looks like free speech is gone. we are becoming like hitlers germany and cubas fidel castro. everyone is in our business,we are watched 24/7 . america is rapidly taking freedom away in the name of the so called drug war,or as I call it war on americans.

The US Department of Justice should be ordered to investigate this crime for possible charges against WestNet for violating the constitutional rights of every signator on the petitions! The US Attorney General and the President should be appalled at this violation of the democratic process!!!

This is sad news. Things are worse than I previously thought for our democracy, our rights and our liberties.

Lousy Rat Bastards!

Wow, dont those stupid cops have any real crime to contend with? I mean seriously.

Lou
www.complete-anonymity.at.tc

And Dangerous... its a lot easier and safer to pick on sick cancer patients in wheelchairs.

Krieger replied to Jo Diggs:

Cops and real crime......I don't get the connection?

How does that pay the bills?
Sounds expensive.

Police are getting more and more desperate as their jobs lay on the line. Wow can you imagine police actually serving and protecting instead of bullying? It would be a new concept for most.

I have audio of the detective stating she is going to "copy" the initiatives then return them. She left the voicemail on my phone this morning. Can they even legally keep copies of those initiatives? & is there an attorney on this case that I can forward her voicemail message to?

fight back...find where the cops live and burn them out. duh. weak pussies.

Prohibition is a sickening horror and the ocean of incompetence, corruption and human wreckage it has left in its wake is almost endless.

Prohibition has decimated generations and criminalized millions for a behavior which is entwined in human existence, and for what other purpose than to uphold the defunct and corrupt thinking of a minority of misguided, self-righteous Neo-Puritans and degenerate demagogues who wish nothing but unadulterated destruction on the rest of us.

Based on the unalterable proviso that drug use is essentially an unstoppable and ongoing human behavior which has been with us since the dawn of time, any serious reading on the subject of past attempts at any form of drug prohibition would point most normal thinking people in the direction of sensible regulation.

By its very nature, prohibition cannot fail but create a vast increase in criminal activity, and rather than preventing society from descending into anarchy, it actually fosters an anarchic business model - the international Drug Trade. Any decisions concerning quality, quantity, distribution and availability are then left in the hands of unregulated, anonymous, ruthless drug dealers, who are interested only in the huge profits involved.

Many of us have now, finally, wised up to the fact that the best avenue towards realistically dealing with drug use and addiction is through proper regulation which is what we already do with alcohol & tobacco, clearly two of our most dangerous mood altering substances. But for those of you whose ignorant and irrational minds traverse a fantasy plane of existence, you will no doubt remain sorely upset with any type of solution that does not seem to lead to the absurd and unattainable utopia of a drug free society.

There is an irrefutable connection between drug prohibition and the crime, corruption, disease and death it causes. If you are not capable of understanding this connection then maybe you're using something far stronger than the rest of us. Anybody 'halfway bright', and who's not psychologically challenged, should be capable of understanding that it is not simply the demand for drugs that creates the mayhem, it is our refusal to allow legal businesses to meet that demand.

No amount of money, police powers, weaponry, diminution of rights and liberties, wishful thinking or pseudo-science will make our streets safer, only an end to prohibition can do that. How much longer are you willing to foolishly risk your own survival by continuing to ignore the obvious, historically confirmed solution?

If you still support the kool aid mass suicide cult of prohibition, and erroneously believe that you can win a war without logic and practical solutions, then prepare yourself for even more death, corruption, terrorism, sickness, imprisonment, unemployment, foreclosed homes, and the complete loss of the rule of law and the Bill of Rights.

"A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded."
Abraham Lincoln

The only thing prohibition successfully does is prohibit regulation & taxation while turning even our schools and prisons into black markets for drugs. Regulation would mean the opposite!

Even though these things shouldn't shock me anymore, I can't help it! It's a complete outrage!

