Feds Won't Stop Targeting Medpot Outlets

[Truth Seeker]

Though San Diego Mayor Bob Filner has ordered city officials to stop targeting medical marijuana outlets for prosecution and code compliance, don't expect federal authorities to take the same position.

U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy said Tuesday that while she is open to meeting with the new mayor on the subject, selling marijuana remains illegal under federal law.

"I take my guidance from the attorney general of the U.S., and he from the president," Duffy said during an interview with the U-T San Diego editorial board. "And thus far, that direction is, we are going to enforce the Controlled Substances Act."

That law classifies marijuana as an illegal drug.

Duffy's comments came five days after Filner ordered city code enforcement officers to halt actions against medical marijuana dispensaries and for police to stop referring such cases to city prosecutors.

Almost all of the city's dispensaries had disappeared over the past year because of stepped up enforcement by local and federal authorities. Duffy's office had told owners and landlords of medical marijuana outlets that they could face federal civil and criminal penalties if they continued to operate.

Duffy estimated about 95 percent of the dispensaries in San Diego County have shut down, leaving fewer than 10 operating. In 2011, slightly more than 200 were open in San Diego, she said.

Last week, Filner told a medical marijuana advocacy group that his administration would draft a law to allow regulated dispensaries in the city.

It was welcome news to the group, but the mayor has no say over what Duffy's office does. While state law permits use of marijuana for medical purposes, federal law doesn't.

Duffy said the crackdown last year was not aimed at "individual patients or caregivers" but at larger operations. "We're going after businesses who are engaged in for-profit marijuana sales on a retail basis," she said.

She declined to say how her office would react if a new ordinance led to a burst of dispensaries in the city.

"I think we'll have to wait and see what happens," she said.

The Mayor's Office was preparing Tuesday for Filner's first state of the city speech and was not available to respond to Duffy's remarks.

Duffy said she has not spoken with Filner about the issue, though she did send him a congratulatory email after his win in November and was open to meeting with him.

But, she said, "I don't think this particular issue we are going to see eye to eye on."

During last year's mayoral campaign, Duffy came under fire from Filner after his opponent, Carl DeMaio, released an email from the U.S. attorney criticizing Filner for "uncivil" conduct at a voter-information forum.

Duffy had helped organize the event, open to candidates for state, local and federal offices, at the Jewish temple she attends. She also made a $250 donation to DeMaio's campaign.

At a debate after the forum, Filner called on Duffy to resign, claiming she had violated a federal law prohibiting federal employees from participating in certain political events.

Duffy said Tuesday no such violation occurred, and she had not faced any internal repercussions from the U.S. Department of Justice.

She said the media had overplayed a "personal comment I made in my personal capacity," but said if she had to do it over again she would not have made the comment about Filner's demeanor.

"I think it was made into a bigger issue than it was," she said.

News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: utsandiego.com
Author: Greg Moran
Contact: San Diego News, Local, California and National News | UTSanDiego.com
Website: Feds won't stop targeting medpot outlets | UTSanDiego.com

 

[drmaddogs]

"I take my guidance from the attorney general of the U.S., and he from the president," Duffy said

There it is! A complete admission the White-house is directing State... Attorney Generals. Cowardice from the Potus in telling America that what is happening at HIS.. direction. This should be on every blog in the Nation, this is the first and best admission of Obama's Agenda. Since he is working the Gay and Liberal and immigrant and unemployed so well, he completely avoids the promised 'discussion'.

Spread the word, your State Attorney Generals work for Obama, not your States citizens. Spread the word.

 

[J9BLACK]

She is not a state's AG.

She is doing her job, as Janet Napolitano and others have before her.

You are right that the POTUS has been a coward about this.

 

[drmaddogs]

Yes she is doing her job, the job Obama has told her to do. Explicitly. And in my opinion, operating outside of State Laws. I'm simply amazed States allow Fed reps into this issue. She has gone from busting Drug cartels to eliminating shop owners. If that is doing her job, then heaven help us all as the U.S. Attorney’s Office more than pays for itself with its financial collections from criminals, which are up nationwide and the Justice Department gets increased funding yearly...and they harass shop owners. I'm sorry, but that is not her job, even if Obama tells her so.

 

[Lurch Farmer]

what they are not telling you is that Obama did tell all those DEA to "back off " , but he never told them who to back off.
so why go traipsing over public land (parks and wild life preseves) when it is easyer to just drive to a local dispensary and demolish what democracy stands for.
HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF ALL THE TIME .
In my personal opinion, it is time for a tea party. only this time it happens in DC

 

[drmaddogs]

Please, is there anything other than 2008/9 campaign and his entry to the White house time frame statements to support "Obama told them to back off"?
My concern is this, States rights. I firmly understand how everything was set up(originally) in regards to the States running subject to the Central and the Central was was to allow experimentation by the States (to Allow a Better Union).
The Central grabs everything since the Civil War, Banks domination in New York after, Business regulation thru the Commerce Dept ect.
But the Central has ultimately redesigned to where experimentation and innovation is completely subject to the FED, without representation by State Voters. I think you would agree, the Central can accomplish, hook or crook, just about anything they wish, only subject to the 4 year cycle, where the two parties approve of a candidate.... then we get to decide between which the candidate... the two parties approve of- we have no 4 year cycle option... really.

Back to that States rights. What rights? The rights that which the Central approves of. MJ is one of many concerns of mine. Raising ones own grain for beef one raises for sale, or giving a neighbor unprocessed milk for examples.

In addition, proposals that have been before Congress comiitees that have not 'made it', but are 'plans' for another time as they are, after all, drafts sitting and waiting, are simply amazing. My all time fav(snark) is regulating the growing of vegatables by individuals(reasoning was it might be too dangerous an enterprise to allow individuals to grow, possibly contaminated foods.. molds, not washing pesticides off ect.) and restrict citiizens ffrom growing any foods. That last came just two<> years ago.
Believe me I am NOT overstating this or other scary power grabs intiated by commercial concerns under the guise of "protecting" Americans and, by happenstance, financially rewarding both certain Commercial Enterprises.. and Certain Politicians. This part of the equation, Politicians/Certain is what makes regulation happen. As in all things, if someone does not make money in it, it doesn't happen.

So I would love to see where Obama has done other than say we need to have a discussion on MJ. I have not seen anything that goes past those 'suggestions' about MJ, or the other fundemental flaws that were promised to be addressed, other than the half baked, almost was a single payer Health system which emmidiatly raised existing premiums and raised needs for additional tax inputs from the populace.
I am not one to make a situation Partisian, I believe both parties, as I said before, complicit in policy that is based soley on self advancement. So I hold the individual in office responsible. I know it is not nice to hold the supreme and all power OZ/s that are elected, which simply avoids personal resposibility as everyone then wastes time on party talk, which enables the corruption of our Republic to continue.
The ONDCP that runs directly under Obama and which oversights the DEA, is not doing other than Policy allowed by Obama, he is responsible.

(On a Side Note- I'm favoring what is happenning in the growth of women moving into the Independants, maybe the League of Women Voters can take back running the electioneering process? Maybe! It could happen!, lol)