Al Gore III faces felony drug charges
Former vice president has little to say today about son's arrest.
City News Service
MISSION VIEJO – Former Vice President Al Gore's son faced drug charges today in Orange County as his father faced the media while preparing for an international music festival to highlight global warming.
Al Gore III, 24, a Los Angeles resident, was driving a blue Toyota Prius south on the San Diego (5) Freeway about 2:15 a.m. yesterday when a sheriff's deputy stopped him at the Crown Valley Parkway exit for speeding, said sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino.
The deputy smelled marijuana and searched the car, finding less than an ounce of pot, but also the prescription drugs Valium, Xanax, Vicodin, Soma and Adderall, which is used to treat attention deficit disorder.
The Harvard graduate said he did not have a prescription for the drugs and admitted smoking pot shortly before being stopped, Amormino said.
However, authorities did not book him on suspicion of DUI because they decided Gore was not "impaired" by the marijuana, he said.
He was arrested on suspicion of drug possession -- and speeding -- and booked into jail in Santa Ana on $20,000 bail. One of his sisters, reportedly Sarah, posted his bail and he was released about 2 p.m. yesterday.
Appearing on NBC's "Today" show for a previously scheduled interview, the former vice president -- who is one of the organizers of this weekend's "Live Earth," a 24-hour, seven-continent concert series to promote the battle against global warming -- was asked about the arrest.
"Well, we're dealing with it as a private family matter," Gore said, "and we love him very much, and we're glad that he's safe, and that he's getting treatment, and we're going to leave it as a private matter."
Possessing less than an ounce of pot is a misdemeanor, but illegal possession of prescription drugs is a felony.
Gore is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 1. Prosecutors have not decided whether to file felony charges against him, said Susan Schroeder of the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
Orange County offers three drug diversion programs that allow people to undergo treatment instead of going to jail, but participants must meet certain qualifications, she said.
Among the qualifications for the "Drug Court" program operated by the Orange County Superior Court, a participant must have no record of violence, drug trafficking or possession of drugs for sale, said court spokeswoman Carole Levitzky.
It is aimed at people with a second or third offense, and there "has to be a willingness" to go through drug treatment programs, such as attend a 12-step program, she said.
"It's hard -- they get tested frequently," Levitzky said.
Schroeder said the programs basically require participants to enter guilty pleas. Under a drug diversion program put in place by the Legislature, the defendant enters a guilty plea, but the plea is not entered as a judgment and it is never recorded if the person successfully completes a program.
Under the Proposition 36 program passed by voters, a person pleads guilty and is sentenced to treatment instead of jail, she said.
The son of the former vice president was charged with marijuana possession in Maryland in 2003 after police stopped the car he was driving for not having its headlights on. In February 2004 he entered a substance abuse program as part of a plea agreement.
Gore was ticketed for reckless driving by North Carolina police in August 2000 for allegedly driving 94 mph, and in September 2002, military police arrested him on suspicion of drunk driving near a military base in Virginia.
2007-07-21 04:58:10 · 11 answers · asked by mission_viejo_california 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
Consider moving to Russia, where there is no liberal bias in the media at all.
2007-07-21 05:03:01 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The biggest problem I have is in the media and in the lib answers on this question already he was driving drunk, the Bush twins when they were drinking were not driving. And if being drunk and driving at 100 miles and hour on any US highway is not the worst a person can do then I would love to see it. We just had a study last week saying that Californian highways were the most busy in the country, so this fool gets behind the wheel and puts everyone at risk because he was too dumb to not call a friend or a cab, I'm sure if his dad can afford $30,000 utility bills a cab was not going to bankrupt the kid. This is where all the rich children need to be fully outed they drive drunk and risk others lives when they have the means to have a chauffeur or cab get them home. Having lost a friend to a drunk driver 31 years ago I have no sympathy for drunk drivers and when they are rich and drunk I really have no problem calling for them to lose their driving privileges but I am sure Al will get his son off.
2016-04-01 05:27:44 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The problems of the son of a former vice president, has gotten significantly more press than when the daughters of a sitting president got busted for underage drinking.
2007-07-21 05:20:58 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Maybe because he's not a public figure, and only the relative of a public figure, it's not big news? I know that doesn't fit into you're conspiracy theory that well, but it has the ring of truth. Could also be because they already told us and there is no new news, or maybe only conservatives like you who want to use it as a vehicle to bad mouth Gore care? Doesn't your precious fox news cater enough to you?
2007-07-21 05:05:33 · answer #4 · answered by crushinator01 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It was on TV and radio for several days. If this is protection, I think they'll decline it next time. After all, The Bush twins and other politico's kids get in trouble all the time, it is on the news a day or two, then it's gone. This doesn't seem to fit the liberal conspiracy mold to me. But, you aren't listening, are you?
2007-07-21 05:02:58 · answer #5 · answered by Chance20_m 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Actually I have seen this type of behavior in rich people's kids from both parties. The problem is the parents giving their kids too much and being too busy to monitor their behavior.
This type of thing is rampant in all parts of society, both at the rich and poor ends.
2007-07-21 09:28:51 · answer #6 · answered by inzaratha 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it would be splashed all over the news, if a Republican's child screwed up. Remember Bush's daughter's? When they got drunk, the whole world knew about it.
In fact, we heard more about Bush's daughter's than we did when Bill Clinton's brother was busted for drug dealing, drug use, and the pardon he got from his brother, the Pres.
2007-07-21 06:07:51 · answer #7 · answered by xenypoo 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes and yes. Republicans are held responsible for actions of their relatives, yet democrats are not.
Honestly, the only thing that should be held against Gore is he raised a pompous kid and it shows he is a bad parent
2007-07-21 05:48:23 · answer #8 · answered by GOPneedsarealconservative 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Oh my god. I am so tired of hearing about the "liberal media". The media is dominated by conservatives and right wing nuts at that. There are no true liberals in the mainstream media, not one.
2007-07-22 10:52:13 · answer #9 · answered by Karen L 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hes 24 years old. his father stopped being responsible for his actions 6 years ago.
besides, your missing the fact that:
NO ONE CARES.
2007-07-21 05:15:41 · answer #10 · answered by Kevy 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