DEA Raids California Collectives, Violating New Federal Policy
After word spread of DEA raids on medical marijuana collectives in San Diego and Mendocino County last week, many are left wondering if federal agents deliberately violated the Obama administration’s instructions to not interfere with state medical marijuana laws.
Under the Department of Justice policy announced in an October memo, federal agents are no longer supposed to target or prosecute medical marijuana patients or providers who operate in “clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state law.”
Yet, according to local accounts, the sites raided last week were legal under state law. From the Press Democrat:
Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman confirmed Friday that the [raided] property owner had the proper paperwork and the marijuana was legal in the eyes of the county.
“This was a federal operation and had nothing to do with local law enforcement,” he said. “The federal government made a decision to go ahead and eradicate it.”
Steve Elliott has more in Alternet:
A multi-agency federal task force descended on the property of Joy Greenfield, the first Mendo patient to pay the $1,050 application fee under the ordinance, which allows collectives to grow up to 99 plants provided they comply with certain regulations.
Greenfield had applied in the name of her collective, “Light The Way,” which opened in San Diego earlier this year. Her property had passed a preliminary inspection by the Mendo sheriff’s deputies shortly before the raid, and she had bought the sheriff’s “zip-ties” intended to designate her cannabis plants as legal.
In the days before the raid, Greenfield had seen a helicopter hovering over her property; she inquired with the sheriff, who told her the copter belonged to the DEA and wasn’t under his control.
The agents invaded her property with guns drawn, tore out the collective’s 99 plants and took Greenfield’s computer and cash.
Joy was not at home during the raid, but spoke on the phone to the DEA agent in charge. When she told [him] she was a legal grower under the sheriff’s program, the agent replied, “I don’t care what the sheriff says.”
The DEA has not yet released any statement explaining their actions, which all reports indicate violated their DOJ-issued guidelines.
With the number of state medical marijuana laws at 14 and growing, there is an urgent need for the federal government to ensure that its policy on state medical marijuana laws is made “clear and unambiguous” to its enforcers as well. The DOJ guidelines issued in October should have done just that, but apparently the DEA in California didn’t get the memo.
Tagged with: Alternet and California and DEA and DOJ and Joy Greenfield and Mendocino and Obama and Press Democrat and raid and San Diego and Steve Elliott by the author
58 comments
Death to the DEA!
No doubt there is some personal vendatta hidden in all of this. The law is nothing more than a smoke screen that allows the local maffia-in-power to selectively harrass or remove any citizen they please at any time. Sure, if you have enough cash, you can get some “justice” (probably on an appeal), but the cops will never have to answer for shitting on the 4th.
As you can see, even if pot is legalized in CA this year, this is what the DEA plans on doing. Don’t sell the farm and move to CA just yet!
The DEA want the MONEY. That is all they take, besides the plants just to be assholes. If there was no money they would not waste their time. It is free money. No one questions why DEA members have the nicest toys, the nicest cars and hummers, nice homes and nice bikes. I bet they have no receipts from stores for their nice things. They are nothing more than thieves with badges. LEGALIZE and all this shit will stop!!!
While I wouldn’t say selling the farm and moving to CA just for pot is a good idea, I can’t imagine the DEA having the manpower or the energy to break into every backyard if CA passes Prop 19…
I still don’t care to much for dispensaries , just legalize problem solved. Vote yes on 19
Holy Smokes. If the attitude from the DEA is as stated; just think about how the rest of the Federal Government feels about the will of the people To much power in the hands of few. Trouble ahead, trouble behind.
Rev.sLeezy
This has got to be a sic joke right?
POT NAZI’S
Why would the United States allow this to happen?
Joel, this happens because we don’t stand up to the government. Standing up with signs and shouting isn’t standing up. Standing up and not letting them come on your land, or leave it if they do, is standing up. Standing up requires both force and will. Governments are the worst types of thugs and do not understand anything less.
If my employer told my how to do my job and then I did what ever the hell I wanted…..How long do you think I would be employed?
I know of many cops that are nothing more then drug dealing, gangsters with badges. And because they have those badges, it seems, the public believes that law enforcement never do anything wrong. They believe law enforcements actions were to make the world a safer place. They never KILL in cold blood. They never plant guns. They never steal. They never sell drugs. They protect us and should never be questioned. BULL!
There ARE good cops out there but I think they are few and far between.
For anyone who desires an understanding of why this is so, one need go no further than reading Lysander Spooner’s classic work “No Treason.” Written during President Grant’s term as chief dictator, this 34 page masterpiece unveils the deception, fraud, and murder that is government in an easy to read, with infallible logic, format. There is no contract between the people and the fictional government, in fact, the constitution has either failed to prevent tyranny, or was it’s conduit to uphold it. Nowhere is this more clear than in the government’s war on us through drugs.
It’s called ruling by fear. You beat one dog and the rest will sit in the corner. What’s happening to our freedom?
The NAACP supports legalization in California…Perhaps it was Obama and Holder who didn’t get the memo…Who knew Obama would be so far off base in his social policies that he would still be sending in his DEA to beat up on sick people…wow
Boo to Mr Obama and his evil little minions! When is our Gov going to actually reflect it’s people! It’s time to end this, NOW! DEA go the fuck away!!!
The federal carpetbaggers are wrong on cannabis. Period! Under the current administration’s guidelines, the Feds should be eradicating illegal grows but instead are spending their budgets on easy prey. They have to spend all of their budget money in order to justify the budget dollar amount they’re going to request for next year.
Their budgets, California DEA and other medical marijuana states, need to be cut accordingly. Reduce their budgets by the amount they wasted on pursuing legal cannabis. Just keep reducing their budgets by this punishment amount year over year.
Do I have to think of everything?! Really!
I believe they have to fight relegalization, not because they believe it is thr right thing to do. Because they are fighting new ideas, scary ideas. These new ideas are threatening to them. New ideas have changed the world to make current ideas possible. When Copernicus preached heilocentricism they came for him also. When Jefferson subscribed to Locke, a nation was born. When we are able to trust each other another small step in society will be taken. That time is within our grasp if not for the fear and judgment that we all poses.
This government is getting so two faced and out of hand that it is rediculous. Obama needs to step up to the Feds but I feel like there is a hidden agenda behind all of this. Like said before, this is just a smoke screen.
Why does the federal government hate it when people follow the letter of the law?
hey, anyone else think that immigration laws being put into place now are in order to shut down marijuana traffic, and in result, help the war on us?
Also, you guys need to stop thinking Obama is going to help. Its been two years, he has given more money to DEA and FBI just for the drug war. common guys, he lied. Even the far left has got to agree on that.
The DEA just raided a man in Saginaw Michigan a day after he had a protest on the courthouses front lawn. Obviously targeted for being vocal.
PLEASE HELP! Evidently Obama gets feedback from comments that Jon Stewart makes on “THE Daily Show”. We are trying to get Stewart to take NOTICE of recent raids by DEA in medical marijuana states. Please help by.. 1. going to the facebook page “THE DAILY SHOW” (include “the”). 2. Click LIKE 3. Add a comment calling attention to the recent raids under “other” (immediately under the wall comment box). Trying to get 50 in the next couple hours!! Please help! Cut and paste if you must…. WHY all the raids on medical marijuana by the DEA?? The Obama administration policy was to respect each States Medical Marijuana Laws. Why has there been in increase in DEA raids in Medical Marijuana states?
Back in the middle ages, this would be referred to as banditry. Aren’t bandits supposed to be hunted down and exterminated with extreme prejudice(hanging, drawing, quartering)?
