Denver DEA Rep: Don't Legalize It |
Posted by CN Staff on August 27, 2006 at 09:43:05 PT By Ryan Morgan, Camera Staff Writer Source: Daily Camera Colorado -- The Drug Enforcement Agency is stepping into the political fray to oppose a statewide ballot issue that would legalize possession of small amounts of marijuana. In an e-mail to political campaign professionals, an agent named Michael Moore asks for help finding a campaign manager to defeat the measure, which voters will consider in November. If passed, it would allow people 21 and older to have up to 1 ounce of marijuana. In the e-mail, which was sent from a U.S. Department of Justice account, Moore also writes that the group has $10,000 to launch the campaign. He asks those interested in helping to call him at his DEA office. That has members of Safer Colorado, the group supporting the marijuana legalization measure, crying foul. The government has no business spending the public's money on politics, they said. Steve Fox, the group's executive director, said members of the executive branch, including the DEA, should leave law-making to legislators. "Taxpayer money should not be going toward the executive branch advocating one side or another," Fox said. "It's a wholly inappropriate use of taxpayer money." Jeff Sweetin, the special agent in charge of the Denver office of the DEA, said voters have every right to change the laws. And the law allows his agency to get involved in that process to tell voters why they shouldn't decriminalize pot. "My mantra has been, 'If Americans use the democratic process to make change, we're in favor of that,'" he said. "We're in favor of the democratic process. But as a caveat, we're in favor of it working based on all the facts." Sweetin said the $10,000 the committee has to spend came from private donations, including some from agents' own accounts. He said the DEA isn't trying to "protect Coloradans from themselves" but that the agency is the expert when it comes to drugs. "The American taxpayer does have a right to have the people they've paid to become experts in this business tell them what this is going to do," he said. "They should benefit from this expertise." That argument threatens states' rights to make their own laws, says Safer's Fox. "By this logic, federal funds could be used by the executive branch without limitation to campaign for or against state ballot initiatives," he said. "Our federalist system is based on the notion that states can establish their own laws without federal interference. The DEA ... is thumbing its nose at the citizens of Colorado and the U.S. Constitution." State and federal law take different approaches to whether government employees should be allowed to mix work and politics. Colorado law prohibits state employees from advocating for or against any political issue while on the job, and also bars those employees from using government resources — including phone and e-mail accounts — for any kind of political advocacy. But federal law — which governs what DEA agents can do — is different. The Hatch Act, passed in 1939 and amended in 1993, governs most political speech. Passed in the wake of patronage scandals in which the party in power would use government money and staff to campaign against the opposition, the law is mostly aimed at partisan political activity, said Ken Bickers, a University of Colorado political science professor. While the act's prohibitions against on-the-job partisan politicking are strict, for the most part it allows federal employees to take part in non-partisan politics. And it's mostly silent on non-partisan ballot measures. "I'm not sure that this doesn't slide through the cracks in the Hatch Act," Bickers said. "The Hatch Act isn't about political activity — it's about partisan political activity. Since this is a ballot initiative, and there's no party affiliation attached to it, that part of the Hatch Act probably wouldn't be violated." An official from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, the federal agency charged with investigating violations of the act, said in a statement last week that the DEA hasn't run afoul of Hatch. Note: Agent seeks support to fight proposed legislation. Newshawk: Global_Warming Related Articles & Web Site: Safer Choice Legalizing Pot Would Hurt Kids, and Here's Why Colorado Voters To Consider MJ Legalization Marijuana Amendment Will Be On Ballot Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
Comment #21 posted by FoM on August 27, 2006 at 13:43:44 PT |
I think because the program might no handle this in the subject line: " " " " I didn't know how to show you any other way. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #20 posted by whig on August 27, 2006 at 13:42:12 PT |
If you are familiar with Asimov then I think you should understand my metaphor that I used the other day. We are the Second Church of Christ. Remember Foundation, and how there was a Second Foundation that was created actually at the very beginning, but was meant to stay hidden until a later time thousands of years in the future? Remember Psychohistory? We did that. We did it two thousand years ago. We built the Foundation (the Church) and the Second Foundation (the Church that keeps the sacrament of Cannabis). Talk about an organized and focused effort! Want a quick phrase that sums it up? Smoke pot! :) [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #19 posted by Hope on August 27, 2006 at 13:40:39 PT |
"...experts in this business tell them what this is going to do..." I can tell them what it's going to do. Doesn't take any kind of genius or expert. It's going to mean less DEA agents with power in Colorado. It's going to mean less DEA agents with jobs in Colorado. And it might have a domino effect. Experts in Marijuana? I've never seen any indication of that whatsoever. They might as well admit it. What they're experts at his busting people. Of course, being "experts" in their "business" of prohibition...might really get miffed and start bearing down on Colorado even more harshly. Don't know why the format dropped my "a" in the last title section...but it did. (Guess I didn't get an A in marijuana, either.) Nevertheless...what the DEA is expert in is prohibition and it's continuation of it and killing innocent fourteen year old girls in Houston and getting away with it. Dr. Russo is an expert on marijuana....but the DEA isn't. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #18 posted by Hope on August 27, 2006 at 13:35:51 PT |
"...experts in this business tell them what this is going to do..." I can tell them what it's going to do. Doesn't take any kind of genius or expert. It's going to mean less DEA agents with power in Colorado. It's going to mean less DEA agents with jobs in Colorado. And it might have a domino effect. Experts in Marijuana? I've never seen any indication of that whatsoever. They might as well admit it. What they're experts at his busting people. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #17 posted by Dankhank on August 27, 2006 at 13:30:15 PT |
Whig ... While I tend to agree about the rhetoric of war, I can't help but ask ... What IS the religious metaphor for organized, focused, untiring activity seeking to alter knowledge and behavior on a large scale? Love? If I took the answer out of your mouth ... sorry ... I wonder, though ... Have you seen the slate feature, "Blogging The Bible?" http://www.slate.com/id/2148437/?nav=fix It's pretty interesting to one who hasn't read much of the bible, likely never will and wants to read a "Book Report," or "Cliff's Notes on the book. Issac Asimov wrote an annotated old testament and new testament. I never saw one for sale, but I still look ... from wikepedia ... He published Asimov's Guide to the Bible in two volumes—covering the Old Testament in 1967 and the New Testament in 1969—and then combined them into one 1300-page volume in 1981. Replete with maps and tables, the guide goes through the books of the Bible in order, explaining the history of each one and the political influences that affected it, as well as biographical information about the important characters. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Asimov Anyway ... the bible is replete with armies martial ideas in favor of God ... etc ... How 'bout it ...? [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #16 posted by Hope on August 27, 2006 at 13:26:43 PT |
"The American taxpayer does have a right to have the people they've paid to become experts in this business tell them what this is going to do," he said. "They should benefit from this expertise." [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #15 posted by charmed quark on August 27, 2006 at 13:23:06 PT |
"Jeff Sweetin, the special agent in charge of the Denver office of the DEA, said voters have every right to change the laws" This is truely what they don't want. If every state in the union allowed public referendums, pretty much every state in the union would allow medical cannabis. I'm sure the DEA is very glad this isn't the case. The above statement reminds me of the state and local police in California who said they were only enforcing the law against medical pot and if people didn't like it they should change the law. Well, the people DID change the law and the police are STILL opposing it. In many localities they are still having to be forced to accept the law. I'm sure the DEA has a similar attitude, except they have the resources to try to make sure the law is never changed. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #14 posted by whig on August 27, 2006 at 12:18:11 PT |
I've chosen to use a religious metaphor rather than a political metaphor. Truthfully you could use either or both, but the one leads to peaceful conversion and the other to war. When you use terms like "cannabis army" or "time to get militant" even though you mean to be entirely peaceful, you are using a violent metaphor. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #13 posted by lombar on August 27, 2006 at 12:09:58 PT |
...our political systems. Still coercion based, all stick, no carrot. The USA government ignores the law(constitution) and the Canada government can't agree on what the law says... [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #12 posted by lombar on August 27, 2006 at 12:02:18 PT |
..exposes our system as a fraud. Who is being 'represented' by cannabis prohibition? Who spreads misinformation to maintain a WAR? If it takes 80 years to undo a simple injustice like cannabis prohibition, how can we ever tackle the really big problems? I was thinking of a website idea "army of light", or "cannabis army". I remember a site a few years back that was called 'cyberarmy' and members would gain virtual rank by doing real tasks. I was thinking that something similar could be setup with activist ideas being promulgated to the membership and creating an interaction between the site and doing *legal* acivist stuff. In order to organize and consolidate the forces of 'good' and really stick it to the manipulators. It is just a sketch of an idea right now. Time to get militant and take to the streets in a peaceful manner of course... [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #11 posted by global_warming on August 27, 2006 at 11:53:22 PT |
And All the good people here and Now Forever and Ever [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #10 posted by Max Flowers on August 27, 2006 at 11:50:48 PT |
The answer is in the article itself. I hadn't read it all the way through before posting. Gotta watch that. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #9 posted by Max Flowers on August 27, 2006 at 11:48:03 PT |
Isn't that illegal, for a federal agency to try to influence or change the result of voting in a state initiative? [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #8 posted by global_warming on August 27, 2006 at 11:41:17 PT |
November is just around the corner, DEA agent Michael Moore is very concerned, not only as a citizen, his job is on the line, he will spend 10 times 10,000 to insure that his job, remains intact. Oh if it were truly about our children, but it is not about children, it is about grown up people, who do not want government especially big and bloated government interfering in their lives. If it were about children, then why is the sick and dieing being aressted? Do you have a terminal brain tumor? Do you have cancer? Are you dieing? Why is DEA agent Michael Moore so interested in you? You are not a child, you are an adult, and you can change a bad law. God Bless Mason Tvert and all of Colorado. Sing so that We the People can Sing with you... Go for it.. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #7 posted by BGreen on August 27, 2006 at 11:00:10 PT |
Only the threat of having to fight REAL criminals could make them resort to such desperate tactics. That puts a smile on my face. :-) I guess they MIGHT be qualified to pick up dog poop, although dog catcher is definitely beyond their capabilities. The Reverend Bud Green [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #6 posted by global_warming on August 27, 2006 at 10:59:28 PT |
On this planet? Prepare a place in your soul, For that gentle man, [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #5 posted by mai_bong_city on August 27, 2006 at 10:45:19 PT |
stay the same or worse, often - i've seen.
sickening war.
if any would seriously consider shared housing in the netherlands or canada ....i just gotta' get outta' here. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #4 posted by lombar on August 27, 2006 at 10:35:28 PT |
When the government uses the peoples money to oppose the peoples will there is no greater conflict of interest. But as a caveat, we're in favor of it working based on all the facts. Time has proven that the DEA is the last place to get 'facts' about any drugs. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #3 posted by global_warming on August 27, 2006 at 10:15:15 PT |
November is just around the corner, DEA agent Michael Moore is very concerned, not only as a citizen, his job is on the line, he will spend 10 times 10,000 to insure that his job, remains intact. Oh if it were truly about our children, but it is not about children, it is about grown up people, who do not want government especially big and bloated government interfering in their lives. If it were about children, then why is the sick and dieing being arressted? Do you have a terminal brain tumor? Do you have cancer? Are you dieing? Why is DEA agent Michael Moore so interested in you? You are not a child, you are an adult, and you can change a bad law. God Bless Mason Tvert and all of Colorado. Sing so that We the People can Sing with you... Go for it.. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #2 posted by Happyplant on August 27, 2006 at 10:11:21 PT |
Sweetin said the $10,000 the committee has to spend came from private donations, including some from agents' own accounts. He said the DEA isn't trying to "protect Coloradans from themselves" but that the agency is the expert when it comes to drugs. If they are experts, then let the truth be told. Not a bunch of lies that prohibitionist's want the general public to believe. The DEA must be quite scared this will pass. Why else would they stick their noses where it doesn't belong. This could be their downfall though. Too many people know the truth about MJ and if the DEA keeps spreading their pack of lies, they will lose all credibility. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #1 posted by FoM on August 27, 2006 at 09:51:52 PT |
When people financially benefit from the law staying on the books how can we fix it? I guess a Democracy is just a cardboard word. I am not talking about children but only for responsible adults. [ Post Comment ] |
Post Comment | |