BREAKING NEWS: Questions About Kennedy Car Accident (Patrick Kennedy)

[seriousstan]

9 News has learned U.S. Capitol police officers are concerned about the handling of an accident involving Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-Rhode Island) about 3 a.m. this morning.

Rep. Kennedy was reportedly behind the wheel of a green Ford Mustang when it crashed into a security barrier at 1st and "C" streets Southeast.

There are no reports of injuries. A Boston TV station is reporting Kennedy told officers he was late for a vote. We are told police drove him home after conferring with higher-ups in the department. So far, Kennedy HAS NOT been charged. A spokesman for his office told CNN that alcohol was NOT involved.

The head of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 1, Lou Cannon, told 9 News that he’s concerned that Kennedy may have received special treatment and this could be a case where “rank has its privilege.”

http://www.wusatv9.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=49033

"Late for a vote"????? No alcohol involved here. :crazy: :beer:


UPDATE.....from various sources....

"According to a letter sent by Officer Greg Baird, acting chairman of the USCP FOP, the wreck took place at approximately 2:45 a.m. Thursday when Kennedy’s car, operating with its running lights turned off, narrowly missed colliding with a Capitol Police cruiser and smashed into a security barricade at First and C streets Southeast.

“The driver exited the vehicle and he was observed to be staggering,” Baird’s letter states. Officers approached the driver, who “declared to them he was a Congressman and was late to a vote. The House had adjourned nearly three hours before this incident. It was Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy from Rhode Island.”

Baird wrote that Capitol Police Patrol Division units, who are trained in driving under the influence cases, were not allowed to perform basic field sobriety tests on the Congressman. Instead, two sergeants, who also responded to the accident, proceeded to confer with the Capitol Police watch commander on duty and then “ordered all of the Patrol Division Units to leave the scene and that they were taking over.”

Baird said he had been advised that after the officers departed, Capitol Police “House Division officials” gave Kennedy a ride home."

[Master Mahon]

1. Well at least he didn't shoot anyone in the Face!

[GrumpyGreg]

67. And he didn't leave someone in a submerged car either.

"Patches" Kennedy is a world class loser.

[Justitia]

78. uhhh.....

:wtf:

[BikeWriter]

80. He didn't start any wars over oil, either.

[bluerum]

2. Oh this will be front and center for about a month now.

[DS1]

3. Goodbye Plame, Iraq, Iran, Oil Prices, Hooker Scandals, Abramoff,

DeLay, Katrina, Bush singing anthem in spanish, Colbert, Rummy, Condi, Powell, Rove

Hello Patrick Kennedy!

[rodeodance]

5. maybe. I hope Kennedy will be honest-whatever happened.

[xultar]

7. Exactly. Dems have what Blacks have...we have to be PERFECT

to be considered equal or on par.

I'm pissed @ Kennedy because we were finally managing to get some traction in the MSM and now he's fucked it up.

FAUX will be all over this shit and forget the fuck about Hookergate.

[JerseygirlCT]

31. Prepare for the wallpaper -- occasionally relieved by

flashback pieces on Ted.

[ContraBass Black]

54. ..George W's Palace, phone jamming, signing statements, wiretapping

Due Process, Bin Laden...

[daleo]

4. No alcohol involved

As opposed to Bush and Cheney's drunk driving escapades, and Cheney's drunk shooting escapades. Rank indeed.

[ChiciB1]

16. We Can't Do ALL The Re-Hashing Of They're Major Scandals & I

don't think ANY of it will even be mentioned. Kennedy, car crash, alcohol or not... hey guys We Got A Scoop! Tar-Baby time, sit back and watch!

[seriousstan]

18. Is this the same Patrick Kennedy that had a cocaine problem in 1986?

Perhaps he simply replaced one drug for another.

Also, as I recall, Bush and Cheney were charged and convicted. The shooting incident happen on private property and didn't endanger the general public.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

36. Oh, please. Cheney shot another person and they delayed...

...reporting that story for approximately 24 hours.

