US Pot advocate charged

[Trillo]

US Pot advocate charged
October 15, 2006

A leading medical marijuana advocate who successfully appealed against his federal conviction this year has been indicted on new charges that include tax evasion and money laundering.

Ed Rosenthal, a well-known spokesman for the movement to legalize marijuana, was already facing a retrial on federal charges of growing marijuana for medical use.

He is to be arraigned on Monday in federal district court here on the new indictment, unsealed late on Thursday.
...

"They want to shut me up," he said. "They are vindictive. They don't like anybody beating them, and they will go after you again and again until they wear you down."

Read more...

[bluestateguy]

1. What an absolute waste of time

How many federal law enforcement agents waste time and taxpayer money on such non-crimes as (adult)prostitution and non-violent drug transactions? Every one of those agents could instead be working on terrorism.

[Earth_First]

2. At the very least, decriminalize possession! n/t

[Union Thug]

3. Does this government do ANYTHING good with our tax dollars...

...anything at all?? We've got wars, faith based services, and bullshit pot busts. What a great use of tax dollars. Assholes.

[lonestarnot]

7. Nope, not one thing! Not one.

[darkmaestro019]

4. pursuit of happiness?

Why exactly do I only get to pursue OTHER PEOPLE'S IDEA of happiness?

[intheflow]

5. I don't get this, either.

I can't drink, one drink keeps me up all night as if I had drunk a pot of coffee. But one hit of pot makes me a dangerous criminal? WTF?

[darkmaestro019]

8. without weed

I don't write, I don't eat anywhere near enough for even a tiny person like myself. I don't laugh. I don't feel HUMAN.

I had the revelation that what they want is for me to work forty hours a week in a job I hate and do it SOBER for my entire life, and never write a word. I'd frankly rather die than exist like that.

Without marijuana happiness for me is the lowest possible level of misery, and I deserve better than that. And the only negative effects I have ever experienced from it (other than dry mouth and eyes--let's ban ceiling fans!) have been INFLICTED FROM OUTSIDE. Like losing a job I received letters of praise for because I refused a random test. I missed one day in two years and could assemble parts from any machine in that place with never a backup. (This was not dangerous type work; I would NOT do such while "high")

Why could I do that? Because my hands could run on autopilot while my lovely stoned mind worked on the stories I'd write down when I got home. Most people in that kind of manufacturing are kind of dead inside, constantly miserable. I was perfectly happy. And this is a crime?

I only drink when I don't have weed--and alcohol has cost me a LOT of wonderful things in my life, and the effects are terrible, buzz-wise and repercussion-wise. No wonder that's legal while weed isn't, why, it makes perfect sense! :sarcasm:

[Rex]

6. The political reasons for banning pot are as sad as Repuke values.

Sick assholes trying to keep people from enjoying life. Kick around pot but leave booze alone. So much bullshit one needs a boat.

[midnight]

9. Why do they want to wast time and money. This Tax thing should

be handled by an attorney.

[bamacrat]

10. Ah tax money at work.

This is stupid. Legalizing weed would make the world a better place.

[Wretched Refuse]

11. And

Bring in needed tax revenue.
Why do the Neo-Cons HATE America so?

[ms liberty]

12. He was growing it for the local govt, too...

Ed Rosenthal was growing it legally, for the local govt., I can't remember if it was city or county, but the point is it wasn't even his pot - he was just acting as the caretaker/gardener IIRC. At his first trial, the judge wouldn't let his attorneys present that information, which is the only reason he was found guilty! After the trial the jurors were pissed to find that out, and they spoke out about it. Supreme Court Justice Breyer's brother was the judge. I cannot believe - wait, yes I can believe they'd do this. God forbid they should actually do something useful.

[Shakespeare]

13. LEAVE ED THE HELL ALONE.

Jesus Christ on a pogo stick....what a fucking waste of federal resources, all in the name of harrassing and persecuting somebody doing zero harm to anyone. :banghead:

[Zhade]

14. All this persecution of a beneficial plant and its supporters.

This is fucking nonsense.