Pubdate: Tue, 24 Sep 2013
Source: Oakland Press, The (MI)
Copyright: 2013 The Oakland Press
Contact:  http://www.theoaklandpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2114
Author: Michael P. Mcconnell

FREE ON BOND, FERNDALE POT ADVOCATE PLANS RALLY

A Ferndale ballot proposal to decriminalize marijuana is on the city 
ballot, even though its local sponsor faces felony charges of selling 
pot to a police informant and is under investigation for fraudulently 
registering to vote in Ferndale.

Andrew Cissell, 25, is free on $50,000 bond as his legal challenges proceed.

"It is good to be out of jail," he said Monday, five days after he 
was released from the Oakland County Jail. "I'm having a political 
rally Oct. 6 at Geary Park in Ferndale and it should be a pretty big 
deal. I can't say more until I talk with my lawyer."

Cissell said he and his attorney, Lisa Dwyer, plan to soon release a 
statement and take questions on his legal case.

Cissell said he is continuing his campaign to be elected state 
representative for the 27th District in 2014.

It is unclear how the ongoing voter registration probe into his 
residency will affect the legality of his state candidacy. The rally 
at Geary Park was planned before Cissell's arrest as part of his 
campaign for state office.

Ferndale officials this week will send out absentee ballots to 
registered voters. City Clerk Cherilynn Brown said the pot proposal 
is on those ballots.

"The issue of voter registration fraud is under investigation," Brown 
said. "Until there is proof of any fraud we are moving forward."

During the course of the NET investigation, police said it appeared 
Cissell lived at a house in Oak Park and not at his father's address 
in Ferndale. Cissell's voter registration, filed in June, indicates 
he lived at his father's house on West Drayton, Brown said.

However, his father confirmed to police, and reporters, that his son 
has not lived at the Ferndale address in about three years.

County prosecutors have charged Cissell with five counts of marijuana 
delivery in Oak Park 45 District Court. Each charge is a fiveyear 
felony. He is scheduled for a preliminary examination before Oak Park 
District Judge David Gubow at 1 p.m. Oct. 3.

Police raided Cissell's house in Oak Park, a second house in Oak Park 
where he had some personal property, and his father's house in Ferndale.

Police said the raids turned up more than 100 marijuana plants, 
nearly 30 ounces of pot, digital scales and packaging material.

Ferndale officials and the city attorney are working with state and 
county election officials on how Cissell's legal case may impact the 
legality of the vote in Ferndale, Brown said.

Voter registration fraud is a misdemeanor.

The Michigan Bureau of Elections last week told Brown the law makes 
no provision for invalidating a ballot proposal based on a possible 
false voter registration address by the petitioner.

Ferndale police began a preliminary examination into possible voter 
registration fraud by Cissell and turned it over to the county 
sheriff's office last week. Ultimately, Oakland County Prosecutor 
Jessica Cooper's office will decide whether voter fraud charges are filed.

Cissell collected about 600 Ferndale voter signatures to put the pot 
decriminalization issue on the city Nov. 5 election ballot. The 
clerk's office validated the signatures shortly after they were 
submitted July 30.

The following month, the Oakland County Sheriff's Narcotic 
Enforcement team began an investigation of Cissell. A police 
informant wore a wire for investigators and bought marijuana from 
Cissell, police said.

Cissell is a registered marijuana care giver for four patients, but 
had more marijuana than is allowed under the state's medical 
marijuana law, police said. He was arrested Sept. 9.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom