Sheriff Lee Baca, co-chair of the Prop 19 opposition has certainly been outspoken.
The Los Angeles County sheriff has escalated his war of words against California medical marijuana dispensaries, saying as many as 97 percent operate as criminal enterprises.
Some of the pot shops get marijuana from Mexican drug cartels, and most dole out pot to people with no medical need for it, Sheriff Lee Baca said.
“Millions of dollars are being made for profit, and it’s all illegal,” the sheriff said this week.
Baca presented no evidence to support his claim. His comments coincided with a recent announcement that he would lead efforts against a November ballot measure to legalize marijuana for personal use in California. […]
…two workers at different dispensaries have been killed during robberies in recent weeks.
“It is no surprise that people are going to get killed … drugs and violence go together,” Baca said.
He is, however, no match for the good folks at the Just Say Now campaign.
Jane Hamsher came out with a scathing exposé of Baca today: “No on 19″ Says “Yes†to Scientology
She starts by shooting down his unsupported claims:
Los Angeles Police Chief Charles Beck has disputed Baca’s claim. “Banks are more likely to get robbed than medical marijuana dispensaries,†he told the Daily News in January.
Beck’s department looked into the assertion made by Baca and others that dispensaries attract criminal activity to neighborhoods. The LAPD subsequently issued a report saying that just wasn’t the case. “I have tried to verify that because that, of course, is the mantra,†said Beck. “It doesn’t really bear out.â€
And then she goes on to expose Sheriff Baca’s connections to Scientology and the entire Narconon treatment industry.
Check out Sheriff Baca’s own statement to the Scientology Church (video at the link):
You have been consistently reliable in helping me to achieve my goal for a safer Los Angeles County. In particular, your drug education means everything to the safety of our schools and neighborhoods. That is why we trained a corps of our own deputies in the use of your unbeatable program. This joint venture to educate youth at risk is one of the most important initiatives I could undertake as Sheriff of Los Angeles County.
Narconon has been demonstrated to have no scientific credibility, yet it continues to rake in the dough from criminal justice referrals, a cozy arrangement that now shows Sheriff Baca in bed with them.
Hamsher concludes:
By choosing Lee Baca as co-chair of “No on 19″ and offering him a platform to advance the theories of L. Ron Hubbard on their behalf, the campaign has associated itself with claims of dubious legitimacy that serve the interests of a revenue-generating enterprise. Any medical treatment organization that demands the criminalization of is patients in order to guarantee participation in their program should be instantly suspect, as should those like No on 19 Co-Chair Lee Baca who proselytize on their behalf.
….
But wait — That was just the first salvo today.
Sheriff Baca says ‘there are predators armed and seeking easy dollars in sales of marijuana.’ He’s right. There is altogether too much marijuana-related violence in California. It’s been going on for years and, unless the marijuana prohibition is lifted — and replaced with a taxed, regulated, and controlled system — it will continue unabated. It’s that simple. The sheriff needs to ask himself, Would the three recent murders in West Hollywood have happened if marijuana were legal, its commerce controlled like alcohol? He knows the answer to that question, and so does Senator Feinstein. Marijuana prohibition is the cause of violence, not the cure.
And Doug Bandow, former Special Assistant to President Reagan:
Since banks, jewelry stores, and wealthy homeowners attract thieves and robbers, presumably Sheriff Baca will next campaign for financial, jewelry, and wealth prohibition. After all, there wouldn’t be any bank robberies if there were no banks.
In fact, as has long been evident, it is drug prohibition that generates untold violent and destructive crime. The sheriff is entitled to his opinion as co-chair of the anti-marijuana legalization campaign, but he shouldn’t distort his official duties to promote his political pursuits. The only way to end drug-related violence is to stop arresting users and turning production and sales over to criminals.â€
…
No, that’s not all.
In the early 1980s, heroin and other opiate addicts were robbing pharmacies around the country because of they were a source for pure narcotics of certain dosage. U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde introduced legislation to make robbery of pharmacies a federal crime. I was the attorney who handled that legislation for the House Judiciary Committee, and we developed a bill that passed, P.L. 98-305 (May 31, 1984), 18 U.S.C. 2118.
No one blamed the pharmacies or their customers! No one said, “Pharmacies are a magnet for crime!†Robbers look for opportunities where there is money or valuable property — banks, jewelry stores, fast food restaurants, liquor stores, etc. Criminologists and intelligent observers of crime don’t blame the victims.
Unfortunately because medical marijuana dispensaries are not fully legal — due to federal law — they have trouble contracting with private security services or getting business insurance as other businesses do routinely.
If Sheriff Baca weren’t intoxicated by the money and hysteria against marijuana, he would not be making this kind of rookie mistaken analysis.
Good job by Jane Hamsher and the board of Just Say Now to expose the true nature of the Prop 19 opposition.
Wow. I feel like a clambake!
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The Sheriff’s wife is Carol Baca formerly Carol Chiang. is a Scientologist so it shouldn’t be a surprise he’s hooked into the cults bullshit. Carol has done enough Auditing that have have dug up enough Dirt thorough Carol on Husband by now.
they uses the Auditing sessions to find out what the dirty little secrets are and exploit them
http://www.truthaboutscientology.com/stats/by-name/c/carol-baca.html
Beautiful!
Thanks again Pete.
Alright… step on up Sheriff Baca. You opened your mouth, let’s see your follow-up to those juicy tidbits.
They’re floundering in their own muck…
There is some report on medical marijuana on the teevee right now. It is about Cali. It says you will be allowed up to a half pound of personal with the rx or stamp. Not sure how they do it. Hammer, G13, RX look like the selections. The fuzz will probably raid this place tomorrow. Hmm the dispensary owner says he pays 900,000$ in taxes both state and fed. Don’t have my peepers on so i can’t see what channel it is.
FYI, there is a great campaign finance tracking tool at the LA Times’ website. Here’s what I found: a grand total of *six* contributors so far for No on 19. I’m sure more late money is coming, but this is somewhat weird, IMHO.
Calif. District Attorney Investigators’ Assoc.,
San Bernardino,CA,92415
$1,000.00
2010-05-08
Peace Officers Assoc. of Los Angeles County Fdtn,
Los Angeles,CA,90012
$5,000.00
2010-06-03
Calif. Police Chiefs Assoc.
Sacramento,CA,95814
$30,000.00
2010-06-14
Christy Brown
Mission College,College Professor
Woodside,CA,94062
$100.00
2010-06-27
Calif. Peace Officers Assoc.
Sacramento,CA,95815
$5,000.00
2010-06-30
Calif. Narcotic Officers’ Assoc.
Santa Clarita,CA,91355
$20,500.00
2010-07-13
Total: $61,600
Marijuana Inc. was the name of that show on the teevee.
CupCake wrote: The Sheriff’s wife is Carol Baca formerly Carol Chiang. is a Scientologist so it shouldn’t be a surprise he’s hooked into the cults bullshit. Carol has done enough Auditing that have have dug up enough Dirt thorough Carol on Husband by now.
they uses the Auditing sessions to find out what the dirty little secrets are and exploit them
They certainly have Sheriff Baca over the proverbial barrel: http://tinyurl.com/34y4o37
Narconon invariably makes claims of very high success rates – anything up to 85%, a remarkable figure when one considers that conventional drug rehabilitation programmes achieve only a rate of around 20-30%. It is, however, extraordinarily difficult to obtain the source data for such figures. They appear never to have been published.
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Narconon/studies.htm
The 84.6% percent figure quoted by the Narconon and the Church of Scientology corresponds to 11 out of the 13 people interviewed after completion saying that they were not using drugs presently. The alternative figure of 78.6 percent refers to 11 out of the 14 completions (but is skewed due to the uncontactable 14th person being counted as a failure). This is, to say the least, a very partial presentation of figures which overall are extremely unflattering for Narconon:
* 77% of those who enrolled on the course quit before completing it.
* 50% of those who did complete it went back onto drugs afterwards (and another 14% somewhat mysteriously didn’t know if they had or not).
* 54% of those interviewed afterwards who did not complete it went back onto drugs.
* 34% of enrollees said they had completed the programme and relapsed but claimed to be drug free at the moment.
* 6.6% of enrollees said they had stayed totally drug free for one year afterwards.
“It is no surprise that people are going to get killed … drugs and violence go together,†Baca said.
No, large amounts of profit and violence go hand in hand. It doesnt matter what the product is. If you could make millions off of toe cheese, you can bet there would be criminals running around trying to cut off peoples toes.
The answer is to take the profit out of said product.
Meanwhile south of the border,out side the wall:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100909/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_drug_war_mexico
More worrisome to Mexican legislators, Clinton suggested the United States was looking to implement some type of Plan Colombia for Mexico and Central America, referring to a U.S. anti-drug program in which American special forces teams trained Colombian troops and U.S. advisers are attached to Colombian military units.
Isnt this always the answer our government gives? Military action, more death , more wasted resorces , more money out of our pockets? Ore manipulation of other countries governments( Ya that has worked well in Iraq,Iran,Afganistan back in the 50s and 60s. Look where we are now…war…still).
No, lets try something much less expensive in terms of money and lives and liberty. Just LEGALIZE IT!
Now I know those of you in government are afraid of taking a new approach,a new road but, its ok,we’ll help you.
Peaceful ways over violent and costly ways….How bout it America?
The AP says that the top ballot item in 2010 is the bid to legalize pot in California.
“No single election contest this fall combines the buzz and history-making potential of California’s Proposition 19, which would make the state the first to legalize recreational use of marijuana.
It’s the most eye-catching of roughly 150 ballot measures that voters in 35 states will be considering on Nov. 2 — encompassing such volatile topics as abortion, affirmative action, health care and liquor sales.”
http://tinyurl.com/24g64ug
Prop 19 even beat the Colorado vote to extend the State Constitution to protect fetuses!
and goddammit it’s —“re-legalize”—
““It is no surprise that people are going to get killed … drugs and violence go together,†Baca said.”
It should be no surprise that the source of all the violence is prohibition (just like in the 1920’s).
There are only two small groups of people who benefit from prohibition. The violent, lawless, sadistic, dishonest and depraved drug gangs and the police.
But I repeat myself.
Protect & Serve (Themselves!)
Sen. Boxer aide charged with possession
Nice work, Tim. Creepy. The police are supposed to enforce the laws, not make them. Yet the “NO on 19” campaign is made up exclusively of Police and Prosecutors. And what looks like a one hundred dollar donation from a missionary/english professor (piker, even the prosecuting attourneys gave $1000).
Trying to make sure the federal drug pork keeps coming their way.
Nice link Tim….your next job is to go to Woodside CA, find Christy Brown, burn a phattie with her, then jump to your feet, kick in her front door and put her in handcuffs so she sees the light.
After the handcuffing part, the rest is between you two consenting adults.
For anyone unfamiliar with Scientology’s sordid history, L. Ron Hubbard, a mediocre science fiction writer, invented a science fiction religion he called Scientology after a limited and semi-successful career as a drug smuggler. That’s according to his own son, who admitted he participated in some of his father’s drug escapades which crossed the U.S./Mexican border.
The scandal that resulted from being openly busted by his own kid caused Hubbard to transform Scientology into a cult dedicated to supporting the U.S. government’s prohibition of drugs. Scientology thus made itself useful to the prohibitionist movement, and to a federal government corrupted by the drug war.
The drug war tactic seemed to solve several other problems for Scientology as well. Scientology’s status as a tax-exempt religion was being contested by the IRS. Besides the tax problem, there was the FBI investigation of the cult once L. Ron announced that all those who were not Scientologists were “fair game.†All these unpleasant items were swept aside in favor of Scientology’s alliance to the drug war.
Websites like those of the Rick Ross Institute present a good deconstruction of Scientology. Cults of Unreason, a book by Dr. Christopher Evans, is an early, classic exposé of Scientology (1974).
BTW, (re Evans), how many of you knew that trillions of years ago, our immortal spirits were zapped with electric coffee grinders wielded by evildoers wearing horn rimmed glasses, and that’s the reason people today hate other people who wear horn rimmed glasses? Scientologists like Sheriff Lee Baca are expected to believe this pseudoscience, just as he probably believes his own hype about Prop 19.
Scientology is no more delusional or silly than any other organized religion.
How sad about all those other organized religions.
Duncan :
Sorry man, you are correct…RE-LEGALIZE IT!
“Federal Agents raid at least five MMJ dispensaries in Las Vegas” See the link at 420.c0m.
Obama’s drug war continues apace.
Ahoy, the Guardian is at it again http://tinyurl.com/2vvt25a
Ripmeupacuppa’s link is to a very good piece to read. Under the weight of the world ..how can anyone stand in the way of re-legalization of cannabis? We are destroying our selves with these policies. A 100 years from now, we could have a world in which you are either criminal or law enforcement.State or slave.
The Alcohol Industry, Big Tobacco, The Mexican Drug Cartels, your local dealer and Lee Baca all agree: No on Prop 19. You’re in good company, Lee. It’s no small wonder people are losing respect for Law Enforcement.