Patrick Kennedy's cocaine problem was twenty years ago...how long ago did Bush have his coke problem, and has he ever kicked the habit?

Give me a break.

[woo me with science]

40. and that should be the reply EVERY TIME

this story comes up. Cheney didn't talk for 24 hours after a SHOOTING. Don't let the double standard live.

[Psephos]

70. Charges of DUIL are not limited to alcohol

It's equally illegal (and reckless) to be driving under a judgment-impairing substance such as Ambien.

The fact that higher-ups did not permit the arresting officers to perform a field breathalyzer test, in circumstances where one was clearly indicated (2:30 am, car had no running lights on, loss of control of motor vehicle, driver stumbling around after emerging from car) speaks volumes to me...and it doesn't suggest there was no alcohol involved. It suggests exactly the opposite.

Daleo, why cover up for this loser? This is what, his second accident in the last couple of weeks? He's a substance abuser of long record, whose gold-plated medical insurance would cover treatment, but he won't seek it. I remember a few years ago, he was addressing a group of Young Democrats at some Washington restaurant, and was wasted. He went on and on about how much better the candidates would start sounding to the audience once the audience started drinking more - seemed to think this was hilarious - and then uttered his classic line, ""I don't need Bush's tax cut. I have never worked a fucking day in my life."

DNC people had to literally grab him and end his speech.

I wish I had 1% of the privileges and advantages "Patches" has squandered. He's an addict in denial, a menace behind the wheel, and an asshole who, when booze loosens his tongue enough, shows what he really thinks of working people.

Now he hands this P.R. bonanza to the repugs.

He gets no respect from me. If I were a Rhode Island voter I would stay home before I voted for him.

Peace.

[xxqqqzme]

71. that's the problem, see

Kennedy is not a texas good ole boy!

[niyad]

6. unlike, say, the special treatment cheney got for SHOOTING a man in the

face because he couldn't tell the difference between his friend and a quail?

[xultar]

9. long fucking forgotten.

[Pirate Smile]

8. MSNBC had at the bottom of their screen as breaking news:

"Cap Police Union alleges officers sent home a "staggering" Kennedy without sobriety test "

[partylessinOhio]

21. It was posted on the screen to look as if it were Senator Kennedy.

What a sneaky bunch of crap the media pulls!

[Captain Hilts]

10. He's an idiot who's had other automotive issues. nt

[ChiciB1]

11. Get Ready For A Slobber Fest On This One!!

No matter if there WAS alcohol or there WASN'T alcohol, this STORY is going to GET SO MUCH PLAY!

MSM gets to "DO" a KENNEDY!! No one was hurt, the accident was minor, nobody got killed but this is going to be BIGGER than Iraq!! I guess Rumsefeld will be OLD NEWS NOW!

[Canuckistanian]

49. This is what the MSM likes - UNCERTAINTY

That's what always makes a story big and keeps it there until it's resolved or another white woman goes missing.

They can speculate (gossip, lie, exaggerate, smear) for hours and hours when they don't have any hard facts to quote.

They live for this stuff.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[brentspeak]

13. So, this is an internal Capitol police matter

It's not Kennedy's fault that he wasn't administered a sobriety test. But you know that the RW lackey media will try to make this headline news until Election Day.

[DS1]

19. But you just KNOW, that unlike Mckinney, the video tape of this incident

will be out before the 6:30 national news.

[izzie]

14. I bet this happens in Dc a lot but being a Kennedy

--

[izzie]

15. I bet this happens in Dc a lot but being a Kennedy

--

[Cooley Hurd]

17. This is news? What about 100,000 + dead in Iraq?

What about the fucking gas prices run up by an out-of-control oil industry (NOT CHECKED or REGULATED by the party in power)?

