cannabisnews.com: Group Seeks To Compel Drug Czar To Report Expenses Group Seeks To Compel Drug Czar To Report Expenses Posted by CN Staff on April 29, 2004 at 13:21:13 PT By Cy Ryan, Sun Capital Bureau Source: Las Vegas Sun Carson City -- An organization pushing a petition to legalize small amounts of marijuana has filed suit in the Nevada Supreme Court to force federal drug czar John Walters to file campaign expense reports when he campaigns against the issue in this state.The Marijuana Policy Project, based in Washington, D.C., says Nevada Attorney General Brian Sandoval was wrong when his office said Walters did not have to submit a list of his expenses when he campaigned against a similar drug petition in the 2002 election. The group pointed out that Walters has already campaigned in Nevada this year against a new petition on marijuana.Those who support or oppose ballot questions must file their expenses and contributions report with the secretary of state's office.The lawsuit seeks to compel Secretary of State Dean Heller to enforce the law."At this point we're following the advice of the attorney general," Renee Parker, chief deputy secretary of state, said Wednesday.The group filed a complaint in 2002 with Heller's office on Walters' conduct during that election season. The organization maintained that Walters in October 2002 traveled to Nevada "with security detail in tow" to challenge the ballot issue."He (Walters) had a motorcade to shuttle him between television appearances in Las Vegas and Reno" and the federal officials had hotel expenses, according to the organization.It asked Heller to require Walters to file a campaign report or be subject to a fine of up to $5,000. Walters did not file a campaign report.A federal attorney for Walters said the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy was exempt from Nevada law. The state attorney general's office followed up with an opinion that Walters did not have to file campaign expense and contribution reports because he was acting within the scope of his federal duties when he appeared in Nevada in 2002.The new lawsuit, filed April 22, said this was an important issue of "significant statewide impact in the regulating its (Nevada's) own election."The 2002 proposed constitutional amendment that sought to legalize three ounces of marijuana was defeated at the polls, 305,479 votes to 196,571. Source: Las Vegas Sun (NV)Author: Cy Ryan, Sun Capital Bureau Published: April 29, 2004 Copyright: 2004 Las Vegas Sun Inc.Contact: letters lasvegassun.comWebsite: http://www.lasvegassun.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Regulate Marijuanahttp://www.regulatemarijuana.org/Voters Unlikely To Pass Pot Plan http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18533.shtmlDemocracy in Peril http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18521.shtmlFederal Drug Czar Rips Pot Petitionhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18486.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #6 posted by Jose Melendez on April 29, 2004 at 18:58:12 PT furthermore flashback http://www.recoverylane.com/remove_the_drug_czar.htm [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Jose Melendez on April 29, 2004 at 18:23:20 PT bears repeating, drug war is crime . . . from: http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=103-04262004Contact: Robert Weiner, 301-283-0821 or 202-329-1700 WASHINGTON, April 26 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following was released today by former spokesman for the White House Drug Policy Office Robert Weiner: -- White House Drug Staffer Who Fought $1.15 Million Contract Bribery and $400,000 Blackmail Deserves Heroic Medal, Not Pushing Out of Govt., Says Former ONCDP Spokesman Weiner; -- Calls for Investigation to Highest Level Including Drug Czar by Professional Justice Arm, Not Political Appointees The head of the White House Counterdrug Technology Center, Dr. Al Brandenstein, who fought against apparent bribery and blackmail in the White House Drug Policy Office involved in a no- bid contract arranged at a powerful U.S. Senator's request (Ben Nighthorse Campbell, R-Col.), "deserves a heroic medal and award, not being pushed out of government," asserts the White House Drug Policy Office former spokesman, Robert Weiner." . . . What Al did is courageous, the ideal of what a government employee should do when he sees wrongdoing involving $1.15 million potential contract bribery and $400,000 possible blackmail. The Administration first tried to demote him, and then Al resigned with a record of distinguished federal service rather than succumb to the office's vindictiveness over his exposure of likely illegality." "Instead of what the new Drug Czar, John Walters, spitefully did to Dr. Brandenstein, Walters or even President Bush should give Al a medal for courage," Weiner said. "Even more important, the Department of Justice must investigate to the top, including Drug Czar Walters.http://www.usnewswire.com/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Hope on April 29, 2004 at 17:27:52 PT I agree, Global Warming Should be an interesting total (Walter's complete expense list...including fuel, food, and entourage and communication expenses and who paid every dime) if we ever get to see it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by global_warming on April 29, 2004 at 16:32:43 PT Not On My Dime "He (Walters) had a motorcade to shuttle him between television appearances in Las Vegas and Reno" and the federal officials had hotel expenses, according to the organization."... "A federal attorney for Walters said the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy was exempt from Nevada law. The state attorney general's office followed up with an opinion that Walters did not have to file campaign expense and contribution reports because he was acting within the scope of his federal duties when he appeared in Nevada in 2002."If John Walters really has such a passion to save this world, put it to the test, walk that walk with your money, not my tax paying dollar.If, as statistics indicate that such a small percent of the population want to "smoke" or shoot up, or whatever with cannabis, so what, how is this going to matter in the larger picture?The real interest is more based on power, that ugly human trait, that absolutely corrupts..the unruly masses have no brain, they cannot make a rational decision.."we" the smart ones, the phd's, the ones who bow down to the god of science, and money, "will" tell you if it is ok to do this or that, and dare not question us, for "we" are so above the rabel, we know what is right from wrong, we live for science we control science, we need to protect our religion, we cannot allow anyone to challenge our wisdom or our might.Bahh, I will wrestle earthworms with in you the mulch that you and I will form, for in the larger world picture, I would prefer to allow people to make their own decisions, and would prefer the smart people to share in their knowledge, so that the human condition is improved and when the time comes to exit this plane, I will carry in my heart and soul (if you believe in one) the knowledge that I tried to be a better human being.This war that is putting sick people into prisons is a crime that "you" will have to answer for, this continued effort to hurt people is such an atrocity, one that will propel you into the darkest regions of Hell, if you believe in God, than there is surely a hell.Use your knowledge to help us little people, use your power to help us little people. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by sukoi on April 29, 2004 at 14:53:25 PT Heartless Judge The judges comments quoted in this article are just sickening:Heart transplant patient to serve prison termJudge rejects plea of convicted marijuana grower who fears jail time will kill him.http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/9102971p-10028685c.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on April 29, 2004 at 13:41:31 PT: Sounds like the Pope's "Infallibility" clause that ol' Johnny Pee is trying to hide behind:According to Catholic Church doctrine, the Pope is infallible...no matter what. If he says black is white, well, then suddenly black is white. That may seem laughable, but distilled down to the core, this is the doctrine of infallibility.And this seems to be just what ol' Johnny is trying to hide behind, and not just him but all his lieutenents. They're right because they say so. Period. No need for discussion because...because...well, they're *right*, that's why.That kind of reasoning may be acceptable for a child of 6 years, but hardly suitable for a democracy comprised of (putative) adults. Democracy requires debates, not dictation. Yet that is precisely the kind of *modus operandi* the Feds have been using of late. Dicatation. "I'm right, and don't need to debate you. Obey!"Time to remind them that they aren't wearing any Bishop's mitre's on their heads...and not a stitch of rational 'clothing' on their wannabe intellectual arses either when it comes to cannabis prohibition in particular and drug laws in general. They aren't infallible; time to remind them of it. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment