“Attorney Melinda Haag’s warped application of federal tax, forfeiture and asset seizure laws against landlords who rent to legal marijuana dispensaries in the sovereign state of California has sadly become typical behavior from a horribly misguided and intellectually corrupted Department of Justice.” – Former LAPD Deputy Chief S. Downing, current LEAP Speaker.
By Americans For Safe Access  |  Published in CourageCampaign.org
Sign the petition and tell Attorney General Eric Holder to STOP THE RAIDS!
On Jun 7, Attorney General Eric Holder told Congress that his department will limit federal action against medical marijuana dispensaries “acting out of conformity with state laws.”
On Jun 11, the Drug Enforcement Administration raided El Camino Wellness Center, a fully-permitted dispensary in Sacramento, California.
Medical cannabis patients deserve better than double-speak from the nation’s top law enforcement official. Sign the petition at https://HolderStopTheRaids.com and tell AG Holder to be a man of his word and stop raiding dispensaries!
On Monday, July 9, this office filed civil forfeiture actions against 1840 Embarcadero, Oakland, California, and 2106 Ringwood Avenue, San Jose, where Harborside, a marijuana dispensary claiming over 108,000 customers, operates.
(Editor’s Note:  This from U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag in San Francisco from SFGate.com)
On Monday, July 9, this office filed civil forfeiture actions against 1840 Embarcadero, Oakland, California, and 2106 Ringwood Avenue, San Jose, where Harborside, a marijuana dispensary claiming over 108,000 customers, operates.
This office has used its limited resources to address those marijuana dispensaries that operate close to schools, parks and playgrounds. As I have said in the past, this is a non-exclusive list of factors relevant to whether we should commence civil forfeiture actions against marijuana properties, and circumstances may require us to address other situations.
I now find the need to consider actions regarding marijuana superstores such as Harborside. The larger the operation, the greater the likelihood that there will be abuse of the state’s medical marijuana laws, and marijuana in the hands of individuals who do not have a demonstrated medical need.
The filing of the civil forfeiture complaints against the two Harborside properties is part of our measured effort to address the proliferation of illegal marijuana businesses in the Northern District of California.
The way I read the statement, Harborside hasn’t actually done anything illegal (at least in terms of California law) that we can find. but because it’s big, it must be guilty.
UPDATE:
Former LAPD Deputy Chief S. Downing, now a spokesperson for the 50,000+ member group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), stated the following to the LA Times:
“Attorney Melinda Haag’s warped application of federal tax, forfeiture and asset seizure laws against landlords who rent to legal marijuana dispensaries in the sovereign state of California has sadly become typical behavior from a horribly misguided and intellectually corrupted Department of Justice. Haag’s rationalization that the dispensaries present “unique opportunities for abuse,” is beyond understanding. Closing the doors of these regulated facilities and sending patients back to the black market is what will create “opportunities for abuse.”
Tempie
Why did Obama just reassign the ATF director behind “Fast & Furious” & not get him out of his administraiton?