What about our national security being compromised by asshats with a grudge (Plame)?:grr:

[Catherine Vincent]

20. Oh geeze! I can hear those cspan callers now.

They look for stuff like this to take the heat off their corrupt party. I was listening to Tuesday's edition and the first 30 minutes was open to repukes to call in about their party's progress and most of the callers kept talking about Clinton and the Democrats. It was funny to watch, they were supposed to be talking about THEIR party but they kept yapping about the liberals etc. Moderator Steve didn't try and stop them, I think he was enjoying it.

[0007]

30. Brain Lamb's wet dream come true.

[acmejack]

43. Sure enough, he's the Washington Journal host tomorrow

He will have a great time cutting off supports Democrats callers and indulging the Republicon callers.

[onenote]

22. here's a wild suggestion: just ignore this story

Not that it will ever happen. Instead, DU will be treated to several days worth of multiple threads with hundreds of posts, most of which decrying -- without any sense of irony -- the attention being played to the story. If it truly is a story of no more than minor consequence (and as far as I'm concerned that's what it is), why don't we treat it as such.

onenote

edit: for the record, this will be my one and only post on the subject

[Cha]

38. I was already thinking

along those lines..I will not feed the frenzy either.

[IndianaGreen]

23. This would have been a local news interest issue BUT

he is a Kennedy, and the TV pundits don't want to talk about the war, gas prices, and GAWD-GUNS-GAYS is wearing thin, and there is nothing new on the Duke rape case or in the missing blonde in Aruba.

[wicket]

24. Here we go

:eyes:

[htuttle]

25. A Kennedy scandal -- just in the nick of time!

Whew!

:eyes:

[TheCowsCameHome]

26. Aw cripes, something else to blame on Clinton.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

27. IF he was driving drunk

then he's an idiot. Period.

[FyurFly]

28. Expecting a Kennedy to be sober...

Is like expecting a Bush to be intelligent!

[Missy M]

32. That's a heck of a statement to make.....

there are many in the Kennedy family and I don't recall reading about them always being drunk.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

37. Expecting all DU posters to post without flaming....

...is like expecting a freeper to be intelligent.

[stepnw1f]

39. Expecting DU without Freepers

is like Free Republic with intelligent dialogue.

[FyurFly]

42. Can't anybody...

Take a joke!

Comon folks, we live in shitty times! But atleast try to have a sense of humor.

[pnwmom]

56. And what large family does NOT have a member (or more than one) with

an alcohol problem?

[Captain Hilts]

64. Eunice, Caroline and Kathleen KT are sober. They're Kennedys too. nt

[hughee99]

74. In all fairness,

Kathleen has been deceased for almost 60 years. It's pretty easy to stay sober that way.

[peacetalksforall]

29. Rove tomorrow or soon. 'Nature' or 'fate' or '?' is so conveniient.

It's just an amazing phenomena - one I'm going to study more. Doesn't it seem - that when we have lingering rumors of something pending, there is often some 'breaking news' to offset the impact?

Here's the test - if this Kennedy things dies, I'm wrong. If we are bombarded with Kennedy condemnations hour after hour or for days, then it means that it's a valid wag-the-dog, bring-out-the-moralists cover and defuse event. The reverends and the reverend like politicians need the psychological missiles to sling at a Kennedy. What name can generate more hate? This is a winner with the PNAC self-blinded 25-35 hard core base.

[AndrewJacksonFaction]

44. Bingo.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

33. I am glad I am not a Kennedy

A life in the spotlight...

[Raine]

34. Sadly sounds like

he was drunk :hangover: some never learn. :-(

[Media_Lies_Daily]

35. Let us know if you get any proof to back up your comment.

[Raine]

48. I didn't say he was

I said it sounds like it which is just my opinion. I hope he wasn't but if it sounds like it to someone like me (who loves the Kennedys) the rethugs will claim it as the truth.

[havocmom]

41. At first I thought: late for a vote? WTF?

Then I remembered that middle of the night votes are not unheard of with the GOP pulling all sorts of tricks to get shit legislation through

[AndrewJacksonFaction]

45. Has anyone asked who........................

this guy is ----> "The head of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 1, Lou Cannon, told 9 News " <------

Franternal Order of Police? Can someone see where his donations went?

