Kennedy Blames Accident on Sleep Medicine

AP ^ | 5/4/06 | ANDREW MIGA

[Jean S]

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (news, bio, voting record) crashed his car near the Capitol early Thursday, and a police official said he appeared intoxicated. Kennedy said he had taken sleep medication and a prescription anti-nausea drug that can cause drowsiness.

Kennedy, D-R.I., addressed the issue after a spate of news reports. His initial statement said: "I consumed no alcohol prior to the incident."'

Later, however, he issued a longer statement saying the attending physician for Congress had prescribed Phenergan on Tuesday to treat Kennedy's gastroenteritis.

Kennedy said he returned to his Capitol Hill home on Wednesday evening after a final series of votes in Congress and took "prescribed" amounts of Phenergan and Ambien, another prescribed drug that he occasionally takes to fall asleep.

"Some time around 2:45 a.m., I drove the few blocks to the Capitol Complex believing I needed to vote," his second statement said. "Apparently, I was disoriented from the medication."

Kennedy appeared to be intoxicated when he crashed his Ford Mustand into a barrier on Capitol Hill early Thursday morning, said Louis P. Cannon, president of the Washington chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police.

Cannon, who was not there, said the officers involved in the accident were instructed by an official "above the rank of patrolman" to take Kennedy home.

No sobriety tests were conducted at the scene.

A letter written by a Capitol Police officer to Acting Chief Christopher McGaffin said Kennedy appeared to be staggering when he left the vehicle after the crash about 3 a.m. The letter was first reported by Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper.

Kennedy said he was late for a vote, officer Greg Baird said in the letter to McGaffin. Baird is acting chairman of the Capitol Hill chapter of the FOP police union. The last vote of the night had occurred almost six hours earlier.

Kennedy said he was driven home by Capitol police.

"At no time did I ask for any special consideration," he said. "I simply complied with what the officers asked me to do."

Kennedy, the son of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (news, bio, voting record), D-Mass., and his staff declined to discuss any further details of the accident. The congressman took part in House votes Thursday.

Capitol Police did not immediately return phone calls for comment. They issued a one-line statement saying they were investigating a traffic violation that occurred early in the morning at that location.

Baird wrote McGaffin that two sergeants who responded to the accident conferred with the watch commander and were ordered to leave the scene.

He said that after the officers left, Capitol Police officials gave Kennedy a ride home.

Kennedy spent time at a drug rehabilitation clinic before he went to Providence College. He has been open about mental health issues, including being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

___

Associated Press writer Laurie Kellman contributed to this report.

[Mo1]

From your link

Instead, it's a place where staffers, both Democrat and Republican, gather to gripe about their bosses. (Never by name, of course. The etiquette is to refer to "my member," in case the other guys are eavesdropping.)

Now there is a place to get a part time job ... and lots of gossip *L*

[last american]

Yup, and if that was you, you would have been "cuffed and stuffed" on the scene and taken to sober up in the bull pen with the local gang bangers. Just goes to show that in the United States if your family makes a ton of money breaking the law, you are exonerated of all activities.

[daybreakcoming]

Patrick Kennedy: Living proof that Ted made it home at least one night in his life...

Excellent commment. Just excellent. IMO

Wonder if Kennedy had his "pin" on. If McKinney doesn't jump on this and scream RACE then she is even nuttier than we thought. Could be fun.

[Doc-Joe]

OTC defense is no defense.

Ambien is not an OTC - it is prescription only. Additionally, it is a Schedule V controlled substance.

[Mo1]

Apparently there is. Dr. Manny talked about it this morning

Dr. Manny on the radio now saying that if he did take Ambien .. most people don't remember after wards clearly of what they did

[kinghorse]

I don't much feel like eating cake today.

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Steve Doocy on F&F this morning said a waitress from the Hawk & Dove has said that she saw him drinking there that night.

[randog]

Isn't that 'Driving Under the Influence'?

In the Kennedy circles it's just called 'Driving'.

[randog]

Steve Doocy on F&F this morning said a waitress from the Hawk & Dove has said that she saw him drinking there that night.

So now he's drinking and driving and drinking while taking sleep meds. He'd better quit while he's ahead.

As to the waitress: don't accept any free rides home from "nice old men".

[twigs]

I love Dr. Manny. He's so professional. He was taking Kennedy at his word, but I think his explanation leaves a lot of questions. I didn't hear about not remembering afterwards, but I just plain don't believe Kennedy's story. It's just too typical of the Kennedy MO. It's a shame, really.

[.cnI redruM]

Yes, doctors do classify tonsil polish as a depressant...

[OldFriend]

From pictures on TV it is clear he merely scraped the barrier. His car is perfectly fine for driving.

Clearly he was impaired, which is why they drove him home.

More than Kennedy, it's the police who have a lot of explaining to do.

[OldFriend]

Driving While Impaired.

The normal state of affairs for Kennedy's.

[1066AD]

(Apologies if posted already).

A couple still survive.

A bartender at the Tune Inn, which is next to the Hawk & Dove, also said Kennedy was spotted in the Hawk & Dove Wednesday..

[A. Patriot]

I hope the police checked the back seat to make sure there were no dead girls back there.

[ohioWfan]

He'll get away with it.

The normal state of affairs for Kennedy's.

Just thinking how George W. Bush's DUI, 25 years earlier, got him in political trouble and that this will probably give Pat K an honor badge in the media and on the left.

Sometimes the double standard starts getting to you.......you know what I mean??

[mystery-ak]

Driving While Impaired.




Who in their right mind gets into a car with a Kennedy behind the wheel....

[A. Patriot]

For those of you who are too young to know about Teddy Kennedy's manslaughter of a young woman named Mary Jo Kopechne in 1969, go here:

http://www.ytedk.com/chappindex.htm

Because this woman gave her life, Ted Kennedy has not / will not ever be president of the USA. (IMHO)

[Earthdweller]

Yea right./s

[colonialhk]

So we have lying to a Federal Officer, DUI, If the narcotics are perscribed for insominia and gastroenteritis what the hell is he doing drinking and driving on them?

He is also bi-polar according to the press.

Rhode Island wake up!