DEA raises cash to fight Colorado pot issue - Colorado - International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums

mars2112 · 08-28-2006, 09:33 PM

DEA raises cash to fight pot issue

Measure's backers cry foul, but agency says it's within law

By Ryan Morgan
Boulder Daily Camera
August 28, 2006

The Drug Enforcement Agency is stepping into the political fray to
oppose a statewide ballot issue that would legalize possession of
small amounts of marijuana.

In an e-mail to political campaign professionals, a DEA agent named
Michael Moore asks for help in finding a campaign manager to defeat
the measure, which voters will consider in November. If passed, it
will allow people 21 and older to possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana.

In the e-mail, which was sent from a U.S. Department of Justice
account, Moore also writes that the group has $10,000 to launch the
campaign. He asks those interested in helping to call him at his DEA
office.

That has members of Safer Colorado, the group supporting the marijuana
legalization measure, crying foul. The government has no business
spending public money on politics, they say.

Steve Fox, the group's executive director, said members of the
executive branch, including the DEA, should leave lawmaking to
legislators.

"Taxpayer money should not be going toward the executive branch
advocating one side or another," Fox said. "It's a wholly
inappropriate use of taxpayer money."

Jeff Sweetin, special agent in charge of the Denver office of the DEA,
said voters have every right to change the laws. But, he added, the
law also allows his agency to get involved in that process to tell
voters why they shouldn't decriminalize pot.

"My mantra has been, 'If Americans use the democratic process to make
change, we're in favor of that,' " he said. "But as a caveat, we're
in favor of it working based on all the facts."

Sweetin said the $10,000 the committee has to spend came from private
donations, including some from agents' own accounts. He said the DEA
isn't trying to "protect Coloradans from themselves" but that the
agency is the expert when it comes to drugs.

"The American taxpayer does have a right to have the people they've
paid to become experts in this business tell them what this is going
to do," he said. "They should benefit from this expertise."

That argument threatens states' rights to make their own laws, said
Safer's Fox.

"By this logic, federal funds could be used by the executive branch
without limitation to campaign for or against state ballot
initiatives," he said. "Our federalist system is based on the notion
that states can establish their own laws without federal interference.
The DEA . . . is thumbing its nose at the citizens of Colorado and the
U.S. Constitution."

State and federal law take different approaches on political
involvement by government employees.

Colorado law prohibits state employees from advocating for or against
any political issue while on the job and also bars them from using
government resources - including phone and e-mail accounts - for any
kind of political advocacy.

But federal law - which governs what DEA agents can do - is different.

The Hatch Act, passed in 1939 and amended in 1993, governs most
political speech. Passed in the wake of patronage scandals in which
the party in power would use government money and staff to campaign
against the opposition, the law is mostly aimed at partisan political
activity, said Ken Bickers, a University of Colorado political science
professor.

While the act's prohibitions against on-the-job partisan politicking
are strict, for the most part it allows federal employees to take part
in nonpartisan politics. And it's mostly silent on nonpartisan ballot
measures.

"I'm not sure that this doesn't slide through the cracks in the Hatch
Act," Bickers said.

"The Hatch Act isn't about political activity - it's about partisan
political activity. Since this is a ballot initiative, and there's no
party affiliation attached to it, that part of the Hatch Act probably
wouldn't be violated."

An official from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, the federal
agency charged with investigating violations of the act, said in a
statement last week that the DEA hasn't run afoul of Hatch.

https://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...949933,00.html

08-28-2006, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Sweetin said the $10,000 the committee has to spend came from private
donations, including some from agents' own accounts. He said the DEA
isn't trying to "protect Coloradans from themselves" but that the
agency is the expert when it comes to drugs.

"The American taxpayer does have a right to have the people they've
paid to become experts in this business tell them what this is going
to do," he said. "They should benefit from this expertise."

Dirty, rotten, liar! Expertise? What expertise? How could you possibly be an expert if everything you advocate is based in fiction? Look, everything they do started with a man that said smoking cannabis made black men look twice at white women, or made black men step on white man's shadows, or made mexicans crazy, blood thirsty killers and rapists! That in itself makes the DEA a complete joke. A joke!!

08-28-2006, 11:05 PM

Ultimately, the dea is probably worried about their job security....legal pot = layoffs.

Hey.......

This is my 420 Post!!!

Bh

mars2112 · 08-28-2006, 11:31 PM

^^ that is exactly right

happy 420th post

08-29-2006, 12:11 AM

Positively!

-StashBastard- · 08-29-2006, 10:58 AM

Arrrg This is not fair! Its allready legal in the city of Denver for adults to posess up to 1oz and were trying real hard to go statewide this November. Now the DEA sticks its nose in, Bullshit!

naga_sadu · 08-29-2006, 11:47 AM

This kinda reminds me of the same people who use charities as a front to collect funds to blow up buildings...

Saabotage · 08-29-2006, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bipedalhominid

Ultimately, the dea is probably worried about their job security....legal pot = layoffs.

Hey.......

This is my 420 Post!!!

Bh

Hehe look at it this way.....

They are fighting with 10,000 dollars...... I know pot dealers with more cash on hand!

Please, if colorodian pot smokers want to win. they need to apply for the DEAs job offer. then do a piss poor job at it! :-P

mars2112 · 08-29-2006, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Sweetin said the DEA isn't trying to "protect Coloradans from themselves" but that the agency is the expert when it comes to drugs.