WOW…Obama administrations policy may be to leave medical mj alone, but it is just a policy, it is not law. Get a clue you guys. HE LIED. HAS LIED. WILL LIE. AND HE DONT GIVE A SHIT
Ray. Obama gave a 5% increase for D.E.A. funding just a few days ago. I do not think he gives a crap about what 30 million people want. He has a plan for America and it is not a free country he wants. MPP. Is there any studies being done as far as California farmers growing hemp for our country? I seem to recall that there is a greater amount of bio-fuel in hemp than soy beans or corn. Could you post the facts of all uses for hemp? And another thing about Cal. Could some one find out exactly how much profits the big drug companies have lost since cannamis has become a legalized meds?
cannabis, sorry!
http://www.votehemp.org
President Obama doesn’t want to get involved. He just throws out tokens and makes PR speeches. That is why his approval rating is continuing on a downward spiral. I am afraid for another major distraction.
Unfortunately I feel the momentum of passing Prop 19 dying.
If something isn’t don’t fast, we may lose this in Nov.
The prohibition organizations along with law enforcement PR specialist are fighting back. They do have some persuasive tactics in convincing people that they can be trusted.
I still think as far as the Cali prop 19, that a lot of people are still not saying yes in the public polls in fear of automatic “guilty by assosiation”. BUT they will vote yes in a private vote. I think Cali voters really have nothing to fear, except the DEA.
@ Al #12 You’re wrong, there are no “good” cops. Especially those cops that think they are good cops because THEY don’t do the things that we normally attribute to bad cops. They know about these things and if they try to do something about them they quickly find themselves ex cops. So in the interest of preserving their career they do nothing about the blatantly illegal activities of the ones that they think of as bad cops. If you’re a cop and you know about criminal activity and you do nothing to make it right then you are a bad cop. If you DO try to do something then you become an ex cop. See ? Only bad cops and ex cops no good cops.
Every cop takes a silent oath never to rat out another cop no matter how grave the offense. This is a conspiracy to with hold information, a CRIME.
Thus, EVERY COP IS A CRIMINAL!!
DEA is just another criminal gang they aren’t here to protect and serve! They should all be taken outside and beat with a bar of soap in a pillowcase until they start getting the point that your not helping any American citizen except your own greedy asses.
obama is bush lite he has no voice and is doing nothing as president.
The most destructively dangerous creature the world has ever known is someone who thinks they know what is better for you than you do and has the power to do something about that inclination. These prohibitionists violate God’s will for people to live in freedom with liberty as acknowledged and cited in the Constitution of the United States. Will Americans take back their freedom and liberty or continue to live like slaves? Without the threat of violence backed by violence, prohibitionists are nothing. When American patriots enjoy freedom and liberty, they have everything.
American DEA… witnessing the demise.
Our DEA is invading sovereign and independent countries in a last ditch effort to keep power in America.
We are not only looking at reforming laws in America… but once any state (California) decides to reform drug law, the countries throughout the world will reform their laws.
America pressures nations to keep our form of “morals” against “drugs”.
D.E.A. is afraid – they might have to actually lay off employees like every other governmental agency, but not YET!
Whatever happened to “sovereign states”?
soveriegn states ended after the civil war. a lot of issues back then was if the states had the ability to govern themselves such as the Constitution has in mind, but the rich and the elite have and had different plans. they used slavery as a forfront to make it a race issue. kind of the same thing being done right now. NAACP and a bunch of liberal groups are saying the “tea party” is racist. this is an issue that would make a SHIT LOAD of blacks AUTOMATICALLY against the tea party. When in fact, the tea party is more for states and individual rights. but by giving the tea party the fight to show their party is not racist, the elite and rich have tied the hands of the tea party. Its kinda like how Bush used 9-11 as a cover for going in and finishing off Sadam. Its kinda like how Obama is using the gulf oil spill to cover up things, such as legalization movement (wierd how both parties are wondering what the next step is, when in fact there should only be one step, legalize (hemp and weed)). if the American people are busy with one issue, other issues go unaccounted for. I think that we are doomed already and have been since NWO was announced by Regan and 1st Bush. I think there is only one way out. I am a liberal conservative when voting, but most of all I am an American Family man that will do whatever it takes to make it where my daughter will survive, where I will survive, along with my wife. And I mean WHATEVER it takes. May God have mercy on the souls of the rich and elite, for they are the ones that will need pity when hell is unleashed.
The prohibitionists are fighting back because they want to put OUR KIDS in PRISON if they use a little marijuana; it’s how they earn their money! This is a long-term process, and the other side isn’t going to just lay down and go away. Every arrest, every raid, every theft of cash and property is a reminder to all of us that this is an important fight that will either leave our children more free or more enslaved. Hang in there and keep encouraging friends to register, vote, and make a difference!
Don’t be surprised that they’re trying to harass and intimidate people. Let’s keep our heads up and get people to REGISTER to VOTE.
Share the links to REGISTER TO VOTE. And while we’re talking, tell people to be on the watch for the “October Surprise”, some trumped-up bad “news” about marijuana that will be intended to persuade voters at the last minute. Register to VOTE and tell your friends to not fall for the “October Surprise!”
(Remove the spaces in the h t t p :// w w w portions of the link and then paste the link into your browser)
ARIZONA citizens can register to vote at h t t p ://w w w .azsos.gov/election/voterregistration.htm
until October 3, 2010.
CALIFORNIA citizens can register to vote at
h t t p s://w w w .sos.ca.gov/nvrc/fedform/ Just fill out the form and mail it in!
COLRADO at h t t p ://w w w .sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/ . There’s a link in the “Voter Information” section.
GEORGIA at h t t p ://w w w .sos.georgia.gov/elections/voter_registration/voter_reg_app.htm until October 4, 2010.
KANSAS at
h t t p s://w w w .kdor.org/voterregistration/Default.aspx until October 16 or 17, 2010.
MAINE citizens have to register in person; you can read about it at h t t p ://w w w .maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/voterguide.html all the way up until election day!
MICHIGAN at
h t t p ://w w w .michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-50050_50420-175878–,00.html until October 1, 2010.
MINNESOTA at h t t p ://w w w .sos.state.mn.us/index.aspx?page=204 until October 10, 2010.
MONTANA citizens can check their registration status and find other information at h t t p s://app.mt.gov/voterinfo/ or get the voter registration form at h t t p ://w w w .co.yellowstone.mt.gov/elections/ (sorry, I couldn’t find a state-wide site!)
NEVADA at h t t p ://nvsos.gov/index.aspx?page=76 until October 12.
NORTH CAROLINA at
h t t p ://w w w .sboe.state.nc.us/content.aspx?id=23 until October 7, 2010.
OREGON citizens can register online at
h t t p ://w w w .sos.state.or.us/elections/votreg/vreg.htm until October 16.
SOUTH DAKOTA citizens can get the voter registration form online at
h t t p ://w w w .sdsos.gov/electionsvoteregistration/registrationvoting.shtm until October 10.
WASHINGTON citizens can register online at
h t t p ://wei.secstate.wa.gov/osos/en/voterinformation/Pages/RegistertoVote.aspx
until October 4, 2010.
Other states: Google your State name and the phrase “voter registration” to find out how to REGISTER TODAY so you can VOTE.
Phil # 30, if you need a little boost of enthusiasm, check out http://www.taxcannabis.org/
Prop 19 is a live and well in California. Keep helping to get out the vote!
Just remember, with every pot deal you make, every plant you sow, with every toke, you are voting to break the law to make it right. You are not the criminal because you break the law, you are campaigning for justice in our laws.
Okay, I have seen far too many things about how horrible the cops are, how horrible Obama is, and all I have to say is that this is why we don’t get the support we need. There ARE good cops. There are also a lot of bad cops out there, but there are good people who became police officers to help people and to make the world a better place. Don’t hate all of them because you’ve had bad experiences, or else you’re exactly like the bad cops who assume you’re like every drug addict who breaks into stores and maybe kills people.
