Rush Limbaugh’s longtime drug supplier Wilma Cline has angrily denied his lawyer’s claim that she and her husband tried to blackmail the conservative talk show host.
Wilma, Rush’s former housekeeper, spoke out as a judge in West Palm Beach, Fla., dealt Limbaugh, 53, a major blow by ruling that his medical records could be examined by prosecutors as part of an “ongoing criminal investigation.”
It was the second setback for Limbaugh in 24 hours: Earlier a spokeswoman for his radio network revealed that behind the scenes his attorneys were trying to work out a plea bargain on charges of “doctor shopping” for pain pills — a form of prescription fraud.
As the embattled radio pundit fought to keep his medical records secret, his nationally known attorney Roy Black made the stunning claim that Wilma, 42, and her husband David demanded $4 million to keep his pill addiction secret.
“Blackmail never crossed our minds — we went to the authorities because we finally decided it was the right thing to do!” a shocked Wilma told The ENQUIRER.
And her attorney Ed Shohat told The ENQUIRER: “The Clines absolutely deny any allegation of blackmail.
“They turned over hundreds of e-mails and phone recordings to the prosecutors in which Rush Limbaugh never once referred to being blackmailed — or even implied that there was any pressure being brought on him whatsoever.
“Rather, he was only interested in getting his hands on more pills.”
The ENQUIRER revealed in a world exclusive story in October that in 2002, after Rush had been detoxed for the second time, he sent his attorney to Wilma’s home to pay her the $80,000 he owed her for supplies of illegal painkillers. Four months later, Wilma told prosecutors, she was called to the attorney’s office, handed another check for $100,000 — and asked never to supply him with pills again.
“On both occasions, the attorney demanded that she sign a promissory note to make the money look like a loan,” said attorney Shohat. “He claims he’s being blackmailed, yet he forces the supposed blackmailers to sign a promissory note? It doesn’t make sense.
“Limbaugh is desperately trying to deflect attention from what he did onto the Clines. But his own paperwork is going to refute his allegation.”
— DAVID WRIGHT
