cannabisnews.com: DEA To Answer Queries on Med-Pot Raids 





DEA To Answer Queries on Med-Pot Raids 
Posted by CN Staff on July 01, 2008 at 14:32:25 PT
By Roger Phelps, The Telegraph
Source: Folsom Telegraph
California -- A federal lawmaker concerned with medical-marijuana raids in El Dorado, Sacramento and Placer counties has forced Drug Enforcement Administration officials to answer questions in writing.The written response could serve to prevent live Congressional hearings on the propriety of the raids. U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has fielded numerous complaints and requests for hearings on the matter, according to Conyers' April 29 letter to the DEA.
DEA spokesman Randy Payne said acting Director Michele Leonhart will answer Conyers' questions, which generally ask for a cost-benefit analysis on the California raids."We will respond to the congressman's request -- it is imminent," Payne said.Payne said he could not provide details until Conyers has the response.Federal drug convictions have come against a total of five area residents, and many more statewide, who claimed protection under the California Compassionate Use Act. The 1996 voter initiative legalized growing marijuana for use by medical patients. Around the state, a total of around 60 additional raids are also of concern, according to Conyers' letter. Conyers requested a DEA response by July 1, and will get it, Payne said."I am writing to you because I have received a number of letters from Californians, including mayors and city councils, expressing concerns about DEA enforcement tactics, and urging me to hold oversight hearings in the Judiciary Committee," Conyers wrote to Leonhart. "Please provide an accounting of the costs, in dollars and resources, used to conduct law-enforcement raids on the attached list of individuals."He also questioned allocation of DEA resources away from combating the domestic effects of international drug cartels.DEA officials have maintained the federal Controlled Substances Act "trumps" California's voter-passed legalization of medical marijuana. Controversy has existed since Prop. 215 passed in 1996. A joint California Assembly and Senate Resolution of Jan. 10 reads in part, "The Legislature respectfully memorializes the President of the United States and the Congress to enact legislation to require the Drug Enforcement Agency and all other federal agencies ad departments to respect the compassionate-use laws of states."Payne said DEA's general response to such requests is that it is DEA's "job to enforce laws -- we don't apologize for it."Elaine Roller, a volunteer at Medical Marijuana Caregivers of El Dorado County, said she was pleased the DEA will respond to Conyers."What he wants is answers -- 'Can you justify this money? For raids? For court time?'" Roller said. "This congressman has stood up and spoken the truth."Conyers' vocal opposition to several policies of the George W. Bush administration is well publicized. Conyers May 30 said he supported a nationwide movement for Bush's impeachment.If Conyers elects to call hearings of the House Judiciary Committee on the raids, DEA officials could be required to testify.The DEA's response might or might not work to prevent House committee hearings, said Jonathan Godfrey, Judiciary Committee spokesman."I'm not sure we'll know until we see the response," Godfrey said.The Telegraph’s Roger Phelps can be reached at:  rogerp goldcountrymedia.com or post a comment at: http://www.folsomtelegraph.comComplete Title: DEA To Answer Queries on Med-Pot Raids Locally, StatewideSource: Folsom Telegraph (CA)Author: Roger Phelps, The TelegraphPublished: July 1, 2008Copyright: 2008 Gold Country MediaWebsite: http://folsomtelegraph.comContact: rogerp goldcountrymedia.comCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #12 posted by Hope on July 06, 2008 at 11:38:16 PT
Runruff
You and Linda and your freedom from the unjust and vile persecution of prohibitionists mean a lot to me. I wish we could have stopped them before they put you all through so much suffering. The prohibitionists, their judges, and enforcers and supporters should be bitterly and deeply ashamed. They do deserve punishment for their misuse of power. I dearly hope we can stay the hand that guides their bitter cruelty soon. The sooner the better for all of mankind. 
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Comment #11 posted by runruff on July 05, 2008 at 09:13:20 PT:
Thank you Hope.
On behalf of my wife and myself we thank you for your good wishes. I too am wishing for the day when these injustices will end. To put things aright the DEA would need to be tried and convicted for crimes against the American people for the last 35 years. This will never happen. The world is not perfect. They will answer to a greater power eventually though.
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on July 03, 2008 at 20:26:16 PT
Hope
I hope you and everyone are having a nice holiday weekend. Stick has a few days off and we are catching up on work  (mostly mowing) and relaxing. Because of money issues our old town won't be having any fireworks this year but we'll watch them on tv. Have a great weekend. 
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Comment #9 posted by Hope on July 03, 2008 at 19:43:51 PT
And a special celebration 
to you, Runruff. I'm so glad you're out of that place and I look forward to the day all our political prisoners are released from all those horrible cells of persecution.Freedom. It's good.
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Comment #8 posted by Hope on July 03, 2008 at 19:41:26 PT
And yes....
Remember it... Freedom ... and it's value and be thankful we have what we have and look forward to more, and be safe.Have a good one!
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Comment #7 posted by Hope on July 03, 2008 at 19:18:42 PT
Getting ready for a big Fourth of July.
It will be a fine Fourth of July when we can celebrate really being free... cannabis prohibition is over... and our military is not at war.Whoo Hoo! That will be a fine celebration of freedom. As it is we celebrate that earlier day when we, as a nation, declared our independence from Great Britain, that earlier tyrannical and overbearing government. Not everyone wanted to be free of overbearing rulers then, either. But some did... and some still do.May we not forget the hardships, persistence, sorrows, loss, grief, and pain made to attain that fragile joy and strength of true freedom from overbearing government.Someday we'll celebrate Freedom again.
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on July 03, 2008 at 16:13:44 PT
Stop Harassing Legal Pot Clinics
Migden Resolution Asking Feds To Stop Harassing Legal Pot Clinics ApprovedBy Jeff MitchellJuly 3, 2008The California Senate on Thursday approved a joint resolution calling on the federal government to halt crackdowns on licensed medical marijuana dispensaries.The resolution, SJR 20, was approved 24 to 15 and was authored by outgoing state Sen. Carole Migden (D-San Francisco.)Complete Article: http://politicker.com/migden-resolution-asking-feds-stop-harassing-legal-pot-clinics-approved
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Comment #5 posted by RevRaygreen on July 02, 2008 at 15:04:26 PT
always a possibility isn't it........
“If we collect evidence and there’s nothing there, nobody will be charged. I don’t suspect that will be the case, but that’s always a possibility.”
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Comment #4 posted by Max Flowers on July 02, 2008 at 10:03:03 PT
All bark and no bite
I'm sure the DEA, like others before it, will see fit to basically laugh in the face of this more or less impotent Congress. Why not? Everyone else does it, and no one ever gets bitten.
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on July 02, 2008 at 09:27:12 PT
Related Article From The Eureka Reporter
Government Releases List of Items Seized in Drug Raids***By Karen Wilkinson, The Eureka ReporterPublished: July 1, 2008 
A week after marijuana, cash and weapons were seized from nearly 30 locations in Humboldt and Mendocino counties, a laundry list of those items has been released by a federal government agency.Federal Bureau of Investigations Special Agent Joseph Schadler said Tuesday that nearly 16,000 pot plants, nearly $200,000 in cash, 53 guns, two vehicles, five generators, a trailer and five all-terrain vehicles were seized from the grow houses, homes and a nearly 2,000-acre land parcel between both counties that were searched last week.About 450 federal, state and local law enforcement personnel working what was dubbed “Operation Southern Sweep” targeted an alleged commercial marijuana growing and dealing operation that’s been under investigation since early 2006.No charges have yet been filed against any suspects and besides a man who was arrested June 24 on suspicion of assaulting a federal agent during the execution of the search warrants, no one has been arrested. The man has since been released and isn’t facing charges, Schadler said.“We’re in the truth-finding business,” the FBI special agent said. “If we collect evidence and there’s nothing there, nobody will be charged. I don’t suspect that will be the case, but that’s always a possibility.”It could be months before those allegedly behind the operation are publicly identified and prosecuted, Schadler said last week. For now, it’s a matter of two to three investigators working with prosecutors to decide what will support a case, he said. “There’s a lot of work now,” Schadler said.The investigation into the alleged commercial pot operation — which had purchased a large parcel of mountainous land in southern Humboldt County and northern Mendocino County areas — started in early 2006 by the California Department of Justice Bureau of Narcotics’ Redding office, a news release stated. The office suspected large amounts of marijuana were being grown on the land and was being sold for profit.When interviewed Friday, Schadler said that regardless of people crying “Proposition 215,” the investigation concerns a commercial marijuana operation. “You can take my word for it or not,” he said. “They’re all related to the same organization and the same investigation.”The proof, he said, lies in the multiple involved agencies, which include the California Highway Patrol and Department of Justice Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement. “The CHP and DOJ are bound by 215,” Schadler said. “The fact that they’re involved in all this will tell you the extent of the operation — it goes beyond what 215 ever imagined.”The U.S. Postal Inspection Service was also involved. When asked if the targets of the investigation had sent drugs across state lines, Schadler wouldn’t provide too many details. “I can’t tell you the specifics because what happened is part of sealed documents,” he said. “Anytime the Postal Service is involved, people are using the mail.”One doesn’t have to send mail state-to-state to violate federal law, however. “Even if it goes from Fortuna to Eureka, that gives federal jurisdiction,” he said. “I would guess that somebody was sending something through the mail, but I don’t know what that is and wouldn’t be able to tell you.”The total number of seized pot plants came in at 15,696, all of which ranged in various stages of maturity, Schadler said. They are estimated to be worth between $40 million and $90 million and most were destroyed by the BNE, while some were kept as evidence, he said. Of the 53 seized guns, some were fully automatic and some were assault rifles, he said. Thirty-five of the seized guns were found at the various residences that were searched, while the remaining 18 were found and seized from the large land parcel, Schadler said.Just more than $197,000 in cash was seized as well, which was spread between the sites, he said.Copyright: 2008 The Eureka Reporterhttp://www.eurekareporter.com/article/080701-government-releases-list-of-items-seized-in-drug-raids
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Comment #2 posted by mykeyb420 on July 01, 2008 at 15:46:30 PT
ya right
like as if the DEA will give up that info. I can hear it now,,,," If we tell you all that stuff,,then the potheads will know when we are coming"How much do you want to be that the DEA will never divuldge that info?
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Comment #1 posted by OverwhelmSam on July 01, 2008 at 15:07:50 PT
Go Ahead, Make My Day
Go ahead DEA, show your contempt for Congress. I dare ya!
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