Pubdate: Sat, 06 Sep 2014
Source: Virgin Islands Daily News, The (VI)
Copyright: 2014 Virgin Islands Daily News
Contact:  http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3486
Page: 18

POT LEGALIZATION VOTE ERUPTS IN NAME-CALLING IN ORE.

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) - Oregon's upcoming vote on whether to 
legalize marijuana has generated a name-calling dispute between a 
congressman who wants to overhaul federal marijuana policy and a 
prominent district attorney who has been speaking out about the dangers of pot.

The spat between U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., and Clatsop 
County District Attorney Josh Marquis erupted over whether upcoming 
events featuring national anti-drug activist Kevin Sabet shortly 
before mail ballots go out to voters amounts to political activity, 
and whether federal funds can be used to finance the events.

Blumenauer on Friday sent a letter to White House drug czar Michael 
Botticelli calling for a federal investigation into whether federal 
funds financing the Oregon Marijuana Education Tour were being 
illegally used to pay for political activity.

"The bias of the speakers selected, the overall onesided focus of the 
events, and the proximity between these events and the upcoming 
election are cause for concern," Blumenauer wrote. Marquis shot back 
that Blumenauer was a bully. "He is trying to bully people - the 
remaining members of the tour - into not talking about marijuana," 
said Marquis, the Oregon District Attorneys Association point man on 
Measure 91. "They are so afraid of any conversation they are willing 
to essentially make the allegations in Congressman Blumenauer's letter."

Blumenauer countered that Marquis must have forgotten they were 
meeting face to face next week for a debate on Measure 91 at a Salem 
City Club luncheon.

Blumenauer added that organizers of the tour had used federal funds 
to pay for newspaper ads about the dangers of marijuana.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom