Tuesday January 29 2:55 PM ET

President Bush's Niece Arrested on Drug Charge

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Reuters) - Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's daughter Noelle, who is the niece of President Bush (news - web sites), was arrested on Tuesday on a charge of fraudulently trying to obtain the prescription anti-anxiety drug Xanax, police said.

Noelle Bush, 24, was arrested shortly after 1 a.m. on a charge of prescription fraud outside a pharmacy in the state capital, Tallahassee, police said. She was handcuffed and taken to the Leon County Jail and later released.

The governor, who is the president's younger brother, released a statement saying he and his wife Columba were ''deeply saddened'' over the incident.

``This is a very serious problem. Unfortunately substance abuse is an issue confronting many families across our nation,'' the statement said. ``We ask the public and the media to respect our family's privacy during this difficult time so that we can help our daughter.''

Asked about the arrest later at an unrelated news conference, the governor said only: ``It's a private matter. It's really hard.''

According to the arrest report, a woman phoned in the prescription to a pharmacy in Tallahassee, leaving the information on two voice mail messages. The pharmacist said he became suspicious because the caller did not specify a quantity, and checked with the answering service of the doctor who supposedly prescribed the drug.

Another doctor there told him the doctor in question ``is moving and isn't really practicing now and said it was a fake and to bust her,'' according to the police report.

When Noelle Bush came to the drive-through window to pick up the prescription, the pharmacist phoned police and she was arrested, the report said. Police took the voice mail recording as evidence and said the voice on the tape and Noelle Bush's voice ``appear identical,'' according to the arrest report.

Noelle is the governor's middle child. The couple also have two sons -- George P., aged 25, and Jeb Jr., 18. The arrest report listed Noelle's address as an apartment complex in Tallahassee.

President Bush's twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara, were arrested in 2001 on charges of underage drinking.

Xanax is the brand name for the anti-anxiety drug known generically as alprozalam, widely prescribed for short-term treatment of anxiety and panic attacks. It is made by Pharmacia Corp., though the generic version has been available from several manufacturers for about 10 years.

-- (repugs@lousy.parents), January 29, 2002

Answers

-- (repug@white.trash), January 29, 2002.

She looks mulatto. Be careful who you call white trash.

-- (Algernon C. Braithewaite III @ Cambridge.MA), January 29, 2002.

You might be right. I seem to recall Jebro fooling around with one of his slaves about 24 years ago.

-- (Jebro's @ nextdoor. neighbor), January 29, 2002.

Jeb is married to a woman of Hispanic origin.

Duh.

-- Buddy (buddydc@go.com), January 29, 2002.