McClellan: 'Don't know facts' about Kennedy crash

Today, presidential press secretary Scott McClellan, at the last White House press briefing of his tenure, had little to say about the accident Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., had yesterday morning on Capitol Hill.

Kennedy said today he is departing this afternoon for Minnesota's Mayo Clinic to receive treatment for an ongoing addiction – this after questions were raised about his possibly receiving special treatment by police after the suspicious car wreck.

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WND was the only reporter in a packed briefing room to ask about the Kennedy controversy.

Asked WND: "There are reports of further misconduct by Congressman Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island including driving at night with car lights off, nearly colliding with a police car, smashing a security barrier, emerging from the vehicle staggering, and telling officers he's a congressman late to a vote at 2:45 a.m., six hours after the House had adjourned. As spokesman for the nation's chief law enforcement, why wasn't this congressman subjected to sobriety testing since he was involved in another car accident two weeks before in Rhode Island?"

Responded McClellan: "I think that's a matter to refer to the appropriate law enforcement officials or the congressman's office."

"But the chief law enforcement, you're his spokesman," pressed WND.

"We don't know the facts. We do not know the facts relating to this, Les," said the spokesman.

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Kennedy said this afternoon he is suffering the "reoccurrence of an addiction problem," which can be "triggered by things that happen in everyday life" such as taking the anti-nausea drug he requires for a chronic illness. The lawmaker said he did not remember getting in his car and driving to the Capitol.

WND also asked McClellan about the case of Lt. Gordon James Klingenschmitt, a Navy chaplain who has been charged with disobeying orders after wearing his uniform at a press conference outside the White House.

"Yesterday, the president prayed with those gathered inside the White House for the National Day of Prayer," WND said, "yet Chaplain Klingenschmitt faces a possible court-martial for attending a press conference outside the White House in uniform in which he prayed. And my question, will the president ask the secretary of the Navy to dismiss the charge against the chaplain so he can freely pray –"

Interrupted McClellan: "Les, I think this gets into area of chain of command matters of which I cannot get into. … There are rules in place when it comes to issues like this relating to the military. So I don't think I can comment further on that matter."

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