Former Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum arrested on drug charges
Andrew Gillum, a former Florida Democratic gubernatorial nominee and co-host of the podcast "Native Land," was arrested in Alabama last week on charges of drug possession.
Gillum, 46, was narrowly defeated by Republican Ron DeSantis in Florida’s 2018 gubernatorial election — losing the race by a mere 34,000 votes, or just 0.4%. At the time, he was mayor of Tallahassee and was considered a rising star in the Democratic Party, but he has been undone by scandal and personal crises in the years since.
The disgraced former candidate was taken into custody in Daphne on Thursday after officers with the Daphne Police Department conducted a traffic stop due to Gillum’s alleged erratic driving, according to a police statement obtained by FOX 13.
Gillum, in addition to co-hosting "Native Land" with Angela Rye and Bakari Sellers, is also a former CNN political commentator.
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Officers noticed "a glass pipe on the center console of the vehicle" Gillum was allegedly driving, prompting police to search the car, according to authorities.
"Several rolled marijuana cigarettes and three packages of a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine were recovered," police said.
Immediately after the search, Gillum was booked into the Daphne City Jail on charges of unlawful possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana, according to documents obtained by FOX 13.
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He was later transported to the Baldwin County Correctional Facility and released later the same day, according to jail records.
If convicted on the marijuana charge, Gillum could face up to one year behind bars and a fine of $6,000.
Gillum made headlines in 2020 after he was found inebriated in a Miami Beach hotel with someone who had apparently overdosed on drugs. Later that year, the father of three came out as bisexual.
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No charges were filed stemming from the Miami Beach incident, but Gillum withdrew from public life shortly after to seek treatment for alcohol abuse and depression.
"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," Gillum said in a written statement.
"This has been a wake-up call for me," he added. "Since my race for governor ended, I fell into a depression that has led to alcohol abuse."
Two years later, Gillum was accused of conspiring with his mentor, Sharon Lettman-Hicks, to misuse campaign funds for personal use. He was acquitted of charges of lying to the FBI, and federal prosecutors subsequently dropped the other charges against him after a mistrial was declared.
Fox News Digital reached out to Gillum for comment.
