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MADISON: When AB554/SB368, the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act (JRMMA) failed to pass the Wisconsin Legislature in early 2010, it was not for lack of popular support. Polling in 2002 and 2005 had established support in the 75%-80% range.
Over the summer of 2010, IMMLY and Madison NORML made open records requests of a number of state lawmakers. In an earlier article I reported on State Sen. Julie Lassa (D-Milladore) and how her records revealed that two special interests, not her constituents, had decided her position. Lassa ultimately joined with Health Committee Republicans to kill the JRMMA.
Another lawmaker who was unhelpful was Sen. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau). Fitzgerald, who served as senate minority leader in the 2009-2010 session, will be majority leader beginning Jan. 3, 2011. His brother Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Horicon) will be Assembly Speaker. Since 1993, the Assembly has been in Republican hands all but the 2099-2010 session.
In late July a request was made to Sen. Fitzgerald for "Phone logs and copies of correspondence from all parties who contacted your office regarding the medical marijuana bills AB554/SB368 the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act during the 2009-2010 legislative session."
The records arrived a few weeks later. Unlike Senator Lassa and others, Sen. Fitzgerald did not charge for the records or redact information. There were no phone logs included as requested, but there were 191 pages, mostly copies of pre-written letters, all in support. There was nothing in the file expressing opposition. 100% support.
Here are a few highlights:
"I urge you to be a Progressive Republican and represent Wisconsin tradition. Forward!" -R.C., Lake Mills constituent in note supporting the JRMMA.
"
J.W. a Dodge County patient wrote that his condition, Fibrous dysplasia, had already caused him nine leg breaks since childhood and he was only 31. He also noted opiates did not work on the painful symptoms he suffers, but that cannabis works almost as well without the "terrible soul-rending" addiction problems of opiates.
There was a letter from an amputee stating that cannabis relieved his phantom limb pain that other medications did not touch. There was a letter from a constituent who is a doctor, in support of passage.
There was a notation from one staffer to another, "Here is another to add to list of supports for medical marijuana".
So where is Sen. Fitzgerald on the issue?
The public record is slim. Fitzgerald and his staff did not embrace the JRMMA in numerous visits to his office with patients like Mary Powers, a disabled veteran who visited 80 offices with me before cancer too k her in Oct. 2009. A Nov. 25, 2009 Capital Times article, written just after the JRMMA was introduced, erroneously reported, "his position appeared to be softening:"
As I noted in post-election coverage, Fitzgerald came in second to yes votes for the Dane County Medical Marijuana Referendum in the wards that overlapped with his senate district:
With the brothers Fitzgerald set to lead both houses of the state legislature in the next session, there is no indication the issue is even on the radar much less a priority despite the overwhelming support expressed by their constituents along with those of their 130 colleagues, plus the aforementioned polling and referendum results. Not to mention the job creation angle seen in other mmj states. This is an issue Wisconsinites agree on, except unfortunately the necessary majority of the 132 state lawmakers we elect to make such decisions. Is this how democracy is supposed to work?
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: examiner.com
Author: Gary Storck
Contact: Contact | Examiner.com
Copyright:Clarity Digital Group LLC d/b/a Examiner.com
Website:Sen. Scott Fitzgerald: Will leader ignore majority mandate for MMJ? - Madison norml | Examiner.com
Over the summer of 2010, IMMLY and Madison NORML made open records requests of a number of state lawmakers. In an earlier article I reported on State Sen. Julie Lassa (D-Milladore) and how her records revealed that two special interests, not her constituents, had decided her position. Lassa ultimately joined with Health Committee Republicans to kill the JRMMA.
Another lawmaker who was unhelpful was Sen. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau). Fitzgerald, who served as senate minority leader in the 2009-2010 session, will be majority leader beginning Jan. 3, 2011. His brother Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Horicon) will be Assembly Speaker. Since 1993, the Assembly has been in Republican hands all but the 2099-2010 session.
In late July a request was made to Sen. Fitzgerald for "Phone logs and copies of correspondence from all parties who contacted your office regarding the medical marijuana bills AB554/SB368 the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act during the 2009-2010 legislative session."
The records arrived a few weeks later. Unlike Senator Lassa and others, Sen. Fitzgerald did not charge for the records or redact information. There were no phone logs included as requested, but there were 191 pages, mostly copies of pre-written letters, all in support. There was nothing in the file expressing opposition. 100% support.
Here are a few highlights:
"I urge you to be a Progressive Republican and represent Wisconsin tradition. Forward!" -R.C., Lake Mills constituent in note supporting the JRMMA.
"
J.W. a Dodge County patient wrote that his condition, Fibrous dysplasia, had already caused him nine leg breaks since childhood and he was only 31. He also noted opiates did not work on the painful symptoms he suffers, but that cannabis works almost as well without the "terrible soul-rending" addiction problems of opiates.
There was a letter from an amputee stating that cannabis relieved his phantom limb pain that other medications did not touch. There was a letter from a constituent who is a doctor, in support of passage.
There was a notation from one staffer to another, "Here is another to add to list of supports for medical marijuana".
So where is Sen. Fitzgerald on the issue?
The public record is slim. Fitzgerald and his staff did not embrace the JRMMA in numerous visits to his office with patients like Mary Powers, a disabled veteran who visited 80 offices with me before cancer too k her in Oct. 2009. A Nov. 25, 2009 Capital Times article, written just after the JRMMA was introduced, erroneously reported, "his position appeared to be softening:"
As I noted in post-election coverage, Fitzgerald came in second to yes votes for the Dane County Medical Marijuana Referendum in the wards that overlapped with his senate district:
With the brothers Fitzgerald set to lead both houses of the state legislature in the next session, there is no indication the issue is even on the radar much less a priority despite the overwhelming support expressed by their constituents along with those of their 130 colleagues, plus the aforementioned polling and referendum results. Not to mention the job creation angle seen in other mmj states. This is an issue Wisconsinites agree on, except unfortunately the necessary majority of the 132 state lawmakers we elect to make such decisions. Is this how democracy is supposed to work?
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: examiner.com
Author: Gary Storck
Contact: Contact | Examiner.com
Copyright:Clarity Digital Group LLC d/b/a Examiner.com
Website:Sen. Scott Fitzgerald: Will leader ignore majority mandate for MMJ? - Madison norml | Examiner.com
