cannabisnews.com: Outside Interests Finance Pro-Marijuana Effort





Outside Interests Finance Pro-Marijuana Effort
Posted by CN Staff on October 07, 2004 at 07:33:13 PT
By Tataboline Brant, Anchorage Daily News
Source: Anchorage Daily News 
A group working to decriminalize marijuana in Alaska has been bankrolled by an Outside organization to the tune of half a million dollars, making it one of the best-funded ballot issue groups in state history, according to reports filed with the Alaska Public Offices Commission.Alaskans For Marijuana Regulation and Control has already spent most of the $551,227 buying airtime for radio and television ads, mailing brochures, paying staffers and conducting get-out-the-vote telephone pushes, according to the group's 30-day pre-election campaign disclosure report filed Monday.
All but $510 of the money came from the Washington, D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project, which is also funding pro-pot initiatives in other states this year. With 27 days to go until the Nov. 2 election, Alaskans For Marijuana Regulation and Control has already outspent nearly all the ballot issue groups in state and local elections dating back to 1997, APOC records show. Only three groups since 1997 have spent more: the Alaska Family Coalition spent about $617,000 in 1998 to push for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage; the Yes Committee spent $650,000 in 2002 on its campaign for a new convention center in Anchorage; and the Vote Yes! Committee spent almost $700,000 in 1999 to push for using part of the Permanent Fund to balance the state budget. Only the same-sex marriage measure won voter approval.The fund raising is further evidence the legalization campaign this year is more sophisticated than a similar, unsuccessful effort in 2000.Alaskans For Marijuana Regulation and Control has about 55 times the amount of money as the only organized opposition to Ballot Measure 2: Alaskans Against the Legalization of Marijuana/Hemp. Snipped: Complete Article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/yesalaska.htmSource: Anchorage Daily News (AK)Author: Tataboline Brant, Anchorage Daily NewsPublished: October 7, 2004Copyright: 2004 The Anchorage Daily News Contact: letters adn.com Website: http://www.adn.com/ Related Articles & Web Site:Yes on 2 Alaskahttp://www.yeson2alaska.com/Court Chooses Privacy Over Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19488.shtmlAlaska Court Narrows Marijuana Search Law http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19406.shtmlState Appeals Legal Pot Ruling http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18183.shtmlAlaskans to Vote on Pot Legalization in '04 http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18067.shtml
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Comment #4 posted by b4daylight on October 08, 2004 at 11:10:25 PT
..spin
spin
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Comment #3 posted by warhater on October 07, 2004 at 23:16:20 PT:
Outside Interests Finance Pro-Marijuana Effort
This is America. Outside interests fund all kinds of political efforts. If a state was going to pass an anti-gun measure you can bet that the NRA would fund an effort to defeat it. This kind of thing happens all the time. Mayan makes an excellent point here. The federal government should not be interfering with a state referendum. Using taxpayer money to promote candidates is illegal, so should it be for referendums.
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Comment #2 posted by mayan on October 07, 2004 at 18:09:17 PT
Omission
The article fails to state just how much of the taxpayer's money the federal government has spent to thwart this measure!At least the supporters of cannabis-law reform use their own money and not the people's!!! 
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Comment #1 posted by Dave in Florida on October 07, 2004 at 08:59:39 PT
"grave social ramifications"
Yes the idiot could lose his job!!Matthew Fagnani, president of the local drug-testing firm WorkSafe Inc. and chairman of the opposition group, declined to discuss his group's campaign strategy. He said he's working with about half a dozen people to defeat Ballot Measure 2, which he said would have "grave social ramifications" on Alaska if it passes.
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