Just to be clear: the second Mrs. McCain actually stole the DRUGS from her charity, not money.

[blondeatlast]

I've seen a few posts indicating she stole money to buy drugs. Not the case. She stole the actual drugs.

If you think this should be an issue, pleae get the facts straight.* She stole her own physician's DEA number to fill the Rx from her charity's pharmacy.

This is from Gosinski (the whistleblower)'s diary as quoted in Phoenix New Times "Opiate for the Mrs."

September 29, 1992: Regardless of what happens with Cindy McCain, it is time for me to get out of AVMT. I have so little respect for Cindy and her objectives--she has made AVMT a media event--that even under the best of circumstances I do not think this organization merits existence. . . .

October 2, 1992: Well, it is done. Last night Jim and Smitty (Hensley, Cindy's parents) confronted Cindy regarding her dependency to prescription drugs and she admitted to her addiction. I understand that she told the Hensleys her addiction was rooted in her unhappiness--her marriage--and that she took the pills to mask her depression. The Hensleys told Cindy they knew she had a problem because of her severe mood swings and her change in character. They also said her meanness towards others was not excusable and must stop. . . . (my note--this was her PARENTS)

October 6, 1992: All shit hit the fan yesterday!
Jeri Johnson called Dr. Moffo to ask him not to fill anymore prescriptions for Cindy McCain. Dr. Moffo said he had not been filling any prescriptions for Cindy--it seems Cindy has been using Tom's DEA number to obtain her drugs. (which she filled through the charity's pharmacy--my note)

Jim Hensley (her father--my note) called Cindy this morning and told her not to use Moffo's number again. She denied she had used the number and since then has been trying to contact Moffo. God knows what she will say to Moffo if she reaches him. Also, Cindy was trying to reach Dr. John Johnson. She is either trying to do some quick damage control or she is going to set somebody up for the fall. . . .

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1994-09-08/news/opiate-for-the-mrs/1

It's a long piece, but a very compelling one whether you dislike the second Mrs. McCain, pity her, or are just interested in how the rich and powerful get away with it or all of the above.

*Since McCain used political influence to cover it up and ruined the whistleblower's career, I think it's worthy of note, myself.

[NJmaverick]

1. The drugs had a monetary value, so I am not sure your point

is significant.

[havocmom]

4. Point is: be accurate about any charges made against her or we all look like liars and fools

THAT is a significant point. Just ask Dan Rather.

[Bjorn Against]

32. That is a significant point, but in this case I don't think the GOP would dare use it...

It is certainly very important that we get all the facts right so we should make sure to refer to drugs instead of money when talking about this. If a misinformed person did say it was money however I don't think the GOP would want to pounce on it and say "She took drugs not money!" Most Americans aren't going to be too thrilled about having a drug addict who has stolen from a charity to support her habit as first lady, and I really don't think the GOP is going to want to talk about this issue at all much less try to draw a distinction between money and drugs.

Again though, the facts are important and we need to be sure to get the facts straight. I am just pointing out that in this case the facts don't make Cindy look any better.

[enough]

5. She stole them for her own use, not for the money. I think the OP is right that

there is a greater psychological impact in this.

By the way, this is the only story about Cindy McCain that makes me feel some compassion for her. She must have been in a bad way to have to do this, and also not thinking straight at all. But I do think that the way the Rs are going against Michelle Obama, Cindy McCain's past history is fair game.

And political influence in the coverup is certainly a legitimate story.

[rufus dog]

27. and the compassion for her is what they are counting on!

Do they have any compassion for the crack addict in the inner city? Don't go that route. She is a drug addict no better than the other addicts they condemn. Their fucking rules, there fucking cross to bear!

They count on liberals to be compassionate to them and then bash them!

Repeat - She was a drug addict who stole drugs for her own use and due to her own personal failings. She is responsible for herself!

[rufus dog]

25. the point is she was a drug addict and stole drugs

No better than any crack baby mama in the streets of Detroit of LA!

[rox63]

2. Something to use against McBush when the repukes slime Michelle Obama n/t

[havocmom]

3. Yep. She seems to feel she is not obligated to obey laws.

If she wants, she takes. And the way she did it showed it was not some accident.

Planning = premeditated. How would the rest of us fare if we pulled that stunt?

Class privilege should not trump law in a democracy. Why does this woman not end up in prison with others who violate drug laws then covered it up and tried to frame others for her crimes?

[fasttense]

6. Damn, that's a far cry from stealing recipes and pretending to cook.

I had no idea.

But if I were stuck married to that sleaze ball McCain, I think I would resort to drugs too, poor woman. He cheats on her and treats her like a paid staffer. She should divorce him. She has all that money and can't get the guts up to dump his cheating ass.

[40ozDonkey]

7. The charity had to be shut down because of the incident.

So much for whoever they were actually helping at the time...

[tularetom]

8. Interesting article here

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/10/18/drugs/print.html

[blondeatlast]

9. That was written by the same author of the New Times piece.

She's investigated and writeen some really great stuff here in Phoenix for years.

[Stephanie]

11. She could have been charged with 6 felony counts if it had gone to state court instead of federal!

John Dowd may have unleashed the media hounds on Cindy McCain, and he might never get an extortion charge filed against Gosinski. But local defense attorneys who have monitored the case say there is little doubt that he has secured a highly favorable deal for his client with federal prosecutors. First and foremost, the case has remained a federal one. That's unusual.

"Federal prosecutors routinely throw this stuff to state prosecutors," says one Phoenix attorney. "The DEA and the U.S. Attorney's Office are not in the habit of popping penny-ante drug offenders."

Second, the federal pretrial diversion program requires complete confidentiality, which is required at this stage of the investigation in any case. Moreover, although it is not clear what laws the feds believe Cindy McCain has broken, it seems likely that her offenses would be treated as misdemeanors.

"At worst, she probably could have gotten ten to 16 months," says one defense attorney who researched federal sentencing guidelines. He adds that under federal guidelines, McCain looks like a good candidate for diversion.

Another defense attorney says that in cases like McCain's, it is not uncommon for prosecutors to attempt to seize the offender's property, which, among other things, would include an interest in Hensley & Company and the McCains' North Central Avenue residence.

That attorney also says that Cindy McCain and John Dowd have done a service to other drug offenders.

"We're certainly going to jump on this when we have a client in a similar position," he says. "When we have a client that's charged in this same kind of 'script' writing, if the behavior is milder than Cindy McCain's, we should be getting diversion."

State courts would have offered a much greater challenge for Dowd and his client.

"If she were charged in state court--and there is an offense that fits her case to a T--she's looking at Class 3 felonies," says one defense attorney. "If we assume conservatively that there were six separate counts, her liability in state court is astronomical. She could have been looking at ten to 20 years, with a presumptive sentence of 11.25 years and two-thirds served before she would be eligible for parole.

"If I had a client named José Lopez, I'm not so sure we wouldn't be looking at that."

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1994-09-08/news/opiate-for-the-mrs/2

[rufus dog]

28. Sweet Jesus

If it wasn't for NewTimes Phx. jounalism would equal the USSR. I pick up two copies everytime I go there, one to read and one to leave for my Right Wing in laws.

[Kokonoe]

10. Thank God she stayed true. nt

Just to add I did not read your post.

[blondeatlast]

12. Then why comment? I don't even understand your response. nt

[Kokonoe]

13. I tried but still cannot read it.

So, as an uniformed commenter.

Mr, McCain saw Cindy's money in the bank, and jumped like a vampire on a good person.

[Enrique]

14. suppose Michelle Obama had done this

just imagine...

[ProSense]

15. Imagine...

All Michelle has to do is speak for the media hyperventilating and speculating to commence. They don't even need an actual event or facts.

[Puzzler]

16. I agree...

... been if there was the tiniest rumor of Michelle Obama doing anything like this, it would have been blasted loud and clear by the MSM 24-7.

[crankychatter]

18. Righteousness ALWAYS under-whelms me

yours is pretty much the only valid argument that I see here

I don't want to be judged for what I did a million years ago

I quit committing felonies and I ain't a bad person

Mrs. McCain isn't running for president

But that racist double standard BULLSHIT gets my blood going

thanks for posting

[Enrique]

19. I agree, but that wasn't my point

it was aimed more at the media, for whom the nonexistent "whitey" tape is fodder for discussion. "A scandal? A potential scandal?"

But is Mrs. McCain's actual crime, which she actually did, no, that's off limits.

[blondeatlast]

20. Indeed. Mrs. McC's crime is part of the public record. There is nothing but rumor

regarding what Mrs.. Obama MIGHT POSSIBLY have said, but how much air time has it already received?

Rumor shouldn't be news, but demonstrable nasty, destructive ethics should be if rumors are.

[Mabus]

17. I had heard a rumor that she adopted a special needs child

to help facilitate her access to drugs. Allegedly she used the child to help get her hands on drugs for her own addiction. Has anyone else heard this rumor? I've heard back in the 2000 election cycle.

Here, Mrs Panstreppon at the TPMcafe, mentions that the adoption and the addiction occurred around the same time period.

Most of us know the McCains adopted a sick baby from Bangladesh and that Cindy McCain was a drug addict. Cindy is almost always asked about both events and her response hardly varies from interview to interview. The media seem quite happy to laud the McCains for adopting the baby and the story of Cindy's drug addiction is portrayed as one of redemption.

The media never, ever put the adoption in the same time frame as Cindy's drug addiction, the Keating Five scandal and John McCain's upcoming 1992 senate campaign but I did. http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/05/cindy-mccains-tarnished-halo.php

[ProgressiveEconomist]

24. PLEASE repost this as its own thread so we can rate it up. This is BETTER

fodder for McCain attacks than Vicki Iseman or the C-word. I'd call this DIRT!

It atlleges the kind of elitist cynicism that deserves a shocking movie--like a pol's grabbing someone's baby for use as a shield at the end of "Dead Zone"!

In a repost, I'd suggest a thread title like, "Did Cindy and John McCain adopt a sick baby to get easy access to illegal drugs for the wife?"

[Mabus]

33. If I can put this information together more cogently I will do just that

I heard this rumor back during the 2000 election cycle and it has been on mind ever since. I had not seen this stuff from the fired aide but it does make Cindy look even worse than I had imagined her to be.

I'll try to put something together and will post it as soon as I can.

[windoe]

21. Us peons would end up in jail for such a thing n/t

[Raineyb]

22. We're still calling her a thief right?

The woman's worth 100 million dollars and she steals drugs from a charity?

Pathetic!

Why exactly isn't she in jail?

Regards

[Texasgal]

23. That is a FELONY!

I guess being blond, with decent looks and a husband that fought in war gives you a free FUCKING PASS! :mad:

Fucking druggie!

[Ravy]

26. Next thing you know, she will steal recipes... count on it. nt

[grantcart]

29. yes I think it is very important to be accurate

how many times did she steal?

what was the value of the drugs that she stole?

what happened to the whistleblower that called the authorities?

what kind of sentences does this kind of crime get when it happens to somebody from the inner city who has to use public defenders to plead out?

Is it also inaccurate that she and Senator McCain started their illicit love affair while Senator McCain was still married or was

that also a mistake?

I appreciate as clear an explanation as possible because I want to be able to correct anyone who exaggerates her illegal activities.

[Overseas]

31. Yes please -- call a special session of Meet The Press !!

[gulfcoastliberal]

30. K&R

This is an important issue.