cannabisnews.com: Anti-Marijuana Activist Persistent Anti-Marijuana Activist Persistent Posted by CN Staff on May 28, 2003 at 22:00:51 PT By Lori Montgomery, WP Staff Writerr Source: Washington Post Is Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. part of a secret cabal devoted to the legalization of marijuana? The governor's office says no, but Joyce Nalepka, a hard-charging anti-drug activist from Silver Spring, is growing increasingly worried.For weeks, Nalepka lobbied the administration to veto a bill that makes Maryland the ninth state in the nation to ease penalties on those who use marijuana to relieve suffering from cancer and other serious conditions. When word spread that Ehrlich intended to sign the measure, Nalepka showed up at the May 22 bill-signing ceremony to register her protest. She never made it.According to Nalepka, the troopers who stand guard at a reception desk on the second floor of the State House told her she couldn't join hundreds of people in the governor's reception room because "you're not on the list." When Nalepka asked to see the list, the troopers told her to am-scray.So Nalepka went downstairs "like a good little girl," though, she said, "I was just biting nails." Then she ran into a friend from the Elks Club who insisted that she come with him to wait in the governor's reception line.When the pair reached the trooper's desk, Nalepka said "the officer came down and told me I had to leave," causing an embarrassing scene that left "500 people wondering what I had done to almost get arrested."Though Nalepka voted for Ehrlich, she said the governor is now clearly "very angry with me because I really put the heat on him." While Nalepka said she understands Ehrlich's desire to show compassion for the seriously ill, he needs to recognize that he has been "interacting with people we have known as legalizers for years."Ehrlich spokeswoman Shareese DeLeaver said she is unaware that anyone was turned away last week. But DeLeaver confirmed that Nalepka is well known to the governor's staff as the blond woman who has "been sitting in our lobby for the past week."DeLeaver said Nalepka met with Ehrlich's chief of staff, his communications director and the lieutenant governor, threatening at one point to "initiate impeachment proceedings" against Ehrlich if he signed the medical marijuana bill.If Nalepka was barred from the ceremony, DeLeaver said it was probably because the troopers believed "she was going to cause a disruption."That wasn't a bad bet. Three years ago, Nalepka showed up to protest then-Gov. Parris N. Glendening's decision to sign a law that made Maryland the fourth state in the nation to legalize production of industrial hemp, a non-intoxicating cousin of marijuana.As state photographers snapped away, Nalepka stood behind Glendening holding a bumper sticker that said, "Boycott Pot (and all hemp products)."Bipartisan Bob? Not Really Ehrlich, the state's first Republican governor in more than three decades, vetoed only 19 of the hundreds of bills approved this year by the Democrat-controlled General Assembly. Noting that restrained performance, Ehrlich told reporters things had gone much more smoothly than he had expected in his first legislative session."We expected more policy battles than we had," he said.But while Bipartisan Bob was busily signing bills sent to his desk by Democrats, a very different Bob Ehrlich was signing a May 14 fundraising letter that bashes "liberal machine politics in Annapolis," particularly "the liberal leadership of the House of Delegates and their cohorts on the left.""In the first legislative session since the last election, they've made it clear that they will say and do anything to protect the tax-and-spend status quo, block and obstruct my policies and, ultimately, try to defeat me," Ehrlich wrote.The letter invites supporters to send a "generous annual contribution" of at least $50. Three hundred dollars gets you membership in his "Maryland Trust." And anything above that gets you a "special Maryland Trust lapel pin that will identify you as one of my top supporters wherever you wear it."The letter says the money will be used to help Ehrlich circumvent "the liberal members of the media.""Just as when Ronald Reagan was President and Congress was dominated by liberals," the letter says, "the proven way to push through common-sense initiatives is to go directly to the people."Steele Going to Paris Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele expects to be the highest-ranking U.S. official to attend the 45th Paris Air Show, the world's premier aerospace and defense industry trade show, to be held next month at Le Bourget airfield just outside the City of Light.Steele said his two-day itinerary is jampacked with top-level meetings, including plans to close "a couple of significant deals" that could bring as many as 2,500 jobs to Maryland."It's pretty significant stuff," said Steele, a lawyer who once worked for an international law firm in the District and was, at one point, perhaps the only "6-foot-4 black man on the streets of Tokyo speaking Japanese."With his background in international finance, Steele said Ehrlich has designated him as the administration's point man on international economic development and has charged him with the task of "internationalizing Maryland."Secretary of State R. Karl Aumann and Aris Melissaratos, secretary of the Department of Business and Economic Development, will accompany