Sessions cracks down on marijuana legalization

nasty little man..but watch the socks go down lol

Attorney General Jeff Sessions in a memo to all U.S. Attorneys, rescinded the policy which allowed states to legalize marijuana with little to no government interference.
What's next: It'll be up to U.S. attorneys to decide how to enforce federal laws banning marijuana use. This will likely increase confusion as to whether states can legalize marijuana in opposition to federal law.

@ffirv of the @rnrral
mashingtunl?. 2053a



January 4, 2018

MEMORANDUM FOR ALL UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS

FROM: Jefferson B. Sessions,
Attorney General

SUBJECT: Marijuana Enforcement

In the Controlled Substances Act, Congress has generally prohibited the cultivation,
distribution, and possession of marijuana. 21 U.S.C. 801 et seq. It has established significant
penalties for these crimes. 21 U.S.C. 841 e! seq. These activities also may serve as the basis
for the prosecution of other crimes, such as those prohibited by the money laundering statutes,
the unlicensed money transmitter statute, and the Bank Secrecy Act. 18 U.S.C. 1956-57,
1960; 31 U.S.C. 5318. These statutes reflect Congress?s determination that marijuana is a
dangerous drug and that marijuana activity is a serious crime.

In deciding which marijuana activities to prosecute under these laws with the
Department?s finite resources, prosecutors should follow the well-established principles that
govern all federal prosecutions. Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti originally set forth these
principles in 1980, and they have been refined over time, as reflected in chapter 9-27.000 of the
U.S. Attorneys? Manual. These principles require federal prosecutors deciding which cases to
prosecute to weigh all relevant considerations, including federal law enforcement priorities set
by the Attomey General, the seriousness of the crime, the deterrent effect of criminal
prosecution, and the cumulative impact of particular crimes on the community.

Given the Department?s well-established general principles, previous nationwide
guidance specific to marijuana enforcement is unnecessary and is rescinded, effective
immediately.? This memorandum is intended solely as a guide to the exercise of investigative
and prosecutorial discretion in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and
appropriations. It is not intended to, does not, and may not be relied upon to create any rights,
substantive or procedural, enforceable at law by any party in any matter civil or criminal.



Previous guidance includes: David W. Ogden, Deputy Att?y Gen., Memorandum for Selected United States
Attorneys: Investigations and Prosecutions in States Authorizing the Medical Use of Marijuana (Oct. 19. 2009);
James M. Cole, Deputy Att?y Gen., Memorandum for United States Attorneys: Guidance Regarding the Ogden
Memo in Jurisdictions Seeking to Authorize Marijuana for Medical Use (June M. Cole, Deputy
Att?y Gen, Memorandum for All United States Attorneys: Guidance Regarding Marijuana Enforcement (Aug. 29,
2013); James M. Cole, Deputy Att?y Gen., Memorandum for All United States Attorneys: Guidance Regarding
Marijuana Related Financial Crimes (Feb. 14, 2014); and Monty Wilkinson, Director ofthe Executive Of?ce for
U.S. Att?ys, Policy Statement Regarding Marijuana Issues in Indian Country (Oct. 28, 2014).

We all knew that was coming. It's gonna get interesting down south.

It’s all moot. All rec legal states have already said they are not obligated to aid in Fed investigations, and they will instruct local/state law enforcement to stand down on any Fed investigations. The Feds don’t have enough staff to take down every Rec/Med state on their own. Half of the US DOJ positions are still vacant.

Feds definitely don't have the manpower.

they will probably go after someone big and attempt to make an example of them.

fuck you if you voted for donald trump !!!!!

TheRealDman said:

It’s all moot. All rec legal states have already said they are not obligated to aid in Fed investigations, and they will instruct local/state law enforcement to stand down on any Fed investigations. The Feds don’t have enough staff to take down every Rec/Med state on their own. Half of the US DOJ positions are still vacant.

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Aid how? All the feds need is a friggin phone book. Heck, weedmaps will get them to the front door of every legal grow op and dispensary.

The feds have all the staff they need, and they are still hiring.

In practice, the feds have drawn a line; under 100 plants and they leave it up to the states. Over, and they prosecute themselves. That's the way it's worked in red states all along.

So there targets will be obvious. Large grow facilities will be easy targets. Large dispensary chains as well.

Shock and awe to start, then a slow drum beat of seizures and arrests. They have plenty of staff to do these. They don't need to arrest everybody; they can shut down businesses through fear.

Session's time is numbered in his role imo.

The Hippy said:

Session's time is numbered in his role imo.

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agree

greg nr said:

Aid how? All the feds need is a friggin phone book. Heck, weedmaps will get them to the front door of every legal grow op and dispensary.

The feds have all the staff they need, and they are still hiring.

