FEDS THREATEN Medical Pot Dispensaries With 40-YEAR SENTENCES

[Segami]

.....But Bankers get a free pass...



In the latest act in the ongoing drama pitting federal drug laws against state legislation permitting the sale of marijuana, a U.S. attorney is threatening the landlords housing medical marijuana dispensaries with 40 years in federal prison. After ballot measures legalizing the sale and possession of recreational pot use passed in Colorado and Washington state, we wondered whether Obama’s second term would see the beginning of the end of the federal war on drugs.



But as the San Jose crackdown, among others, suggests, the Justice Department will not be backing down. In January, Southern California medical marijuana dispensary operator Aaron Sandusky was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for running a business deemed legal in his state since California legalized marijuana for qualified patients, caregivers and collectives in 1996 and 2003. Now, as the East Bay Express reported, “a new round of actions against lawful medical cannabis dispensaries in the South Bay” has begun following crackdowns in 2011:

Landlords are receiving threatening letters from US Attorney Melinda Haag, warning of forty-year-prison sentences if landlords do not evict their dispensary tenants…

In October 2011, Haag and three other US Attorneys declared war on California’s estimated $1.3 billion medical marijuana industry, threatening hundreds of landlords with forfeiture. Hundreds of dispensaries across the state moved or closed. Haag is attempting to seize Harborside Health Center in Oakland, as well as its sister club in San Jose.

Last year, California Gov. Jerry Brown asked the feds to call off their crackdown, saying California didn’t need “federal gendarmes” kicking in the doors of lawful businesses. In January, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano told a San Francisco crowd that Haag had “gone rogue,” adding, “I’m sorry a house fell on her sister,” alluding to the wicked witch in The Wizard of Oz. Last week, Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom called for decriminalizing, regulating, and taxing California’s multi-billion dollar marijuana industry.



http://www.eastbayexpress.com/LegalizationNation/archives/2013/04/30/breaking-news-san-jose-dispensary-landlords-threatened-with-40-years-prison-as-feds-marijuana-crackdown-continues

The second-term Obama administration was presented an aperture to push back against the ruinous war on drugs. The Department of Justice is choosing to continue to act against good reason and the general will.





http://www.salon.com/2013/04/30/feds_threaten_medical_pot_dispensaries_with_40_year_sentences/

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[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Obama could STOP this. Why on earth won't he?

It really pisses me off.

So much hypocrisy!

[Segami]

4. One needs to ask what or whom is the main driver

for Obama in the ongoing marijuana decisions.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. Exactly.

[SammyWinstonJack]

39. His corporate sponsors?

[DeSwiss]

13. Why won't he indeed.

Drug money saved banks in global crisis, claims UN advisor

[MellowYellow]

23. He won't stop it because it goes against everything he and every other politician

He won't stop it because it goes against everything he and every other politician believes in.. Their wallet.

It's in our face now. It's pretty clear, it's not about the country it's all about the money.

[TDale313]

2. I really don't understand

Why anyone thinks going after madical marijuana dispensaries is a good use of federal resources or taxpayer money. Smh.

[PSPS]

6. The ones they bust here are fronts

I can't speak about others but, where I live, there is the occasional raid of MMJ outfits. In every one of those cases, it turned out that the MMJ place wasn't operating as they were supposed to: dispensing to the sick on a non-profit basis. One guy whose outfit they closed had $600,000 in cash in the trunk of his Mercedes, for heaven's sake.

[Luminous Animal]

14. I'd love some links to news articles about these busts.

[DiverDave]

24. And where is he supposed to put it?

The feds have already said they will seize any "ill gotten gains"
No bank will open an account for a cannabis dispensary. lest they get taken over.
Meanwhile hsbc takes BILLIONS of mexican drug money...
So 600K seems to be alot, but with nowhere to put it where are they supposed to keep it?

[olddots]

3. Logic has died along with democracy .

[Go Vols]

5. :/

This shit is beyond fucked up.

[tblue]

7. DisaPOINted.

Again. Quelle surprise.

[Yo_Mama]

9. Oh, what purpose does this serve?

What the heck?

I am just so disgusted. There are days when it seems like the news is just a Monty Python sketch. This would be funny if it weren't true.

[Gravitycollapse]

10. Decriminalization means less money for the prison industry.

The federal government is merely protecting its corporate overlords.

[SammyWinstonJack]

41. Among others.......police unions, etc.

Disgusting!

[pacalo]

11. Is this the legacy that Eric Holder really wants as U.S. Attorney General, that he doesn't respect

state laws?

[cprise]

18. 20 Lobbyists Infesting The Obama Administration

http://www.businessinsider.com/meet-the-lobbyists-inside-the-obamas-administration?op=1

Holder was a lobbyist for biotech and pharma.

