[Cynthia Foster]
L.A. County District Attorney Steve Cooley, who recently announced his intent to run for California attorney general, may be trying to gain some political capital among conservative voters by waging war against medical marijuana dispensaries.
Cooley's office announced today that it is charging noted dispensary owner Jeff Joseph, of popular Organica in Venice, with 24 felonies related to the unlawful sale of marijuana. Cooley "warned that state law does not allow dispensaries to sell medical marijuana," according to LAT.
Joseph's case, which was intensely investigated by police and federal agents, has the potential to test whether state law permits dispensaries to sell marijuana.
A court commissioner set Joseph's bail at $520,000, which his sister and mother tearfully announced he does not have. Joseph's attorney, Eric Shevin, says that the charges are political and that Joseph was targeted due to his pot club's notoriety. Cooley's office denies these claims and says that other dispensary owners are facing charges as well.
Something imporant for lawyers to know about Cooley. While researching lobbying of the legislature by prosecutors, I discovered Cooley has a full time office of lobbyists, staffed by three lawyers, one clerk, at that time, up in Sacto near the capital. This office has a head who is running for local office, and another who was speaking as a representative of Crime Victims United of California, while not identifying himself in any way whatever as a full time employee of the LA DA's office. In other words, a sneaky and secretive PR campaign paid for by the citizens fo LA county, without their knowledge or approval, at least to the extent they could keep it secret (and searching online revealed nothing about it, so they were successful)
Also, to avoid Public Records Act request, they used their "private" emails for all business. It's hackneyed and overworked to say it, but factually, these really ARE Nazi tactics. Cooley needs to be stopped, for the good of the state, he's got the combination of underhandedness and ambition that make him dangerous, both where he is now, and far more so if allowed to become AG.
Posted by: Steve White | February 24, 2010 at 08:32 AM
Another quick comment: The CDAA needs to be stopped as well. They've got so much power that when Schwarzenegger does kowtow to them, not his natural impulse but he's pragmatic about these things, it's not even reported in the statewide press. A few years back he went to one of their conventions up in Napa and spoke, and only the local Napa paper even reported it. That's power folks. These people are working full time against the Bill of Rights, and if you look at the huge disparities between California and Federal law on due process, it's clear they are successful. What is needed to stop this is for lawyers, mostly local, to bring due process cases to the Federal courts, and challenge California laws on constitutional grounds. All you criminal defense folks who say you are in it to defend our Constitution, please go at it.
Posted by: Steve White | February 24, 2010 at 08:38 AM
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Posted by: papia | February 24, 2010 at 09:24 PM
Steven Cooley doesn't just use NAZI tactics. He is a NAZI. He is against religious establihsments and he ignores criminal activity of politically connected people.
Posted by: H. Georing | March 04, 2010 at 09:07 PM