Yes it is a policy set by the Obama government, but he can’t order the DEA to do anything, and he may pass the laws, but he doesn’t choose which bills are put forth to be made into laws, that’s Congress.
Sovereign States refer to governments, federal governments. When the news says that something is “State sanctioned,” it means the federal government sanctioned it. Sovereign states are those who are nations in and of themselves. For instance, France is a sovereign state, while Puerto Rico is not as it is a territory of the US. You are thinking of state’s rights, which was initially the reason for the founding of the Republican party, while the Democratic party was founded on the ideas that the country needed a strong federal government to cover things that individual states could not, such as Social Security, foreign policy, and a number of other federally mandated programs.
Sorry, I was a political science/pre-law student before I had to leave school because of a progressive form of MS. I support the legalization of marijuana, both for medical use and recreational, but in all honesty, much of what I see here is just likely to inflame any law enforcement or political individual that reads it. And in all honesty, does anyone really believe that this sort of thing isn’t monitored by those people? Don’t spread hate, it does no one any good.
I would like to see the complete bill to the American tax payers for this little operation. Hellicopters ain’t cheap and the agents make big bucks. The feds should be collecting tax dollars on the commercial cultivation & sale of cannabis instead of spending big bucks to erradicate a few plants. Vote yes on Prop 19 – I want my 25 sq ft!
those Californians who oppose normalization do so from economic self-interest or at the least uninformed opinion. I have heard people opine that pot will be legal in ’5 more years’ since I was 13 yrs old! I am 47 now. Get on the stick people, don’t slack and don’t obstruct. I don’t shout but I almost feel as if I should in this case:
MAKE CERTAIN YOU HAVE REGISTERED TO VOTE IN YOUR CURRENT RESIDENCE
VOTE YES ON CALIF PROP 19
that’s all for now
Phil Osopher, You’re right and I feel it too. Now what can I do about it ?
Has anyone else realized that if the DEA says that Joy Greenfield’s marijuana plants where illegal that in legal terms the Mendocino County Sheriff is therefore an accessory to a crime because he was in effectively involved in the operation by selling her the “Zip tie” markers for the plants. You could say that the $1050 collected by the Sheriff was the ‘Counties Cut’ of an illegal operation. This would constitute a conspiracy as well. If the DEA is going to prosecute Joy then they logically must also prosecute the Sheriff and any deputies present when the Sheriffs office inspected the operation. Perhaps this could be used to set some kind of legal precedence!?!?!?!?!?!
We Need Now More Than Ever To See That- We The People Have A voice! The Way It Is Right Now It Seems WE DO NOT HAVE A VOICE! Come on This Country Was Basically Built Because The People felt they did’nt Have A Voice With England Back Before The Revolutionary War! So Where Have Our Ethics Gone? Are We The people THE PEOPLE And Our GOVT. ENGLAND? Well They Say History Repeats It’s Self. I Guess It Does Because It Seems like That Is Where We Are At Right Now!
It is interesting whether or not charges will be pressed. To date I’ve not seen any more info showing charges have been brought.
Sounds like simple asset seizure to me. Disruption and confusion. Apparently this is a highly effective method employed by our military in various places around the world. I guess it would make sense to employ it on US soil in direct violation of California law. Next I guess will be rendition to other states to ensure proper prosecution?
Main gripe I have is that if this “multi-agency taskforce” had a significant case to enact a raid(s), there should have been massive press releases and the usual crap along with it. Some time ago these various agencies would want to ensure public smear so that any counter argument would be dismissed. Now it appears we’ve gone into a new game.
I already watched a failed search over the 4th of July weekend in my neighborhood for a “suspect.” Nothing like a patriotic holiday with full swat team swarming around and searching houses that couldn’t possibly be related. Fortunately there were too many cameras or something and nothing happened outside of severe loss of security for our little community.
And yes, the suspect they were looking for was a drug dealer. They even had the audacity to ask my neighbor, after they searched his home, if there was anyone else in the immediate area who was into drugs and where they might live so they could help catch this guy. Sure. I guess if you get the wrong house or houses on your sweep … might as well see if you can get a mulligan?
I know that nostalgia is not always real. But I grew up in a different country and was definitely told this sort of crap only happened “in Russia” etc.
The DEA and the funding of our local police by drug proceed and federal drug enforcement monies has to be called to the carpet. I’m done paying for law enforcement to start off their traffic stops with questions about drugs. For whole neighborhoods to be granted a search warrant. And for a myriad of useless killings of human beings and animals in a senseless pursuit.
medical marijuana laws will not stop the federal law
The fact is we must legalize and end the police state
End the jobs of DEA as to at least Cannabis
other wise we will see more and more of this or maybe like our patriots fathers who would not put up with this we should just make it war with DEA personal and put to death those who come to kill the weed and trespass on property and hang those who are attacking this as some and most police will never support legalizatiopn there brain dead , they do not even know what constitutional rights are they think you need a permit for everything
JUST LEGALIZE i WILL HELP
ONE MORE THING . WE ALL NEED TO JOIN IN AND WORK ON ENDING THE LAWS THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO QUIT USING THIS AND THE POLICE ACTS , DEA FEDERAL LAWS TO SHOW CHANGE IS ONLY WAY TO STOP THE HELL MADE BY THE GOVERNMENT
PLEADING AND DISMISSING THIS IS WRONG
MAKE THIS WIDE KNOWN AND SUPPORT WE SHALL
MPP AND N.O.R.M.L SHOULD JOIN FORCES AND MAKE THIS LEGAL BY CHANGE OF THE FEDERAL LAWS AS TO JURISDICTION AND RIGHTS OF THE STATES TO MAKE THERE OWN LAWS
fuck this…this is fucking BS
look it up profiteers verses pirates. The cops today have become the profieteers of the days of old. But most crossed the line and ended up hung, and I don’t mean in a sexual way…..
It’s called jury nulification.
Bullying by Leonhart’s pathetic subordinates? Yes!
Anti-American abuse of power? Indeed!
Do they really believe thinly-veiled scare tactics like these will continue unchecked? Hell no!
Ms. Leonhart, what you’re doing is about as un-American as you can get-shame on you and shame on the California DEA ( a pack of dicks) for wasting our resources and disrupting the lives of law-abiding citizens.
Is the DEA trying to “look busy” so as to distract us from the fact that COCAINE and HEROIN are still widely available in our streets? Perhaps if they dedicated such fervor and determination to get COKE and HEROIN out of our neighborhoods instead of focusing on LEGALLY-ĜROWN marijuana, people will stop laughing when someone references “the war on drugs”!
Clearly, the DEA must re-evaluate their priorities.
once i heard al sharpton say if we legalized pot inner city drug dealers would have no choice but to sell the harder drugs to support their families. yeah, for real! he said it! that same logic is in place here. have you noticed the 180 -200 a ounce pot ,that light green , fat seeded skunky smellin’ pot is dissapearing and now its mexican crap or this sweet smellin shit that dont get you high or some 100 a quarter shit. the dea has targeted the growers of kansas kentucky georgia etc. to eliminate the american from making any profit so all profit is to some where else as a way to stimulate poor economies. the rich drug dealers in mex. are building their communities more than their gov. water,electric schools roads these are being provided by the cartels to villages around their compounds face it, if your a billionaire with dirt roads and a out house whats the benefit of the money. and your kids not having good schools or opportunities so, you build what you need, the nearby public benefits also from your improvements and your the greatest thing since sliced bread. all at the expense of the americangrower and tax-payer
[...] just Obama going back on another promise—we’ll know once we see his reaction. Mike Meno at the MPP blog: After word spread of DEA raids on medical marijuana collectives in San Diego and Mendocino County [...]
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