In practice, the feds have drawn a line; under 100 plants and they leave it up to the states. Over, and they prosecute themselves. That's the way it's worked in red states all along.

So there targets will be obvious. Large grow facilities will be easy targets. Large dispensary chains as well.

Shock and awe to start, then a slow drum beat of seizures and arrests. They have plenty of staff to do these. They don't need to arrest everybody; they can shut down businesses through fear.

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And every defendant would be represented by the state in court. No way states are gonna let the Feds set any kind of precedent that cuts into their massive MJ tax revenues. If you think Cali is gonna let the Feds take down anyone now....you’re sadly mistaken.

TheRealDman said:

And every defendant would be represented by the state in court. No way states are gonna let the Feds set any kind of precedent that cuts into their massive MJ tax revenues. If you think Cali is gonna let the Feds take down anyone now....you’re sadly mistaken.

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I gotta agree Dman.....the feds may want to do it but they won't without a fight on their hands. A big fight. WAY too late to go back now. He can sputter all the shit he wants, it won't get that done. I'm seeing a new attitude in the US lately and it's quite pro legalization. People are starting to understand and catch on to cannabis's benefits. Folks aren't as stupid as they were 10 years ago about weed. IMO this won't go too far before the people start to bark. Especially if it turns into some type of action. It already was legal federally so what's the difference ?
Anyone watch CNN New Years Eve? Now that's a change in attitude. Toking on camera on CNN....times they are a changing.

As I said...not without a fight!

Yahoo News....

WASHINGTON — Sen. Cory Gardner, R.-Colo., on Thursday threatened to block all nominees to Justice Department posts in response to Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s decision to end Obama-era policies that let legal marijuana thrive. Gardner also warned that the looming Justice Department announcement would make things harder for 2018 Republican candidates in states where pot is legal.

“It certainly lights up a new challenge for them,” Gardner told Yahoo News in a telephone interview.

The Colorado lawmaker said Sessions had personally promised him prior to his confirmation that he would not take steps to tighten enforcement of federal pot laws.

“I’m prepared to hold every Justice Department nominee until Jeff Sessions lives up to what he told me, lives up to his commitment,” Gardner said. A “hold” is a senatorial threat, frequently invoked to gain leverage over the executive branch, to filibuster nominees.

“Jeff Sessions told me this wouldn’t be a priority. Jeff Sessions told me the policy would not be reversed, and today Jeff Sessions went back on his word,” the senator said.

Gardner said Sessions made the assurances in “a call specifically set up because I would not release my vote [to confirm him as attorney general] until I got an answer.”

“He said, ‘This is just not something that President Trump is focused on.’ And apparently, it’s not just a focus, it’s a primary initiative of the new year,” Gardner fumed.

The senator’s comments came after the Associated Press reported that Sessions would let federal prosecutors in states where marijuana is legal determine how tightly to enforce federal laws that prohibit growing, selling, buying and using pot. Eight states and the District of Columbia have passed laws legalizing marijuana for recreational use. In Gardner’s home state of Colorado, pot has become big business, though constrained by some federal laws that hamper the industry’s ability to use U.S. banks.

“What it means is uncertainty, instability and a thumbing of noses at the people of Colorado,” where legalized marijuana is a $2 billion industry, supporting thousands of jobs and generating millions of dollars in tax revenue, Gardner said.

During the 2016 campaign, Trump said “it’s up to the states” to decide whether marijuana is legal. Asked whether he would order a federal crackdown on pot, he replied: “I wouldn’t do that, no.”

Pointing to that exchange, Gardner told Yahoo News: “President Trump was right. Why does Jeff Sessions think he was wrong?”

The announcement put the Trump administration at odds with an important ally: Gardner heads the National Republican Senatorial Committee — the party organization devoted to retaining the GOP’s Senate majority. In that capacity, he withdrew NRSC support from Republican Senate nominee Roy Moore in the Alabama special election, which yielded a surprise Democratic upset victory. Trump had thrown his support to Moore, despite sexual misconduct allegations against the former judge.

The announcement could also complicate Republican fortunes in states like California, amid growing GOP concerns that the 2018 political climate could generate a Democratic wave that risks swamping their House majority.

Gardner noted that he himself had opposed legalizing marijuana “but the people of Colorado felt otherwise.”

“If you’re a Republican in Washington, if you’re a Republican in California, if you’re a Republican in other states that have legalized, then this becomes a significant barrier toward understanding this administration’s policy,” he said.

TheRealDman said:

And every defendant would be represented by the state in court. No way states are gonna let the Feds set any kind of precedent that cuts into their massive MJ tax revenues. If you think Cali is gonna let the Feds take down anyone now....you’re sadly mistaken.

