How Eric Holder Defended the Crackdown on Medical Pot

[BridgeTheGap]

US Attorney General Eric Holder appeared before the House Judiciary Committee last Thursday and defended his Justice Department's crackdown on medical marijuana cultivation and distribution. Holder told committee members the agency was only targeting only those medical marijuana businesses that were "acting out of conformity… with state law."

That had medical marijuana defenders up in arms at what they called his falsehoods. Advocates pointed to numerous dispensaries and other medical marijuana-related enterprises that were operating in compliance with state laws and with the support of local elected officials that have been raided by the DEA or subjected to other federal enforcement actions.

Holder's comments came in response to questioning from Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), who pointed out that during his 2008 presidential campaign, Barack Obama had promised that he wouldn't use "Justice Department resources to try to circumvent state laws on this issue."

Holder agreed that the Justice Department had broken with Bush administration policy and promised not to go after people operating in compliance with state laws. But large-scale growers and dispensaries have "come up with ways in which they are taking advantage of these state laws and going beyond that which the states have authorized," Holder added. "Those are the only cases we've being going after."

http://www.alternet.org/story/155839/lies%3A_how_eric_holder_defended_the_crackdown_on_medical_pot?akid=8924.131855.cPucJW&rd=1&t=24

[WingDinger]

1. The chickenshit states are to blame.

In California, they had a wink nudge program. Unofficial lists of patients. With the lists existing only in the DRs, offices.

They were too afraid of the hot potato of Medical Marijuana advocacy and its backlash by puritans and busybodies to risk it.

So, the industry went willy nilly. All because of chickenshit pols.

[frylock]

2. holder is a lying ass piece of shit

[fe6252fes]

6. I'm with you completely on that one.

[mzmolly]

3. Sounds like some people are breaking the law?

Last I checked, the AG is supposed to concern himself with such people.

But large-scale growers and dispensaries have "come up with ways in which they are taking advantage of these state laws and going beyond that which the states have authorized,"

[Webster Green]

4. There are many, many legal dispensaries being shut down by the feds.

Holder is lying. Don't make the mistake of believing everything you read.

I'm in CA, watching as the DEA raids dispensaries that were in full compliance. One was busted in Sacramento the other day. They were totally legal (except for the draconian federal laws). The Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana in Fairfax, CA is another example. They were in full compliance, kept meticulous records, had a permit from the town, had the support of the local government, including the cops. They are now closed down because of federal harassment.

[fe6252fes]

7. ^this

[mzmolly]

9. ... is unsubstantiated.

[Webster Green]

11. No it isn't.

Legal dispensaries keep meticulous records of their activities. These documents will be evidence at trials, if the operators even get charged with anything. The fed's main objective is to shut down medicinal marijuana. Often, they just come in, steal all your product, your money, computers & records etc., and leave. In the case of the Marin Alliance, which had tremendous support from the local authorities, they chose to shut down after continuous harassment from the feds, including the threat to seize the landlord's property.

You can believe it or not, but those of us close to the action, know exactly what is going on. I can't imagine anyone assuming that whatever the government tells you must be true.

[mzmolly]

8. Link?

And, why would Holder give a rip about legal operations?

[Webster Green]

10. I don't understand why Holder is attacking legal dispensaries.

Maybe he's just a dickhead.

Here are links to news stories about the examples I gave:

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/12/4554830/sacramento-marijuana-dispensary.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/23/marin-alliance-for-medical-marijuana_n_1111071.html

I happen to be close to this movement. I worked at the Marin Alliance. I know for a fact that the DEA and the federal prosecutors are targeting legal operations.

Holder is lying, plain & simple.

[fe6252fes]

5. Great article about this issue.

[Webster Green]

12. Really?

Where?