While I personally don't drink or smoke (weed), I firmly believe that if alcohol is legal then marijuana should be to, both are mind-altering drugs. The level of harm, dangers, risks, complications and over all negative impact on society is much, much greater with alcohol then marijuana. Facts that are backed up by many independent statistics.

So why is alcohol legal and marijuana not? I believe there are a few reasons and none of them have to do with 'protecting anyone' or 'not understanding the facts'.

1st. "The War on Drugs". The government not only makes a huge profit on the 'War', it also provides the all important 'fear factor' that is required so society will support it.

2nd. The pharmaceutical companies (and the government) wouldn't be able to exclusively control the production and distribution because it can be produced fairly easily by individuals themselves (1000 times easier and cheaper then making any type of alcohol).

3rd. None of the current 'powers that be' would be able to monopolize the industry. This would create huge shifts in the balance of power that dominates and regulates everything now for selfish and personal gain only.

Because I guarantee that if there were ways for those 3 things not to happen, there would be more weed stores then Starbucks now.

Peace, Light and Take Care!

Exploring Life's Paths
Explore The Little Paths

Thank you Sensible Washington and ToTT for bringing this out into the light. My signature was on one of the seized petitions and I'm pissed.
Any law enforcement officer intelligent enough to strap on a gun would have known that signatures on a voter initiative petition are not evidence of any crime.

They're pushing back because they're afraid. It's the strongest evidence that we're on the verge of success.

...and, how many have written to the White House about legalization?
Besides me, that is. Three times...

C'mon..if they don't know, they won't act.

Hey Everyone,

I am from Colorado but I am willing to make some calls if you are. Two can play at this game.

Everyone, start making some calls and run these guys ragged ;-) Dead end, anyone? LOL

The State of Washington offers a 24-hour Marijuana Hotline for information leading to the arrest of Marijuana growers. All calls are confidential and may results in rewards up to $5,000.00. This number is 1-800-388-GROW (4769).

The oinkers are fat and lazy. Uniforms psych ordinary people into power-trips. Imagine what they do to those insecure and predestined towards bullying others. This is only evidence against these jackbooted thugs. Put them in psych wards where they really belong! They shouldn't be allowed on the street with ordinary people. They're defective. Recall them, then arrest them. Maybe a little electricity can straighten out their "thinking". There's a reason they earned the pig moniker, don't forget it! Just a minute.. I smell bacon.

as being no stranger to the law, my uncle as a 20 yr cop and dad a former criminal defense lawyer of 32 years. they are more conservative than i, and yet both agree that the cops have overstepped bounds. that even as they may not agree with legalization they do believe the petitions should be returned and the entire task force be shook up. people may have different views and beliefs but partly what makes us human and definitely american; is the fact we have a choice. that we can govern ourselves and have the freedom which i and many other men and women have fought for is un american and unethical.

Hide ur stuff

Drug prohibition seems absolutely absurd to me. Why do people care so much what others are doing with their time?

This is a good thing! Much more attention will be paid now! Litigation against WDA should immediately be filed and this story needs to be pushed on all networks and internet sites relative to Wash.

Have resolve and surety in your goals and you will achieve them. Have a great day everyone!

And more from the "Stupid Law Enforcement" division:

http://www.kristv.com/news/marijuana-seizure-turns-into-yardwork/

You need to write your representatives about this. Because complaining to "like minded" people is useless.

Don't object, because it will take you less time time actually write your representatives by googling "write my representatives" than it will take you to tell ME why you think that is a waste of time.

google: "write my representatives" now.

Anyone know where I can sign one in Lynnwood?

"Real rights are not given, they are taken! by those bold enough to declare and defend such rights, to the death if necessary."
--

The problem is most citizens sit back and take crap from their government over & over and hope to change things when the right politicians are in power. But they always change once they get into power. We have to find other ways of waking up the masses. But we must also be prepared to defend our RIGHTS - by any means necessary.
Jackson, Washington, Jefferson & Thomas Paine would NEVER tolerate this crap. How the mighty have fallen thanks to distractions such as useless TV programming and other means.

