Post-Rehab Trey Radel Still Wants Drug Testing for Food Stamp Recipients and Legislators

Florida Congressman Trey Radel is out of rehab following his guilty plea to a cocaine possession misdemeanor charge.

Florida Rep. Trey Radel is out of rehab following his guilty plea to a cocaine possession misdemeanor charge. Radel, addressing reporters on Thursday, indicated that he's still going to stay in office: "I love what I do, and I'm going to return to what I do," he said, adding that "my recovery is underway and it's ongoing." Radel also said that he "reconnect[ed] with my spiritual side." And he's still pretty keen on supporting drug tests for food stamps beneficiaries — just as long as members of Congress are tested as well. 

Radel was asked by a reporter about calls for his resignation following his guilty plea, especially because the Republican congressman voted for a provision that would require food stamp recipients to submit to a drug test. "With drug testing for food stamps — I think members of Congress can and should be tested as well, and maybe it'll help someone else in the future," he said. In September, the congressman voted for a sweeping food stamps bill that would allow states to test food stamp recipients for drugs. 

Radel also told reporters that "alcohol does not work with me," specifying that he would continue treatment for alcoholism. He was tight-lipped on the details of his past drug use, saying that he's done cocaine "a handful of times," and that he didn't do cocaine with other members of Congress.