cannabisnews.com: DEA Chief Faces Protests After Agents Raid





DEA Chief Faces Protests After Agents Raid
Posted by FoM on February 13, 2002 at 08:36:39 PT
By Margie Mason, Associated Press Writer
Source: Associated Press
In the latest tussle between local and federal officials over medical marijuana, the head of the Drug Enforcement Agency was jeered by city leaders hours after his agents raided a club that provides pot to sick people. DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson was denounced Tuesday while delivering a speech at the Commonwealth Club of California. Audience members shouted "Liar!" when he said "science has told us so far there is no medical benefit for smoking marijuana." 
Demonstrators outside blew kazoos and chanted "Go away D-E-A" while the smell of marijuana wafted through the air. Earlier, federal agents seized more than 600 pot plants from the Harm Reduction Center and arrested the group's executive director. Three other men also were arrested. The raid coincided with President Bush's announcement of a stepped-up war on drugs, with a goal of cutting drug abuse by 25 percent in five years, in part through improved law enforcement. California, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Maine, Oregon and Washington state allow the infirm to receive, possess, grow or smoke marijuana for medical purposes without fear of state prosecution. However, the U.S. Supreme Court said last year it is illegal to distribute marijuana for medical reasons. During the raid, the Harm Reduction Center's executive director, Richard Watts, was arrested and two other men were charged with growing more than 100 pot plants. In a separate case, a fourth man was charged with growing more than 1,000 marijuana plants. "They all are connected with marijuana smuggling," DEA spokesman Richard Meyer said. "We've said all along the cultivation and distribution of marijuana is illegal regardless of state or local law." The center serves about 200 patients a day, all with doctors' recommendations to get the drug. Many suffer chronic pain from AIDS and cancer, said David Witty, the marijuana club's chief of security. San Francisco District Attorney Terence Hallinan has been outspoken in his support of such clubs, and Police Chief Fred Lau has said his officers wouldn't take part in any raids. City leaders declared San Francisco a sanctuary for medical cannabis use last year. "This is a decision to be made by the voters of California and the people of the city and county of San Francisco," Hallinan said through a bullhorn outside the building where Hutchinson spoke. Board of Supervisors President Tom Ammiano went one step further, calling the DEA an "obnoxious, grandstanding" agency. "I don't want somebody in my house that's not invited!" Ammiano shouted. In his speech, Hutchinson said "science has told us so far there is no medical benefit for smoking marijuana." He also defended the arrests, saying "We have to enforce the law." Tuesday's raid is just one in a series of recent federal crackdowns in California. Agents shut down a West Hollywood cannabis club in October. Other federal actions include raiding a Ventura County garden operated by patients, and seizure of medical records from a Northern California doctor who is a prominent medical marijuana proponent. On the Net: Marijuana Policy Project: http://www.mpp.org Drug Enforcement Administration: http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/ Complete Title: DEA Chief Faces Protests After Agents Bust Medical Marijuana Club in San Francisco Source: Associated PressAuthor: Margie Mason, Associated Press WriterPublished: Wednesday, February 13, 2002 Copyright: 2002 Associated Press Related Articles & Web Site:Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmMedical Pot Club Raided as DEA Leader Visits S.F. http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11995.shtmlFour Arrested in Connection with Pot Cultivation http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11994.shtmlAgents Raid Calif. Medical Marijuana Club http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11993.shtml
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Comment #14 posted by freedomtoker on February 14, 2002 at 11:39:23 PT
Sheriffs kicking the feds out of the county!!!
Here is an article explaining when and where this already happened!!!From: Dave Champion 
Subject: Sheriff controls federal actions
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 09:07:25 -0800Don't we all wish we had a sheriff with this much integrity working for us!Dave
___________________________________________________________________________________________Sheriff Dave Mattis of Big Horn County, Wyoming, said this week that as a
result of Case #96-CV099-J, U.S. District Court, District of Wyoming, he now
has a written policy that forbids federal officials from entering his county
and exercising authority over county residents unless he is notified first
of their intentions.After explaining their mission, Mattis said he grants them permission to
proceed if he is convinced that they are operating within the legal
parameters and authority limitations set forth in the U.S. Constitution.The sheriff grants permission on a case-by-case basis only. When asked what,
if any, repercussions he had gotten from the Feds, he quickly and
confidently replied, "None whatsoever." He explained by saying, "They know
they do not have jurisdiction in my county unless I grant it to them."Mattis clarified his position by saying the federal court had ruled that the
state of Wyoming is a sovereign state and the state constitution plainly
states that a county sheriff is the top law enforcement official in the
county.Additionally, Sheriff Mattis contends that the U.S. Constitution, Article 1,
Section 8, clearly defines the geographic territories where the federal
government has jurisdiction. Amendment X, he said, states that "the powers
not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it
to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."Therefore, Mattis thoroughly believes the Feds have very limited powers in
any state unless the local high-sheriff allows them to exercise power beyond
that which the Constitution provides."Put another way," Mattis said, "If the sheriff doesn't want the Feds in his
county, he has the constitutional power and right to keep them out or ask
them to leave."Accompanied with other legal interpretations Mattis stands on the definition
of the world "sovereign," which is defined by Webster's as "paramount,
supreme. Having supreme rank or power. Independent: a sovereign State."Mattis said he grew weary of the Feds coming into his county and running
rough-shod over county residents: i.e., illegally searching, seizing
property, confiscating bank accounts, restricting the free use of private
lands and other abuses, without a valid warrant and without first following
due process of law as guaranteed by the Constitution to every citizen.As long as Mattis remains sheriff he says he will continue to see to it that
the citizens of his county get their day in court.Mattis went on to say that, to his knowledge, even the IRS has not attempted
to seize any citizen's real property, bank account or any other
private-owned possessions since he ran the Feds out of his county.Sheriff Mattis emphasized that he is not a radical man. He said he is only
dedicated to protecting the constitutional rights of the citizens of his
county.He added that ordinary citizens are not the only ones bound by and expected
to obey laws. Elected officials and government employees at all levels of
government are also bound by and should be expected to obey certain laws.As long as Sheriff Mattis is the high-sheriff of Big Horn County, he seems
determined to make sure private citizens and government officials alike act
within the law and their designated powers.Sheriff Mattis came across as a soft-spoken, polite man whose only interest
is protecting the citizens he was elected to serve. That being the case, he
might be the sheriff for as long as he wants to be.Sheriff Mattis is hopeful that other sheriffs will assume the same stance.
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Comment #13 posted by i420 on February 14, 2002 at 04:39:16 PT
Asahole go home !!!
For this man to lie to the public this is TREASON on the people of america. asahole go home
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Comment #12 posted by CongressmanSuet on February 13, 2002 at 18:25:24 PT:
Hey...Kap...
  Good to see you back. You WERE missed!
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Comment #11 posted by Nuevo Mexican on February 13, 2002 at 15:43:17 PT
More on microchip implants!
see:
"Applied Digital pushes microchip to plant in foreigners for tracking"
 http://www.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=134517&group=webcast
How far will our corporate government go in its mad pursuit of insane policies? Here's a follow up to my earlier statement regarding the use of implants, as an immediate approach to control the mass uprising of poor to middle class people the world over. First, it starts with 'immigrants' the most demonized people in the world and then it leads to drug users, cannabis smokers with the highest priority, then anybodies game. Well, we've got 2 million people in prison in the US for anyone (Joyce) that wants to debate the issue. 
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on February 13, 2002 at 14:49:22 PT
idbsne1
I understand your concern about the articles but I've learned this doing C News. When a story breaks you get a couple articles so it's out in the news and then more writing occurs and the articles expand. After a day or two the writers that write on drug policy news issues gather the articles and read them and then write. If it does as it's done before we will see articles with more depth in no time. 
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Comment #9 posted by idbsne1 on February 13, 2002 at 13:06:29 PT
What's going on?
I was pissed at first... then happier because I thought as everyone is now. That they are just shooting themselves in the foot....looking like dumbasses... and looking like terrorists themseves.But what is going on? Why are ALL the articles written about it... including the one in the SF Chronicle...so......UNAFFECTED?!?!?!?They don't print the article with ANY spin on it. It is SOOO obvious that what they did is obscene, but AP and others are almost defending the Federal Governement. Like they are scared. Mentioning the actions, and then mentioning the Supreme Court ruling as if it is the "end all". They don't EVEN denounce the fact that Asa is lying when he makes statements about the scientific validity of cannabis. Why? The research is out there? Why are they not calling a liar a liar? It is SOO easy to do?!?!? When they mention the Supreme Court "decision", why don't they mention the DEA judge's "decision" in 1988? How about NIDA/ONDCP's OWN study done by IOM? Why don't they mention that?I don't see it getting any better. I used to have that type of faith in people, but people only care about themselves. Especially in California. How are we going to get non-smokers into this movement, when all they care about is themselves?!?! We can only rally all the pro-MJ people, which would be fantastic, but then everyone will just dismiss us as "stoners", while making lame ass comments in the news like ,"...while the smell of marijuana wafted through the air."Now you see... there's the "SPIN" I was talking about....idbsne1
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Comment #8 posted by kaptinemo on February 13, 2002 at 12:47:26 PT:
Petards, lemmings...and Asa
Asa's really put his foot in it this time...would you like some ketchup for those toes, Mr. Hutchinson?"DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson was denounced Tuesday while delivering a speech at the Commonwealth Club of California. Audience members shouted "Liar!" when he said "science has told us so far there is no medical benefit for smoking marijuana."I had pointed out something that took place a while back which he has only re-inforced with repeating this lame-brained remark: the DEA is running Asa, not the other way around. It is the only explanation - besides a case of cleverly-hidden Down's Syndrome - which could account for the mindless repetition of easily disproved lies.Remember when Asa's kid had announced on the Internet that he was taking his Dad to a rave to let him see what's what? And the DEA got wind of it and called him to tell him to stay home, as they were going to raid it? Just like a good, obediant little DrugWar attack dog, Asa heard His Master's Voice, wagged his tail...and sat on his bum. There is an old French saying about fools being 'hoisted by their own petardes' (bombs). With every repetition of this singularly stupid and easily disproven lie, Asa is further blasting his already microscopic credibility to sub-atomic levels; all he has to do is read the late DEA Law Judge Francis Young's 1988 statement which points out the facts. But he won't...ever. Because 'his' DEA won't let him. I mentioned lemmings; I won't disappoint. You know lemmings; those furry little creatures that supposedly will drown themselves en masse while trying to cross a river? Well, the Feds have been holdng back the final bit of insanity which would completely invalidatete their position for decades...until now.Now, with all the suicidal abandon of a kamikaze pilot, they are making extraordinarily dumb moves, equating some pot-puffing kid with ol' Osama and his ilk...and taking it further and saying that cancer patients using cannabis are the bedmates of al-Qaeda. Thinking that victory is in their grasp, they charge ever deeper in to a minefield that's been waiting for them for at least 30 years, and definitely since 1996. Just like a lemming, they will destroy themselves for a seemingly worthy goal...a solution to a problem that never existed until the laws created them.And this time friends, the mines are not duds, but fully armed. One wrong step of the Federal foot, and BOOM. Hang in there; Spring is coming in more ways than one. And, it could be even more unseasonably warmer than some Summers have been...
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Comment #7 posted by Jose Melendez on February 13, 2002 at 12:14:53 PT:
which law?
In his speech, Hutchinson said "science has told us so far there is no medical benefit for smoking marijuana."This from the man who told the world on FoxTV THAT ONDCP'S SUPERBOWL COMMERCIALS WERE TECHNICALLY TRUE BECAUSE THEY CLAIM DRUGS "MIGHT" FUND TERROR. I suppose 18.7 billion annually "might not" have anything to do with artificially inflating illicit profits. He also defended the arrests, saying "We have to enforce the law." All law or just the illegally enacted laws against Cannabis sales, posession and distribution?From:
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/2658884.htm

TALLAHASSEE - (AP) -- A state judge has ruled a regulation implementing the 1994 net fishing ban violates the constitutional rights of commercial fishermen who have proposed a new kind of net. The state filed a notice of appeal Tuesday, which postpones the effect of Circuit Judge N. Sanders Sauls' opinion.
Sauls concluded the regulation is too broad and interprets the 1994 constitutional amendment too literally. ''It is well settled that the right to a means of livelihood is a fundamental right and while it may be subject to proper and reasonable exercise of governmental power it may not be completely taken away,'' he wrote in his ruling, issued Monday.If the above statement was enforced all Cannabis production and consumption would be legal.
Arrest Prohibition - Drug War is TREASON
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Comment #6 posted by goneposthole on February 13, 2002 at 11:18:57 PT
local law enforcement
They understand what is going on and are fed up too. No pun intended on 'fed'.Don't fear, the police state is on its last legs. It has never been welcomed and is always kissed good bye.Let freedom ring. Big brother is dead.
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Comment #5 posted by Dankhank on February 13, 2002 at 10:58:36 PT:
It's coming
Hard to believe ...Not hard to believe ...Scary ...I gave 22 years of MY LIFE to defend this country and this is how I am thanked ...With the boldest of lies told by the boldest of LIARS .. who will not even acknowledge the DEA's OWN judge, and the IOM's report.What a sad day for Amerika ...
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on February 13, 2002 at 10:56:35 PT
I made a page about the raids with pictures
Hi Everyone,
While I'm waiting for more news on the raids I made a page with a few pictures and will add to it as the time goes along. I just made it and if something doesn't work for someone please tell me and I'll try to fix it.DEA Raids Medical Marijuana Club
http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/raid.htm
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Comment #3 posted by Nuevo Mexican on February 13, 2002 at 10:19:58 PT
The Gestapo is out of the closet!
The seeds for a revolution have sprouted! Federal versus State law, and now the politicians will have to put their money where their mouth is, and it looks like San Francisco government officials are standing firm. Don't expect the feds to back down, they will turn up the heat and bring this to a boil, as Asscroft, assa Hutchinson, pretzel boy, and corporate and political sluts position themselves for the big shafting of America. The world will turn away from Americas' embracing of the bush crime family nazi crystalnight! Black is white, right is wrong, good is bad and truth is falsehood. George Orwell wasn't warning us, he was descibing the future, period. Comcast is now tracking over 1 million of its users web browsing habits. Big brother is going to be used to round up the opposition.(no flag on your vehicle, must be a terrorist) Have no fear, as things have to get really bad, before they get good. This is the last gasp of the republican minority, just because the have money, won't translate into power, as an ecomomic recession will take the wealthy down first, as we are already down economically and have nothing to lose. And you know what they say about those who have nothing to lose, they have everything to gain. The anti's will overplay their hand and this will backfire. Don't stress, have no fear, as this is their greatest tool and only works on those who watch tv. Avoid the tube, avoid the programming of fear into your being, and that goes for you FOM. Too much news watching will undo all the enlightened information you gain through the internet. Play your cds, albums, or meditate on silence. The sophistication with which they use the television is and has been extremely effective in promoting uncertainty, fear, instability, and hopelessness. Try turning your tv off for a week and notice the beneficial health effects, the peace of mind, the feeling that everything is really perfect, and that in Gods world, Rudy Guillani doesn't exist and neither does the Queen of England. They are reptillians. Check out David Icke and his book "The Biggest Secret". Shock yourself out of complacency and look beyond the appearance of things. OUr ignorance is their only protection, and our awareness will bring about their instant destruction. For those who think David Icke is crazy, His prediction that our government wants to id everyone with a tracking device is now out in the open as a likely scenario, now that the 911 scam has been pulled and we all want to voluntarily surrender our rights. Sheople! But not for long! Wake up America, you've been had!
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Comment #2 posted by p4me on February 13, 2002 at 09:53:06 PT
yes it is a lie
science has told us so far there is no medical benefit for smoking marijuanaThis is an absolute lie and almost everyone in California knows it.VAAI
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Comment #1 posted by Zero_G on February 13, 2002 at 09:44:48 PT
Good Ole' Thom
Was certainly flawed in some respects; he did not personally emancipate his slaves, although he did argue for the eventual elimination of the curious institution.However, he did write some amazing lines which we should keep in mind:"I have sworn upon the alter of God eternal hostility to every form of tyranny over the mind of man."
 
Or as when arguing for a bill for religious freedom in the State of Virginia:"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my nieghbor to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg."and,"Was the government to prescribe to us our medicine and diet, our bodies would be in such keeping as our souls are now. Thus in France the emetic was once forbidden as medicine, and the potato as an article of food."further,"Reason and experiment have been indulged, and error has fled before them. It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself. Subject opinion to coercion: whom will you make your inquisitors? Fallible men; men governed by bad passions, by private as well as public reasons. And why subject it to coercion? To produce uniformity..."No wonder they don't really teach history...0g
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