JEB'S SON...BUSTED!

John Ellis Bush, the 21-year-old son of Governor Jeb, was arrested early Friday in Austin, Texas and charged with public intoxication and resisting arrest.

According to the Austin American-Statesman, the President's nephew was apprehended by officers of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission in the Texas capitol's Sixth Street bar district at about 2:30 AM Friday morning. He had approached a group of law enforcement officers and asked about an earlier arrest of people he knew and was observed to be drunk. They were not aware of who he was until after he had been arrested, and viewed his Florida drivers license.

Bush allegedly pushed a TABC officer who was trying to handcuff him, and continued to push against the officer as he was being restrained at the Austin Police van. During the arrest, Bush suffered a cut on the chin and was treated at a local hospital before being taken to the Travis County Jail. Although bail was set at $2,500, he was released on his own recognizance about 10:30 AM.

Jeb! said his son was "doing fine". According to the St. Petersburg Times:

"It's a private matter. We will support him. We're sad for him. But I'm not going to discuss it on the public square."

It's not the first time Florida's first family has experienced legal problems with a child.

Noelle Bush, the governor's daughter, was arrested in January 2002 and accused of trying to pass a fraudulent prescription at a Tallahassee pharmacy to obtain the antianxiety drug Xanax. She completed a drug rehabilitation program in August 2003 and a judge dismissed the charges.

She was sent to jail twice for violating rules during her rehabilitation.

Actually, Norwood asks an excellent question:

What’s this healthy 21 year old son of a war supporter doing drinking himself silly in Austin when he could be leading a platoon in Iraq or, at the very least, helping out some people in a real jam?