[pacalo]

30. U.S. attorneys are under Eric Holder.

And I don't appreciate being accused of lying.

[frylock]

33. if i were to be labled as a "rogue" system administrator, my employer would fire my ass tout-de-suit

tridim doesn't seem to understand that this "rogue" USA reports to Eric Holder, who in turn reports to Barack Obama. if she indeed has gone "rogue," then she should be termed immediately.

[pacalo]

47. I agree she should be terminated if she has gone rogue.

Thanks, frylock.

[JesterCS]

12. I just wrote an email to Pres Obama

about this whole "War on Drugs" thing. Granted its not likely that one person's email will change a mind, but I wanted to at least have him know my opinion

[Ichingcarpenter]

15. Obama's Pot Joke at the dinner

Didn't sit well with me or those that are prison.for pot.

[ReRe]

16. What gives with the whole medical marijuana issue?

Why does the Justice Dept have to come into the states and do what the states should be doing themselves, i.e. policing the medical pot dispensaries? Shouldn't the Dept of Justice confront the state instead of confronting the businesses themselves? I just don't get the reason behind this strong-arm business with the Justice Dept. And you're right... why doesn't the Justice Dept go after Wall Street where the real criminals are? What recourse does the American People have when the Justice Dept itself is corrupt? None.

[Fumesucker]

17. The judge who sold 5,000 kids to private prisons got 28 years

So we can see that selling marijuana is 150% worse than selling kids into slavery.

[frylock]

35. not selling marijuana, but merely leasing property to those that do sell it

[MindPilot]

37. the property owners have done nothing illegal

which is why they are threatened with property seizures instead of being arrested. In all the dispensaries that were closed in San Diego, I don't believe there was a single actual arrest.

[frylock]

43. correct. and i love the fact that Mayor Filner told that POS Goldsmith to back off..

I know of a couple dispensaries in town that have reopened.

[MindPilot]

45. Filner has my full support if for no other reason

than telling the red light camera extortionists to take a hike.

And this--I'm actually begining to like the guy.

[frylock]

46. too funny! i've been telling everyone the same thing..

between his dressing down of the city attorney, and his shutting down of red light cameras, this is one of the best votes I've ever cast!

[snort]

19. Assholes.

[TeamPooka]

20. Prohibition is a failed public policy...again. nt

[Poll_Blind]

21. You can ALWAYS count on Obama!!!! Woo hooo!

PB

[byeya]

25. The O-Man can be counted on to ignore the people when they speak out clearly and en masse.

Med. MJ is popular, needed, but only by people. It's not needed by the alcohol cartel and the tobacco companies.
And, as was pointed out, the for-profit prisons desperately need the non violent offenders. The overstaffed DEA needs these busts too.
It's sick and I'm sick that I was gullible enough to vote for him 2ce.

[tridim]

27. This article is about a rogue STATE attorney, not Obama..

Quit lying please.

[frylock]

36. this rogue STATE attorney, appointed by obama, reports to holder..

who in turn reports to obama. why does she still have a job if this doesn't jibe with current DOJ policy? feel free to IM your response.

[Warren DeMontague]

22. Your tax dollars at work.

Guess the sequester didn't come out of those budgets, eh?

[ananda]

28. Big banks/interests holding and laundering drug money..

.. own the WH and the DOJ, I presume.

[sorefeet]

29. TOO BIG TOO FAIL

America has no real jobs anymore. We have been sold down the road. To end the drug war would be catastrophic to the economy. Nixon signed it into law all by himself and Obama could sing it out with one signature BUT who wants to harm the economy more than it already is by doing what's right. People are now a commodity just like gasoline or food. The system is designed for X amount of slavery. The rich and the corporates know there is nothing left to exploit but the people for their profits. Keep the public mesmerized with trinkets, sugar, lots of propaganda and religion, It's the frog in the frying pan effect. And it's working. Keep the education weak.

[Marrah_G]

31. The President could put a stop to this

[colsohlibgal]

32. Ridiculously Wrong

Pot should be 100% legal. It's a win-win-win deal.

People murder people and spend much less than 40 years in jail.

[Nye Bevan]

34. The Fugitive Slave Law springs to mind here (nt)

[MindPilot]

38. Another broken Obama promise.

I'm so surprised...not.

[GeorgeGist]

40. But if you're an American war criminal ...

the President will praise your love of country.

[SammyWinstonJack]

42. heh

He was just praising his partner in crime.

[madville]

44. Federal Powers vs. States' Rights

States can make things legal all day, the Feds are still required to enforce Federal laws regardless of what the states do. Drugs, Guns, Abortion, pick your poison.

I support States' rights over Federal powers usually. I also believe all drugs should be legalized whatever their intended use.