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Rush Limbaugh announces end of his third marriage

Rush Limbaugh announced that he and Marta, his wife of a decade, will divorce. The radio commentator entered drug rehab in October.
/ Source: The Associated Press

Conservative radio commentator Rush Limbaugh announced Friday that he and his wife, Marta, are divorcing.

The Limbaughs “mutually decided to end their marriage of 10 years” and have “separated pending an amicable resolution,” according to a statement released by Limbaugh’s publicist.

It was the third marriage for both Limbaugh, 53, and his 44-year-old wife, who were wed May 27, 1994 at the Virginia home of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Thomas officiated the ceremony.

The couple shared a $24 million oceanfront mansion in Palm Beach. Limbaugh often broadcasts his daily three-hour show from a Palm Beach studio.

Spokesman Tony Knight said the divorce was a personal matter and declined further comment.

The past several months have been difficult for the politically and socially conservative Limbaugh, who announced in October that he was entering drug rehabilitation because he was addicted to prescription painkillers.

At the same time, West Palm Beach prosecutors announced they were investigating whether Limbaugh illegally went “doctor shopping” to obtain the pills. The practice refers to visiting several doctors to receive duplicate prescriptions of controlled narcotics.

Limbaugh, who has not been charged with any crime, has repeatedly fought back against the charges and negative publicity he’s received over the matter.

Last month, he took out full-page ads in two Florida newspapers to attack prosecutors for mounting what he called a politically motivated investigation. He also regularly lashes out against prosecutors and reporters and defends himself during his show.

The criminal case against Limbaugh is on hold pending a decision from a Florida appeals court. It will decide whether the seizure of Limbaugh’s medical records, which were taken by investigators in November, violated privacy laws.

Prosecutors say they need the records to determine whether to bring charges against Limbaugh.