cannabisnews.com: MJ Groups Sues Political Practices Commissioner MJ Groups Sues Political Practices Commissioner Posted by CN Staff on July 14, 2005 at 17:51:35 PT By Bob Anex, Associated Press Source: Associated Press Helena -- A national organization advocating legalization of marijuana for medical purposes has sued the state political practices commissioner for throwing out allegations that the national drug czar's office broke Montana campaign finance laws. In a lawsuit filed Thursday in state District Court here, the Marijuana Policy Project said Commissioner Gordon Higgins failed to investigate the group's claim that the federal agency acted illegally in not reporting money spent last year to fight a Montana ballot measure permitting medical use of marijuana. The suit asks for a court ruling that Higgins was wrong to dismiss the complaint and for an order requiring him to conduct an investigation into the accusation against the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. Higgins declined to comment on the suit. The Marijuana Policy Project, which filed a similar suit Thursday against the Alaska Public Offices Commission, had successfully promoted the Montana initiative last fall. It passed with 62 percent of the vote. In February, the organization complained to Higgins that Scott Burns, deputy director of the drug czar's office, had violated Montana law by campaigning in the state against Initiative 148 and not filing reports about what was spent on his visit as mandated by law. Higgins asked the drug office to respond. An attorney for the agency said that Burns' appearances in opposition to the initiative last October were part of his official duties as spelled out in federal law, so he did not have to comply with Montana campaign finance reporting laws. Higgins in late May agreed with that after what he said was "extensive review" of applicable court cases. In tossing out the complaint, he said, "I have concluded that it is likely a court would determine Mr. Burns and the (drug office) are immune from the application of Montana's campaign finance and reporting laws." Thursday's suit said that was a mistaken conclusion and Higgins failed to do his job by not doing an adequate investigation of the complaint. The court should order Higgins to provide all the documents he used to reach his decision and require him to more fully investigate the matter, it said. Complete Title: Marijuana Groups Sues Political Practices CommissionerSource: Associated Press (Wire)Author: Bob Anex, Associated PressPublished: July 14, 2005 Copyright: 2005 The Associated Press Related Articles & Web Site:Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/National Drug Office Claims Immunity http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20457.shtmlThe Medical Marijuana Muddlehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20412.shtmlMissoula Authorities Work To Establish Protocolhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20086.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #1 posted by mayan on July 14, 2005 at 18:16:30 PT Sue,Sue,Sue! The court should order Higgins to provide all the documents he used to reach his decision and require him to more fully investigate the matter, it said.Higgins should also turn over all the bribe money he took or at least reveal the threats he received from the drug czar's goon squad. The entire Bush administration belongs behind bars. Until we witness their incarceration we should continue to sue the hell out of them every chance we get!THE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...9/11 and the mob: http://www.canadafreepress.com/2005/cover071105.htmBush Responds To 9/11 Fireworks: http://rense.com/general66/ressp.htmCui Bono Revisited: http://www.lewrockwell.com/shaffer/shaffer111.htmlThe DC Emergency Truth Convergence - July 22-24: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0507/S00249.htmVirtual Fascism or the State of Terror: http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m13570&l=i&size=1&hd=0 [ Post Comment ] Post Comment