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May 21, 2013 | 08:28 am
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Brewer says no to pleas for state to stop issuing medical marijuana cards

Welcome to the discussion.

5 comments:

  • spider posted at 11:32 pm on Mon, Jul 30, 2012.

    spider Posts: 5

    Come on, Howie, you’re smarter than this. The Governor is “duty bound” to enforce a state law that forces state employees to violate federal law? Common sense alone dictates a different conclusion. And, the law is clear. (Maybe you should have asked a lawyer.) No state law can authorize violations of federal law.

    Governor Brewer has received two separate warnings from the Department of justice. The County Attorneys didn't make a "plea" to Governor Brewer. They respectfully pointed out to the Governor that moving forward with implementation of the marijuana program puts the state in grave danger of serious repercussions. Perhaps they were politely filling in the glaring gap left by the oddly silent Attorney General.

    Please just admit a little bias on your part here. For whatever reason, you personally want the state to implement the “medical” marijuana law, so you personally are going to ignore clear legal reasons why the state should halt implementation. Every other state warned by the DOJ has halted implementation. The only reason given by the Governor for implementing this illegal law is that the voters want it. Why didn’t you ask her what she would do if the voters wanted to prohibit women from voting? Voters can’t pass laws that authorize violations of federal law and you know it.

    Perhaps the worst part of this article is YOUR statement that, “In fact, the governor tried to get just such an order but without success as a federal judge refused last year to rule on Brewer's request to clarify whether the state's medical marijuana program can proceed in spite of federal law.” You were in the courtroom. The Judge (Judge Bolton) told Attorney General Tom Horne to take a position as to whether or not Prop 203 is unconstitutional or she would be FORCED to dismiss the lawsuit. For whatever reason, Tom Horne refused to take a position and the Judge had no other choice than to dismiss the lawsuit. You know that. How can you, in good conscience, say the Governor TRIED to get an order? She didn’t make even a basic attempt. AND she still could ask for that order. Why doesn’t she?

    The DOJ gave Arizona two separate warnings not to go forward with implementation of the marijuana program. In the face of Attorney General Tom Horne’s odd silence, 13 county attorneys, both Republicans and Democrats, advised the Governor that the “medical” marijuana law should not be implemented for legal reasons. The Governor thinks she's smarter than the County Attorneys. THAT’S the story.

    Journalism at its absolute worst.

     
  • PeacefulCat posted at 6:51 am on Tue, Jul 31, 2012.

    PeacefulCat Posts: 119

    Arizona voters battled lawmakers and leaders to finally bring medical marijuana to a vote in 1996. This measure passed with a 65% margin and our State Legislatures overturned that law. This forced citizens to bring Proposition 105 to a vote in 1998. The Arizona Voter Protection Act†prevents our adversarial Governor and Legislature from vetoing or obstructing laws the people initiate and the voters approve. Arizonans had to won “voter protection†from our public servants.

    In 2010 Arizona citizens again forced another vote for Medical Marijuana and won in spite of an all out assault by our Community Leaders, Government and the Arizona Republic to defeat this law with a media scare campaign of misinformation.

    Then Governor Brewer and Will Humble, Head of the Department of Health Services, waged a campaign to sabotage the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act and created an ambush of litigation to stop medical marijuana patients from having legal access. A Washington based group that wrote the sabotage into Proposition 203. Marijuana Policy Project MMP wrote the rules that crippled this law from the start. Judge Gama’s ruling has come back from the Arizona Courts regarding Governor Brewer and Will Humble’s attack on the medical marijuana law. His ruling continually defers to the will and intent of the voters: CV 2011-011290 01/17/2012 Judge Gama:

    In construing a statute adopted by initiative, the Court’s primary objective “is to give effect to the intent of the electorate.

    The voters passed Proposition 203 informed of marijuana’s therapeutic value in treating a wide array of debilitating medical conditions. Prop. 203, at § 2(B). The voters intended to protect patients with those debilitating medical conditions (and their physicians and providers) “from arrest and prosecution, criminal and other penalties and property forfeiture if such patients engage in the medical use of marijuana.†Id. at § 2(G). The voters contemplated this be done in 120 days.

    We have a governor and the head of our State Health Department pouring through the language of Proposition 203 for any loophole they can find to continue this sabotage of the law and will of the people. This struggle between the citizens and our public servants shines a bright light on a problem that is much deeper than Corruption, Cancer or the Liberty to use Marijuana.

    These murderers just don't want to give up their 41 year marijuana cash cow that made them so Fat and Sassy.
    When ready for change go to ushempnews.com


     
  • Arizona Willie posted at 8:43 am on Tue, Jul 31, 2012.

    Arizona Willie Posts: 1909

    The court rules that Brewer had NO AUTHORITY to intefere with a valid state law enacted by the people.

    I had claimed that she was guilty of Abuse of Authority and the judge agreed but no one is going to prosecute her. No lawyer will touch it because of fear of retaliation.

    The people she prevented from getting licenses for their clinics had a valid case to have her criminally prosecuted for the financial damage she did to them. She caused them lost business which a company can sue for.

    The governor cannot LEGALLY stop the medical marijuana clinics.

    She has NO AUTHORITY to overturn a law enacted by referendum.

    The people of Arizona voted and told the Federal Government where to put it's law against Medical Marijuana.

    Obama said he wasn't going to have Medical Marijuana be a priority.

    If officials prosecute in Arizona then Obama is lying to the people.
    He could stop all prosecution cold in it's tracks with an executive order.

    This should be made a campaign issue.

    Make Obama follow through.

     
  • RLK posted at 12:39 pm on Tue, Jul 31, 2012.

    RLK Posts: 1

    Governor Brewer's inaction is going to do very serious damage to the State of Arizona, the state that she has sworn to protect.

    The Governor has been made fully aware of the actions taken by the US Attorney's across America, including the States of California, Washington, Oregon, and Colorado. Yet she continues to stubbornly hold to road she insists on going down.

    There is something serious wrong with Gov. Brewer when she summarily ignores the strong warnings of the 13 out of 15 of the County Attorney's across the State of Arizona.......very serious wrong.....

    The Citizens of Arizona will soon be paying dearly from this Governors serious lack of judgement.



     
  • Engaged Voter posted at 12:52 pm on Tue, Jul 31, 2012.

    Engaged Voter Posts: 1070

    RLK, the citizens of Arizona are already paying dearly for our governor's lack of judgement. This is hardly her first major goof...and sadly, will not be her last.

     

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