Rice
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Kathleen Rice, the Democratic candidate for New York attorney general, admitted Tuesday to trying both marijuana and cocaine in college.
The Nassau County district attorney told the New York Daily News she did the drugs "a handful" of times in her early 20s.
"It was one of those stupid things that people do in their life and you regret and you move on," said Rice, after speaking with the newspaper's editorial board.
Rice, a graduate of Catholic University in Washington, said she is opposed to legalizing drugs.
"I've seen too much, and too close up, the damage they do to communities and families and public safety," she said.
Eric Phillips, Rice's campaign spokesman, said Wednesday the candidate has talked about her recreational drug use before.
"It was a mistake and she regrets it," Phillips said in a statement.
Rice, 45, is facing four other Democratic candidates for the attorney general nomination. However, she is considered by some to be the race's frontrunner, with the largest campaign fund and support of current New York Attorney General and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Cuomo.
For Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by e-mail at jessica@legalnewsline.com.