Cocaine, Blackmail and a Political Scandal

Two years after the cocaine scandal, Liam Kelly tells his side of the story and talks about attempted extortion, alcoholism and his decision to retire from politics.

Jason O'Toole, 04 Nov 2008

Liam Kelly was once described as the golden boy of Fianna Fáil. He was even regarded by his local Cumann as the inevitable successor to his senior constituency colleague, Minister Pat Carey. However, Kelly’s political career was left in tatters after a damaging photograph, in which he appeared to be snorting cocaine, was published by the tabloids in 2006.

The grainy, low-quality picture – which was snapped on a mobile phone – showed the councillor with a straw in his nostril, inhaling a white substance. If the damning photograph was not enough evidence, the fact that he refused – until now – to publicly comment on the scandal only compounded his apparent guilt.

However, it has now emerged that the 38-year-old politician was “ordered” not to speak because a Garda investigation was in progress; Fianna Fáil was also conducting its own internal enquiry, following his suspension from the party. The way Kelly tells it, he blacked out on the night in question as a result of his alcoholism. He may well have snorted something – the photograph may be murky, but he was clearly photographed in the act of snorting – but he subsequently presented the authorities with a toxicology report stating that there was no trace of cocaine in his system, shortly afterwards. The Garda inquiry concluded that the photograph – however it came about – was used to blackmail the councillor. A suspect with a record for extortion was arrested but has since absconded, prompting the courts to issue a bench warrant for his arrest.

For some inexplicable reason, the Fianna Fáil inquiry took substantially longer than the Garda investigation. In fact, it only concluded last week: Kelly was exonerated and welcomed back into the political frame – on the bizarre condition, Hot Press has established, that he apologise for any embarrassment to the party and not speak publicly about the scandal.

This latter condition was the final straw for Kelly, who felt it would be impossible to remain silent forever about the incriminating photograph. In a move that is sure to shock his party colleagues, Kelly has now decided to retire from political life and wants to tell his side of the story in an effort to clear his name.

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