Rush Limbaugh attacks ABC money-laundering story in connection with his drug-pill addiction

PHXnews ^ | 11/19/03 | Joe Kovacs

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh is blasting an ABC News report that suggests he may have used laundered money to finance his admitted addiction to pain-killing drugs.

Rush Limbaugh

"I have never, I have not laundered any money," Limbaugh said today on his daily broadcast. "I know who's behind it; I know what the intent is."

Limbaugh was responding to a report on "World News Tonight" stating the broadcaster "may have violated state money-laundering laws in the way he handled the money he used to buy the prescription drugs to which he was addicted," citing law enforcement sources.

Limbaugh returned to his top-rated show Monday following five weeks of rehabilitation after admitting his addiction.

According to the ABC report, "Authorities say they became aware two years ago, during an investigation of New York bank US Trust, that Limbaugh had taken between 30 and 40 cash withdrawals from his account in amounts just under $10,000. Banks must file a report to the government if someone withdraws more than $10,000 at once."

The network quoted Jack Blum, an expert on financial crimes, who said, "That in itself is a suspicious activity: They are structuring their transaction to avoid reporting to the government, and the bank is required to file with the federal government something called a suspicious activity report."

"Now the problem will be: Did he then assist his drug supplier in hiding the proceeds from the government?" said Blum.

ABC reported a decision on whether to prosecute Rush on money-laundering charges would be made in the next few weeks.

Limbaugh wasted no time addressing the allegation, using the first segment of his program to explain the situation.

"I was not laundering money. I was withdrawing money for crying out loud," he said.

Limbaugh says US Trust had suggested to him and other customers that cash withdrawals be made in amounts less than $10,000, so the bank would avoid the federal paperwork, and there was no other reason. He also denied the allegation of 30 to 40 withdrawals, saying it was perhaps four or five at the most.

US Trust paid a $10 million fine in 2001 for urging customers to avoid the $10,000 threshold.

"The account that I have is the account that I pay bills out of," Limbaugh said, citing expenses for travel, food, gratuities and a home-remodeling project.

He stressed it was US Trust, and not himself, that was under investigation for wrongdoing, and he cooperated fully with the probe.

"I complied with every request that was made of me," Limbaugh said.

While Limbaugh did not mention any names, he said he knew who was behind the ABC report.

"It's being reported to create a picture that is false," he said. "I know where this is coming from. This is not a leak. It is the purposeful release of false information."

"I'm not bothered by it, 'cause I know what the truth is," he added.

On his Monday broadcast, the first since he entered rehab, Limbaugh summed up this personal lesson he learned during his time off the air.

"I can no longer try to live my life by making other people happy," he said. "I can no longer turn over the power of my feelings to anybody else, which is what I have done a lot of my life. I have thought I had to be this way or that way in order to be liked or appreciated or understood, and in the process I denied myself who I was, and I denied the other people who I was talking to and relating with who I really am. And that isn't good."

[Cobra64]

If I were Rush, the reporter's career is, or will be, toast.

[Amerigomag]

You could almost feel the satisfaction oozing out of Jennings as he introduced his slanderous piece last night.

[beelzepug]

"...satisfaction oozing out of Jennings..."

Satisfaction isn't ALL I'd like to see oozing out of Jennings..........

[Rudder]

"...I denied myself who I was, and I denied the other people who I was talking to and relating with who I really am. And that isn't good."

Okay, who is the real Rush, really?

If this ain't typical psychobabble of the govt-sponsored 'recovery programs,' I don't know what is.

[perfect stranger]

"I can no longer try to live my life by making other people happy," he said. "I can no longer turn over the power of my feelings to anybody else, which is what I have done a lot of my life. I have thought I had to be this way or that way in order to be liked or appreciated or understood, and in the process I denied myself who I was, and I denied the other people who I was talking to and relating with who I really am. And that isn't good."

Call me dense, but how does that relate to being addicted to Oxycotin?

[Normal4me]

I watched my local news tonight (ABC affiliate) and they aired this story. In closing the news witch stated that "Limbaugh stated that he could not comment on this due to the ongoing investigation". They did not report ANY of his comments regarding this matter. I heard his program today, this is the third or fourth report I have read today. Typical biased news, throw out an allegation and when it is defended, just lie and move on to something else.

[lelio]

"I was not laundering money. I was withdrawing money for crying out loud," he said.

Tell it to John Ashcroft.

[Normal4me]

This money was from his EIB paychecks. How do you launder money that you legally earn?

[lelio]

If this ain't typical psychobabble of the govt-sponsored 'recovery programs,' I don't know what is.

What would of you prefered he say?

[Arpege92]

$10,000 cash withdrawls....I can only dream!

[jerseygirl]

Sounds like Rush was saying he was "codependent." (Recovery jargon.)

[perfect stranger]

Come on.....the guy makes 35 million a year.

What's the big deal?

Say I make 35 thou a year, and the atm charges ALL the customers of the bank a fee because I wanted to take out more than $9.99. What am I gonna do?

[billhilly]

There was a Jack Blum who was an aide to John Kerry during the Iran Contra hearings. They did a number on President Reagan, Ollie North and many others. It would be very interesting and revealing to find out if this is the same Jack Blum.

[lelio]

How do you launder money that you legally earn?

Not that I think Rush is guilty of money laundering, but you can launder money that you legally earn.

In this case, you're laundering money for your employer, which obtained it in some ill gotten way. It could be something like this:

a) your company, XYZ Corp, gets $100k from Sneaky Thief. XYZ books it as 'surprise holiday traffic' revenue
b) XYZ Corp pays you, their employee, a 'holiday bonus' of $90k
c) you pay a contractor, which just happens to be owned by Sneaky Thief, $80k to remodel your basement
d) Sneaky Thief spends $20k remodeling your basement

So there you go. XYZ Corp gets a $10k cut. You get a $10k cut plus $20k in remodeling, and Sneaky Thief gets $60k. It all looks legit as revenues at companies go up and down all the time. You can tell the IRS that your basement got $80k in renovations, they're not going to come out and look.

[longtermmemmory]

ABC discovered stories about Rush equal ratings points. ABC is using Rush to get ratings

They just did a blip and tried to somehow connect the "massive amounts of money" with buying drugs. No evidence, no support, no corroberation just an comment about "massive amounts of money".

Then they play rush on the ditocam.


Rush needs to be told to dress up for the ditocam since he has to now assume the media will use it on the nightly news.

Perhaps for the next time he comments on ABC's story he should wear a tux.

[billhilly]

http://www.webcom.com/~pinknoiz/covert/jackblum.html

[deport]

I have thought I had to be this way or that way in order to be liked or appreciated or understood, and in the process I denied myself who I was, and I denied the other people who I was talking to and relating with who I really am. And that isn't good."

---

So who is this Rushie fellow since it isn't the one he portrayed over the years?

[perfect stranger]

He was making plenty of people unhappy at the same time.

[longtermmemmory]

I don't see this as an issue. This is just an effort of ABC to get ratings by using Rush.

Tax avoidance is legal. Tax evasion is a different issue.