Dr. Cali Estes: Part 2 of “Politicians Who Didn’t Practice What They Preached With Drugs And Alcohol!”
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Today we will finish our look at the nine high-profile politicians who ranted and raved about their extreme opposition on drugs and alcohol and then got caught with those very same drugs and drinks themselves. In Part 1, we took a look at a Texas County Commissioner, a New York State Assemblyman, a South Carolina State Representative and so on. Some getting prison terms, some charges are still pending, but almost all of the first 4 kept their government jobs!
So lets start today’s list with Arlington, Texas City Councilman, Mel LeBlanc. After an investigation lasting several months, a February 2012 police report showed that Arlington’s interim deputy mayor had been obtaining both marijuana and meth from local prostitutes. LeBlanc had been under investigation since July 2011, when his own wife, Candy, called 911 to express her concern that he was on drugs despite being released from rehab just two weeks earlier. She gave cops a bag of crystal meth that she’d found in their home and added that he was on K2 on the day she’d called for help. LeBlanc admitted to getting drugs from prostitutes, but denied relapsing. He said he didn’t know where the bag of meth came from. A grand jury declined to prosecute him for drug possession in December 2011, but he resigned from office days after the police report was filed.
Next lets look at the Mayor of Poulan Georgia, Dustin Grubbs. Mayor Grubbs was arrested after being pulled over for a routine traffic stop because his utility trailer had no tag, police found a plastic bag containing 57 pills, including Vicodin and Oxycontin. A gun was also found in the truck, which led to an additional charge of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. “We’re not going to give a break for someone just because they are a public figure or whatever,” said ADDU Commander Major Bill Berry. “If you’re dealing dope and we catch you, you’re going to have to take the ride.” Grubbs was later released from county jail on $25,000 bond. He was indicted in January for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute—but he’s still currently serving as the Mayor of Poulan.
The third candidate on the list today is South African Parliament Member Dirk Feldman. En route from Johannesburg to Mumbai in July 2012 as part of an official parliamentary delegation, Feldman had a few too many drinks. This resulted in his trying to exit the aircraft while it was still thousands of feet in the air! Feldman, a member of his country’s Congress of the People (COPE) party, was placed in detention for several hours by Indian authorities when the plane landed, and was eventually sent back to South Africa. “He had too much to drink and they say he lost his inhibitions,” (under)stated COPE’s chief, Dennis Bloem. South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) party—which COPE split from in 2008—condemned Feldman’s “drunken escapades,” declaring that his behavior “places this Parliament and the country in a negative light.” Feldman later apologized with the “ever so popular” excuse of “I accidentally took pain meds and drank alcohol.” I’m not buying it, how about you?
Now lets throw in a Kentucky Mayor. Olive Hill Kentucky Mayor, Denny Sparks. Sparks was arrested for allegedly selling marijuana to an undercover police officer! Wow! And this happened in the parking lot of a school. The arrest came after an inter-departmental task force had investigated Sparks’ activities over several weeks. He was charged with felony trafficking in marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school. Although he initially called the arrest a “mistake,” he later issued a statement saying he would immediately resign from the position he had held for over a decade. “I hope that everyone will understand that I have always tried to do the very best for Olive Hill and hope that the people will understand that I will always try to continue to help in any way possible to better this City regardless of what position I may serve,” said Sparks, a Republican. “What happen(ed) tonight is something I have never done before and deeply regret it and hope to move on.” Mayor Sparks was sentenced to 2 years in jail.
Well, we saved the best for last. The Headliner so to speak. Let’s look at the mayor of our nation’s capitol, Washington DC Mayor Marion Barry. In arguably the biggest political drug scandal in US history, Washington, DC’s Democratic mayor was arrested in 1990 for crack cocaine use and possession. The hotel sting operation by the FBI and DC police was infamously caught on camera. Federal officials had been investigating Barry for six years; in the sting, his ex-girlfriend Rasheeda Moore invited Barry to the hotel and insisted that he smoke crack before they had sex, while agents in another room waited for him to accept the offer. Despite juror claims that the prosecution had falsified evidence as part of a racist conspiracy against Barry, he was convicted on a drug possession charge and sentenced to six months in federal prison. His story is one of political recovery: After being released in 1992, Barry returned to politics and won a fourth mayoral term in DC, from 1995–1999. He recently denied that Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s alleged crack smoking had parallels to his own case: “Unless he was entrapped by the government, it’s not similar.” Really? Two prominent Mayors of prominent cities openly using crack cocaine and alcohol for the world to see. I see no similarities, do you?
All “entertainment” aside, ALL of the 9 politicians listed in this 2 part series needed help before they ruined their careers and reputations. They ALL would also be prime candidates for daily sober coaches as well. You can find more info on sober coaches and their extreme benefits at www.theaddictionscoach.com
