Drug Czar Won't Respond To Nevada Campaign Law Complaint

Associated Press ^ | Jan. 28, 2003

[Wolfie]

Drug Czar Won't Respond To Nevada Campaign Law Complaint

The national drug czar has declined to respond to complaints that the he broke Nevada law by not filing reports on money spent opposing November's marijuana ballot initiative.

The Marijuana Policy Project, which backed the defeated initiative to allow possession of up to 3 ounces of marijuana, said drug czar John Walters failed to submit his campaign finance report.

Nevada Secretary of State Dean Heller asked Walters for a response earlier this month.

But the Office of National Drug Control Policy said in a letter received Tuesday by Heller that Walters is immune from enforcement of Nevada's election laws.

The letter from office general counsel Edward Jurith said Walters was immune because he was a"federal official acting within the scope of duties, including speaking out about the dangers of illegal drugs."

Heller said he would review the response and may seek the opinion of state Attorney General Brian Sandoval.

Bruce Mirken of the Marijuana Policy Project said Walters' response indicates"he has moved from simply ignoring the law to actively defying it."

Mirken said past U.S. Supreme Court decisions found that the key test of immunity is whether state or local regulation"intrudes or interferes"with the federal government activities.

"The claim that he was just doing his job is obvious nonsense," Mirken said."He was explicitly campaigning against Question 9."

[Dane]

Marijuana Policy Project, anti-First amendment nazi's with bongs.

[HiTech RedNeck]

What's the penalty under Nevada law. He has to pay a fine?

[HiTech RedNeck]

Nonsense. He can campaign any way he wants, but he also has to report what money he spent on the campaigning. As it stands it appears he is a scofflaw.

[Wolfie]

$100-per-day fine.

[THEUPMAN]

Walters was immune because he was a"federal official
Is it any wonder that the LEOs on the street feel immune?
we seem to be sliding down a very slippery slope .....

[citizenK]

This stonewalling and deceit about his anti-mj "campaign" activities in NV comes from the same guy who recently told parents to lie to their children about their own experiences with mj. By hook or crook - as long as the current drug enforcement regime remains intact then everything is hunky-dory - eh Mr. Walters?

Honesty is the best policy -
except where it comes to supporting the corrupt and morally bankrupt drug wars and the institutions that support them.

[Wolfie]

Some pigs are more equal than others.

[Hacksaw]

Some pigs are more equal than others.

Wow - only 8 posts for the pig comment. If you people were as concerned about real issues, you would be dangerous.

[libertyman]

If he has broken a Nevada state law, then I hope the punishment is more severe than a small fine: the next time Mr. Walters steps foot in Nevada, he should be arrested like any other criminal & prosecuted. Send him to jail.

[The FRugitive]

I don't understand their argument. How does that make it "immune" from state law?

[Dane]

If he has broken a Nevada state law, then I hope the punishment is more severe than a small fine: the next time Mr. Walters steps foot in Nevada, he should be arrested like any other criminal & prosecuted. Send him to jail.

Send him to the gas chambers for using his first amendment right for speaking out against your wonderweed, I tells you.(/sarcasm)

Not only do you pro-potters have the biggest case of sour grapes in losing an election by a big margin, you are scary in the way the cause of marijuana and the drug culture has taken over your lives.

[Dane]

Nonsense. He can campaign any way he wants, but he also has to report what money he spent on the campaigning. As it stands it appears he is a scofflaw.

Campaign? It is his job to talk about the dangers of drug abuse. But like I said before this has to be the one of the biggest cases of sour grapes that I have ever seen.

[Wolfie]

I think an Orwell reference is quite approprate, but to each his own.

[Dane]

A sign at a Pittsburgh anti-war "protest"(per Quinn in the Morning, WRRK-FM, Pittsburgh) last weekend.

Smoke weed not Iraqi's

I guess some people no matter how much they "doth protest to much" about how pot and drug validation is not a leftist issue, will never get it that pot legalization and glorification is a tenet of the American radical communist left.

[The FRugitive]

Were you a radical left communist when you were a druggie?

[Dane]

Were you a radical left communist when you were a druggie?

No actually a Libertarian, same difference(on foreign policy and social issues such as abortion).

[libertyman]

Call me a pro-potter if u will, I'll wear that badge w/ honor. But actually, I'm a Constitutional Conservative who actually believes in the NINTH & TENTH AMENDMENTS. You've heard of those, correct? Probably not.

This isn't a 1st Amendment issue like u think: Mr. Walters was being paid by the Fedgov while making speeches in Nevada. If he was doing it on his own & stating only his opinions, then let him say what he wishes. But when he uses the threat of having the Feds come in & destroy the rights of States, the I DO have a problem w/ that....just like the way the Supreme Court in 1973 took away the rights of State governments to decide their own abortion laws. It's the exact same principle here, except in the marijuana case, you support federalizing/centralizing governmental authority.

Tell ya what: since I don't drink, how about u & I sit down together some time & share a....joint or 2. Whaddya say?

[DAnconia55]

Were you a radical left communist when you were a druggie?

Were?

[Wolfie]

Makes for interesting dichotomies, eh? The Feds are arguing that they are immune to State Law at the same time that they are arguing that the States MUST comply with Federal Law.