[Justitia]

52. He hangs out at PRO-ALITO RALLIES, giving stmts of support for RW judges

so make of that little tidbit what you will.

"Louis Cannon of the DC Fraternal Order of Police said that he was "here to offer strong support for Judge Alito" and urged the Senate to confirm him quickly."

http://fairjudiciary.com/cgi-data/press/files/36.php

[Radio_Guy]

57. Nice find, Justitia

Typical right wing fundie smear merchants trying to injure the good name of Kennedy and deflect attention from the criminals in the White House.

[Judi Lynn]

72. Good one! One almost starts to see a pattern at times in these stories,

as well as seeing certain "DU'ers" show up ONLY when there's a story to post showing a Democrat looking bad for the moment.

Very quick work on the patriotic officer Cannon. Thanks! Very enjoyable.

[YankeyMCC]

46. As Bogart once quipped when asked about his state at 3am

"Were you drunk?" "Isn't everybody at three in the morning?"


Unfortnately this will be a useful distraction for the rethugs to use.

[truthisfreedom]

47. nobody's face was blown off.

i think it's no big deal... let the freepers jump all over it as a distraction.

[hedgehog]

50. I bet this is SOP for any Congressman or Senator

It used to be an open secret in Washington that many were outstanding drunks but it was all hush-hush so the folks back home wouldn't find out. I'm trying to remember which Congressman finally got nailed for dancing in a fountain with a woman at about 3AM. He may have been a Majority Leader.

That's one benefit of the Web. No insider secrets left. No one controls the news flow.

[karynnj]

59. Was that Wilbur Mills and Fanny Fox

He was head of the powerful ways and Means committee

[lynne]

51. A 3:00 AM Vote??? I don't think so . . .

Congressmen/women are pretty much immune to receiving tickets and arrests while congress is in session or while they are traveling to or from a session. Kennedy, of course, knew that.

Too bad he couldn't come up with a better story, though, or at least crash his car during the day when the vote story would sound plausible.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Congress

"Under the Constitution, members of both houses enjoy the privilege of being free from arrest in all cases, except for treason, felony, and breach of the peace. This immunity applies to members "during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same."

[karynnj]

61. He took a long way home

so he was still "returning from the same."??

[anotherdrew]

53. So then, what else has the Capitol Police "House Division" done lately?

Let's here ALL the cases they handle, not just this ONE.

[pnwmom]

55. Comeback to Freepers, if it turns out alcohol was involved:

"Uh-huh. And how old was Bush when he went off booze and cocaine? And what about Cheney's two D.U.I.'s?"

Alcohol is an equal opportunity life-wrecker.

[Norwood]

58. And everybody is reporting this now! Liberal media my ass!

I'm not saying he wasn't tanked, he very well may have been but at least he didnt shoot someone in the face!

Now they're playing up his use of cocaine when he was younger....Hmmm lets think for a minute someone else also used cocaine? Hmmm?

Liberal media...yeah right.

[texanshatingbush]

60. Standard Capitol Police procedure is to take drunk congressman

home as was done in this case, why the controversy now?

[GrumpyGreg]

68. They drove him home AFTER the accident is why there is controversy.

Driving him home before he had an accident makes good sense.

He's a drunken Kennedy that got special treatment

[Skinner]

62. Ouch.

Nearly runs into a cop car, crashes into a barricade, observed staggering, says he's late for a vote at 3:00 am. The officers were not allowed to perform sobriety tests, and then they give him a ride home.

This doesn't look very good.

[MissB]

63. And then claims to be taking Ambien.

And if so, it could very well be sleep driving on Ambien.

But I'm not a medical doctor. :D

[Beausoir]

66. Yep. This will have some legs. Heck..even Gloria Borger left out her

usual smug giggle to report on this. Normally she giggles over every political development...from PlameGate to torture-gate.
Tonight...Glo got serious. "Another embrassment for the Kennedys". I think she is really taking this personally.

Too bad she can't focus on more important things...like...the number of dead children from this false Bush war.

[bdamomma]

65. this is all a distraction

and not very good news for RI.

[fricasseed_gourmet_rat]

69. Too bad John Sweeney wasn't driving.

Who is Kennedy's opponent in November's race? Is he a nasty rightwinger or is he a watered-down Rhode Island Republican?

[Up2Late]

73. Here's an UPDATE: Rep. Kennedy's Car Crashes Near Capitol

(I for one, am going to give the guy the benefit of a doubt, we all know the RW controlled Media isn't going to. If you want to find a villain here, maybe we should start with this new generation of prescription Sleeping pills, like the one Patrick took, Ambien!)

<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/04/AR2006050401430.html>

Rep. Kennedy's Car Crashes Near Capitol

Officers Accuse Supervisors of Preventing Thorough Investigation

By Del Quentin Wilber and Allan Lengel
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, May 5, 2006; Page A01

Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy crashed his car into a security barrier near the Capitol early yesterday, and officers at the scene suspected that he might have been intoxicated, a police union official said.

Kennedy (D-R.I.) issued a statement late last night -- his second in several hours -- saying he had been disoriented after taking prescription drugs: Phenergan for gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and intestines, and Ambien, a sleeping medication.

"Following the last series of votes on Wednesday evening, I returned to my home on Capitol Hill and took the prescribed amount" of the two medications, the 38-year-old congressman said.

"Sometime around 2:45 a.m., I drove the few blocks to the Capitol Complex believing I needed to vote," the statement continued. "Apparently, I was disoriented from the medication. . . . At no time before the incident did I consume any alcohol."

(more at link)

[Justitia]

75. This WP article is inflammatory in so many ways. Did anyone see the pic

of the car on CNN? Hardly a "crash", more like a side-swipe fender bender which took the paint off the rear passenger fender, with a slight dent. From the word "crash", I expected to see a head-on collision. What sensationalized crap.

The FOP policeman seems to have a pretty bitter hard-on for Kennedy (Lou Cannon), and he makes some pretty nasty remarks. However, upon finding out that this same PR hogging policeman (google him - you'll get a million hits) goes to right wing, Pro-Alito freak rallies and goes on record with quotes as to his "strong support" for that weirdo, why do his attacks make more sense to me now?

As an aside, I took Phenergan for several years to treat vertigo as a symptom of an inner ear disorder. It worked great for my vertigo (and related violent nausea), but it definitely left me seriously disoriented and very sleepy. I found I couldn't really leave the house once I took it. I can only imagine what it would have been like if I took it with Ambien! Once I heard he took Phenergan, I immediately understood the effects it could have had on Kennedy.

Anyway, the bullshit article is extremely inflammatory, which shows how crappy the writers at the WP are these days....

[Up2Late]

76. Thanks for the info on Phenergan and this Kennedy hater, Lou Cannon

Those bits of info explain a lot.

I don't know if this is so badly written, except for the fact that the writer spent too much time quoting this loud mouth, Lou Cannon. It's fairly typical of all reporting these days, among the MSM.

It's not slanted, just lazy.

[Justitia]

77. Considering the hour (& your DU handle), looks like we both could use some

Ambien huh? I think I still have some Phenergan around here somewhere....;-)

And yeah, on Officer Loose Cannon, he has already been all over CNN (phone interviews) and in print.
Like I mentioned, he is a one-man personal PR outfit extraordinaire! If you read his google hits, he's the official police spokesman on everything.
The rah-rah "strong support" at those freaky Alito rallies was the icing on the cake. :crazy:

Guess I'll try to get some sleep now - goodnight Up2Late!

[Bushy Being Born]

79. Fox News has this posted under the headline "Med Madness"

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,194329,00.html

[maddezmom]

81. locking

updated information here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2264754