CA LEO Vows to Disregard Law and Will of Voters

[Tony Aroma]

Can you believe this? What happened to cops saying, "we don't make the laws, we just enforce them." I guess that only counts for laws they like. My favorite quote: "Proposition 19 is not going to pass, even if it passes." How can a high-ranking law enforcement official have such little regard for the law? This guy is an embarrassment to police everywhere, and should be thrown out of office.

L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca says deputies would enforce marijuana laws even if Prop. 19 passes

Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca said Friday his deputies’ marijuana enforcement would not change even if Proposition 19, which would legalize the drug in California, passes Nov. 2.

“Proposition 19 is not going to pass, even if it passes,” Baca said in a news conference Friday at sheriff's headquarters in Monterey Park.

Baca, whose department polices three-fourths of the county, was bolstered Friday by an announcement from the Obama administration that federal officials would continue to “vigorously enforce” marijuana laws in California, even if state voters pass the measure.

Baca said the proposition was superseded by federal law and if passed, would be found unconstitutional.

Flanked by other opponents of the measure, including Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley, Baca made a colorful assault on marijuana use and sales. Asked if he had ever experimented with the drug, Baca was unequivocal. “Hell no,” he said.

Baca said legalizing marijuana would have far-reaching repercussions, including increasing the costs of drug rehabilitation, causing traffic accidents, prompting labor disputes with employees getting high on the job and providing a safe cover for drug cartels selling harder narcotics.
California’s laws for personal users already are lenient, he said.

“If you have a need for an ounce or less … then use your marijuana, but use it privately,” he said. “If you want to do a joint in your house, do it. Leave the rest of us alone.”

Baca said personal users smoking in their homes were already a non-priority for police agencies, including his own. His department’s target, he said, are the dealers.

Baca came out against the measure early on, joining forces with Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to try to defeat it. Polls have shown California voters are split.

Baca said Friday local law enforcement agencies should abide by federal drug laws prohibiting marijuana even if the state measure passes.

“[Prop.] 19 has no effect on what we’re going to do,” he said

-- Robert Faturechi in Monterey Park

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/10/baca-medical-marijuana.html

 

[resinryder]

Look at the money and officers his department will lose for marijuana enforcement in the way of federal anti drug grants, etc, if the law passes. He has to say this bull shit to keep the faith of his officers who depend on this money for their jobs.

 

[vta]

cannabis is a tool of great importance for these scum bags. Not only does each pot ticket give them an arrest and pat their stats, they use it to enter our homes and cars...it helps them invade our lives. Look at the thousands of people they send back to prison who violate their probation by smoking cannabis. Legalizing cannabis will take this tool away from them.

 

[vta]

ON MARIJUANA, CALIFORNIANS MAY IGNORE LEADERS' VIEWS

LOS ANGELES -- The Department of Justice says it intends to prosecute marijuana laws in California aggressively even if state voters approve an initiative on the Nov. 2 ballot to legalize the drug.

The announcement by Eric H. Holder Jr., the attorney general, was the latest reminder of how much of the establishment has lined up against the popular initiative: dozens of editorial boards, candidates for office, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and other public officials.

Still, despite this opposition -- or perhaps, to some extent, because of it -- the measure, Proposition 19, appears to have at least a decent chance of winning, so far drawing considerable support in polls from a coalition of Democrats, independents, younger voters and men as Election Day nears. Should that happen, it could cement a cultural shift in California, where medical marijuana has been legal since 1996 and where the drug has been celebrated in popular culture at least since the 1960s.

But it could also plunge the nation's most populous state into a murky and unsettling conflict with the federal government that opponents of the proposition said should make California voters wary of supporting it.

Washington has generally looked the other way as a growing medical marijuana industry has prospered here and in 14 other states and the District of Columbia, but Mr. Holder's position -- revealed in a letter this week to nine former chiefs of the Drug Enforcement Administration that was made public on Friday -- made explicit that legalizing marijuana for recreational use would bring a whole new level of scrutiny from Washington.

Mr. Holder did not fully spell out the reasons for the decision, but he did allude to the reluctance of the federal government to enforce drug laws differently in different states. "If passed, this legislation will greatly complicate federal drug enforcement efforts to the detriment of our citizens," he wrote.

The Los Angeles County sheriff, Lee Baca, who has been one of the leading opponents of the measure, quickly embraced the Justice Department's stance. He said that the initiative was unconstitutional and vowed to continue enforcing marijuana laws, no matter what voters do in November.

Supporters of the initiative have portrayed support for it as another example in an anti-incumbent year of voters rejecting authority.

"Bring on the establishment," said Chris Lehane, a senior consultant to the campaign pushing for passage of the initiative. "This campaign, and the energy driving it, is predicated on the common understanding that the establishment's prohibition approach has been a complete and utter failure, as proven by the point that today it is easier for a kid to get access to pot than it is to buy a beer or a cigarette."

But Roger Salazar, a political consultant who has been directing the effort to defeat the proposal, said that Mr. Holder's statement should reinforce deep concerns about the initiative, including the way it was drafted and what he called inflated claims by its backers of what legalization might do.

"This is sort of a shot across the bow from the federal government: They're saying that, 'If this thing moves the way we think it is, we're going to come after you guys,' " he said. "That gives California voters one more reason to take a deep breath."

California's becoming the first state to legalize marijuana for recreational use would provide a real-life test of theories that proponents of legalization have long pressed: That it would provide a new stream of revenues for government, cut down on drug-related violence and end a modern-day prohibition that effectively turns many citizens into lawbreakers.

As it is, no matter what voters or Mr. Holder do, marijuana use in California these days appears, for all practical purposes, all but legal.

Mr. Schwarzenegger signed legislation last month that made possession of an ounce of marijuana an infraction -- it had previously been a misdemeanor -- punishable by a $100 fine. Medical marijuana dispensaries are common in many parts of the state, and getting a prescription is hardly challenging. Baby boomers who had not smoked marijuana since college now speak openly at dinner parties of their "medical" experimentation with the drug. The smell of marijuana is hardly unusual at outdoor concerts at places like the Hollywood Bowl.

A Field Poll last month found that 50 percent of respondents said that marijuana should be legalized; that is up from 13 percent when the organization first asked the question in 1969. And 47 percent said they had smoked marijuana at least once, compared with 28 percent when the question was asked in 1975.

"This is the first generation of high school students where a majority of their parents have smoked marijuana," said Ethan Nadelmann, the executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, which has been pushing for passage of the initiative.

The presence of the initiative on the ballot has encouraged Democrats, who argue it will lead to increased turnout among younger voters.

Notably, none of the major statewide candidates have endorsed the measure. But perhaps just as notably, none have made the proposition a campaign issue.

The state Republican Party has officially come out against Proposition 19 and plans to urge people to vote no, said Ron Nehring, the party chairman. He called repeal a "big mistake" and mocked the notion that placing the proposition on the ballot would help Democrats.

"We call that their Hail Mary Jane strategy," he said.

John Burton, the chairman of the California Democratic Party, said his party had decided to stay neutral on this issue. Asked if he supported it, Mr. Burton responded: "I already voted for it. Why not? Brings some money into the state. Helps the deficit. Better than selling off state buildings to some developer."

Mark Baldassare, president of the Public Policy Institute of California, noted that polls showed the measure breaking 50 percent, but said that given the history of initiatives in the state, that meant its passage was far from assured.

Opposition has come from a number of fronts, ranging from Mr. Baca and other law enforcement officials to the Chamber of Commerce, which has warned that it would create workplace health issues.

Still, the breadth of supporters of the proposition -- including law enforcement officials and major unions, like the Service Employees International Union -- signal how mainstream this movement is becoming.

"I think we consume far more dangerous drugs that are legal: cigarette smoking, nicotine and alcohol," said Joycelyn Elders, the former surgeon general and a supporter of the measure. "I feel they cause much more devastating effects physically. We need to lift the prohibition on marijuana."

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

 

[medicalgreen]

Sheriff Lee Baca is employed secretly by Mexican Drug Cartels, who control him, tell him what to do, and when the doors are closed, use him for other less appropriate motives. Sheriff Lee Baba can suck my balls, take a hike, take a long walk off a short cliff, or just plain drop **** for all I care. Maybe if he steps out of line, the cartels will just **** him.

 

[In~Plain~Site]

What? none of you saw Holder's announcement/recantation of Obama's 'supposed' support of MJ?

2 hours ago

Attorney General Eric Holder: Federal laws enforced even if marijuana bill in California passes

Attorney General Eric Holder has a message for Californians who think the state's ballot measure legalizing the recreational use of marijuana will be approved: Even if it passes, nothing will change.

What a complete PIECE OF SHIT

​

​

There goes the ONLY reason he was worthy of voting for.

How's that Hope and Change working out for ya'?

 

[ddrew]

Eric Holder can shove Lee Baca up his ass sideways


What a bunch of crap

 

[onegreenday]

The Fed's are powerless to stop Cali; that's why
they huffin & puffin.

They never stopped prop #215 but only terrorized
sick people & exposed themselves
as criminal oppressors.

As for the LA County sheriff, the cali courts have ruled that
prop 215 is legal in cali & they'll rule the same on this prop.,
if it passes.

no chance in hell of stopping this snowball.

people fed up with DC bull-crap.......
we can't stop their wars; so let's stick it to em in cali.

go cali go; we countin on you........

 

[Hash Zeppelin]

This guy wont be able to do shit because you wont find a judge that will convict above the county level. all he will do is make a fool of himself and get the department sue leading to him getting fired.

also to add to that; supporting the drug war is just like supporting slavery because that is what it is leading to. when the same families own the prescription drug companies and the private prisons that leads to slavery for sure. both support the drug war because there business depends on it. business in america depends on growth. the only way to grow their business is put more people in prison and get more people on their drugs for made up conditions, like "restless leg syndrome". I mean come the fuck on really? some people are fucking fidgety and some arnt. fidgety is not a fucking disease. lol

 

[RetroGrow]

Holder is just O'bama's mouthpiece.
O'bamam is the ultimate coward and hypocrite, who stands behind laws that he himself broke. If he had been caught "back in the day", he would not be president.
Amazing how people have a sense of entitlement once they have what they want.
I used to think the GW was the worst president ever, but as bad as he was, he is dwarfed by O'bama in that department.
By far the worst and most contemptible president ever.
There's not a shred of integrity in this man.
He lies through his teeth and let's his lackeys take the heat. Truly amazing what a hypocrite he is.
And Leo?
What can you say?
They are pigs.

 

[RoachClip]

Just another fucked up day watching a fucked up government fucking with people's rights to vote and when ever the government wants to flip flop their own laws they can just bend us over and stick it up our asses and no matter if we vote, get signed petitions, and have state government & other agencies on our side the Feds will always have the last word " Fuck You - Hookem & Bookem "

 

[hydromaddicted]

Another great example of way to much police.Lets all just do the same exact shit over and over and expect different results...

 

[DεvíLδck]

go back to elementary school if ya like to play games.

 

[Runner]

Yeah someone said Sheriffs may help fight feds off, obviously not this esteemed constitutional scholar...note that this asshole is scientologist no less

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Baca#Connection_to_Scientology

 

[♥Mo♥]

Just sounds like 19 is in the bag to me. The more they spew the more it appears it is going to pass. They are right, nothing will change because they lack the manpower. Happy days in my opinion.

 

[VirginHarvester]

This represents the Feds desire to have eminent control over the people. They don't respect state's rights yet have plunged this nation into financial ruin. This from the government that stands by while this country is over run with illegals, bankrupt, involved in wars all over the globe. Really, it's out of control. Theirs is coming, but unfortunately they are going to take us all down with them.

 

[Tony Aroma]

Yeah someone said Sheriffs may help fight feds off, obviously not this esteemed constitutional scholar...note that this asshole is scientologist no less

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Baca#Connection_to_Scientology

And did you know the Scientologists run rehab centers in CA? Where do you think they get the majority of their referrals from? Hint: very few cannabis users admit themselves. Those of you that guessed from the criminal justice system are absolutely correct. Now do you see why Baca doesn't want Prop 19 to pass? Can you say, "vested interest in prohibition"?

 

[onegreenday]

Fed's may launch false- flag

Fed's may launch false- flag

The Fed's are so desperate over Prop19 they may launch a marijuana 'false-flag operation' to sway voters against voting YES.

Perhaps a shoot-out at the border with narco's bringing marijuana, meth & cocaine over the border in a tractor-trailer.

They'll set the trailer on fire (for Hollywood), choppers overhead,
SWAT mowing down immigrants......

They'll have 'sophisticated' weapons (automatic) grenades,
a 50 caliber , etc; perhaps some relatives of GITMO prisoners
and call it an International Terrorist Organization with 'links' to Prop 19.....

well u get the picture...

 

[rick shaw]

Santa Clara leos raided Angel's Care Collective on friday because of illegal profits.WTF

 

[Hash Zeppelin]

^ they probably miscalculated their taxes by 1 penny.