cannabisnews.com: Registration is Tardy for Ballot Committee





Registration is Tardy for Ballot Committee
Posted by CN Staff on June 22, 2004 at 14:42:51 PT
By Michael R. Wickline, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette 
A committee promoting a proposed medical marijuana ballot measure registered with the Arkansas Ethics Commission several months after the committee received a $172,000 contribution from a billionaire from Cleveland, Ohio. On June 11, the Arkansas Coalition for Compassionate Care registered with the Ethics Commission as a ballot question committee and filed monthly reports for the period from Sept. 1, 2003, through May 31.
The reports showed that billionaire Peter B. Lewis of Cleveland contributed $172,000 to the coalition on Oct. 15, 2003. Lewis, chairman of the board for The Progressive Corp., an insurance company, has made financial contributions to groups promoting similar ballot measures in several other states. In turn, the coalition gave $175,000 to the Alliance for Reform of Drug Policy in Arkansas on Nov. 10, 2003. The drug policy alliance and Lewis then contributed $175,200 and $161,000, respectively, to a separate ballot question committee — called the Arkansas Alliance for Medical Marijuana — according to the Arkansas Alliance for Medical Marijuana’s reports on file at the Arkansas Ethics Commission. Neal Levine, director of state policies for the Washington D. C.-based Marijuana Policy Project, which formed the Arkansas Coalition for Compassionate Care, said the coalition originally didn’t register as a ballot question committee based on the advice of a few attorneys. However, that changed when an internal audit raised "a few flags" regarding compliance with Arkansas’ laws. Attorneys subsequently advised the coalition it needed to register as a ballot question committee in Arkansas, resulting in the coalition contacting the Arkansas Ethics Commis- sion, Levine said. "Since we came to them and brought it to their attention, they said there is no penalty," Levine said Monday in a telephone interview. "We have filed and fully disclosed everything at this point." Levine said the money was transferred between the alliances so it could be forwarded to the group actually pushing the proposed ballot measure in Arkansas. The Alliance for Reform of Drug Policy is involved in other issues, while the Arkansas Alliance for Medical Marijuana is only working on the Arkansas ballot measure. "It isn’t like we were trying to hide anything," Levine said. Graham Sloan, director of the Arkansas Ethics Commission, said Glen Hooks of Little Rock — a consultant for the Marijuana Policy Project — contacted him on June 10 about whether the coalition was required to register and file reports as a ballot question committee. He said Hooks informed him that the coalition made a $175,000 contribution to another ballot question committee and the contribution was more than 2 percent of the coalition’s annual revenues, operating expenses or funds. Hooks also advised Sloan that the coalition made expenditures for the purpose of expressly advocating qualification, passage or defeat of the proposed ballot measure in question, Sloan said. In a letter to Hooks dated June 11, Sloan concluded that the coalition had triggered the registration and reporting requirements applicable to ballot question committees under Arkansas Code Annotated 7-9-402. Under ACA 7-9-404, a ballot question committee is required to file a statement of organization with the ethics commission within 15 days after the committee is formed, he said. On Monday, Sloan said that the commission’s staff agreed not to pursue sanctions against the Coalition for Compassionate Care because it registered and filed the required reports. "If somebody else files [a complaint], they are fair game," Sloan said. If a complaint is filed, the commission could issue a public letter of caution, warning or reprimand and levy a fine ranging from $25 to $1,000, he said. Chloe Crater, a spokesman for the Arkansas Alliance for Medical Marijuana, declined to disclose how many people have signed the group’s petition for its proposed ballot measure. Crater said Monday that she’s confident that enough signatures will be gathered to qualify the proposal for the Nov. 2 general election ballot. The alliance needs to submit to the secretary of state’s office a petition containing at least 64,456 signatures of Arkansas registered voters by July 2. On March 12, Attorney General Mike Beebe approved the popular name of "The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Act" and its ballot title, which allowed the alliance to start collecting signatures. The group hired The Southwest Group of Las Vegas to collect signatures. As of May 31, the Arkansas Alliance for Medical Marijuana reported contributions of $338,557, expenses of $216,775 and cash on hand of $121,786. The Arkansas Coalition for Compassionate Care reported contributions of $172,270, expenses of $203,285 and a deficit of $31,015 as of May 31. Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (AR)Author: Michael R. Wickline, Arkansas Democrat-GazettePublished: Tuesday, June 22, 2004 Copyright: 2004 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc.Contact: voices ardemgaz.comWebsite: http://www.ardemgaz.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:ARDPArkhttp://www.ardpark.org/Arkansas Alliance for MMJhttp://www.arkansasalliance.org/Medical Pot Act in Works for November Ballothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18961.shtmlGroup Awaits Pot Opinion http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17632.shtml 
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Comment #6 posted by Petard on June 23, 2004 at 06:00:55 PT
Kinda Coincidental
This morning's local "news" (it's mainly sales pitches and feel good fluff since a large SAC base is located in the city) reported 2 "Devil Weed" seizures in Arkansas this last week. One on I-40 and one on I-30 (connects I-20, around Tyler, TX, to I-40 in Little Rock, AR) and there was the recent Med MJ story whereby the gentleman is contesting his arrest in AR. Seems since the ballot proposal has gained approval the Good Ol' Boy Gestapo has taken it upon itself to generate negative press by increasing law encroachment regarding the innocuous plant. Even though Arkansas is flat broke it will find the $ to fight this proposal. The extremists even found a way to obfiscate the facts and prevented an end to taxation of food and medicine through flat out lies and propaganda, mainly at the last minute before the vote. Look for a strong response and many more victims of this victimless "crime" of self medication.
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Comment #5 posted by ekim on June 22, 2004 at 20:35:59 PT
Whiliam Jefferson Clinton please stand up
one can get a hundred signers a day x 50 = 5000 how many do they need. is July 2 the cut off. if Bill Clinton can hear me please make a call for all to sign, you say Health Care was what you wanted to pass ok-- stand up and Help the people soon it will be too late. 
http://www.minorml.org
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on June 22, 2004 at 20:35:11 PT
Virgil
Thank You! That is great news. What an exciting time to be involved in drug policy reform.
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Comment #3 posted by Virgil on June 22, 2004 at 20:19:46 PT
Utah SC rules for legal peyote
From http://tinyurl.com/3ep76Utah High Court OKs Non-Indian Peyote UseJune 22, 2004, 8:17 PM EDTSALT LAKE CITY -- The Utah Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that non-American Indian members of the Native American Church can use peyote in religious ceremonies.In a unanimous decision, the court found in favor of a couple charged in 2000
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on June 22, 2004 at 19:22:55 PT
Related Article from Arkansas NBC 24/51
Will Medical Marijuana Issue Get on The Ballot?
 June 22, 2004
 
 A group that wants to make marijuana legal for medical purposes may have missed an ethics commission filing deadline.The Arkansas Alliance for Medical Marijuana is canvassing Northwest Arkansas asking registered voters to sign petitions in support of getting medical marijuana on a ballot.They have a July second deadline to get enough signatures.The problem? The group may not have filed a statement of organization with the Ethics Commission as required, within 15 days after a committee is formed.http://www.arkansasnbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=1962126&nav=F8n2O80m
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Comment #1 posted by Sam Adams on June 22, 2004 at 18:10:30 PT
Cool!
A non-fascist state government action! You lose, prohibitionists. Ring up another state.
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