Steele to Paris.Drinks Aren't on Us Speaking of swanky junkets, 10 lawmakers returned from a conference two weeks ago in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, to discover an error in this space.As was previously reported, taxpayer funds will pay for the lawmakers' airfare and up to $225 a day in expenses, including lodging at the Marriott Frenchman's Reef resort and fine meals in the hotel's Sunset Grill.But, according to one of the St. Thomas Ten, Sen. P.J. Hogan (D-Montgomery), lawmakers may not seek reimbursement for strawberry daiquiris or any other alcoholic beverages consumed in the service of the state.Complete Title: Anti-Marijuana Activist Persistent in Pursuit of Ehrlich Veto Source: Washington Post (DC)Author: Lori Montgomery, Washington Post Staff WriterPublished: Thursday, May 29, 2003; Page PG12 Copyright: 2003 Washington Post Contact: letterstoed washpost.comWebsite: http://www.washingtonpost.com Related Articles:Antidrug Activist Was Barred From Signing http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16385.shtmlMarijuana Law Makes a Humane Distinction http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16383.shtmlPropaganda Czar - Baltimore Sunhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16365.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #7 posted by freedom fighter on May 30, 2003 at 22:37:09 PT Ohh,, dang it... How about it Billy?? you gambling freak? How John and Bob doing??Hey, billy,, since, you have "spent" millions on the odds of the House, can I ask you a simple question?How much money did Joyce pocketed over the years with your friends, Johnny and Bob?______________________________________________________________I supposed that what a future honest prosecutor would ask...pazff [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by freedom fighter on May 30, 2003 at 22:32:18 PT phil I asked Joyce weeks ago and yet to hear from her. In that article, she stated that she recieved modest help from none other than John Walters known as the Johnny the bully! So, I asked how much $$$$..Haven't heard a dang thing! Did'nt bother to ask Johnny cuz he would'nt speak or listen to me, he rather talk to Mr. Soros.. So, Joyce??How much?? John and Bob???pazff [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by The GCW on May 29, 2003 at 16:57:48 PT What is sad is that this woman may claim to be Christian on the one hand but denies Christ on the other hand. It is an example of what not to do.There are 2 kinds of Christians: those who obey Christ and those who do not.Disobedient Christians are talked about in the Bible and it isn't pretty.Nalepka, is an embarrassment to those who do obey Christ.Doing the work of the devil, is going to be very bad on Her résumé. And cannabis prohibition IS the work of the devil. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by phil_debowl on May 29, 2003 at 10:38:51 PT Federal Figurehead I'm sorry, but if this lady had really really researched cannabis and hemp, which according to her strong stance, you'd think she had, she would have realized the truth. I'm betting she's getting a check from the feds, to be this "little old lady" figurehead. Why else would anyone be so dedicated to spreading obvious lies and deception. Everything she says sounds like it's coming strait from j. walters. I wish we could check her sources of income, and see where it comes from.Again w/my paranoid delusions :)peace phil [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by kaptinemo on May 29, 2003 at 07:45:16 PT: More "He said...She said." Now, this is getting downright silly. I'd very much like to talk to some of those '500' witnesses who purportedly saw this tempest in a teapot.Go home, Joyce, and tend to your knitting; you've done enough damage for 20 lifetimes with your modern day Children's Crusade.For the laziest of the antis:Medieval Sourcebook: Chronica Regiae Coloniensis, s.a.1213 The "Children's Crusade", 1212 http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1212pueri.htmlLike the original Children's Crusade, the pristine(?) motives of the self-appointed holy crusaders were utilized by less savory types to the sad end of those (political) innocents. Joyce is beginning to realize that her erstwhile allies have, like a piece of toilet paper, used her and then discarded her. They have the laws they wanted her to promote. Laws that have caused terrible suffering amongst the cannabist community. But now that she has served her purpose? (Toilet flushing sound.)Such political naivete in an adult is pathetic to behold, but when it is combined with moralistic activism, it's dangerous for us all. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by John Markes on May 29, 2003 at 07:26:45 PT Joyce Nalepka is a mental klutz This woman knew that those testifying for the bill were patients, not "legalizers." She is showing herself to be a real nutcase now. Maybe she needs to see a doctor about her growing mental problems, including memory. If she can't have it her way, then she becomes an elder dilinquent. http://www.ardpark.org [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by CorvallisEric on May 28, 2003 at 22:57:10 PT Truly bizarre Anyone whose main purpose in life is attacking anything related to cannabis should have been aware of Ehrlich's well-known views before voting for him.Unless her biggest priority is just voting Republican. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment