The White House has issued a press release that President Barack Obama would nominate Michele M. Leonhart to head the Drug Enforcement Administration. Leonhart is a career law enforcement officer and was appointed by George W. Bush in 2003 as the Deputy Administrator in the DEA. Karen Tandy, another Bush-appointed official, had resigned as the head of the DEA in 2007 and Leonhard has been serving as the Acting Administrator of the DEA ever since. She began working for the agency in the 1980′s when she was hired as a special agent. The President listed her qualifications in the release as having 30 years with the DEA, her management roles in field divisions, and various awards she has earned in her career. John Pistole, deputy director for the FBI, NY US Attorney Boyd Johnson III and California US Attorney Greg Vega were all interviewed for the post and, Pistole was considered a front runner according to Tickle the Wire. Some critics of the Leonhart nomination say that reaffirming Bush policies by retaining his worst appointees is disappointing to say the least. Leonhart was front and center during the federal closing of California dispensaries during the Bush years. Pete Guither writes on his blog
her relationship with super-snitch Andrew Chambers, who was paid over $2 million by the DEA to testify (and lie) for the DEA. He was finally discredited and removed.
What did Michele think about his lying to help them get convictions?
“The only criticism (of Chambers) I’ve ever heard is what defense attorneys will characterize as perjury or a lie on the stand.”
She continued by saying that once prosecutors check him out, they’ll agree with his admirers in DEA that he’s “an outstanding testifier.”
Perfect choice for head of the DEA. Someone who doesn’t even know that perjury is wrong.
Unfortunately it seems that change sometimes means to stay the same.
Montana Legislator Says He Would Still Push to Repeal Medical Marijuana Law
Marijuana Busts on Ohio Highways Way Up from Last Year
Trayvon Martin had Traces of Marijuana in His System According to Autopsy
Oregon Attorney General Race Becomes Victory for Marijuana Activists
Tiny Spanish Town Set To Become Europe’s Largest Cannabis Producer
NYC Arrests for Marijuana Up for the 7th Straight Year
Oregon Case Reinforces Definition of Usable Marijuana
Fast and Furious Program Sparks Lawsuit and Testimony from Attorney General
Butane Hash Oil Extraction Tube Causes Devestating Delay Fighting Fire
Drought In Mexico Leads to Drop in Marijuana Production
Two Different Medical Marijuana Proposals In Ohio
Several Medical Marijuana Bills to Consider in Hawaii
Veterans Group Offended by Veteran’s For Weed Group
Montana Judge Says Federal Law Rules Supreme in State Medical Marijuana Industry
NM Woman Will Be Compensated for Her Destroyed Plants
January 25th – A Medical Marijuana Day of Action
New Jersey Supreme Court Will Not Hear MS Patient’s Marijuana Case
Polish Lawmaker Threatens to Smoke Marijuana in Parliament
Arizona Governor Will Allow Dispensaries Now that Lawsuit Was Dismissed
Washington Dispensary Bill Addresses I-502 Concerns
California Supreme Court to Hear Important Dispensary Cases
Cannabis Spray Being Tested To Ease Cannabis Withdrawal
As Legalization Question Headed for the Ballot, Poll Shows Voters Split
Colorado Revenue Department asks for Marijuana Rescheduling
Study Shows Middle Aged Men’s Cognition Not Harmed by Marijuana Use
Supreme Court May Hear Dog Sniffing Case
Washington State Puts The Legalization Question to the Voters
Pro Surfers To Be Drug Tested This Year
Man’s Car Destroyed By Police During Futile Search for Marijuana
Mendocino National Forest Clean-Up Crews Looking for Volunteers This Weekend
California Chapter of Addiction Medicine Has Different Opinion on Legalization
Arizona Officials Bust Major Mexican Cartel Ring
Americans for Safe Access Sues the US Attorney General
The White House Issues a Response to the Cannabis Community
Canadian Coalition Calls for Legalization
Colorado Issues the Nation’s first Medical Marijuana Business License
Colombian President Calls for the Global Legalization of Marijuana
Mexican Drug War Being Waged in Urban Areas
Fontana Police Send Their Own Threatening Letters to Dispensaries
Pennsylvania Couple Facing Paraphernalia Charges
The Czech Republic Takes a Shot at Legalizing Medical Marijuana
Medical Marijuana Card Holder Sues the US for 2nd Amendment Violations
Oklahoma Governor Just Says No Way
Small Southern Oregon Town is Tops for Growers
Florida Mayor Fires the Entire Police Department over Marijuana Accusations
Rockies Stadium Death Blamed on Alcohol and Marijuana
Federal Judge: Florida Drug Statue Unconstitutional
Eddy Lepp Loses Appeal, Will Spend 10 Years in Prison
CAMP May Be Losing Funding, Another Record Breaking Year
Oregon Woman Gun Case Appealed to Supreme Court
Washington DC Makes a Move to Implement Medical Marijuana Program
Michigan Clinic Is Accused of Buying Votes
The NAACP Calls Out the Drug War for Its Racial Disparities
Middle School Child Gets $1 Million Settlement For Sting Operation
Montana’s Rocky Ride
New Jersey Governor Decides to Allow the Medical Marijuana Program
Australia Moves Toward Harsher Punishments for Marijuana Crimes
Former Neo-Nazi Singing Group Grows up and Embraces Medical Cannabis
Americans for Safe Access File Complaint Against Anti-Marijuana Group
Arizona Opens Cannabis Clubs Despite Dispensary Hold Up
Don’t Quit
You can never tell how close you are
Victory may be near when it seems afar
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit
It’s when things go wrong that you musn’t quit
It seems more and more that Obumer is going to be a one term wonder.
Next time vote Independent.
You have to wonder if no one else wanted the job. Maybe those that would be able to come in with “clean hands” can see that this corrupt agency might one day have to answer to a decade of ridiculous spending, unlawful search and seizure tactics, and a giant loss in their war against certain citizens. If you were the head of such an agency, you would worry that that day might come sooner than you think. Medical Marijuana and legalization efforts show that people who use cannabis no longer want to be labeled as criminals.
I have written to Obama to protest this, and am writing to my Senators to ask them to put this nomination on hold. It only takes one Senator to block a nomination indefinitely.
Excellent point. I will send this on to Radical Russ on the stash blog. Maybe he will give this idea a shout out. …..
Could this be political trickery in our favor? Obama still has ultimate control ( I think, I hope), so this nomination could be a political response to the Mass. election. Could he not still reign her in and make her comply with the people? It seems to me that this would be a huge political move if done right. I know it has us all up in arms but Obama may still have a chance for redemption even if this nomination is approved by the process. Until it’s in stone though I am with Wes (above).
Optimist! Gotta love a guy who sees the glass half full!
Just sent letters to Senators Murray and Cantwell here in WA. I’ll patiently await my reply and let you know if I get one . . . .
Waste of time. I’ve sent letters to both and the response I got back was total blah blah and Senator Murray says she supports our current federal drug laws.
[...] a new and tragic monthly record. Advocates are still worried about a Bush-appointed DEA deputy being nominated by President Barack Obama – Michelle Leonhart as the new head of the DEA. What has she said about the death rate of [...]