Rush Lawyer Roy Black on Today Show: Elected Official Singling Rush out, Seeks to Ruin Radio Show

The Today Show

[governsleastgovernsbest]

In the wake of the news that his doctors' records have been subpoenaed, Rush Limbaugh' lawyer Roy Black just completed an interview on The Today Show with Lester Holt (sitting in for Matt Lauer).

The essence of Black's position is that of all the millions of people in the US who are addicted to prescription drugs, Rush is being singled out, not only by the press but more importantly by prosecutors who are engaging in an unprecedented investigation of his doctors' records.

Holt began by casting the situation in the worst light for Rush, alleging that "these are serious charges, going from one doctor to another, trying to get prescriptions."

Replied Black: "Since when do people have one doctor?"

Insisted Holt: "But it is a crime to go to multiple doctors to get multiple prescriptions."

Asked Holt: "Is Rush under investigation?"

Black: "They say they came across his name as part of a large investigation. And once his name turned up, elected official couldn't leave it alone. He is being treated differently."

Holt: "Is Rush being singled out?"

Black: "Of all the millions of people addicted to painkillers, have you ever seen their doctors being subpoenaed?"

Holt: "You say this is a fishing expedition, but the subpoena is specific."

Black: "Specific? Why do you mean it's not a fishing expedition, of course it is. They are asking his doctors for prescriptions, phone records, etc. Every doctor will have those. It is not specific at all."

Continued Black "They're trying to publicly embarrass him and ruin his radio program. He shouldn't be treated differently because he's Rush Limbaugh."

In a show of false concern, Holt inquired "How is Rush doing?"

Black essentially replied "How do you think he's doing? He's gone through five weeks of rehab, dealing with this difficult situation. He comes out, and all the TV and papers are talking about it, people [he specifically cited Holt's MSNBC] are leafing through his papers calling out the names of drugs, doctors, etc."

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Let's try to imagine that instead of Rush, the person whose doctors records were being searched was one of the Today Show's liberal faves.

The liberal would be treated as a returning hero, a role model and an inspiration for millions of Americans. [By now he would undoubtedly have announced the formation of a charitable foundation, and the show would have broadcast the web page and phone number to help solicit donations.]

Any investigation of such a person would be cast as a McCarthyite witch hunt and attempted character assassination. The name of John Ashcroft and the dread Patriot Act would be darkly invoked.

Instead, Rush is described as facing "serious charges," and the fishing expedition against him described as a "specific subpoena."

The liberal spin machine never stops whirring.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Today Show ping.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Does anyone know (well, actually I think I know, but I want a citation to prove it) whether the District Attorney investigating Rush is a Democrat or Republican?

[FreedomPoster]

Florida State Attorney Persecuting Rush Limbaugh is Democrat--Liberal Media Not Telling.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1034374/posts

[J. L. Chamberlain]

Rush the "victim". Oh, how liberal of him...barf!

J

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Thanks for the link and the valuable information. This is undoubtedly the prosecutor to whom Black was referring, though he didn't cite him by name. Wonder what higher officer prosecutor Krischer is angling for?

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Sometimes prosecutors do single people out, and yes, victimize them. Do you dispute Roy Black's assertion - that of all the millions of people addicted to prescription painkillers, Rush is among the few if any to have his doctors' records subpoenaed?

[FreedomPoster]

>>Wonder what higher officer prosecutor Krischer is angling for?

That is exactly what is behind many high-profile prosecutions.

[AGreatPer]

I mentioned on another thread how "testy" Rush was on yesterdays show. Today's should be a hoot.

[Publius6961]

More importantly, does the conspiracy to "get" Rush and silence his program include "highly placed" legislators?

RICO sttutes have been applied to a lot less.
Which brings up another interesting question:

Are legislators totally immune to laws which apply to mere mortals?
Where does it end?

Hard drug use?
Blackmail?
Extortion?
Robbery?
Murder?

[thesummerwind]

Hillary's behind it. I 'm not kidding. Saul Alinsy's pawn.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

[Angling for higher office] is exactly what is behind many high-profile prosecutions.

When Rudy Giuliani was a prosecutor, he chose tax day, April 15th, to very publicly arrest Leona ("Queen of Mean") Helmsley. I believe it was the next year that Giuliani, riding the wave of publicity from the Helmsley case, first ran for mayor.

[Mannaggia l'America]

Bill Clinton still hasn't released his medical records...

No liberal complaints...