"The American taxpayer does have a right to have the people they've
paid to become experts in this business tell them what this is going
to do," he said. "They should benefit from this expertise."

um, right. let's just clarify one thing: the DEA is the expert when it comes to drug law enforcement. not drug use, drug users, health, medicine or what's best for local public health policy.

08-29-2006, 10:24 PM

Agreed, mars. The DEA are experts at making the lies look like the truth through propoganda. They are experts at tearing happy families apart and caging men like animals. They are experts at disinformation. Experts at attacking free citizens in their homes in the middle of the night with automatic weapons. They are experts at killing innocent citizens trying to protect their homes in such situations.

08-28-2006, 09:33 PM	#1
mars2112 always hopeful yet discontent Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: norcal Posts: 1,515	DEA raises cash to fight Colorado pot issue DEA raises cash to fight pot issue Measure's backers cry foul, but agency says it's within law By Ryan Morgan Boulder Daily Camera August 28, 2006 The Drug Enforcement Agency is stepping into the political fray to oppose a statewide ballot issue that would legalize possession of small amounts of marijuana. In an e-mail to political campaign professionals, a DEA agent named Michael Moore asks for help in finding a campaign manager to defeat the measure, which voters will consider in November. If passed, it will allow people 21 and older to possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana. In the e-mail, which was sent from a U.S. Department of Justice account, Moore also writes that the group has $10,000 to launch the campaign. He asks those interested in helping to call him at his DEA office. That has members of Safer Colorado, the group supporting the marijuana legalization measure, crying foul. The government has no business spending public money on politics, they say. Steve Fox, the group's executive director, said members of the executive branch, including the DEA, should leave lawmaking to legislators. "Taxpayer money should not be going toward the executive branch advocating one side or another," Fox said. "It's a wholly inappropriate use of taxpayer money." Jeff Sweetin, special agent in charge of the Denver office of the DEA, said voters have every right to change the laws. But, he added, the law also allows his agency to get involved in that process to tell voters why they shouldn't decriminalize pot. "My mantra has been, 'If Americans use the democratic process to make change, we're in favor of that,' " he said. "But as a caveat, we're in favor of it working based on all the facts." Sweetin said the $10,000 the committee has to spend came from private donations, including some from agents' own accounts. He said the DEA isn't trying to "protect Coloradans from themselves" but that the agency is the expert when it comes to drugs. "The American taxpayer does have a right to have the people they've paid to become experts in this business tell them what this is going to do," he said. "They should benefit from this expertise." That argument threatens states' rights to make their own laws, said Safer's Fox. "By this logic, federal funds could be used by the executive branch without limitation to campaign for or against state ballot initiatives," he said. "Our federalist system is based on the notion that states can establish their own laws without federal interference. The DEA . . . is thumbing its nose at the citizens of Colorado and the U.S. Constitution." State and federal law take different approaches on political involvement by government employees. Colorado law prohibits state employees from advocating for or against any political issue while on the job and also bars them from using government resources - including phone and e-mail accounts - for any kind of political advocacy. But federal law - which governs what DEA agents can do - is different. The Hatch Act, passed in 1939 and amended in 1993, governs most political speech. Passed in the wake of patronage scandals in which the party in power would use government money and staff to campaign against the opposition, the law is mostly aimed at partisan political activity, said Ken Bickers, a University of Colorado political science professor. While the act's prohibitions against on-the-job partisan politicking are strict, for the most part it allows federal employees to take part in nonpartisan politics. And it's mostly silent on nonpartisan ballot measures. "I'm not sure that this doesn't slide through the cracks in the Hatch Act," Bickers said. "The Hatch Act isn't about political activity - it's about partisan political activity. Since this is a ballot initiative, and there's no party affiliation attached to it, that part of the Hatch Act probably wouldn't be violated." An official from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, the federal agency charged with investigating violations of the act, said in a statement last week that the DEA hasn't run afoul of Hatch. https://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...949933,00.html __________________ long live overgrow Have a legal question or want to report a violation of the Compassionate Use Act? Call ASA's toll-free hotline at 1-888-929-4367
	Quote

08-28-2006, 11:31 PM	#4
mars2112 always hopeful yet discontent Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: norcal Posts: 1,515	^^ that is exactly right happy 420th post __________________ long live overgrow Have a legal question or want to report a violation of the Compassionate Use Act? Call ASA's toll-free hotline at 1-888-929-4367
	Quote

08-29-2006, 11:47 AM	#7
naga_sadu Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 556	This kinda reminds me of the same people who use charities as a front to collect funds to blow up buildings... __________________ Smoke herb! "....what CNN never dared to tell you." Thanx for the idea Vision of Shiva... 1. Corp watch: Please read and support! 2. Backyard compost makers unite!!
	Quote

08-28-2006, 11:05 PM	#3
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Ultimately, the dea is probably worried about their job security....legal pot = layoffs. Hey....... This is my 420 Post!!! Bh
	Quote

08-29-2006, 12:11 AM	#5
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Positively!
	Quote

08-29-2006, 10:58 AM	#6
-StashBastard- Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Colorado Posts: 444	Arrrg This is not fair! Its allready legal in the city of Denver for adults to posess up to 1oz and were trying real hard to go statewide this November. Now the DEA sticks its nose in, Bullshit!
	Quote

08-29-2006, 10:24 PM	#10
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Agreed, mars. The DEA are experts at making the lies look like the truth through propoganda. They are experts at tearing happy families apart and caging men like animals. They are experts at disinformation. Experts at attacking free citizens in their homes in the middle of the night with automatic weapons. They are experts at killing innocent citizens trying to protect their homes in such situations.
	Quote