However, what I try to go through in the book is what a dark time that was for me, and how much pain I was living with and how much pain I had caused my family. And Theyre Really, Really Not Happy About It. Just to give you a sense of where I'm coming from, I wrote a defense of Anthony Weiner, at least during the initial round of. But somehow a few people believe in Washington that should not be tolerated. His real name is Henry Jude Radel III. Return of the Cocaine Congressman - POLITICO Magazine I believe the Republican Party wanted me gone. Amy returned to the evening news desk after working as a full-time mom for 2 1/2 years. Or at least they did until last November. If youve visited a bill page on GovTrack.us recently, you may have noticed a new study guide tab located just below the bill title. I was in a very dark, dark place. The only guy ever that I had ever pissed off. Hubris did too. Drug use in Congress became a punch line back then. But it was also cathartic. He is married to his wife Amy Wegmann. Young Americans have historically been the least involved in politics, despite the huge consequences policies can have on them. But DCs bustle proved too much for the 37-year-old former TV journalisthe was still in his first term when he was busted for buying cocaine from an undercover officer outside Circa in Dupont Circle. To his great consternation, he also became known as the coke-snorting Congress member who voted to allow the drug testing of food stamp recipients. This is a cultural crime committed by Democrats. It was everything, too much, all the time. Trey Radel claims to be the first US member of Congress to ever be busted for cocaine possession. And that was time for me to figure out not only who the hell I was but what the hell I was. Trey Radel - IMDb 1035 (113th): To require a study of voluntary community-based flood insurance options and how such options could be incorporated , H.R. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. At Vox, we believe that everyone deserves access to information that helps them understand and shape the world they live in. Legal Statement. I was in a very dark place. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time Currently, Trey hosts a show that airs on the Florida-based FOX News Radio affiliate, WFSX-FM. In 2005, Trey bought a community newspaper called the Naples Journal, which he later sold to the owner of Naples Daily News called the E.W. That was it. Radel resigned in January 2014. Choose from the options above to find the right way to contact Radel. On his flight out of Washington following his arrest, Radel writes, I prayed the plane would crash. 1765 (113th): Reducing Flight Delays Act of 2013, H.R. To listen to this podcast later, download it on. HuffPost's top politics stories, straight to your inbox. Congressman Trey Radel isn't the first politician to make headlines from white lines. WASHINGTON (CNN) U.S. Rep. Trey Radel, the Florida Republican who pleaded guilty to cocaine possession last November, will resign from Congress on Monday, he wrote in a resignation letter t Come to terms with what you did. Help us develop the tools to bring real-time legislative data into the classroom. The double life of U.S. Rep. Trey Radel cocaine addict and This is much worse than the median of 2.5% among the lifetime records of representatives serving in Jan 2014. Candidate Confessional is produced by Zach Young. Would you like to join our advisory group to work with us on the future of GovTrack? No. However, he left the station in 2009 and went to join WFSX-FM. I was playing hard and working harder. Democrazy: A True Story of Weird Politics, Money, Madness, and Finger Trey Radel to resign House seat - POLITICO He said he came to Congress to. Market data provided by Factset. In two years, Gen Z and Millennials were put through their "once-in-a-lifetime crisis" two or three or twenty times. Who Is Trey Radel Married To Trey is married to a Fox 4 anchor called Amy Wegmann. Then came the bad news. 1810 (113th): To revise the boundaries of John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System , H.R. 150 (113th): Congratulating the Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles for becoming the first 15 . J. Scott Applewhite/AP. Rep. Trey Radel resigns after drug plea - USA Today Ending drug prohibition would no doubt deal a heavy blow to mass incarceration. newsletter, Confessions of a congressman: 9 secrets from the inside. took no further action (Nov. 17, 1983), John Apperson (aide to Rep. Ronald Dellums) (1983), but also: Preliminary Inquiry voted (March 15, 1983); Special Counsel investigated and found no basis for charges; Comm. Former Astronaut and then-Ohio Sen. John Glenn joked at a fundraiser: ''I went to a colleague and asked if I could borrow some of his lines. I took those issues and conversations very seriously. That sounds plausible, though its impossible to fact-check. Following his conviction for cocaine possession, Radel went on a self-imposed leave of absence to undergo addiction rehabilitation, announcing that he would be donating his salary to charity during his absence. We want to hear it. I don't think compromise should be a dirty, filthy word. The most extreme example that I give in the book: Do you want the FBI focused on someone in their own home making bad choices that would only hurt themselves, meaning drugs, or do you want them focused on some kind of fanatic about to walk out of their home with an AK-47 and a bomb strapped to their chest? Radel's show airs on the Florida-based station WFSX-FM, a FOX News Radio affiliate. There were two House staffers involved in the 1983 congressional page scandal, who did plead guilty to two federal misdemeanors. the median of 2.5% Radel is a former TV anchor and conservative radio host who grew up in Cincinnati as the son of a funeral-home director. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. The first-term Republican, who pleaded guilty Wednesday to drug charges in Washington, DC, appears to be the only member of Congress to have ever been convicted for cocaine use while in office, according a House Ethics Committee report detailing conducted cases in the chamber. ", Former President Bill Clinton also famously claimed that when he was in England, he "experimented" with marijuana "a time or two, and didn't like it, and didn't inhale and never tried it again.". But I live a very different lifestyle. Freshman Congressman Trey Radel (R-Florida) became the first sitting U.S. representative to be convicted for a cocaine offense this week. . Trey Radel Work Experience and Education. It's my hope that as a Republican I can get our own party to start taking a look at these types of issues, which make sense if you are fiscal conservative or a social conservative. Because the drug war has not only been a colossal failure in terms of the money spent and the goals that we have never achieved. She has written about her past life as an Ann Coulter fangirl, how the Obamas changed Washington, and the rise and fall of Roll Call. It was November when Republican Trey Radel, a first-term congressman from Fort Myers, Fla., was charged with cocaine possession a misdemeanor in Washington, D.C. 27 Apr 2023 16:53:08 So was it that Congress and being a Congress member and being in DC was too much fun? Was I an alcoholic? The 50 Worst Decisions in Music History Henry Jude Radel III (born April 20, 1976) is an American radio personality, political commentator, author, actor, and former member of the United States House of Representatives. He is a former member of the United States House of Representatives. Dorcas The Florida congressman had never held office when he swept his states southwest district in 2012 and joined the so-called young guns of the HouseRepublicans likePaul Ryan, Eric Cantor,andKevin McCarthy. ", When questions persisted about former George W. Bush's drug use during his 2000 presidential campaign, he only responded, "I've made mistakes in the past, and I've learned from my mistakes. Because they've been to prison. purchase of cocaine from an undercover federal agent. He now runs Trey Radel Media Group, a crisis consulting firm. In my book, I poke a lot of fun at myself and the whole process. The 37-year-old Radel pleaded guilty to misdemeanor. The Florida congressman had never held office when he swept his state's southwest district in 2012 and joined the so-called young guns of the HouseRepublicans like Paul Ryan, Eric Cantor, and Kevin McCarthy. When you were in Congress, there was this nascent left-right coalition in support of criminal justice reform, but that all seems pretty dead. Are Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney in love, or are they good actors? By Business Observer Staff. I not only knew mentally that my world was imploding but I physically got ill. But I believe the war on drugs is also one of the reasons that we have such animosity between law enforcement and various communities around the United States today. Inside the #treydome | CNN Politics The House Committee on Ethics ended the investigation when Radel resigned. [18][22][23] He had not voted in Congress after November 15, 2013 in the wake of the conviction. Radel then worked for CBS affiliates KHOU in Houston, WBBM in Chicago, and WINK-TV in Fort Myers, Florida. He is married to former TV journalist Amy Wegmann Radel. Trey Radel Quit Congress After Getting Busted For Drugs - Washingtonian Theyre listening to idiot politicians in Washington. '', To which Gary Hart, who was about to launch a presidential bid before dropping out because of his own cheating scandal, responded: ''It was worth the price of admission hearing the genuine American hero telling cocaine jokes.''. However, if I'm given any sort of small platform at all, whether it's through my book or doing an interview like we are right now, I really hope as a fiscal conservative Republican that I can begin to at least exert some influence. Because the lefts there with me. This is a project of Civic Impulse, LLC. The past three years of heavy-handed, blue state COVID-19 measures exposed the Democrat Party for what it is: an organization hellbent on total control. And I think the answer is so clear that we need to prioritize what the hell we are focused on in this country. Forces Fund,[31] which focuses on helping injured soldiers returning home from abroad. Republicans must seize the moment, boldly share brutal truth, and convey whats happening and why in radically new ways to get elected and fix our country. It seems to me, reading the book, like you grasp at alcoholism as the explanation mostly likely to create sympathy for an illicit drug user. Trey Radel is a former Republican who represented Florida in the United States House of Representatives. Thus three years later, Radel is back withDemocrazy: A True Story of Weird Politics, Money, Madness, & Finger Food,in which he details boozy dinners with McCarthy, splendorous fundraisers backslapping withJohn Boehner,and his wifes introduction to the Congressional Clubthe organization for House and Senate spouses supplied a leaflet on avoiding suicide. It personally hurts because I have sympathy or empathy for people who have gone through a rough time struggling with any kind of addiction alcohol, drugs, food, whatever it may be or people struggling and having to rely on the government for help. Republican politician who became a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Florida's 19th congressional district in 2013. But the committee found that those charges were not substantiated. We throw away $80 billion a year in this country locking up a huge number of nonviolent offenders. I miss, as naive as it sounds, simply being in a meeting with a constituent who wanted to talk about, say, childhood cancer. An assistant manager of the House Democratic cloakroom testified to a grand jury that hed sold coke to Dellums. or redistributed. [1] He was first elected on November 6, 2012, and took office on January 3, 2013. And that's really just me poking fun at myself, because yeah, I was out networking and working and having fun. In 2007, after selling the Journal, Radel returned to WINK, leaving in 2009 to host a live, 4-hour long morning radio show on WFSX-FM. When you couple staples like wildly expensive gas and groceries, with the authoritarian, condescending progressives "running" the country, this moment presents a rare historical opportunity for the Republican Party to redefine Democrats, revolutionize their own brand, and radically change the trajectory of our nation for generations, culturally and politically. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Amy has been working at the station since Jul 2014. I really, really loved service. Here, a few lines about nine other politicians and their (alleged) histories with cocaine. We'll help you live your best #DCLIFE every day, Democrazy: A True Story of Weird Politics, Money, Madness, & Finger Food. It was just me in a very dark time. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. And one thing you realize quickly when you campaign is that theres just certain things you have to live with, and that means getting hit hard in public. what is trey radel doing now - materdeiradio.com Youve cast your vote. Former D.C. Mayor Marion BarryThe D.C. mayor is the only politician on this list to serve time for a cocaine offense. Succession Recap: Logan Roy Makes Shock Return, Shiv and Tom Get Kinky He played the part of a reporter.[8]. You have to move on. There's politics and politics. Yeah, but one of the things I really try to clarify in the book is how I never, ever, ever used the words Tea Party ever in my campaign, and I never labeled myself a Tea Partier ever. The only other member of Congress to be arrested and convicted on a drug charge was Rep. Frederick Richmond (D) of New York, who, 30 years ago, was convicted for marijuana use. H.R. It remains to be seen whether politicians like Radel will continue to be vilified in the years to come. [10] When this was revealed, his campaign committee created websites and attached them to his opponents' domain names, purportedly for the purpose of disseminating the voting records of the opponents, which were posted on the websites. Former U.S. Rep. Trey Radel, now the host of a 92.5 Fox News radio show in Southwest Florida, said they should. Thank you so much. . By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. While the sting operation took place Oct. 29, Radel was not arrested. Remember, the LGB chants started at college stadiums, but students were not cheering, "Lets Go Brandon." This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Part of HuffPost Politics. Well be in touch. Radel Unfortunately, Ive sometimes taken that too far, and when I was in Washington, I was out a lot. Through the book I sarcastically use, "Oh, I was out networking." One of the provisions in the farm bill was to allow states to have more direct control over how they administered their welfare. I physically felt like I was going to collapse. Amy is currently a Fox 4 anchor. I do, I do. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. ?) Radel, blamed his extremely irresponsible choice on the disease of alcoholism. The first-time offender was sentenced to one year of probation. Support our mission and help keep Vox free for all by making a financial contribution to Vox today. And something I hope I never, ever have to do again is ask people for money. Those are jokes, but on a serious note, one of the misconceptions is the influence of lobbyists. Candidate Confessional is produced by Zach Young. Floridas 19th District, Visit us on Mastodon "Lets Go Brandon Isnt About Biden," is our newly released video where we illustrate and more importantly, aim to influence a generational political shift in an aggressive and at times, hilarious way. It was all so very Florida. "I was in a terrible, terrible position. How The Cocaine Congressman Was Undone By Sheep For one, he is and was a libertarian, and a critic of the drug war that brought him down. From there, the journalist went to work for CBS affiliates KHOU based in Houston, WBBM based in Chicago, as well as WINK-TV based in Fort Myers, Florida. Your daily shot of politics, intertwined with spicy notes o I have sympathy and empathy. Im out, Radel recalls. Trey Radel ( Full name: Henry Jude Trey Radel III) is an American actor, author, political commentator, and radio personality. But your book suggests that while you had a drinking problem, you weren't an alcoholic. Former Rep. Charlie WilsonWilson, a Republican from Texas, was alleged to have used cocaine on three occasions in 1980, once in Las Vegas and twice in the Caymans. After your bust, you stated, "I struggle with the disease of alcoholism, and this led to an extremely irresponsible choice. I poke and prod and have a lot of fun at the expense of myself, and at that entire process of shutting down the government. But of course it was Mike Conaway.. If it has to do with branding, persuading, communicating, or selling, contact me. Theres no doubt I made some pretty piss-poor choices. And only then will we begin to feel the true cost of our deficit and our debt, and that cost is going to come. She had been working at the station since joining it in 2005. Unsurprisingly, I do have some questions about the food stamp vote. Trey Radel on cocaine bust: I should have resigned right away If you are a fiscal conservative or social conservative, this evidence and these tangible examples are right in front of our face, and it is time for the Republican Party to wake up. Or both? What can I say?, Editors picks The 37-year-old Radel pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession charges, following from his attempt to score about 3.5 grams of coke for $250 from an undercover cop in late October. Decriminalization would definitely be a step forward. The chart below reports missed votes over time. Trey Radel - Ballotpedia Radel was heavily favored to win because 19th has long been reckoned as one of the most Republican districts in Florida. I believe I share the opinions of a lot of people, whatever labels you want to use: the left, liberals, progressives, whatever. A show about Freedom & Fighting the Man. April 3, 2023. For me, meeting John Boehner was like a basketball fan meetingMichael Jordan. Trey is an American actor, author, political commentator, and radio personality. Google Pay. I hope people will walk away from it and say, Hey, I was entertained, I laughed my ass off, and it was really cool to learn how the sausage gets made in Washington.. Unfortunately, with the exception of President Donald Trump and a few others, decades of emotionless "lets talk about Debt-to-GDP ratio" messaging created a Republican brand as likable as Governor Ron DeSantis at a New York Times editorial board meeting. Radels most recent role was on the Disney+ series, The Right Stuff, produced by Leonardo DiCaprio. Yes, sheepshearing. took no further action (Nov. 17, 1983)", Preliminary Inquiry against a Legislative Assistant (1983), but again found no basis for charges; Comm. The same thing is happening with drugs today: We have a black market, and we have violence that has wreaked havoc decade to decade, from South America then north into Mexico. Trey Radel on Twitter: "Curious, @cmsub and @latimes, do you submit the representative for Floridas 19th congressional district Trey Radel burned a bridge early in his career, and it came back to haunt him when he was embroiled in scandal. His congressional campaign was endorsed by Paul Ryan. Chad Prather Podcast, Bio, Wiki, Age, Wife, Daughters, For Governor, And Net Worth, Kate Riley Seattle Times, Bio, Wiki, Age, Height, Husband, Writer, Salary, and Net Worth, Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes, List of States in the US, Alphabetical list of States in the U.S., and Abbreviation of States in United States. Otherwise, look for a phone number on that website to call his office if you have a question. He was born to his parents Kathleen (Sollinger) and Henry Jude Radel, Jr. in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the United States of America. The first-term Republican, who pleaded guilty Wednesday to drug charges in . BUT Ethics Committee found: Special Counsel investigated and found no basis for SAV; Comm. In doing that, I didn't resign. Law enforcement has to abide by the laws we have on the books, and I was the idiot lawmaker breaking the laws. This week, I spoke with Radel about his bust, the drug war, and American politics in general. Any person that says they are either a fiscal conservative or [a] social conservative and says that we should drug-test food stamp recipients, theyre not looking at the facts or the figures. Our mission is to empower every American with the tools to understand and impact Congress. Were looking for feedback from educators about how GovTrack can be used and improved for your classroom. Republicans must commit to what Democrats have mastered emotion. Okay, I got it. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Republicans the year you were in Congress did not get a reputation for being fans of compromise. He and his wife Amy Wegmann have three children, a ten-year-old son named Henry Jude Radel IV and twin baby girls named Lia and Sabina. Please join our advisory group to let us know what more we can do. And unless we address our mandatory spending today, the people who are going to pay the biggest price are senior citizens and poor people. One of the things I thought was unfair that media did, in general, was that any member of the Republican Party sworn into Congress after 2010 was automatically labeled a Tea Party member. Get the recap of top opinion commentary and original content throughout the week. And while I was reaching at anything, the reality was I stopped drinking for a year, I went to AA meetings, I sought what could help me spiritually and physically. He resigned shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, for him and others trying to fix the nation, the Republican brand -- the very party executing legislation -- has been damaged so badly that many voters are too emotionally distraught to see the benefits. (Fox News). Florida Congressman Trey Radel appears to be in rare company. He is an actor, known for Fallaway, StartUp (2016) and Truth Is Stranger Than Florida (2016). positioned according to our ideology score (left to right) and our leadership score (leaders are toward the top). 2079 (113th): Expediting Veterans Benefits Act, H.R. Radel represented Florida's 19th congressional district from January 3, 2013 through January 27, 2014, sworn into the 113th United States Congress. Trey Radel Radio Show, Bio, Wiki, Age, Wife, Twins, Salart, And Net Worth The couple has three children together. Congressman's dad recounts tearful call after arrest - USA Today [7] He also played the lead, starring as a detective, in the series Truth is Stranger than Florida on the Investigation Discovery network. Visit us on Instagram, If sponsors had their way, the lyric in Youre a Grand Old Flag would change its description of America to a country where theres never Apr 27, 2023, March 29 was an unusually busy day in Congress for one Arizona Republican. [15] His primary campaign featured a "Tea Party-tinged" message. We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Ive kicked around the idea of doing some political consulting, but I dont know what else Id do in politics other than kind of observe and just have fun with it. But what I do think we need in this country is to wake up and ask ourselves we have spent not billions but trillions of dollars on the war on drugs, and the question is, has it worked? From there, Trey went to further his studies at Loyola University Chicago. Robb denied the allegations categorically., Former Rep. Ron DellumsRadel isnt the first House member to be linked to cocaine use. Our public interest mission means we will never put our service behind a paywall. Absolutely. I want to be very clear about that because I don't want to be the guy that's like, Well, they shouldn't have busted me. I'm not saying that at all. While youre there, please rate and review our show. Get out. <br><br>Trilingual and world-traveled, Radel is expert in . But it was a legislative spat over sheepshearing that ultimately doomed his future in the House of Representatives. But a special counsel "found no basis" for the charges against the congressmen. He earned his high school diploma from Elder High School. You can also contribute via. I just got caught up in a lifestyle and was making idiotic decisions. You have to. Or was the job burning you out? Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sat down with Fox News Digital to discuss Trump and the position of the Republican Party.