U.S. Rep. Trey Radel, R-Fort Myers, pled guilty to misdemeanor possession of cocaine in a Washington, D.C. courtroom Wednesday.The judge sentenced him to one year of supervised probation. Radel will also pay a $250 fine.
Radel was charged after purchasing 3.5 grams of cocaine from an undercover agent late last month during a federal sting operation. Charges against Radel were announced Tuesday.
Late Wednesday night, Radel made an emotional apology to his family and constituents in his congressional office in Cape Coral and announced he is taking a leave of absence from Congress.
"I’m sorry", Radel said. "I have no excuse for what I have done. And I am not going to sit here and try to make excuses for what I have done. I have let down our country. I have let down our constituents. I have let down my family."
He said he will donate his salary to charity and take an indefinite leave of absence from Congress. In that time, Radel said he will seek help in an in-patient treatment facility. Radel—who was charged with cocaine possession—announced this week that he is struggling with alcoholism. He called the charges a “wake up call” and says he will work towards redemption moving forward.
"I am taking responsibility and I am living it very publicly", said Radel. "I am being held accountable for the decisions I have made in my life and I have found treatment and I am working on treatment—and like anything in life, I have to rebuild that trust and I fully understand that and I will do that. "
The freshman congressman told a DC Superior Court Judge that he has “hit a bottom” and needs help.
Radel also told the judge he’s already receiving addiction counseling—as he admitted to suffering from alcoholism during a statement released after the charges were announced.
Ledyard King was in the courtroom during Radel’s hearing. He’s a reporter with The News-Press’ Washington bureau. King said the hearing lasted less than half an hour.
“[Radel] was somber. Hands were clasped most of the time,” King said. “When addressing the court he spoke respectfully. It was very much a contrast to the gregarious out-going nature that we are used to seeing with Trey Radel.”
King said Radel was caught during a bigger drug investigation carried out by the FBI and DEA. He said federal officials were looking to bust members of a big drug ring in the DC area. However, when one of the suspects in the drug investigation mentioned his clients included a congressman, King said federal officials acted.
“The US Attorney for the District of Columbia described Radel as someone who routinely was using and buying cocaine,” King said. “So, I think that indicates to us that this was not an isolated problem and that they may have had their eye on him for a while, or at least they knew he had been doing this activity for a while.”
King said Radel sounded intent on going to rehab and returning to office during his statements to the judge.
Radel gave no sign he plans to resign. He told the judge he wants to “continue serving this country.”
Back home in Southwest Florida, however, area residents have been responding to news of charges against Radel.
Many claim they are outraged and are urging theTea Party Republican to resign.
But local Tea Party activist Kathy Jones said her community doesn’t want him to step down.
“I’m just devastated at some of the comments that I am reading in response to various news articles,” she said. “Every email or phone call I have gotten from our members—or those who know me—have been supportive of Trey.”
Jones said she helped the Congressman kick off his campaign last year.
Terry Miller, the chair of the Lee County Republican Party, said he thinks it’s too soon to discuss whether Radel should step down.
He said he’s “disappointed” and “disheartened” by the news, but his main concern right now is that Radel get the help that he needs.
“Once he’s in that process he can sit down and have those conversations with himself and his family,” he said. “At that time, I am certainly willing to sit at that table and give council on that. But as right now, sitting here today I think it’s just too premature to make determinations on my part with that.”
Both the Florida Democratic Party and the Lee County Democratic Party said in written statements that Radel “should resign immediately.”
Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny Curry said he’s “deeply disappointed in Congressman Radel’s choices,” but he’s glad he’s getting help.
