Florida Democrat Andrew Gillum is taking a break from public life after police walked in on what has been described as a crystal meth-fueled orgy – but which he insists was just a wedding celebration where he drank too much.
Gillum was “unable to communicate with officers due to his inebriated state” when police chanced upon him in a hotel room at Miami’s South Beach Mondrian on Thursday night, responding to another man’s “possible drug overdose,” revealed the police report, leaked via Twitter on Friday.
The police were concerned enough to request a second “welfare check” on Gillum, while they took his stricken companion to the hospital.
But while Gillum eventually sobered up enough to “return to his residence without incident,” the cops found and confiscated “three small baggies” of “suspected crystal meth” that were apparently lying in plain sight in the hotel room.
The former mayor of Tallahassee and would-be governor released a statement flatly denying any involvement with the drugs, though he admitted he had “had too much to drink” by the time “first responders were called to assist one of my friends.”
Gillum claimed he was in Miami for a “wedding celebration” and requested “privacy” while he spent the next few weeks with his family.
I want to be clear that I have never used methamphetamines. I apologize to the people of Florida for the distraction this has caused our movement.
It’s not clear whether the police allowed Gillum to walk despite the contraband because of his political position, or whether he left before the drugs were noticed. The situation was “not being investigated as a criminal matter,” Miami Beach PD spokesman Ernesto Rodriguez said in a statement.
That did not stop social media from seizing on Gillum’s extracurricular activities, perhaps as a distraction from the coronavirus craze, with some wondering whether Gillum was seeking to assume the position of legendary “Florida Man,” having missed out on the governor’s seat by a mere 34,000 votes back in 2018.
Conservatives had a field day, using the incident to tar the Democratic Party as a whole… and CNN, where Gillum became a contributor after losing the governor’s race.
Let me guess…
This increases Andrew Gillum’s chances as being Joe Biden’s pick for Vice President.
Others suggested that Gillum’s denials were only proof of his guilt…
If you find yourself having to put out a statement about a hotel party that includes the phrase “I’ve never done crystal meth” … you have definitely done crystal meth.
There will be a lot of dunking on Andrew Gillum and CNN today but I also want to say addiction sucks and I hope Andrew gets the help he clearly needs. You don’t end up in a hotel room with crystal meth and men OD’ing unless you’re in a really bad mental state.
…a theory that was bolstered by Gillum’s companion, now recovered from his wild night, telling the Miami New Times he knew nothing about this supposed “wedding celebration.”
Just spoke with Travis Dyson, a friend of @AndrewGillum who was in the hotel room last night. He says Gillum did not mention anything about a wedding. https://t.co/G966MmSTXc
Unfortunately for @AndrewGillum, his “friend” Travis Dyson, has come forth to reveal that he is no friend, but an open male escort. He also claims that he has never heard of the wedding of which Andrew Gillum speaks of.
Of course, the Democrat who nearly became the governor of Florida had his defenders as well.
The @AndrewGillum headlines are very misleading. He was not in a seedy motel by himself. He was at high-end hotel with friends for a wedding. They were all intoxicated, as everyone in weddings are. Even if there was meth, it was on the floor. There were at least 3 people in room.
