CNN political commentator and former Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum announced Sunday he would enter rehab for alcohol abuse, following his involvement in a suspected crystal meth incident last week.
"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 statement. "This has been a wake-up call for me."
Gillum, who added he would exit public life for the immediate future, has served as a primetime commentator for CNN since January 2019. According to IQ Media, he most recently appeared on the network on March 4 to discuss the Super Tuesday primary results. He was mayor of Tallahassee from 2014 to 2018.
According to a police report, Gillum vomited in a bathroom and was too inebriated to communicate with authorities, who were called after a suspected drug overdose by 30-year-old Travis Dyson on Friday in a Miami Beach hotel room.
Another man in the room, Aldo Mejias, called the paramedics after Dyson became unresponsive, and he later told police he believed Gillum and Dyson were "under the influence of an unknown substance." Gillum confirmed on Friday he was in the room, but he denied using meth and said he'd had "too much to drink" after celebrating a wedding.
Dyson, who recovered from the suspected overdose, told the Miami New Times he hadn't heard Gillum mention celebrating a wedding that night.
Gillum said in his statement Sunday that he fell into a depression after his narrow loss in the 2018 Florida governor's race, which led him to abuse alcohol. He said his father also suffered from alcoholism.
"I want to apologize to my family, friends and the people of Florida who have supported me and put their faith in me over the years," Gillum said.