Limbaugh's drug problem became public after his former maid told the
supermarket tabloid The National Enquirer that she and her husband
provided Limbaugh with thousands of illegal pills over a four-year
period.

The criminal investigation started after the couple went to the state
attorney's office in West Palm Beach.

After the Enquirer story, Limbaugh announced on his show that he was
addicted to prescription drugs.

He said he didn't want to make excuses and accepted "full
responsibility" for his problem.

He completed a five-week drug treatment program, returning to his
nationally syndicated show Nov. 17.

Prosecutors got Limbaugh's records from a Palm Beach pharmacy, then
used those to get a search warrant to seize medical records in
November from his doctors in offices in Jupiter, West Palm Beach and
Los Angeles.

Prosecutors have said those records contain enough information to
charge Limbaugh with at least 10 felony counts of doctor-shopping.

The case remains on hold while an appeals court mulls whether those
medical records can be used by prosecutors.

Limbaugh and Black furiously have fought in court the seizure of those
records, citing Limbaugh's right to privacy.

The prescription drug records show Limbaugh got 2,130 pain and
anti-anxiety pills under the brand names Norco, OxyContin, Lorcet and
others in a five-month period, piggybacking prescriptions at times.

Like Limbaugh, Dawson said she became addicted to painkillers after
doctors prescribed them for pain following surgery.

The prosecutor who worked on Dawson's case said Thursday that he, too,
thinks comparing the two people -- and cases -- is "out of line."

"One is much bigger than the other, having nothing to do with the fact
Rush Limbaugh is involved," said Leon County Assistant State Attorney
Paul Driver.

As for preferential treatment of the Democratic senator, Driver said
there was none. He said he's a registered Republican and an admirer of
Limbaugh.

As for Dawson, she said she wishes Limbaugh well.

"I hope he gets the treatment he needs."

From The Palm Beach Post, 3/5/04:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/auto/epaper/editions/today/news_048480c54388701400b1.html

State senator returns fire to Limbaugh

By Susan Spencer-Wendel, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Friday, March 5, 2004

WEST PALM BEACH --

Frustrated that she was used as an example by Rush Limbaugh and his
attorney, state Sen. Mandy Dawson shot back Thursday, saying her
prescription drug fraud case in 2002 should in no way be compared with
the Limbaugh investigation.

Dawson had sharp words for Limbaugh, speaking as one prescription drug
addict to another:

"He's attempting to make a mockery of the prescription drug laws, and
he's also attempting to make a mockery of recovery. He needs to take
personal responsibility for his actions to really recover."

Dawson, a Democrat from Fort Lauderdale, was arrested and charged 18
months ago with felony prescription drug fraud for altering a
painkiller prescription from 60 pills to 160.

She entered a pre-trial intervention program and had the charge
dismissed.

Limbaugh publicly has acknowledged that he's addicted to pain
medication and has completed a drug rehabilitation program.

He's currently under investigation by Palm Beach County prosecutors
for alleged doctor-shopping, a third-degree felony, like Dawson's
charge.

Limbaugh and his attorney, Roy Black, talked publicly in January about
how a Broward County "senator" got her prescription drug case dropped
while Limbaugh is being hit hard.

Limbaugh referred to Dawson anonymously on his show as the "Florida
state senator, Democrat" who ended up praised by the media.

The conservative talk show host has called prosecutors' investigation
of him a fishing expedition, politically motivated and carried out by
State Attorney Barry Krischer, a Democrat.

Limbaugh has not been arrested or charged with any crime.

"I was arrested," Dawson said Thursday.

"Now who's getting preferential treatment here? I was on everything
but the milk carton.

"I could have blamed it on the Republicans. I could have made it
political, but I didn't."

Dawson, whose District 29 runs through Palm Beach and Broward
counties, was accused of using an altered prescription for Lorcet-10
in an attempt to receive 160 tablets at a Tallahassee pharmacy.

She turned herself in to the police.

Like most first-time offenders in these types of cases, Dawson entered
a pre-trial intervention program.

She avoided the prescription-drug fraud charge after completing
rehabilitation and drug court.

____________________________________________________________

"The prescription drug records show Limbaugh got 2,130 pain and
anti-anxiety pills under the brand names Norco, OxyContin, Lorcet and
others in a five-month period, piggybacking prescriptions at times."

Whew, that's a lota junk. Wonder how many he downed at once. No wonder
Anal Cyst was incoherent most of the time.