DEA raids pot dispensary in SF

[Traveling_Home]

Source: San Franciso Chronicle

(03-25) 22:05 PDT San Francisco -- Federal agents raided a medical marijuana dispensary in San Francisco Wednesday, a week after U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder signaled that the Obama administration would not prosecute distributors of pot used for medicinal purposes that operate under sanction of state law.

----------------------------------

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/25/BA5B16N9LR.DTL

---

This, along with Obama saying no to legalizing pot at the Webhall today, really upsets me.

NOT THE CHANGE I VOTED FOR!

[tridim]

1. The DEA is claiming that the club broke state and federal law

It has nothing to do with Obama's view on legalization.

If it's determined that the club was NOT breaking the law then the DEA should be forced to answer for their actions. We still need more information.

[Traveling_Home]

2. All Marijuana Dispensaries are breaking Federal Law .....

Yet Pres OBama said don't raid. If the place was to be charged with breaking Stste law then the State LEO should have handled it.

[FudaFuda]

4. great minds think alike!

you beat me to it, but we're thinking the same thing. I just hope this story gets some light of day so people can see the shit DEA is pulling here.

[FudaFuda]

3. That justification doesn't hold water

Breaking 'federal law' is a given, since the federal law and DEA deny the validity of medical marijuana and state laws allowing for it.

but the Obama administration has said it would respect state laws re: med marijuana

So, if the 'club' was breaking state law, a state law enforcement agency should be making the arrest, not the DEA. A violation of state law is none of the DEA's business.

[andodempa]

6. Absolutely!

n/t

[tridim]

7. I'll say it again, we don't have all the information yet.

Can we maybe wait a day or two before making a blanket judgement?

[aquart]

14. Replace the head of the DEA. This minute!

No president needs an agency head working a personal agenda.

[jberryhill]

19. Yeah, well, that's not what AG Holder said

Holder made it clear that the feds would proceed if the organization was not operating in accordance with state law.

As you point out, the feds remain able to enforce federal law. Holder's stated policy was not to do so if the organization was operating within the state law.

At this point, we don't know if they were or were not.

[Royal Sloan 09]

5. More information needed yes

but how can it be verified, as being honest and not a set-up by the DEA? Can they be trusted? I for one find them hard to believe or trust, as there past actions have proven to be less than honest. War on Drugs = FAILURE!

[GinaMaria]

8. Fuckers! They have been out of control for a while

raiding medical marijuana clinics are easy pickings. How much resistance will these patients put up? This crap has been going on for years. Just a bunch of bullies.

[CountAllVotes]

9. kick

:dem: :kick: !!

[downindixie]

10. Obama said in his web session that

he would not consider legalizing marijuana and tax it to help with federal economics problem.

[Hawkeye-X]

69. Obama needs to do more research on marijuana

1) need to see the benefits of smoking it
2) See the benefits of growing hemp commercially to replace everything.
3) Kick out the Pharmacetual lobbyists
4) Kick out the cotton lobbyists
5) Kick out the paper lobbyists.
6) Support a reduction from controlled subtance to Class C substance (like tobacco and alcohol)
7) Talk to Amsterdam about how they handled their weed shops
8) Tax it as appropriate.
9) See new businesses spring up to harvest, roll, sell weed
10) Voila! Major economic stimulus all on its own, without having to put up a dollar for it.

[Zhade]

71. Then he's a fool.

NT!

[Beetwasher]

11. Obama Needs To Crack Some Skulls At DEA, This Is An Obvious Slap In His Face

And he can't let it stand.

There better be a VERY good reason for them to have carried this out after Obama has said they wouldn't do this anymore (regardless of the law). It may be that this was already in the works before Obama declared his intentions and they had permission to go ahead w/ this one, but if not...

If not, then they did this to fuck w/ Obama and send a message that they don't care what he says and they're going to do what they want anyway. The timing is too coincidental to take it otherwise. Obama (through Holder actually) needs to respond and remind them who's boss.

[AndyTiedye]

12. It is Clear That Some Parts of the Government WILL NOT Answer to Obama

even though they are supposed do under the law. This is far more serious than the fate of one pot dispensary, or even all of them!

[aquart]

15. Exactly.

[avaistheone1]

17. Agreed.

I don't think Obama should hesitate. He should crack heads at DEA at once or they will continue to do whatever they please.

[sarcasmo]

74. Bingo.

[freemarketer6]

13. Something has to be done about this. I don't care if the State police

have to open fire on the DEA. If this is allowed to stand, what is next? Complete ignoring all presidential orders. Holder better get on this quickly.

[Mr. Hyde]

16. Apparently some folks DIDN'T GET THE FUCKING MEMO! nt

[jberryhill]

18. Did anyone read what Holder actually said?

Holder said last month that dispensaries only would be prosecuted if both state and federal drug laws were thought to be violated.

...


A source in San Francisco city government who was informed about the raid said the DEA's action appeared to be prompted by alleged financial improprieties related to the payment of sales taxes.

If they weren't paying sales taxes, then the whole "collect the tax revenue" thing flies clean out of the window.

