Thursday, September 20, 2007

Richard Paey receives full and immediate pardon! Incredible news. TALLAHASSEE -- Richard Paey, a victim in the war on drugs, was granted a full, immediate and unexpected pardon by Gov. Charlie Crist and the Cabinet Thursday morning, allowing him to get out of prison and be reunited with his family later in the day. [...] ''This is not a pleasant case,'' said Attorney General Bill McCollum, who noted that he supported mandatory-minimum sentences when he was in Congress. ``Our laws are very much to blame.'' But so are the prosecutors in Pasco County, said Paey's wife, Linda Paey, who said she couldn't understand why they zealously pursued her husband through three trials despite the widespread acknowledgement that he was a pain victim and not a drug dealer. ''I've changed. I no longer trust the police. I don't trust the justice system,'' she said. ``Only the media got our case right.'' Crist, too, took a swipe at the prosecutors, saying the war on drugs itself isn't just to blame in cases such as this. ''If they're prosecuted appropriately, then justice will be done,'' he said. ``Obviously, this case cries out for a review of that process.'' This case cries out for a review of a whole lot of things. 11:52:57 AM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

Doing a little happy dance This is a small thing for the rest of you, but it's a great piece of news for me and my little piece of the world. Rep. Jerry Weller, dogged by ethics questions surrounding his Nicaraguan investments and his wife's finances, is set to announce his retirement in the near future, Republican sources said Wednesday. One of the sources said the announcement could come as soon as Thursday. Others said it would be early next month. A spokesman for the Illinois Republican did not return messages seeking comment. Weller is my Congressman (R-Illinois 11). He has consistently voted in favor of the drug war in pretty much every way, and attacked me personally in 2004. A little recap for those who weren't around then... Speaking of smears, Weller, in the closing days of the campaign, is running a radio ad and sending out a direct mail piece noting that Renner is endorsed on a Web site called "DrugwarRant.com" and implying that Renner is somehow aligned with a group promoting heroin use. -- Chicago Sun Times And the highlight was Renner blowing up over allegations he supports the use of all drugs including heroin. He called the attack scurrilous and said Weller stepped way over the line. Weller says Renner accepted a campaign donation from a website that also has directions on how to inject heroin. -- WHOI Some endorsements are not worth it. Democrat Tari Renner says it shouldn't be a crime to have a small amount of marijuana but he is rejecting an endorsement from a group that favors the legalization of all drugs. His opponent, republican congressman Jerry Weller, whose engagement to the daughter of a Central American dictator has generated a controversy of its own, says that Renner's views on drugs endanger families in the district, and so it goes in this hot congressional race. -- WLS (More here) It sure would be nice to have a Representative that I could write to and talk to about drug policy issues. I'd even be happy with one that disagreed with my views, but wasn't a total... (fill in your own word) Update: Sun Times Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, a Washington watchdog group, labeled Weller one of the 22 most corrupt members of Congress, accusing him of improperly disclosing land deals in Nicaragua. Weller also is fighting a subpoena to testify in a bribery trial involving a jailed former California congressman. Then word spread Wednesday in Republican circles that Weller won't seek re-election. But his campaign manager, Steven Shearer, insisted Weller, a seven-term congressman, is running. We'll see. And just for the record, I don't care if he leaves voluntarily, by indictment, or by the ballot box. 9:08:39 AM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []