Republican Florida Rep. Trey Radel has been charged with misdemeanor cocaine possession in Washington, D.C. A newly elected Tea Party Republican, Radel issued a contrite statement that he has struggled with alcohol and that his alcoholism led to “an extremely irresponsible choice.” UPDATE: Radel has pleaded guilty and received a one year probation sentence.
Radel is a former television reporter and conservative radio host.
This is not his first controversy in a relatively short political career. During the campaign, it was discovered that his campaign committee “Friends of Trey Radel, Inc.” had purchased his opponents’ domain names. Radel first denied playing a role in the subterfuge and blamed staff. He then later admitted it was his doing. His campaign then created misleading websites to highlight negative aspects of his opponents’ voting records. He is described as a Tea Party favorite and was endorsed by both Connie Mack and Rudy Giuliani.
The criminal charge is relatively minor with a potential for 180 days of imprisonment and/or a fine of $1,000. Do you think that Radel’s position should be considered in the sentence? Any jail time for the tough-on-crime Tea Party candidate would come at a heavy personal and political cost.
Radel recently called for President Obama’s impeachment, stressing that his actions must have consequences: ““It is one of those times in our history, we are at this breaking point. We have completely lost our checks and balances in this country, the Congress needs to hold the president accountable for the decisions that he’s making right now, and that why again, I would say that all options should be on the table.”
The question is what the “breaking point” may be for the Tea Party and its supporters in Florida.
ap,
I know it doesn’t really matter that he’s a TPartyer … he would have gotten the same special treatment from the DEA/FBI irregardless of his political party.
KowTowing … bootlicking “A rose by any other name would smell … the same” (not Shakespeare’s) 🙁
Or the current state of the law….. Jeez…. You sound like Bush and Obama tied up as one…. Enforce the ones you agree with and ignore the ones you don’t like….
Regarding “a higher stander” :-)…
An auto-correction problem or my own mistake but, whatever the case:
“stander” SB “standard”
In general, he needs to be held to a higher standard, given his position.
DavidM,
When have you ever let facts get in your way…..
I would have liked to see him do the perp walk with handcuffs like most mere mortals have to do. -rafflaw
Yep. And a little jail time.
In general, he needs to be held to a higher stander, given his position.
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Blouise, All good points.
DavidM, There you go ruining a perfectly good feeding frenzy w/ some of those pesky facts.
nick spinelli wrote: “DavidM, There you go ruining a perfectly good feeding frenzy w/ some of those pesky facts.”
lol. Unfortunately, I don’t think facts matter a whole lot to most of them. Facts are just annoying bumps in the road for them.
To bad Spitzer didn’t get back in somewhere, but Wallst feared him to much to allow him a position of power. I doubt Spitzer just walks away never to be heard from again, I’m sure he’ll get some pay back for Wallst.
I was looking for a song that kinda went like this for the Congressman’s happy day: Lost my wife, lost my job, lost my house, lost my dog, Cocaine.
Found this instead, I like it
DavidM, and the voters spoke regarding Weiner and Spitzer just recently. Quite loudly I might add!
This Congressman’s face is in the dictionary under the heading of “Hypocrisy”. I suppose if you praise Jesus enough and waive the flag, that is all the Tea Party wants to see. Drug test the poor people on SNAP, but look the other way when I am abusing my opponent and abusing drugs. I would have liked to see him do the perp walk with handcuffs like most mere mortals have to do.
rafflaw wrote: “This Congressman’s face is in the dictionary under the heading of “Hypocrisy”.
Why? Radel has spoken out against the war on drugs.
rafflaw wrote: “I would have liked to see him do the perp walk with handcuffs like most mere mortals have to do.”
I’ve had cuffs slapped on me a few times. Nothing life changing about that, but I do think a week in jail would have done him good.
Warning pretty rough langage in a spot or 2.
AY,
Well, as you and I both know … kid gloves at a tea party is proper attire. 😉
Well… Thank you Blouse…. Kinda nice when CIs burn someone like this….. Unfortunately…. The house has the ability to seat him or determine other qualifications for remaining a member…. If I recall the star case is out of New York….. But in this instance….. I don’t think much is going to happen to him other than a slap on the wrist…..