[FatDave]

68. Then isn't that an state dept. of revenue issue?

If a gun shop doesn;t pay sales taxes does the ATF sweep in and do a raid? Why the double standard? Because we wouldn't want medical marijuana dispensaries to start thinking they're not criminals?

[Zhade]

72. "were thought " to be violated? WTF? Does he not understand due process?

You don't prosecute unless you have EVIDENCE the laws were violated!

[jberryhill]

77. I guess the AG doesn't understand due process....

Apparently, though, the DEA has not conveniently posted on a website whatever probable cause it proceeded on.

[Royal Sloan 09]

20. DEA Raids SF Pot Club

Source: KRON ch.4

SAN FRANCICSO (KRON) – The Drug Enforcement Agency is performing a bust Emmalyn’s California Cannabis Clinic in San Francisco.

The clinic is located at 1591 Howard at 12th Street.


Read more: http://www.kron4.com/News/ArticleView/tabid/298/smid/1126/ArticleID/872/reftab/36/t/DEA-Raids-SF-Pot-Club/Default.aspx

[marmar]

21. This shit has got to stop......

:mad:

[wtbymark]

22. I thought the new AG said no more of this...wtf?

[tekisui]

23. I thought the feds weren't going to do that anymore?

:shrug:

[Bacchus39]

50. yeah, that was just like 2 days ago. wtf???? n/t

a

[tridim]

24. Arrest the agents, they're breaking Federal law.

This could be the spark.

[EFerrari]

25. @ssholes.

[fascisthunter]

26. they are breaking federal law aren't they?

[Bacchus39]

51. The AG just announced acouple of days ago they would only raid if both fed and state law

were violated. so, now what????????

[jmowreader]

27. The DEA is COMPLETELY justified in this

well, in the eyes of the DEA they are. After all, they're only attempting to make sure no FEDERAL laws are broken.

No, I am not going to post the sarcasm icon. This goes way, way, WAY beyond the time for sarcastic remarks.

What needs to be done is for our nearly filibuster-proof Senate, our heavily-Democratic House and our Democratic president to whip up a nice tight two or three-page bill that directs the head of the DEA to move cannabis products from Schedule I to Schedule III. This would enable sick people to get their medicine, medicinal pot dealers to work without fear of prosecution, Pfizer and Merck to start selling marijuana through pharmacists, and the cops could still bust all the street dealers they wanted.

[bemildred]

28. Yeah, Congress needs to act. That's what they are for, after all. nt

[rhett o rick]

40. What did you mean "nearly filibuster-proof Senate"? We aren't even close to that.

Don't forget the DINO's. So called blue dogs.

[caseymoz]

43. Law enforcement has its own momentum.

They'll keep going till the cases start getting thrown out of court or the Attorney General orders them directly to stop.

I didn't think it was over when it was supposed to be over. It's quite possible that the DEA will actually fight to continue doing "it's work." And in fact, do it even more thoroughly, because they might be getting their last chance. Remember, they don't particularly like pot users. And remember the guards at Guantanamo started to get their last "licks" in when Obama became President. It was their last chance to show their contempt.

[Beam Me Up]

47. No. The scheduling is determined by HHS, not DEA.

Health and Human Services decides whether or not marijuana meets the requirements for schedule 1:

No accepted medical use and high probability of abuse.

Petitions have been filed against HHS repeatedly by NORML -- to get them to change this but HHS has refused.

Sorry, no link to back this up -- this is coming off the top of my head dating back to the Clinton era.

[go west young man]

60. Is there really "complete justification" for prosecuting any crime

after the 8 years of lawbreaking by the Bush Administration? Lady Justice lays bare for us all to see and she ain't too pretty, me thinks.

[flyboyscott68]

29. what Bull S@#t

  The government said they weren't going to do this anymore. 
So much for the change,hey?   I hope all of you watch "
The Obama Deception".  This really shows you that Obama
isn't any different.  Same old same old.  What a crock.

[tabasco]

42. LOL!

Looks like you're lost, freep-boy.

Why don't you fly back to the garbage heap you came from?

[hootinholler]

45. The pizza burns fast

When it comes in that hard.

-Hoot

[bleever]

59. I can read that post, even though he got his delivery already.

Maybe it's good for us to read the pizza orders.

[JeanGrey]

79. I'm not a "freep boy" or "girl" and I agree with him. I have become

more and more disheartened and this is almost the last straw. Everything we hoped for I am watching fly away. Why, oh why? why do people lie? Why do they claim to be what they are not?

We elect them because of what they stand for and tell us what they will do, and soon after, it all slips away....................

[DissedByBush]

30. Change!

I'm still waiting...

Okay, it's a little early. There have been several disappointments so far but I'm holding out hope for at least his first year in office.

[Politicalboi]

31. This is bullshit

Just like on Monday Charlie Lynch was found guilty and could serve 5 to 80 years in prison. Just legalize it and let everyone out of jail who got busted. Like Obama say's we need to look forward not back. Good enough for Bush and his cabal, good enough for pot users and sellers.

