What's Happening To Rush Should Worry Us All

The Tampa Tribune ^ | Jan 31, 2004 | Editorial

[Piquaboy]

Laws to liberals do not mean a thing. They will go all out to bring down someone who does not beat their drum.

[Pylot]

The only obvious suspicion here is the intention and motivation of the prosecutor.

These people are gleeful at the notion of incarcerating Rush Limbaugh.

Won't happen, ever. If they were successful in obtaining a verdict for anything Rush would be pardoned on the spot.

The actions of the prosecution keep the anger of the conservatives simmering. This is a national effect, not a local political issue.

The idiots in the prosecution are doing more to damage their own efforts than any conservative group ever could!

[AbsoluteJustice]

"Last week Palm Beach County prosecutors released confidential information showing that the conservative radio host initiated plea negotiations but failed to cut a deal. "

Since when? I have heard THOUSANDS of times of people entering in plea negotiations on the news. Hell most recently was Andrew Fastow and his wife. Just another o poor little Rush article. Sickening.

[MainFrame65]

Your pet pooch actually cares about hearing "bad dog" when he misbehaves. This bunch of scheming little harridans needs stronger medicine.

I believe that formal censure by the bar association for gross misconduct is called for, based on this deliberate attempt to cover up contemptible, improper behavior under color of law. Such a censure would be ammunition in any future political contest, and appropriately so.

[Former Proud Canadian]

First it was "money laudering" then it was "illegal drug use". Now it seems like we are down to "doctor shopping". These charges are laughable. There has to be something political behind this. Do I smell the Clinton's, working through the local DA, out to destroy Rush in a presidential election year? Nah, couldn't be.

[thoughtomator]

Who's kidding who here? There is nothing different with regards to the big picture between what is now happening to Limbaugh, and what happens to criminal defendants all over the country on a regular basis. This stuff became standard M.O. for prosecutors when the War on Difficult-to-Tax Drugs was successfully exempted from the Constitution.

On the one hand, what is happening to Rush is wrong; on the other hand, he did neither himself nor the nation any favors by remaining silent for years and years on this issue when he was in a unique position from which to condemn these unjust and unconstitutional practices.

So it's hard to feel sorry for him, really. With the amount of political capital he had, he could have been a major, major force in getting these injustices in our justice system corrected. Now, of course, there's little he can do without being rightfully labeled hypocrite.

[SpinyNorman]

Negotiations for a possible plea agreement are generally thought to be confidential. And they should be. Without a good-faith belief that such preliminary conversations will remain confidential, no defendant would engage in them and the justice system would slow to a crawl.

This is commonsense even to those not part of the judicial system. That a prosecutor's office would reveal these letters, given that plea negotiations are part of their jobs implies willful disregard for the privacy of Limbaugh and woeful disregard for the law. That they misrepresented the The Florida Bar and the Attorney General's Office, is tantamount to criminal behavior.

Heads should be rolling soon.

Whether you like Rush or not (and I think we know which side of that argument AbsoluteJustice falls), treating him differently from any other defendant, particularly a first offender, is an infringement of equal protection clause of the 14th Amendement to the Constitution.

From the Legal Information Institute at Cornell (http://www.law.cornell.edu/topics/equal_protection.html):

The Equal Protection Clause of the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits states from denying any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. See U.S. Const. amend. XIV. In other words, the laws of a state must treat an individual in the same manner as others in similar conditions and circumstances. A violation would occur, for example, if a state prohibited an individual from entering into an employment contract because he or she was a member of a particular race. The equal protection clause is not intended to provide "equality" among individuals or classes but only "equal application" of the laws. The result, therefore, of a law is not relevant so long as there is no discrimination in its application. By denying states the ability to discriminate, the equal protection clause of the Constitution is crucial to the protection of civil rights.

[robertpaulsen]

You're correct. Although some on this board would have you believe that releasing plea bargain agreements happen "all the time", the liberals do seem to reserve it for those they hate.

[mass55th]

What's happening to Rush is what happens to everyone who speaks out and creates waves. The problem with Rush is that he provided the other side with ammo to go after him. As a high profile talk-show host, and being despised by many on the left, Rush should have known that any opportunity to take him down would be pounced on by his enemies. He gave them the opportunity and they jumped on it.

I've been railroaded twice in my career. Once was after speaking out at a meeting I attended while on my own time. I actively spoke out against the changes that were going to be made in our department, and questioned the Commissioner on his failure to know anything about the facility he was visiting. He was booed and over 1,000 people walked out on him. Within the next week, I was brought up on charges by the department for an argument I'd had with an inmate. The incident itself wasn't out of the ordinary. It happens all the time in prisons. But, because I had embarrassed the Superintendent and his lackeys, I was made an example of. They wanted my job, but they only got a months pay.

The other time I was disciplined was for bringing my laptop computer into work a few times, and going online with it. Again, they wanted my job, but got a $3,000 fine and a year's probation.

Now, I realize that in both cases I gave the big-wigs the opportunity to burn me. You can't be outspoken or a wave-maker without expecting the other side to look for any chance they can get to go after you.

The incidents I mentioned took place 10 years apart. As I said before, the argument I had with the inmate is an occurrence that happens every day in prisons. In most cases, these arguments never get a second glance, but in my case it did, and only because I had ticked someone at the top off. The laptop incident could have probably been overlooked by the administrators. After all, other officers and supervisors had been caught with televisions in their offices and received no punishment whatsoever. In my situation, the use of my laptop spanned a few days. In the case of the televisions, they had been used continually by the staff over months and years. I used the facility phone line to connect to the internet. They used the facility cable system to get programming. My first reaction to the lack of discipline for these individuals who were caught with the TV's was: "Maybe I should have brought a TV in instead of my laptop." However, I never made a stink over it, paid the fine (it took three years), and never looked back.

The point I am trying to make is that there is always someone out there in the position to burn you. If you tick people off, and you put yourself in the position to be burned by those people, you will get burned. Nobody's squeeky clean. I gave these people the ammo to go after me. And Rush delivered himself up on a silver platter for the DA in Florida.

[par4]

Since when? I have heard THOUSANDS of times of people entering in plea negotiations on the news. Hell most recently was Andrew Fastow and his wife. Just another o poor little Rush article. Sickening.

One minor difference - Fastow and his wife were indicted. That means they were actually charged with a crime. So far, Rush has not been charged with anything.

It's very different when there are charges pending, then everything is in the public record, but until charges are filed, any discussions should be private.

[js1138]

Since when? I have heard THOUSANDS of times of people entering in plea negotiations on the news. Hell most recently was Andrew Fastow and his wife. Just another o poor little Rush article. Sickening.

Perhaps you would grace us with some details. In these thousands of cases, who released the information?

Secondly, has anyone notice in this that Rush has never offered to plea guilty to a crime?

[skinkinthegrass]

Do I smell the Clinton's, working through the local DA, out to destroy Rush in a presidential election year?

I was wondering, what smell was...the stench is REALLY AWFUL..and I'm in Ky...and with the prevailing winds....clear 'round the world.

[OldPossum]

And part of the reason is that he chose to live in the hornets nest, that liberal Democrat-infested place known as Palm Beach County.

[Mamzelle]

re: And part of the reason is that he chose to live in the hornets nest, that liberal Democrat-infested place known as Palm Beach County)))

Same thought occurred to me when it all started--that even in NYC he'd have more breaks cut him. This was the crookedest spot in the US during the 2000 election.

[AbsoluteJustice]

Should be is the key word but nowhere does it say it is illegal.

In addition this is still interesting news because if he IS doing this then there is some admission of guilt involved. Much like M.J. paying off that kid to hush him up.

This will be interesting nonetheless

[AbsoluteJustice]

I gave an example. plus just listen to Court TV, all the time there is mention of plea agreements to thwart a possible conviction.

[longtermmemmory]

Drug court does not require admission of a crime. It is a PRE-trial program. The only requirement is an admission that help for addiction is wanted.

[longtermmemmory]

It makes if all suspect.

Even if the SA dropps the Rush case completly, the FL Bar complaint continues. The SA can't stop it unless he puts pressure on cronies at the bar or resigns and accepts a penalty.

The review committee should not be one from south florida as a matter of objectivity.

BTWW: The Annual FL Bar meeting in in Palm Beach this year. A prime schmoozing opportunty for this public figure.

[longtermmemmory]

FL has a constitution prohibition against state income tax. Good for his level of income.

Your home is 100% protected from judgment up to 1/2 acre in a municipality, 120 acres outside a municipality.

No snow. No winter.