New York state Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan has revealed that he recently completed an alcohol treatment program.
The Long Island Republican issued a statement Sunday after Newsday was set to report the news.
In the statement, Flanagan said "alcohol was becoming a crutch to deal with pressure" he was under related to his responsibilities as majority leader. He said he entered the program last month shortly after the close of the 2017 legislative session.
The politician said he hoped his actions serve as a reminder to all who use alcohol to confront stress and urged those with addiction to seek help.
Flanagan was first elected to the New York state Senate in the fall of 2002.
He has floated the idea of running for governor in 2018. Gov. Andrew Cuomo tweeted his support for Flanagan’s recovery.
Alcoholism is a disease. @LeaderFlanagan deserves our respect & support for seeking help & for talking about it as an example for others.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) August 6, 2017
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