It was only a matter of time before the familiar “entering rehab” and “apologize to my family” excuse was trotted out by former Florida gubernatorial candidate and CNN contributor, Andrew Gillum.

After being discovered naked in a hotel room with an overdosed gay male escort and three bags of crystal meth next to the bed, Andrew Gillum says he is withdrawing from public life to deal with “deeper struggles”. Go figure:

TALLAHASSEE — Andrew Gillum said he would withdraw from public life, closing a chapter in his career that took him from the peak of Florida power to a Miami Beach hotel room where he was found inebriated with a man suspected of overdosing on crystal meth.

“This has been a wake-up call for me,” the former Tallahassee mayor said in a written statement Sunday. “Since my race for governor ended, I fell into a depression that has led to alcohol abuse. I witnessed my father suffer from alcoholism and I know the damaging effects it can have when untreated. I also know that alcoholism is often a symptom of deeper struggles.“

“I will be stepping down from all public facing roles for the foreseeable future,” he wrote.

Gillum said he would enter a rehabilitation facility. He apologized and asked for privacy.

The one-time gubernatorial candidate will give up the reins of Forward Florida, a political committee he founded to register and motivate voters to defeat President Donald Trump in the battleground state.

He also is stepping back from CNN, where he was paid commentator, a gig that made him a familiar face in the living rooms of voters.

Gillum’s friends say he’s been withdrawn from them, too, as he grapples with the destruction of his career and the challenge to his marriage. (read more)