Rep. Trey Radel of Florida announced that he would be taking a leave of absence from office on Wednesday, Nov. 20. This announcement was made following an earlier arrest in which Radel was charged with the possession of cocaine. The congressman has since pled guilty to the charges, for which he was put on one year of probation and fined $250 — a seemingly low punishment.

Having only been in congressional office for 10 months, it does not seem to have taken Radel long to betray the trust of his constituents. Since the arrest, he has not stepped down from his position, though many Floridians have called for such.

House Speaker John Boehner has not said whether or not he believes Radel should be punished for his actions, and some of his statements seem to contradict themselves. USA Today reported him to have said in his weekly press conference, “I believe that members of Congress should be held to the highest ethical standards,” which, it would seem, calls for Radel’s punishment. However, he follows that with, “the issue is between he and his family and his constituents.”

Though Boehner is not willing to make a clear statement, others are; the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington feel that if Radel is not forced to resign, he should be expelled.

Radel may be taking some time off, but according to all reports he has given no sign that he intends to resign of his own accord. During his leave of absence, Radel will undergo intensive treatment and will donate his congressional salary to charity the meantime. He has additionally made public statements issuing apologies to both his constituents and his family.

Despite these well-meant gestures, it simply is not enough. Though Radel seemingly only purchased cocaine for personal use, and though many may have conflicting views of the illegality of personal drug use, the fact remains that it is against the law.

Though prosecutors say that Radel was not given special leniency as a result of his office, the results of his charges seem minor indeed — what is a $250 fine to a congressman? That is hardly fit punishment at all.

Illegal drug use by any individual is bad and punishable by law, but Radel’s case has an ironic layer of hypocrisy on top of it. In September, Radel was one of the representatives who voted for Republican legislation that would require food stamp recipients to take and pass a drug test before receiving their federal aid. Apparently, it is necessary that the underprivileged be drug-free, though those in power are held to other standards.

Radel has even referred to his drug use as a “disease,” implying that his abuse of the substance is somewhat beyond his control, necessitating professional help. If this is true, why would he vote for such strict measures against lower classes caught up in the “disease” of drug use?

Though obviously the use of cocaine goes beyond personal beliefs, candidates’ policies should at least reflect their own beliefs and actions, as well as those of their constituents. By voting for the drug test legislation, Radel acted in such a way that was supposed to represent his constituents. Equally so, his actions in illicit drug use could be seen as a representation of his constituents, or at the very least his disregard for them.

It could be argued that his personal habits or activities do not matter if Radel is capable of representing Florida well and doing a good job as a congressman. Surely, his capabilities as a politician are more important than his personal extracurricular activities, right?

However, if we cannot hold our legislators to the standards which they themselves help create, what standards can we hold them to? Perhaps it is politicians’ primary responsibility to lead and represent, but as our leaders, they should follow our society’s code of ethics.