cannabisnews.com: Owen Pays $7,000, Ends Ethics Probe! Owen Pays $7,000, Ends Ethics Probe! Posted by FoM on December 27, 1998 at 14:23:52 PT Lieutenant Governor accused in fight against Medical Marijuana Initiative!OLYMPIA _ Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, who has carved a name for himself as a drug fighter, will pay $7,000 to settle charges he broke state ethics rules in opposing a 1997 initiative to legalize medicinal use of Marijuana and other drugs. Owen, who admitted no wrongdoing in agreeing to the settlement, said Tuesday that paying the money was painful but worth it.``If this is what I have to do to see to it that our kids aren't further exposed to illegal drugs, that's what I'll do,'' he said.Owen, a former Democratic state senator from Shelton, has for years made an anti-drug message a part of his political campaigns.The settlement, to cover costs of the investigation into Owen's activities, was good for taxpayers, said Meg Grimaldi, a spokeswoman for the state Executive Ethics Board.``If we'd gone further, there would have been additional costs to the taxpayers for a hearing,'' she said.The board in May said it had ``reasonable cause'' to contend Owen improperly used his office to fight 1997's Initiative 685 to legalize medicinal uses of marijuana and other drugs. The measure failed, but a scaled-down version passed last month.The board contended Owen illegally distributed letters, press releases and other documents against Initiative 685, and used public employees, equipment and federal grant money to fight the measure.State law allows public officials to respond to individual inquiries about their stands on issues. Owen did so on the initiative.``But then he sent his replies to all the legislators,'' Grimaldi said.``We believe (the replies) may be beyond the normal and regular conduct of his office,'' the board said in its finding.Owen said the charges were an affront to his right as a politician to speak out on public issues. In addition, he said, the federal grant money was spent making a video and conducting workshops before the initiative had been certified.Owen said he settled the case after determining ``it would have cost me another $25,000 to fight the state.''Bellevue attorney and I-685 backer Jeff Haley filed most of the complaints against Owen. Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #1 posted by Bergz5 on December 28, 1998 at 19:09:45 PT: Senator's fight to prevent laws of legalizing pot I believe that most of the people who try to suppress marijuana are the one's who know absolutely nothing about the drug. Also, I think that before these cocky, know-it-all politicians start campaigning against drugs - especially pot - they should do some heavy research by themselves on the majority of the people who use these drugs, why they do, which drugs really are the bad ones, and which ones actually have very extreme potential, such as marijauna. In reality, you can't down a drug until you have tried it for yourself to experience the side effects, etc. Finally, compare pot with alcohol and see which drug is a harder drug. No one has ever died from smoking marijuana. Maybe some idiot did something very stupid while under the influence; however, many more people die of drinking and driving, otherwise cops would be looking for people who were driving stoned, wouldn't they?!?! Not to mention the fact that many people die from simply drinking themselves into a coma. NEWS FLASH: YOU CAN'T OVERDOSE ON WEED!!!!!! Apparently marijuana is not nearly as bad as alcohol. This is coming from someone with experience and even someone who has been to the holy land of Amsterdam. So, to all of those people out there who think alcohol is not as bad as marijuana, put your head on straight and start thinking. If alcohol can be legalized for purposes that are simply and solely for pleasure then pot can be legalized for both medicine and pleasure. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: