Coke-Busted GOP Congressman Just Voted to Drug-Test Food Stamp Users

[kpete]

Trey Radel (R-Fla.), the freshman member of Congress arrested for cocaine possession late last month, backed a GOP plan to make food-stamp recipients pee in cups to prove they were drug-free and hence worthy of eating.

Radel, a noted hip-hop expert and sex-themed web domain-name speculator, allegedly got stung trying to buy bumps of Big C from an undercover DEA agent in DC's tony-ish Dupont Circle. But a month before he sought to ride the white pony with the college kids in Northwest, he was neck-deep in the House's messy debate over whether to continue federal food-stamp benefits to needy families.

That debate culminated in Radel's vote for a bill that would have authorized states to withhold food stamps from applicants who didn't submit to a drug urinalysis. Which is pretty interesting, given that a similar plan in Radel's home state, championed by Florida Gov. Rick Scott, ended up as a disastrous waste of taxpayer money and a violation of impoverished welfare applicants' Fourth Amendment rights.

During Congress' debate over the pee-test amendment, Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) presciently implied that his conservative colleagues were high as hell:

"Why don't we drug test all the members of Congress here," McGovern said shortly before the drug-testing measure passed. "Force everybody to go urinate in a cup or see whether or not anybody is on drugs? Maybe that will explain why some of these amendments are coming up or why some of the votes are turning out the way they are."

But tragically, Radel didn't pay attention, 'cause he was on that dust. (Allegedly.)


MORE:
http://gawker.com/coke-busted-gop-congressman-just-voted-to-drug-test-foo-1468175133?utm_campaign=socialflow_gawker_twitter&utm_source=gawker_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

[Coyotl]

1. Here's a thought: Pee test Congress.

That might get rid of more than enough Republicans to re-establish a Dem majority.

Meanwhile, where's that House Republican Ethics Comm.?

[LuvNewcastle]

2. Druggies think everyone else is doing drugs too.

It's a pretty common misconception that alcoholics and other drug addicts share.

[HockeyMom]

5. Or they own drug testing companies

Sorry, their wives do, like the Fraud Governor.

[cali]

3. If dems don't make hay out of this, we're fools

[gopiscrap]

4. fucking hypocrit

typical repig m.o.

[madrchsod]

6. he just found out that coke do`t give a shit about who you are...

i wonder who ratted him out to the cops?

[glowing]

7. He bought from a DEA agent... So, he ratted his own self out.

[Ichingcarpenter]

8. So it was a sting the DEA did?

I guess they had information from the NSA that followed his activities? Was there any legal wiretaps? Seems that part of the story is lacking.

You know this story should be much more than his conviction and his hypocrisy which is important but other aspects are too.

The democratic progressives in congress should run with this but the media will not.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

14. Way to make stuff up out of whole cloth

[Ichingcarpenter]

16. Way to not think outside of the box

but you wouldn't have commented if I didn't
stir something in your normal box one dimensional linear thinking.

You know systems theories prove that everything is connected as are you in the schema of reality and science.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_theory

[Pretzel_Warrior]

17. No. I commented based on your empty conjecture turning this from a GOP

drug case to an NSA political spying case based on zero evidence. I'm calling you on your bullshit.

[Ichingcarpenter]

18. I asked questions

which were not reported or revealed in the news report.

I would like to see the DEA reports for transparency because they had to find it out someway that he wanted the blow.

but you don't like that do you ?

Someone tapped him or observed him outside of the DEA
alone.

Now...... just answer those questions with links.

Maybe you can asked your buddies at the NSA.
I'm sure your FOIA will reveal everything.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

20. Just likemFoxnews. "we're just asking the question...is Obama a rapist and pedophile?"

[Laelth]

9. Delcicious irony. k&r n/t

-Laelth

[Gothmog]

10. Juanita Jean views this arrest as a way for the US to compete with Canada

http://www.juanitajean.com/2013/11/20/hey-canada-in-your-face/

Proving that the Good Ole US of A won’t get shown up by anyone, Republican congressman Trey Radel of Florida has been arrested on cocaine charges.

Way to go, USA.

In the statement, Radel said he realizes “the disappointment my family, friends and constituents must feel. Believe me, I am disappointed in myself, and I stand ready to face the consequences of my actions.”

The arrest, he said, has a “positive side.” “It offers me an opportunity to seek treatment and counseling,” he said.

Yeah, let’s keep a positive light on the fact that you’re a rightwing Republican making choices about peoples’ lives for them while you’re. on. freekin’. cocaine.

[Populist_Prole]

11. Diitoheads gave Rush Limbaugh a full pardon on his drug use

Even though he was constantly railing about drug use, especially accusing the poor of being poor by being dissolute drug users and supported military-like war on drugs from the get-go.

[FreeJoe]

12. I'm sure that...

he wanted to do it because he has felt the agony of drug addiction and wanted to put the testing in place not to punish those people but to as a way to ensure that they get the help and care that they need.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

13. Congress members should submit to a drug test before voting on drug-related legislation.

And when his constituent writes to him in the future about questionable votes with the question, "Are you on crack?" it won't be a rhetorical device but an actual serious question.

Hopefully this tea party asshole's relieved of his duties in 2014 if not before.

[Rex]

15. Time for all govt officials to pee in a cup

I mean, if we want to keep with the 'fair and balanced' notion of laws should apply to everyone equally. They do live on our dime.

Just a random monthly test (like I had to do for 3 years) would suffice. Not asking too much am I?

Granted I was a private contractor, but they got money from the govt and therefore had to follow the rules.

Pity, I have no doubt many Congress critters would refuse to pee in a cup, screaming human rights violations and other supremely ironical words of amusement.

[Ichingcarpenter]

19. I would rather see their private financial records and links to drug companies.

I did have to pee in a cup as a taxi driver to see if I smoked pot.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

22. Here you go

http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds../

Congress should be drug tested. If you don't reply to this, I will take it as your agreement.

[Rex]

23. Yeah actually that is a much better idea.

I'm all in.

[B Calm]

24. K&R