Pubdate: Mon, 29 Sep 2014
Source: News-Press (Fort Myers, FL)
Copyright: 2014 The News-Press
Contact:  http://www.news-press.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1133
Author: C. A. Farrington

A CLOUD OVER POT ISSUE

A five-inch article on page seven of The News Press September 26, 
announces that the sponsor who has already invested $4 million in 
Florida's Medical Marijuana initiative, attorney John Morgan, will 
match contributions to his United for Care Campaign until October 30.

Morgan's statement says that opponents to the amendment are gearing 
up to launch a multimillion dollar campaign.

"The rest of the story," as Paul Harvey used to say is, according to 
the Tampa Bay Times, Sheldon Adelson, the casino mogul and GOP super 
donor, has reportedly poured $2.5 million to the newly formed Drug 
Free Florida Committee, opposing Florida's Amendment 2.

More interestingly, in terms of "the rest of the story", the issue 
does not follow traditional party lines. Florida. Rep. Debbie 
Wasserman Schultz), chair of the Democratic National Committee, has 
said she has "concerns" over the amendment, but supports a very 
limited low-THC medical marijuana bill that Gov. Rick Scott (R) has 
said he will sign.

Morgan criticizes Wasserman Schultz's position. "I know personally 
the most-powerful players in Washington, D.C. And I can tell you that 
Debbie Wasserman Schultz isn't just disliked. She's despised. She's 
an irritant," Morgan told the Miami Herald last week. "Why she's 
trying to undermine this amendment I don't know."

Michael Czin, national press secretary for the Democratic National 
Committee, said Wasserman Schultz "was speaking as a mom and a member 
of Congress on her personal concerns on a local issue."

Given "the rest of the story" as reported around the state, it is 
truly difficult for this voter to sort out who is "For the People" 
regarding this issue and who is in it simply "For the Money"...and why?

C. A. Farrington, Fort Myers
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom