PALM BEACH, Fla. -- A day after he quit his job as a football commentator for ESPN, radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh hired prominent Florida attorney Roy Black to represent him in a Palm Beach illicit drug probe.

Palm Beach County law enforcement sources confirmed that officials are investigating a claim by a former maid that conservative radio talk show host, and former ESPN commentator, Rush Limbaugh allegedly bought prescription drugs on the black market in Florida, published reports say.

The Miami Herald reported Thursday that the investigation, news of which first broke in the National Enquirer tabloid, began after Wilma Cline, a former housekeeper for Limbaugh, told the FBI she helped supply Limbaugh with the highly addictive drugs OxyContin and hydrocodone. According to the paper, Cline claimed she made the black market purchases in such locations as a Denny's restaurant parking lot, and that she wore a surveillance wire during at least two of the purchases.

Limbaugh resigned Thursday as an ESPN sports analyst following an uproar over racially-charged comments he made about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. News of the South Florida investigation broke just hours later.

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Limbaugh at first refused to respond to the story in The New York Daily News, which cited an unnamed source in reporting that Limbaugh was subject of an investigation by the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office, allegations first made by the Enquirer.

But Premiere Radio Networks, which syndicates the politically focused "Rush Limbaugh Show," issued a statement from Limbaugh earlier Thursday saying: "I am unaware of any investigation by any authority involving me. No government representative has contacted me directly or indirectly. If my assistance is required, I will, of course, cooperate fully."

The Enquirer claims Cline supplied Limbaugh with hundreds of thousands of prescription painkillers while working at his oceanfront mansion in Palm Beach.

The Enquirer's editor-in-chief, David Perel said the FBI and the Palm Beach state attorney are investigating the allegations, but Perel said Cline is a solid witness.

"She knew everything since she was supplying drugs," Perel said.

The Enquirer had interviewed Wilma Cline, who reportedly said Limbaugh had abused OxyContin and other painkillers. A Miami lawyer for Cline, Ed Shohat, did not immediately return a phone message to the AP Thursday.

Shohat's office did issue a statement, however, saying, "Mr. Shohat is not discussing the Limbaugh case beyond saying his client stands behind the Enquirer story. Neither Mr. Shohat nor his client are giving interviews or further statements regarding this matter at the present time."

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Limbaugh Drug Investigation

CNN reported Thursday that unnamed sources close to the investigation said Limbaugh had turned up as a buyer of powerful painkillers but that he was not the target of the investigation. But Perel said Cline was Limbaugh's supplier.

"For a period of four years she supplied Rush Limbaugh with prescription drugs, with OxyContin, with hydrocone, with Lurocet, and he developed an amazing dependency on these pills and he went through detoxification twice."

Mike Edmondson, a spokesman for the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office, told The Associated Press early Thursday that his office could neither confirm nor deny that an investigation was under way.

Limbaugh Steps Down From ESPN

Limbaugh stepped down from the sports network's "Sunday NFL Countdown" late Wednesday, three days after saying on the show that McNabb was overrated because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed.

"The great people at ESPN did not want to deal with this kind of reaction," Limbaugh told the National Association of Broadcasters at its convention in Philadelphia on Thursday. "The path of least resistance became for me to resign."

Limbaugh did not immediately address media reports that began surfacing Wednesday that said he was under investigation in Palm Beach County, Florida for allegedly illegally obtaining and abusing prescription painkillers.

On Wednesday, McNabb said he didn't mind criticism of his performance, but was upset Limbaugh made his race an issue and said it was too late for an apology.

"It's somewhat shocking to hear that on national TV from him," McNabb said. "It's not something that I can sit here and say won't bother me."

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Chris Berman, who anchors the ESPN show, said he did not believe Limbaugh's tone or intent was malicious.

"As cut and dry as it seems in print, I didn't think so when it went by my ears," Berman said. "I probably should have looked to soften it."

Democratic presidential candidates Wesley Clark, Howard Dean and the Rev. Al Sharpton had called for ESPN to fire Limbaugh over the remarks. The NAACP also condemned Limbaugh's remarks, calling them "bigoted and ignorant."

Talking about the ESPN comments, Limbaugh said Thursday he had thought about the issue the night before making the comments. He said he was used to scrutiny after 15 years in radio and expects to get attention.

"I figured if I'm going to do this (the ESPN show) I should be who I am," he said.

Limbaugh has denied that his comments were racially motivated.

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"I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well," Limbaugh said on Sunday's show. "There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team."

About a half-dozen people protested outside the convention.

George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN and ABC Sports, accepted Limbaugh's resignation Wednesday. ABC and ESPN are owned by Walt Disney Co.

"We regret the circumstances surrounding this," Bodenheimer said. "We believe that he took the appropriate action to resolve this matter expeditiously."

Limbaugh is the radio host of the politically focused "Rush Limbaugh Show," syndicated in more than 650 markets. ESPN spokesman Dave Nagle said ratings for "Sunday NFL Countdown" were up 10 percent overall since Limbaugh joined the show this year.