Gillum's Overdosed 'Friend' Was Actually a Gay Sex Worker: Report
More details about former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, who narrowly lost the Florida gubernatorial race in 2018, and the “inebriated state” he was found in early Friday morning have been released.
Gillum was found in a Mondrian South Beach Hotel room in Miami Beach with Travis Dyson, a 30-year-old who identifies himself as a “pornstar performer,” according to WPLG, which cited his profile on a gay male escort website called Rent Men.
The news outlet also said Dyson had shared videos of himself with a muscular man identified as his boyfriend on social media, but his Instagram page appears to have been taken down as of Saturday morning.
According to police documents, police responded to a cardiac-arrest distress call at around 1 a.m. and the Miami Beach Fire-Rescue was on scene treating Dyson for a possible drug overdose, the Miami New Times reported.
The police report said three bags of what was suspected to be crystal methamphetamine were also found “in plain sight.”
Aldo Mejias, who said he had lent Dyson his credit card information to rent a hotel room Friday afternoon, told responding officers that when he arrived at the hotel room at around 11 p.m., Dyson collapsed on a bed and began vomiting.
Gillum also appeared to be “under the influence of an unknown substance” and vomited in the bathroom while Mejias gave Dyson CPR, Mejias said.
#BREAKING: Andrew Gillum was in an "inebriated state" on scene of "possible drug overdose" at Mondrian South Beach Hotel early this morning with "clear plastic baggies containing suspected crystal meth," according to @MiamiBeachPD report
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The police report also said that officers had attempted to speak with Gillum, but he “was unable to communicate with officers due to his inebriated state.”
In a statement Friday, Gillum denied using methamphetamines.
“I was in Miami last night for a wedding celebration when first responders were called to assist one of my friends,” he said, according to Miami Herald reporter David Smiley.
“While I had too much to drink, I want to be clear that I have never used methamphetamines.”
He added, “I apologize to the people of Florida for the distraction this has caused our movement.”
"I apologize to the people of Florida for the distraction this has caused our movement. I’m thankful to the incredible Miami Beach EMS team for their efforts. I will spend the next few weeks with my family and appreciate privacy during this time."
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When the Miami New Times reached out to Dyson, he seemed confused by Gillum’s wedding explanation.
“I personally was not celebrating a wedding. I don’t know if [Gillum] was in town for a wedding. He did not mention that,” Dyson said.
He added that he and Gillum have “been friends for a while,” knowing each other since around last spring.