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There are at least two levels to this. On the one hand, the DEA is free to attack grow facilities and dispensaries. You can argue that the states can interfere, but I highly doubt they can. The law is absolutely on the side of the feds. It will come down to shot calling by administrators.

But on the other hand you have the much more mundane, routine, arrests. There are a lot of federal agencies that arrest people, from ICE to CBP to DEA to FBI - even the secret service. They are now free to press charges if they encounter cannabis, even in rediculously small quantities, during routine arrests. You can be sure this will be used to up the charges against immigrants and others they want to harrass.

So in the end I doubt the states will have anything to say. It will be political pressure that may have an impact. But if sessions wants to go nuts, he can at any time.

greg nr said:

There are at least two levels to this. On the one hand, the DEA is free to attack grow facilities and dispensaries. You can argue that the states can interfere, but I highly doubt they can. The law is absolutely on the side of the feds. It will come down to shot calling by administrators.

But on the other hand you have the much more mundane, routine, arrests. There are a lot of federal agencies that arrest people, from ICE to CBP to DEA to FBI - even the secret service. They are now free to press charges if they encounter cannabis, even in rediculously small quantities, during routine arrests. You can be sure this will be used to up the charges against immigrants and others they want to harrass.

So in the end I doubt the states will have anything to say. It will be political pressure that may have an impact. But if sessions wants to go nuts, he can at any time.

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See above post! It’s already started and the ink isn’t even dry!

TheRealDman said:

See above post! It’s already started and the ink isn’t even dry!

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That's pretty laughable. What that tells me is the gop is scared shitless they are going to be killed in 2018. This senator is making some pretty empty threats. Why not just introduce legislation?

Because the gop controlled congress wouldn't pass it, nor would trump support it. It would makke them look even worse.

So what did he threaten? He is going to put a hold on DoJ nominees. Hmm. Which nominees are those? There are no outstanding nominations from the DoJ. Nor are there likely to be. They aren't filling openings, even of usda's (except through interim appointments from existing staff).

So what really is this maverick (not) going to do? Nothing apparently, except campaign for re-election.

The gop is a cowardly and corrupt enterprise. They don't care about states rights, and the certainlt don't care about cannabis legalization. In fact, the rothenburgh (sp ?) amendment is all but dead in the new budget planning. It won't survive, and the doj will be free to spend money to prosecute mmj cases.

So don't make me laugh. They don't care.

greg nr said:

That's pretty laughable. What that tells me is the gop is scared shitless they are going to be killed in 2018. This senator is making some pretty empty threats. Why not just introduce legislation?

Because the gop controlled congress wouldn't pass it, nor would trump support it. It would makke them look even worse.

So what did he threaten? He is going to put a hold on DoJ nominees. Hmm. Which nominees are those? There are no outstanding nominations from the DoJ. Nor are there likely to be. They aren't filling openings, even of usda's (except through interim appointments from existing staff).

So what really is this maverick (not) going to do? Nothing apparently, except campaign for re-election.

The gop is a cowardly and corrupt enterprise. They don't care about states rights, and the certainlt don't care about cannabis legalization. In fact, the rothenburgh (sp ?) amendment is all but dead in the new budget planning. It won't survive, and the doj will be free to spend money to prosecute mmj cases.

So don't make me laugh. They don't care.

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Let’s see if GOP gets support for budget with this nutjobs threats. You can be sure all Dems and most red state MMJ GOP senators will not pass any budget bills that doesn’t have a new Cole type protection memorandum attached. Perhaps Congress should finally just do its job and remove Cannabis from the schedule!

I'm glad I don't travel to the States ever. They are going to harass Canadians every time they cross the border - more so than usual.

VIANARCHRIS said:

I'm glad I don't travel to the States ever. They are going to harass Canadians every time they cross the border - more so than usual.

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After legalization actually happens...you betcha. Homeland security is a real friendly bunch they are. Just love Hippy dope smokers. I've been in their clutches...no fuckin fun at all. I will never go to that God forsaken land ever again.
Suck me and kiss my ass jeff sessions

VIANARCHRIS said:

I'm glad I don't travel to the States ever. They are going to harass Canadians every time they cross the border - more so than usual.

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Just went to Las Vegas for a Cannabis event, told them at the border, he said "Ok have a fun trip"
DOn't worry thought I was told down in the states to leave you and GB and hippy here in Canada, they said you guys are not welcome.

What's the matter with you? You seem to have an unnatural kind of man love for me. What's with the stiffy your having over me? I don't think of you from one minute to the next. Find a new fantasy will ya little fella.

PetFlora said:

we need his office address and phone and bombard him with disapproval. Snail Mail is said to really get their attention as one letter is supposed to represent hundreds of people

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