Culture of Consumption?

Yes, folks, the Son of the Hero of Chappaquiddick has had his own run in with the law. Fortunately, this time, no one got killed.

WUSA-tv has the story:

Rep. Patrick Kennedy crashed his car near the Capitol early Thursday, and a police official said he appeared intoxicated. Kennedy said he had taken sleep medication and a prescription anti-nausea drug that can cause drowsiness.

He originally issued a statement saying he had not been drinking. But late Thursday, his chief of staff handed out a statement saying he was on a prescribed combination of Ambien -- a sleep medication -- and Phenergan -- an anti-nausea drug.

In his statement, Kennedy said he was treated Tuesday for gasroenteritis and given Phenergran, which can cause drowsiness.

Kennedy was reportedly behind the wheel of a green Ford Mustang when it crashed into a security barrier at 1st and "C" streets Southeast about 2:45 a.m.

No one was hurt, but police say the car nearly struck a Capitol police cruiser and that it had been swerving, as if trying to make a U-turn.

So far, Kennedy has not been charged.

We find out later in that story that Kennedy (D-RI) was on his way to the Capitol because he thought he was needed for a vote...at 2:45AM...

Was there a coverup by Capitol Police?

According to Rollcall.com, Baird -- acting chairman of the Capitol Police Fraternal Order of Police –- said Kennedy’s Mustang had its lights off when it narrowly missed crashing into a police cruiser and smashed into a security barrier.

According to Roll Call, Baird wrote in his letter that the driver got out and “was observed to be staggering.” He told officers he was a congressman late for a vote. Baird wrote that patrol officers at the scene were prohibited from performing field sobriety tests. Then two sergeants arrived, conferred with a watch commander and “ordered all of the patrol division units to leave the scene … that they were taking over.”

That's just unprecendented in Kennedy history, ain't it?

Centerdaily.com picks up the story from here:

"If the events unfolded as they have been reported to me, and I believe they did, a complete and immediate investigation into them is required," Baird wrote. He demanded to know why the responding officers were not allowed to investigate Kennedy.

"This appears to be interference with their duties as U.S. Capitol Police Officers and may have prevented the collection of evidence of such violations," he wrote.

Speaking of Kennedy history, let's review that a bit shall we?

The early morning crash comes just a couple weeks after Kennedy wrecked another car in Portsmouth, R.I., on April 15. The congressman, driving a 2003 Crown Victoria, reportedly collided with a Nissan Maxima outside a drug store. No charges were filed.

Kennedy has grown up in the shadow of his famous uncles - President John F. Kennedy and Sen. Robert Kennedy - and his father, who had his own car crash that killed Mary Jo Kopechne in Chappaquiddick, Mass., in July 1969.

The younger scion of America's most storied and star-crossed political dynasty has battled his own demons. He admitted in 2000 that he was a mental health advocate because he had wrestled with depression since he was a teenager - and that led him to abuse cocaine.

Mary Jo Kopechne couldn't be reached for comment.

3:15PM Update

AP News Alert:

WASHIGTON (AP) Rep. Patrick Kennedy will enter rehab for addiction to prescription pain medication Friday evening.

But, I thought the problem was sleepwalking...

Seriously though, I wish the Congressman a speedy recovery.

Feel free to compare and contrast coverage and prosecutorial harrassment between this and Rush Limbaugh's case...