. Being sympathic to a scumbag is another.

This asshole made life harder for poverty-stricken fellow Americans every opportunity he got. Hopefully he ends up living under a bridge (not damn likely, those Rebublican family values at work)

[booley]

32. yes there is a difference

sympathy is the fake form of empathy.

Redel did make life harder for the poor. He is an asshole.

He also deserves help.

Those things are not mutually exclusive.

[Katashi_itto]

34. I admire your perpective. I personally would offer him nothing though

I see his track record and feel once cured/fixed, he would simply go back to being as much of an asshole as before.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

26. Of all the times for Billy Graham to get sick. Damn the luck.

Who covers for Billy G. when a repub needs some repentin' ?

[Drale]

27. Does he realize that most people are not pissed because he did drugs,

that most people are pissed because he's a fucking hypocrite?

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

28. I do believe...

...that you have summed it up! Well done.

[BlueToTheBone]

30. He needs to be hounded from office. n/t

[hatrack]

31. "Buying cocaine in a posh restaurant . . . "

Yeah, it's not like he'd be buying it in a Burger King parking lot - only the cushiest surroundings for The Littlest Congressman with The Biggest Nose when he purchases his blow.

Was he sipping a nice Sauterne with dessert while reaching out for the envelope?

[musiclawyer]

33. Anthony Wiener should have did the same

Fess up, beg for forgiveness, donate salary to charity and he would still be in office
People will forget about Radel in a few weeks. The Cons know how to con and stay in office cause they can......