Pubdate: Sun, 18 May 2014
Source: Duncan Banner, The (OK)
Copyright: 2014 Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.duncanbanner.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5516
Author: Steve Olafson

OKLAHOMA POT LAWS DON'T MAKE SENSE, SAYS SENATE CANDIDATE

MARLOW - Just a few days before the biggest players in the state 
Republican Party came to Duncan for a fish fry fundraiser, State 
Senator Connie Johnson, D-Oklahoma City, arrived in Stephens County 
looking for support and campaign donations.

Without actually saying so, Johnson, the presumptive Democratic 
nominee for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Tom Coburn, 
realizes she's a longshot.

Speaking to 25 people who gathered at Bob's Restaurant on Thursday 
night for the regular monthly meeting of local Democrats, Johnson 
said unless she raises $100,000 for the campaign, the Democratic 
National Committee won't kick in any money for the general election.

First elected in 2005 and re-elected in 2010, Johnson is a vocal 
critic of most Republican policies, but she is particulary forthright 
about the prohibition of marijuana, which she thinks should be legalized.

"Behind the marijuana issue, we have the ability to flip this state," she said.

She has filed bills in the Republican-controlled Legislature on the 
issue that have gone nowhere.

Even so, she insists Oklahoma's approach is wrongheaded.

There are 49 inmates serving life prison terms without parole for 
marijuana convictions that were use to enhance previous felony 
convictions, she said.

"Marijuana has never killed anyone -- not like alcohol," Johnson said.

She also touts the idea that Oklahoma agriculture would benefit 
greatly by harvesting hemp for fuel, fiber, paper and other uses.

Moreover, she said, while Colorado reaped $140 million in marijuana 
sales taxes in one month, Oklahoma and the federal government are 
busy burning down marijuana that either is cultivated or growing wild.

Johnson chided Gov. Mary Fallin and Republican lawmakers for their 
recent attacks on the state's judiciary after justices temporarily 
halted the scheduled execution of condemned killer Clayton Lockett 
over legal issues about the drug combination to kill him.

"I've never seen that before," Johnson said.

"When one branch (of government) is telling another branch how to 
behave, then we're losing," she said.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ultimately allowed the execution, which 
was halted in mid process after the inmate complained of severe pain. 
Lockett died of a heart attack. The execution, criticized as being 
"botched" by death penalty opponents, has renewed debate over capital 
punishment and the procedures that should be used to carry it out in 
the 32 states that have the death penalty.

Johnson, 62, has two opponents in the June 24 Democratic Primary for 
the U.S. Senate. They are Patrick Michael Hayes, 39, of Anadarko, and 
Jim Rogers, 79, of Midwest City.

The deadline to register to vote in the either the Democratic or 
Republican primary is May 30.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom