DEA To Answer Queries on Med-Pot Raids

[vta]

DEA To Answer Queries on Med-Pot Raids

By Roger Phelps, The Telegraph
Source: Folsom Telegraph

California -- A federal lawmaker concerned with medical-marijuana raids in El Dorado, Sacramento and Placer counties has forced Drug Enforcement Administration officials to answer questions in writing.
The written response could serve to prevent live Congressional hearings on the propriety of the raids. U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has fielded numerous complaints and requests for hearings on the matter, according to Conyers' April 29 letter to the DEA.

DEA spokesman Randy Payne said acting Director Michele Leonhart will answer Conyers' questions, which generally ask for a cost-benefit analysis on the California raids.

"We will respond to the congressman's request -- it is imminent," Payne said.

Payne said he could not provide details until Conyers has the response.

Federal drug convictions have come against a total of five area residents, and many more statewide, who claimed protection under the California Compassionate Use Act. The 1996 voter initiative legalized growing marijuana for use by medical patients. Around the state, a total of around 60 additional raids are also of concern, according to Conyers' letter. Conyers requested a DEA response by July 1, and will get it, Payne said.

"I am writing to you because I have received a number of letters from Californians, including mayors and city councils, expressing concerns about DEA enforcement tactics, and urging me to hold oversight hearings in the Judiciary Committee," Conyers wrote to Leonhart. "Please provide an accounting of the costs, in dollars and resources, used to conduct law-enforcement raids on the attached list of individuals."

He also questioned allocation of DEA resources away from combating the domestic effects of international drug cartels.

DEA officials have maintained the federal Controlled Substances Act "trumps" California's voter-passed legalization of medical marijuana.

Controversy has existed since Prop. 215 passed in 1996. A joint California Assembly and Senate Resolution of Jan. 10 reads in part, "The Legislature respectfully memorializes the President of the United States and the Congress to enact legislation to require the Drug Enforcement Agency and all other federal agencies ad departments to respect the compassionate-use laws of states."

Payne said DEA's general response to such requests is that it is DEA's "job to enforce laws -- we don't apologize for it."

Elaine Roller, a volunteer at Medical Marijuana Caregivers of El Dorado County, said she was pleased the DEA will respond to Conyers.

"What he wants is answers -- 'Can you justify this money? For raids? For court time?'" Roller said. "This congressman has stood up and spoken the truth."

Conyers' vocal opposition to several policies of the George W. Bush administration is well publicized. Conyers May 30 said he supported a nationwide movement for Bush's impeachment.

If Conyers elects to call hearings of the House Judiciary Committee on the raids, DEA officials could be required to testify.

The DEA's response might or might not work to prevent House committee hearings, said Jonathan Godfrey, Judiciary Committee spokesman.

"I'm not sure we'll know until we see the response," Godfrey said.

The Telegraph’s Roger Phelps can be reached at: [email protected] or post a comment at: http://www.folsomtelegraph.com

Complete Title: DEA To Answer Queries on Med-Pot Raids Locally, Statewide

Source: Folsom Telegraph (CA)
Author: Roger Phelps, The Telegraph
Published: July 1, 2008
Copyright: 2008 Gold Country Media
Website: http://folsomtelegraph.com
Contact: [email protected]

 

[BonsaiBud]

BUMP FOR A WRITTEN RESPONSE, DEA!

 

[inflorescence]

Conyers is mis-appropriating his anger.
it's true, the DEA's job is to enforce laws.
Why is he asking the DEA if the costs are justified.
He should be asking his fellow congressmen the question.
It's they who make the laws.
Don't blame the people enforcing laws. That's too easy.
I want an accounting from congress on how the laws they make society better, make it safer, etc.
These congressmen hide behind the people who enfoce the laws.
Why shouldn't congressmen be held to justify the laws they make.
That's the problem with the system.
Apparantly all you need to become a lawMAKER is a vote.
Where are the qualifications for this?
Their laws should be picked apart by the very best accountant's, philosiphors the US has to offer.
I'm sick of their opinion being law.
opinion means Nothing. They never have any FACTS to support their laws.
That's crazy, every other thing in the world needs facts behind it but their laws never require any facts. Completely absurd.

 

[EasyBakeIndica]

Conyers is mis-appropriating his anger.
it's true, the DEA's job is to enforce laws.
Why is he asking the DEA if the costs are justified.

The DEA is tasked with enforcing all drugs which are scheduled 'controlled substances' by the FDA. The DEA has jurisdiction over every drug-related activity. This ranges from Ginseng-poaching to Meth-Labs.

I'd imagine that concentrating your energy on busting Meth-Labs would be easier to justify and might make the public happier about where their tax dollars are going.

Conyers is fairly asking why there is a disproportional amount of money being spent on such a minor problem. The same questions would be asked if billions of dollars were spent enforcing Ginseng-related laws.

He's not questioning the laws, he's questioning the enforcement, which is the responsibility of the DEA.

This is important because these agencies need to justify their budgets. The worse they look in front of congress, the less money they get next year.

On a side note:
Many people wrongly assume that the DEA is under the direction of the President. The President can hire/fire the Drug Czar, but he can not direct the agency. So, while this means that the Director of the DEA has every incentive to make his boss (The President) happy, the Director is ultimately responsible for every decision and dollar that is spent.

Same goes for the War in Iraq. Just like a good Mob Boss, the President pushes off all responsibility to his Generals.

 

[inflorescence]

Because it's easy to go after pot-heads? (low hanging fruit-no real risk)
Because the DEA are lazy slobs.
Is that what Conyers wants to hear.
Fine, The DEA shoots that back and then what?
Nothing. The laws still exist.
get rid of bad laws and you get rid of bad enforcment.
It's funny, people always rail on politicians, but when it comes down to brass tacks, those same people go after the enforcers?
Why? Go after the higher ups. That's certainly what the DEA wants to do.
Congressmen are like the head of a bad cartel.

 

[EasyBakeIndica]

Fine, The DEA shoots that back and then what?
Nothing. The laws still exist.
get rid of bad laws and you get rid of bad enforcment.

This is important because these agencies need to justify their budgets. The worse they look in front of congress, the less money they get next year.

I honestly don't know why I respond to your posts.

 

[Pops]

The President can indeed call the shots here. The Schedule of drugs is under the control of the Director of Health and Human Services, who is appointed by the president. All he has to do is say that there is medical value to Mj, and reschedule it to level 2 or 3, where Marinol is.Once the director has reclassified it, the FDA can allow more testing. The DEA would have to go along.

 

[inflorescence]

This is important because these agencies need to justify their budgets

No they don't.

It's implied that they are doing a "just cause" by congress. Why would congress care how much their operating budget is when congress has already decalred that any amount of money spent by them is justified.

it's not like congress is saying, you're spending too much on MJ enforcement and we're not seeing the return on this.

Conyers is saying this but none of his other congressmen are. That's my point.

 

[EasyBakeIndica]

The President can indeed call the shots here. The Schedule of drugs is under the control of the Director of Health and Human Services, who is appointed by the president. All he has to do is say that there is medical value to Mj, and reschedule it to level 2 or 3, where Marinol is.Once the director has reclassified it, the FDA can allow more testing. The DEA would have to go along.

The President can not force any of his Congressionally-approved Directors to make a decision. They are completely independent to make whatever decision they want (They are also liable for them).

The Director of the Health and Human Services is not going to change his position and contradict every statement he had made during his term. No one that powerful is going to endanger themselves like that. The President would have to fire the Director of Health and Human Services, hire a new Director, which would then need to be approved by Congress. This new Director would be free to change the policy.

There may be some type of Executive Order that The President could issue, but he can't tell his Directors how to do their jobs.

 

[CheifnBud2]

Why is the dea paid to fight a harmless and benign plant? Just keep asking people that every day.

 

[EasyBakeIndica]

No they don't.

You need to study history before you can participate in this conversation anymore.

In America, we've setup a system of check and balances. Judges, Congressman, and Presidents all have the ability to change federal policy.

In case you didn't know, the Vietnam War only ended after Congress started to cut spending to the Defense Department.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War)

 

[CheifnBud2]

Ya but the fact that GW-dumbass has these people paid well to do a fucking easy, useless and facist job, and the fact mc cain has a huge boner for the bush family makes it obvious that mc cain will continue to enforce control on personal freedoms, keep the citizens scared with the war and media, and continue spitting on the constitution. If he gets the chance.

Barack will probably allow it to happen as well, but cut funding to this kind of nonsense.

 

[ureapwhatusow]

I sometimes envision the marijuana sub-culture as a ENT (big fucking tree things in lord of the rings) and all it needs is a good awakening to change the tides of war

hopefully this is the start

::dons dwarven chain, hefts +3 battles axe of justice and lumbers into battle::

 

[Koroz]

I sometimes envision the marijuana sub-culture as a ENT (big fucking tree things in lord of the rings) and all it needs is a good awakening to change the tides of war

hopefully this is the start

::dons dwarven chain, hefts +3 battles axe of justice and lumbers into battle::

A good start would be every time the DEA raid a state medicinal user/coop/shop in any medicinal state, they had a system setup between the coops to get every card holder, coop grower, supporter of patients rights and shop owner to that persons house to do a human wall.

Sure it would never happen, but the type of press this would garner would be amazing, while showing that the people aren't going to stand for this type of shit anymore. We can't even seem to organize a nation wide rally so I doubt it would ever happen, but I would love to read the headlines after it did.

 

[guest]

A good start would be every time the DEA raid a state medicinal user/coop/shop in any medicinal state, they had a system setup between the coops to get every card holder, coop grower, supporter of patients rights and shop owner to that persons house to do a human wall.

Sure it would never happen, but the type of press this would garner would be amazing, while showing that the people aren't going to stand for this type of shit anymore. We can't even seem to organize a nation wide rally so I doubt it would ever happen, but I would love to read the headlines after it did.

Have you signed up for action alerts?

 

[Koroz]

Have you signed up for action alerts?

I dont live in Cali anymore, I had to move to NY for work /puke but I am signed up for things like NORML newsletter etc.

 

[CheifnBud2]

..so will barack obama. He voted in the Patriot Act, what makes you think he such a "great guy"? Just because he is not some old white politician, doesnt mean he wont act like one...

when I vote,,, im going to hand write RON PAUL on the ballot.

Try getting about 10 million people to do that and it might get on the media.

Get 50 million to do it and he might become president.

But americans just vote republican or democrat. Its like born into them.

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

all we needed is a few jury cases where the jury dosent convict, by default of presidence isnt the law then, unenforceable?

 

[007grow]

all we needed is a few jury cases where the jury dosent convict, by default of presidence isnt the law then, unenforceable?

The cops just care about shutting you down and throwing you into the system, what happens is most 1st time offenders plea guilty and they get probation. The cops get there stats and the offender walks albeit at the cost of a criminal record. If more people fought there case and actually won shit like this wouldn't go on. Look at the recent kelly decision that rules plant limits unconstitutional in ca. I suspect local leo frustration is also the reason for the increase of dea involvement then they simply hide behind the federal law bs.

You make a good point though if people would push... just seems like we get steamrolled I think our best fight back was when the so-cal community was getting bombarded the communities rallied the mayors wrote letters the city council people did too.

In most areas its these same people hostile to prop215 making our problems local goverment in many places is still hostile. If you take them on they will throw you in jail look at that Modesto cannabis club bust where the dude had a rap video you piss the wrong people off they will show you how long and hard they can fuck you regardless of the constitution!!!

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

The cops just care about shutting you down and throwing you into the system, what happens is most 1st time offenders plea guilty and they get probation. The cops get there stats and the offender walks albeit at the cost of a criminal record. If more people fought there case and actually won shit like this wouldn't go on. Look at the recent kelly decision that rules plant limits unconstitutional in ca. I suspect local leo frustration is also the reason for the increase of dea involvement then they simply hide behind the federal law bs.

You make a good point though if people would push... just seems like we get steamrolled I think our best fight back was when the so-cal community was getting bombarded the communities rallied the mayors wrote letters the city council people did too.

In most areas its these same people hostile to prop215 making our problems local goverment in many places is still hostile. If you take them on they will throw you in jail look at that Modesto cannabis club bust where the dude had a rap video you piss the wrong people off they will show you how long and hard they can fuck you regardless of the constitution!!!

i got a ticket for posestion(2.7g), and when i told the DA i wanted to go to trial straight to trial, and to; expedite the trial tooboot, they droped charges pritty fast.[prop 215 patiant w/no record for 7+Y and then it was only street racing tix]

but yea your right they do get alot of first time offendors, and they do a decent job of bullying them into "the system"some b/s about how dumb these kids are though, they dont understand how expensive, time consuming and reletively unpredictable trials are, or can be. the DA is actualy quite happy with the status quoe it keeps the jails full, and all the busywork allows them to pretend there keeping people 'safe'