As I diaried last week, in December, 2014, Congress passed a funding bill (CR Omnibus) with an amendment proposed by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher and Dem. Sam Farr from prohibiting the Justice Department from spending any money in 2015 to prevent states "from implementing their own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana."
As the Seattle PI points out, however, the DOJ is going rogue on medical marijuana and contends that the prohibition is essentially meaningless.
The DOJ responded by stating that the amendment does not prevent prosecution of individuals or dispensaries. Rather, the DOJ claims, it only stops the department from “impeding the ability of states to carry out their medical marijuana laws,” but does not prevent prosecutions of individuals and dispensaries. ... Yes, really.
Congressmen Farr and Rohrbacher have responded that the DOJ's interpretation is "emphatically wrong."
More below the fold
As Rep. Farr explains:
“The Justice Department’s interpretation of the amendment defies logic,” Farr said. “No reasonable person thinks prosecuting patients doesn’t interfere with a state’s medical marijuana laws. Lawyers can try to mince words but Congress was clear: Stop going after patients and dispensaries.”
Rep. Rohrbacher made an appearance at the2014 Seattle Hempfest and told medical marijuana patients and dispensaries:
“If any of you is being attacked, that federal prosecutor is breaking the law — that breaks the letter and the spirit of the law that passed the House with great debate,” he said. “Make sure your lawyers know [U.S. prosecutors] are breaking the law by being there. Their paycheck cannot be used to prosecute.”
Perhaps this will spur Congress to move forward with their bill to legalize medical marijuana --
the CARERS - Act introduced by Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Dean Heller (R-NV) and Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Rep. Don Young (R-AK).
Who to contact:
Contact your local congresswoman or congressman to urge them to pass the CARERS Act.
Contact the DOJ and US Attorney who are seeking forfeiture of San Francisco Bay Area dispensaries and prosecuting people who are licensed to run dispensaries and cultivate medical marijuana
Leslie R. Caldwell is the Chief of the DOJ Criminal Division:
email: lrc666@gmail.com
950 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20530
phone: 202-514-2000
fax: 202-616-0742
Melinda Haag is the United States Attorney for Northern District of California
email: melinda.haag@usdoj.gov
450 Golden Gate Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94102
phone: 415-436-7200
fax: 415-436-7234
4:34 PM PT: Rec list!? Wow. Thanks for reading!