[ClintonBeGone]

In a show of false concern, Holt inquired "How is Rush doing?"

I don't know who the weenie author of this is, but I know for a fact that Rush & Lester happen to have a fine professional friendship. I know Holt is sincerely concerned.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Nobody can accuse CBG of being wordy!

[J. L. Chamberlain]

He went on the air and admitted that he's a drug addict. His maid admitted that she sold him drugs illegally. What did poor mister victim think was going to happen?

J

[thesummerwind]

Hillary's behind it. I 'm not kidding. Saul Alinsy's pawn.

[Beck_isright]

If this was an investigation of Barbara The Bitch Streisand, the media would be screaming mad. This is a coordinated effort by the left (in desperation I might add) to destroy Rush, Hannity, Savage, etc. and reduce their effectiveness in the next election. Look for more slime to come.

[FreedomPoster]

Didn't Janet Reno get her big start prosecuting day-care child abuse, with child testimony that was later found to be almost certainly memories "created" by the way the prosecutors' experts manipulated the children?

[ClintonBeGone]

Nobody can accuse CBG of being wordy!

. . .or nerdy. . . I sure ain't purdy in the mornin :)

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I don't know about the relationship between Rush and Holt. And in fact Holt has struck me as one of the more professional, fair-minded TV journalists.

However, Black specifically singled out Holt's MSNBC for very publicly going through Rush's medical records or reports, with people calling out the name of drugs and doctors.

If you have a chance to see the interview, I think you'll see that there was a negative edge to the tenor of Holt's comments. I was actually surprised by it. Perhaps it was his presence as a fill-in on The Today Show, knowing Katie Couric was looking over his shoulder.

[ClintonBeGone]

Perhaps it was his presence as a fill-in on The Today Show, knowing Katie Couric was looking over his shoulder.

It could be that very thing. Lester's a great guy on MSNBC. He's much easier to handle than that human zit Keith Oberman.

[ClintonBeGone]

Funny how they didn't have Matt (Snort Snort) Lauer do the interview.

[faithincowboys]

I agree-- they want to take Rush out as a factor in the upcoming election. The Democrat operatives who tried to steal the 2000 election are at it again.

Disgraceful.

[Greg Weston]

I wonder when he's going to get the ACLU on his side...Victimized by the MAN!

[governsleastgovernsbest]

What did poor mister victim think was going to happen?

On a certain level I agree with you. And it's obvious that when a celebrity gets into trouble, it's going to attract more attention than when it's an average citizen.

However, I have no reason to doubt Black's assertion that with millions of prescription pain medication users out there, it is virtually unprecedented to have such a big investigation into their records.

Throw in an apparently ambitious elected Democrat prosecutor, and it's hard not to conclude that Rush is being unfairly singled out for political purposes.

[Greg Weston]

Yeah sure. Cops are all in on this thing too. LOL

[Greg Weston]

>>Throw in an apparently ambitious elected prosecutor, and it's hard not to conclude that Mike is being unfairly singled out for political purposes.<<

Isn't that the same thing Michael Jackson's lawyers are saying?

[blackdog]

Asset Forfeiture is where this is headed.

[PJ-Comix]

Funny how they didn't have Matt (Snort Snort) Lauer do the interview.

Yeah, that was just TOO FUNNY. Imagine the uproar on the Today show if Matt was being investigated for his alleged coke use.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Didn't Janet Reno get her big start prosecuting day-care child abuse, with child testimony that was later found to be almost certainly memories "created" by the way the prosecutors' experts manipulated the children?

Exactly. Here's the URL of an article with a lot of good information on the subject:

http://www.sptimes.com/2002/04/28/news_pf/Perspective/Reno_owes_the_public_.shtml

[OwenKellogg]

Here's another list for the prosecutor to go fishing on:

http://www.rehabdiary.com/links.aspx

But since they're adored celebs, maybe they get a pass.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I think that prosecutorial ambition and unfairness can often be a factor. That might even be true in the Michael Jackson case.

However, I'd say the difference is that the sexual molestation of children is a very serious crime that is and should be prosecuted in every instance. The improper use of prescription painkillers is rarely if ever prosecuted.

[PJ-Comix]

Didn't Janet Reno get her big start prosecuting day-care child abuse, with child testimony that was later found to be almost certainly memories "created" by the way the prosecutors' experts manipulated the children?

There was a documentary about this Reno witchhunt on TV. One falsely accused kids life was ruined as a result of the Reno witchhunt. Reno turned the act of innocent wrestling by a boy at a church school into some sort of child molesting charge.

[FreedomPoster]

I wonder why that didn't turn into a link? Did you use the new spell-check feature on that?

Let's try again.

http://www.sptimes.com/2002/04/28/news_pf/Perspective/Reno_owes_the_public_.shtml

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Great list. Let's see, if Robert Downey, Jr. married Paula Poundstone, would Katie televise their wedding out on Rockefeller Center Plaza?

[PJ-Comix]

Throw in an apparently ambitious elected Democrat prosecutor, and it's hard not to conclude that Rush is being unfairly singled out for political purposes.

It would be interesting to see the stats of how many other people are being prosecuted in Florida on this same charge.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Thanks for creating the link. I believe the reason it didn't turn into a link in my post was that I used HTML formatting to put a part of your message into italics. Once you do that, I think you have to use HTML formatting throughout, including the creation of links.

[ChuckShick]

MSNBC, in a 5:30am teaser, claimed that Rush also was being investigated by a federal prosecutor. In the intro to the story about 10 minutes later, the announcer (Bianca Solorzano, I believe) again claimed that it was a federal probe. The story aired and it was the same state prosecutor story they've been airing since last night. She did not correct the claim that the feds were conducting an investigation. Idiots.

[steve50]

Asset Forfeiture is where this is headed.

If it was joe average they'd have done a controlled delivery and he would already be in jail and broke.

I never noticed much support for medical privacy or even lawyer client privilege when they were raiding the doctors/lawyers offices in Calif. over the medical cannabis issue. Now everything involved in this case is supposed to be off limits.

Some people need to take a real close look at their principles, or lack thereof.

[Lazamataz]

ahhhhh... the sweet sound of ping..... :o)

[PJ-Comix]

Bill Clinton still hasn't released his medical records...

And we still haven't found out what was in that shot that he fired a White House doctor over. Remember that? There was a Bush White House doctor still in the White House early in the Clinton administration who was ordered to give Clinton an injection. Since the doctor wasn't told what was in the injection he correctly refused to administer it and was promptly fired.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Of course there was the case of Gov. Bush's daughter Noelle being prosecuted. But she was charged with using a forged prescription, which is a different, arguably more serious, situation.

[J. L. Chamberlain]

Just saw the interview. What can I say...barf, Barf, BARF!

J

[Blood of Tyrants]

If I were Rush, I would sue the prosecutor caliming that he was harassing Rush and selectively enforcing the law because the prosecutor has a personal and political hatred for Rush. BTW, this is the same Palm Beach that put the duh in Floriduh.

[daler]

And, if memory serves, perjury, suborning perjury, rape and egregious violation of campaign finance laws are rarely prosecuted either.

Depending, of course, on what your political bent happens to be.

And yes...I used the word "bent" on purpose.

Don't you just love these libs and their newly discovered passion for following the rule of law?

[Dane]

Asset Forfeiture is where this is headed

Nope. Rush was not trafficking(selling). The drugs were to be used for satisfying his addiction. Ususally addicted users who did not committ violent crimes to get their drugs usually get probation if they go through treatment, and that is what should happen to Rush, but you have a demo/Hillary operative doing a fishing expedition.

Also for anyone(Libertarians) who wants to compare Rush to Tommy Chong. Tommy Chong was selling paraphenalia used in smoking dope while Rush was trying to satisfy his addiction. Totally different situations.

[TommyDale]

This guy is prosecuting a case for strict political gain. He should be recalled, if Florida has such a statute. Otherwise, a few million out of the Republican coffers might help get rid of him in his next bid for re-election.

[Always Right]

Holt began by casting the situation in the worst light for Rush, alleging that "these are serious charges, going from one doctor to another, trying to get prescriptions."

If this was such a 'serious' charge, why did Florida just inact this law last year. The problem with this and many drug laws is they lowered the bar so low to make it easier for Drug prosecutors to get convictions. All that has to be established is that Rush got prescriptions from more than one doctor for a similar drug within a 30 day period and did not inform the other doctor(s) of this previous prescription. I understand what the law was trying to prevent, but I would bet there are thousands and thousands of people out there commiting this 'felony' and don't know it.

[Dane]

If it was joe average they'd have done a controlled delivery and he would already be in jail and broke.

Wrong Steve, but nice try to distort the arguement. Rush wasn't selling drugs. Usually non-violent addicted non-traffickers get probation for a first offense if they go through treatment, which Rush has done.