Does the United States let famous people off to easy?

It is no secret that people with money and whom are famous have a little more leeway in the results of their actions. I was watching the news recently and they were talking about Foley and they were mentioning his attornies attempt at chalking all those emails and Foley's actions up to an alcoholic problem. He mentioned that he had checked into a rehab.

It seems that celebrities are always quick to check themselves into rehabs when they screw up. Mel Gibson comes to mind. It is as if just going to Rehab is enough.

Do you think the press/americans go easier on celebs who enter rehab? Some chalk it up to them only entering in hopes that when they get out there will be another story that pushes their latest screw out of the daily talk shows. Most of the time this is the case since there seems to always be news of celebrities screwing up.