[rhett o rick]

39. Medical maryjane users go to jail while killers like Cheney are free. Something is very wrong. nm

[christx30]

54. Don't forget

people like Lovelle Mixon that were released from prison to make room for non-violent drug dealers. They would rather keep someone in prison for a joint than a rapist or killer.

Guess the guy with the joint is a major threat to the fabric of society. And, really, who are we to argue? :sarcasm:

[rhett o rick]

57. How sick a society that allows Cheney, a mass killer, to profit from the imprisonment of

marijuana users. Cheney has $85 million invested in for-profit prisons. He should be on the inside.

[christx30]

62. It's just

a lot easier to prosecute a poor person for possession than it is to navigate the many crimes of Dick and Georgie.

[rhett o rick]

65. I wish ease or difficulty had something to do with it. We live in a two class society.

The ruling class are above the law. Simple as that. And excuse me if that sounds argumentative. I don't mean it to be.

[christx30]

66. The ruling class can afford the

$1000 an hour lawyers. The poor cannot.
So it's easier to put the poor person in jail.
After all, justice is not the goal. Profit for the prisons is the goal.

[truthisfreedom]

32. We're hemhorraging tax dollars and they're doing THIS?

Seriously.

Stop the nonsense. Legalize it already. Get these people out of prison and save us the money! Legalize and tax pot, for god's sake!

[radhika]

33. Forcing a DOJ Confrontation?

I'm betting the DEA hates the new DoJ directive, and is playing brinksmanship. Thinking Holder will back down from the new directive rather than be viewed as supporting drug culture. Future wingnut talking points...and all that. Fire their fat asses.

[tomm2thumbs]

55. and give their jobs to returning Iraqi & Afghanistan veterans looking for a job

sounds entirely like a power play by local numbnuts

[DeltaLitProf]

56. I am too

I have no doubt that the DEA is riddled with corruption and the end of these kinds of busts really cuts into the incomes and the pot supplies of thousands of them.

[Q3JR4]

34. Perhaps the DEA didn't get the memo? n/t

Q3JR4.

[rhett o rick]

38. Or perhaps they are working for a shadow government like Jeb bush suggested. nm

[trthnd4jstc]

35. Legalize Freedom!

[rhett o rick]

36. OMG. How can you even suggest such a thing. You...you...liberal. nm

[femrap]

37. k and r

Maybe it's actions that speak louder than words....shit.

[tomm2thumbs]

41. kicked

Uh oh, sounds like someone got all 'I'm the sheriff' on everybody - the US AT is not going to like this

[CountAllVotes]

44. who knows

Note this statement:

>> In a statement, DEA Special Agent in Charge Anthony D. Williams said that based on an ongoing investigation they believe the clinic violated federal and state law.

Perhaps something illegal was going on - refers to an "ongoing investigation" ... :shrug:

:dem:

[Wizard777]

48. If they were not violating Federal and State law. Everyone even remotely involved in this Bust -

should be fired.

[endarkenment]

64. oh fuck that

this is total crap

[Hugabear]

46. Thank god those drug-crazed sick people are being kept in check!

I've seen "Reefer Madness". I know what happens when people gt all crazed up on the Mary Jane.

[backscatter712]

75. PLAY FASTER!!!

One of the greatest unintentionally funny movies in history!

[spag68]

49. DEA

I'm surprised that even here no one sees that if the DEA stops raiding pot, how will they ever get their retirement money stashed away. They are after all the biggest drug dealers in the country.

[glitch]

52. Assholes. nt

[The abyss]

53. In my opinion they are simply testing the water.

The “government” exists outside of Bush or Obama or any political party and has for quite some time.

At this point “they” are not exactly sure just how the American people are going to react. Hence this contradictory activity. They are still probing as to whether Joe six-pack & Soccer Mom Suzie have woken up enough to take to the streets and start a new designer rage for lamp-posts.

Another example would be: will the people tolerate a full military involvement into Mexico, hence the social engineering stories about the crazed drug war threatening our southern border.

They need a shift away from failures in the middle east - they need something close to mom, apple pie, etc...

[rhett o rick]

58. I agree. nm

[kristopher]

61. Could it be some wingers just trying to make a big deal out of Obama's position? nt

[endarkenment]

63. WTF?

Didn't Holder announce a change in policy?

[Dramarama]

67. Ammiano For Gov

[Zhade]

70. WHAT THE FUCK.

Did Obama and Holder LIE to us?

This is a deal-breaker for me -- I am a patient the DEA would rather go blind.

[sarcasmo]

73. I thought the White House said this shit was going to stop.

[Chovexani]

76. Shaggy and Scooby still on the lam

The Mystery Machine was last spotted headed toward the Del Taco on $2 Tuesdays, though.

Edit: In seriousness, I'm glad these dangerous criminal enterprises are being shut down. Your tax dollars at work ladies and gents. :eyes:

[Romulox]

78. "Sometimes during [Presidencies] the rhetoric gets overheated and amplified."

:puke: