Andrew Gillum enters rehab after being found unresponsive in Miami Beach hotel room
Andrew Gillum, 41, was the mayor of Tallahassee, Florida, from 2014 to 2018. His earlier political career saw him as a Tallahassee City Commissioner in 2003 for the next two years beginning when he was only 23 years old. In 2018, after winning the Democratic nomination to run for governor of Florida, he lost that close election to now Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Most recently, Gillum had been serving as a political correspondent with CNN.
In an astounding fall from grace that may have ended his political career forever, Gillum released a statement saying that he was entering rehab for alcohol abuse.
His statement, also shared by CBS News in Miami as well as on Facebook and Twitter, reads:
“After conversation with my family and deep reflection, I have made the decision to seek help, guidance and enter a rehabilitation facility at this time. This has been a wake-up call for me. Since my race for governor ended, I fell into a depression that has led to alcohol abuse. I witnessed my father suffer from alcoholism and I know the damaging effects it can have when untreated.
I also know that alcoholism is often a symptom of deeper struggles. I am committed to doing the personal work to heal fully and show up in the world as a more complete person. I now need to firmly focus on myself and my family. I will be stepping down from all public facing roles for the foreseeable future. I want to apologize to my family, friends and the people of Florida who have supported me and put their faith in me over the years. I ask that you respect my and my family’s privacy during this time. Thank you.”
The announcement released by Gillum on Sunday evening came close on the heels of an incident that went down Friday night in South Florida’s Miami Beach when police found him drunk and unresponsive in a hotel room. Gillum was in the company of a male companion; and police discovered several baggies of Crystal meth in the room.
After being called to that hotel room to provide a welfare check, police found Gillum in the bathroom of that hotel room – vomiting.
“Mr. Gillum was unable to communicate due to his inebriated state,” the police report shared by WSVN said.
Police say one of the men came into the hotel room and found Gillum and Travis Dyson, 30, apparently under the influence of an “unknown substance.” Officials began chest compressions on Dyson and he was taken to a hospital, where authorities say he is in stable condition.
Gillum said that he didn’t have anything to do with the crystal meth and hasn’t been charged with any crimes. According to CBS, Gillum said “While I had too much to drink, I want to be clear that I have never used methamphetamines. I apologize to the people of Florida for the distraction this has caused for our movement.”
For more on that incident that went down in Miami Beach with Andrew Gillum, see the video accompanying this article.
Written by: Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter
