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Attorney General Eric Holder is set to “clarify” his department’s stance on state medical marijuana laws in light of an increasing number of raids and threats against patients, caregivers and even state employees.
Shortly after President Obama took office in 2009, Attorney General Eric Holder issued his now infamous “Ogden memo.” In this memo, Holder ordered US Attorneys General to stop federal prosecutions of patients and caregivers in states where medical marijuana has been legalized.
But in recent months, these same US AG’s have unleashed an intense campaign of violence and intimidation on patients and caregivers. It seems as though, despite Holder’s clear directive two years ago, federal prosecutors are either confused about the department’s stance or have gone completely rogue.
The stories won’t stop piling up: the 26 year old Iraq War veteran gunned down by a SWAT team in Arizona during a botched raid in which no illegal evidence was uncovered; 28 raids in under 24 hours across Montana and California, crippling businesses and putting patients’ health and well-being in danger; threats to prosecute state employees for doing their jobs and implementing state law; and on, and on, and on.
These unfortunate events have begun to have a chilling effect on marijuana reform. In Washington, Governor Chris Gregoir has vetoed a bill for medical marijuana dispensaries, and in New Jersey, Governor Chris Christie is refusing to implement his state’s medical marijuana law — all due to the kinds of threats and intimidation coming from US Attorneys General.
But Holder’s silence surrounding these events has raised some alarming questions. Does Holder lack control over his prosecutors? Or is he quietly supporting their militant campaigns from the sidelines?
Hopefully, those questions will be answered as Holder is set to “clarify” his department’s stance on state medical marijuana laws as soon as today. Rep. Barney Frank and Rep. Jared Polis have sent a letter urging the administration to respect state medical marijuana laws and stick to the language and intent of their 2009 memo.
Click here to read the full letter and add your name.
Stay tuned for more information on AG Holder’s statement, possibly later this afternoon.
17 Comments
The number, violence and focus of these raids make clear that they are orchestrated from the very top. Launching them is policy, not against or inconsistent with policy. As for Mr. Holder, the White House has made him more of a placeholder as AG than ‘Fredo was for Shrub. Now that’s an accomplishment.
Maybe organizing to prevent said raids? Blockades? Something actually effective? I mean, these government criminals are hardly likely to respond to a stern letter, are they?
Yo eric there’s torturers and murders running around free. Get your priorities straight.
With the self confessed torturers, dick and george it’s a SLAM DUNK.
God manufactured the Marijuana, indict his ass.
Attorney general Eric Holder is currently in charge of a Grand Jury investigation of members of the peace and justice community. Specifically the AWC Anti-War Committee and WAMM Women Against Military Madness.
He is doing so under the very direct and personal authorization of president Obama himself.
That is how it works. So good luck on the petition attempt.
Stop begging Obama to do what is right.
He won’t. Organize to primary and/or run against him in the election.
Or stop complaining.
Obama appointed Michelle leonhart as chief of the DEA, a reefer madness fanatic with a long vhistory of witch hunting marijuana. And happy Al Franken was one of her enthusiastic supporters. Meantime support for full legalization is in the mid 40% range according to recent votes in California, Alaska, and Nevada. Democrats are stupid, nutless, gutless, and cruel.
AG Holder’s REAL christian name is “Place”. Where’s Bobby Kennedy when you need him, oh that’s right, he went to the place where all forthright people go…
“Democrats are stupid, nutless, gutless, and cruel.”
No they’re not, they’re doing what they’re told to do by the MOTU.
Got anything besides a petition for me to get on board with? Somehow it reminds me of the Lily Tomlin For President tv special, where Tess The Bag Lady said to Lily, “Hey, Lillian Tomlinson, I got people signin’ these partitions for ya”, while pushing partitions on wheels across the room. This petition and all others would do just as much good.
I think they fact that they are “doing what they’re told” shows that they are exactly “stupid, nutless, gutless” at the very least.
Point is that the administration / Holder himself said they will let the states decide how to regulate medical marijuana themselves and will end federal raids in states where it’s been legalized. If that’s indeed been kabuki, as i suspect it probably is, we’ll know for sure shortly.
These petitions create awareness and generate momentum behind the argument that states should be left to regulate without federal interference. As people share and spread them, so does the word and strength of the action.
Ron got his marijuana license a week ago. He has peripheral neuropathy. He is sleeping for the first time in years. Thank you, California. Back off, Feds.
There’s
“Holding them Accountable”
and
“Holder’s them Accountable”
One phrase means something. The other? Nothing at all.
If these dispensaries were paying right wing death squads to assassinate union organizers and protect profits, Holder would probably work out a very favorable deal…
I will always add my voice (right now it’s all I can add) to the call for legalization but lets not kid ourselves. With the 100′s of billions of dollars at stake it’s not going to happen.
Like dominoes everything to the left of Obama is falling, falling, falling. One thing after another.
You can bet the booze and pharma companies are behind this assault on medical marijuana. And you can bet Obama said, as they passed him the money: “Yes master, anything else, master?”
I’ll sign the petition anyway.
I told him. He didn’t listen.
ASA, Americans for Safe Access, pronounced Asa as in Hutchinson, organizes blockades at a moment’s notice. They’ve been pretty effective shaming these rogue operators.