UPDATE 4 His second statement on the accident! This must have slipped his mind when the news broke this afternoon!
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.”
Why does it sound like something Teddy came up with?
From The Drudge Report:
Officers Claim Brass Interfered in Investigation of Rep. Kennedy Incident… Police labor union officials asked acting Chief Christopher McGaffin this afternoon to allow a Capitol Police officer to complete his investigation into an early-morning car crash involving Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.).
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.
UPDATE 1From Michelle Malkin a link from WUSA TV:
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.”
Cannon also told 9 News that officers noticed the car swerving, looking as if it was going to make a U-turn.
9 News reporter Stacey Cohan spoke to Kennedy’s press secretary at his congressional office in Rhode Island, who said she is looking into the situation, but does not have any information right now.
Congressman Patrick Kennedy is Ted Kennedy’s son. He is currently serving his sixth term as the Democratic Congressman from Rhode Island. He sits on the powerful House Appropriations Committee.
UPDATE 2:
Kennedy Statement
Kennedy, D-R.I., addressed the issue after a spate of news reports.
“I was involved in a traffic accident last night at First and C Street SE near the U.S. Capitol,” Kennedy said in a written statement released by his office. “I consumed no alcohol prior to the incident. I will fully cooperate with the Capitol Police in whatever investigation they choose to undertake.”
Kennedy appeared to be intoxicated when he crashed his car 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.
UPDATE 3: WRKO talk show host Howie Carr has a police report from a separate Pat Kennedy car crash two weeks ago:
Note his handwriting!
Full police report here
“It says volumes about people who dismiss this as just an accident.”
So far, it IS just an accident, PCD.
Would you like to see the statistics on how many Americans are involved in car accidents where prescription drugs were involved?
You are 100% right, he is very lucky he didn’t hurt anyone or himself.
The accident itself isn’t the problem here, in my opinion. That the police took him home instead of jail to “sober up” might be a problem.
“…a Kennedy killing someone is pretty much business as usual.”
oh, I’m sure we can find plenty more…. bay of pigs, anyone?
SFL, you are 100% wrong:
“Yeah, sure, whatever – but that still doesn’t change the fact the this incident ranks lower on interest and historical scales than the vice president accidentaly shooting a man in the face.
People will be talking and learning about the Cheney accident for DECADES:who the “F”will care about some Congressman in some accident?
Not defending Pat Kennedy AT ALL, just saying responding to precious post of Roberts: “
Exactly the opposite is true. Already this is provoking a firestorm of ourtrage. The drunken/addicted son of Chapaquiddick Ted, getting elitist treatment, another crime covered up. There are so many levels here, so many issues, so many facets to this case.
This will be talked about for decades. Cheney’s hunting accident will be scarcely remembered. You are precisely, totally, and absolutely on the wrong side of this argument.
Kennedy vehciles have killed more people than my guns.
Don’t ban guns…ban Kennedys!
This is just another facet of the Liberal/Democrite/Socialist/Elitist Culture of Corruption that covers Washington like an evil fog.
I haven’t seen or heard anything negative on Kennedy in the news over the weekend.
Nice fluff piece on pain medication and addiction, that’s about it.
So far, the sh*t storm seems to have missed him entirely.
Nothing on Drudge, even…
Funny, the Cheney hunting accident non-story ran for two weeks.
The question is: Is the MSM automatically burying this story, or were some phone calls made? The Kennedy octopus is probably very far-reaching.
“The Kennedy octopus is probably very far-reaching.”
I won’t disagree with you here Robert. The Kennedy’s have an uncanny ability to wiggle out of trouble and keep their political hides intact.
Now, the fact that the “Sh*t storm” seems to have passed, isn’t proof to you that there is a lefty media?
judging by the reactions to Tom Delay / Kennedy in the MSM, you’d have thought that Delay ass fucked a toddler on sunday and ate the head….meanwhile you’d have thought Kennedy got busted by his wife after a weekend bender.
ridiculous