As far as qualifications to run for a us congress seat has been determined to be federally protected…. Now, they could force there state political candidates to submit to testing….. But the law has been tested with respect to term limits …… On what conditions may be imposed by a state…..
Mike S.,
Sarah Palin did in fact fund raise to get money to pay her legal bills…… Maybe it’s a symptom….
davidm Once again we see your hypocrisy. Rep Weiner was forced out by the Democrats for his indiscretions, NOT a CRIME. Yet I see NO such move on the part of the Tea Party or GOPers, or the Kochs. He DID commit a crime, and got kid glove treatment, and will be getting medical treatment with his “socialized” health care he hates for the rest of us to have. Until I see you and your kind make demands that he RESIGN NOW, you will stand convicted in public of rank hypocrisy.
randyjet wrote: “Rep Weiner was forced out by the Democrats for his indiscretions, NOT a CRIME.”
[sigh] Congressmen should not publicly lie to the American people.
“randyjet wrote: “Rep Weiner was forced out by the Democrats for his indiscretions, NOT a CRIME.”
[sigh] Congressmen should not publicly lie to the American people.”
DavidM,
You’re being a hypocrite in this instance.
davidm I guess you have limited experience with Congresspeople then. I have been lied to by my Rep. Kevin Brady to my face. Then to make sure I get the point, his staff does so on a regular basis when I ask about some stupid vote Brady has made. If all the politicians who lied were forced out of office, DC would be a ghost town.
What Weiner did was stupid, gross, but NOT a crime. The Tea Party types are past masters at avoiding their responsibility for their personal foibles. and votes. Yet I am glad to see that you finally have called for him to resign. That is a start to matching the Dems in these things.
DavidM, Red meat. I see red meat served on conservative sights on bad Dem politicians. Preachin’ to the choir is popular in this duopoly of ours. It’s like a pep rally before a football game. There’s no shortage of hypocrisy in a duopoly, it actually thrives in that environment.
Radel was set up by his dealer who was, in turn, working with the DEA/FBI in an attempt to mitigate his own legal problems.
Radel wasn’t arrested on the spot during the buy but was politely informed of the charges later at his home. He was not handcuffed or hauled off to jail then either. His defense atty started negotiations with authorities resulting in a guilty plea and probation but no jail time (as ap noted).
All in all I’d say Congressman Radel had a veritable tea party with the DEA and FBI.
joshzzzz 1, November 20, 2013 at 10:45 am
“If Florida forced all public office candidates to submit to drug tests as they do their welfare recipients, they’d have been spared this embarrassment.”
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Yep. And I would hope that during his probationary period, he’ll be required to submit to drug testing.
I say impose the maximum fine and give him a week in jail so he can reflect upon his actions. -davidm2575
“Probation, no jail time”, as was to be expected.
Jacob Carpenter @NDN_JCarpenter 14m
BREAKING: U.S. Rep. Trey Radel pleads guilty to cocaine possession, receives 1 year probation, no jail time. @ndn
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He should resign and go back to Florida to “reflect upon his actions.”
If Florida forced all public office candidates to submit to drug tests as they do their welfare recipients, they’d have been spared this embarrassment.
It seems very strange to be so partisan with this article, as if Democrats have not also been caught with illegal drugs. Then to describe Radel as a “tough-on-crime Tea Party candidate” is way over the top. When did Radel ever take a tough-on-crime stance? Radel is libertarian, like the Koch brothers. They don’t even believe that drug possession should be a crime.
Radel’s campaign policies clearly focused on jobs and economic growth, paying down the national debt, and repealing Obamacare and other job killing government laws and regulations. He took stands on Gun rights (the Second Amendment), immigration reform, free market for energy development, no tax hikes, cutting government spending, protecting Medicare and Social Security, and de-federalizing education. I fail to see how any of these values conflict with this mistake with cocaine. Whether Radel is a libertarian Tea Party Republican or a socialist Democrat is irrelevant to the drug possession charge against him.
Because he is a Congressman who should be held to a high standard, I say impose the maximum fine and give him a week in jail so he can reflect upon his actions.
“Why doesn’t he lose his and his family’s benefits for taking drugs if that is what he wants for poor people?” -Jill
He should. And, IMO, he should resign.