Behavior like this makes the cops fair game.

If they keep it up, the day will come when cops will have to live among their own in sealed compounds.

They can file a Section 1983 complaint in federal court for the police violating their First Amendment right to petition.

The First Amendment rights trump a lot of procedural B.S. local law enforcement might try to engage in to kill the petition drive.

This article makes me wish people would take Journalism 101 before writing news stories.

It's not that hard: you get the facts from one side, then you call the other side at get their version, then you bounce it back and forth a bit and print both claims with as much corroboration as possible.

A "no comment" from the feds would at least show that the writer did something to verify this claim. As it stands, there is no way to tell if it is even remotely true or just some rant.

How Dependent Are Local Governments On “Forfeiture” To Pay Their Salaries?

As the economy worsens, it is problematic police departments and local governments with budget short falls, will increasingly look to asset forfeiture of Citizens’ property to pay police officer salaries and their operating costs.

There are over 200 U.S. laws and violations that can subject property to civil asset forfeiture. For example a misrepresentation on a federally insured mortgage loan application can cause Civil Forfeiture of your home. No conviction is required: only "a preponderance of civil evidence" Not “clear and convincing evidence. Police in states that require conviction before property can be forfeited, get around this, by bringing federal police into an investigation to ensure a civil asset forfeiture can be prosecuted under federal jurisdiction requiring no conviction; this is called “adoption.” The Feds then share the forfeited assets with state/local police and their governments.

Setting the stage for widespread police civil asset forfeitures was Passage of HR1658 "The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000." When HR1658 passed—it killed the “5-year statute of limitations” for Civil Asset Forfeiture that prior gave police “Five Years” to seize property from the date “property” was involved in crime. Police now have five-years to seize property beginning from the date “police claim” they learned a “property” was involved in crime—that made it subject to civil asset forfeiture.

Incorporated in the 2001 Patriot Act were “retroactive provisions” from "The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000” that retroactively applied to “assets already subject to government forfeiture”, meaning "property already tainted by crime" (provided) “a specific property” was already part of or (later) connected to a criminal investigation in progress" when HR.1658 passed. Under the Patriot Act, witnesses can be kept secret while being paid part of the assets they cause to be forfeited.

Most property and business owners that defend their assets against Government Civil Forfeiture claim an “innocent owner defense.” Using an innocent owner defense can become a criminal prosecution trap for both guilty and innocent property owners. Any fresh denial to the government when questioned about committing a crime “even when you did not do it” can “involuntarily waive” your right to assert in your defense—the “Criminal Statute of Limitations” for prosecution has past. Any fresh denial of guild, even 30 years after a crime was committed may allow Government prosecutors to use old and new evidence, including information (discovered during a Civil Asset Forfeiture Proceeding) to initiate a criminal prosecution. For that reason many innocent property and business owners are reluctant to defend their property and businesses from Government Civil Asset Forfeiture. Re: waiving Criminal Statute of Limitations: see USC18, Sec.1001, James Brogan V. United States. N0.96-1579.

Previously U.S. prosecutors were not allowed access to the Justice Department’s “intelligence files” for domestic criminal prosecutions. In 2003 a court ruling lowered that barrier, allowing prosecutors to review old surveillance. In 2003, Attorney General John Ashcroft asked government prosecutors to review thousands of old intelligence files including wiretaps to retrieve information that prosecutors could use in “ordinary criminal prosecutions. Note that would include Civil Asset forfeitures.”
See: http://www.securityfocus.com/news/5452

WASHINGTON (AP) - "U.S. reviewing old, secret surveillance files in terrorism investigations." “4,500 files.” By, Ted Bridis, The Associated Press 2003-06-04.

Just recently Pres. Obama's signed Executive Order EO 12425 that put INTERPOL above the United States Constitution. Obama’s Executive Order authorized INTERPOL to act within the United States without being subject to 4th Amendment Search and Seizure laws. It would appear INTERPOL can tap American phones and emails without a warrant. And that U.S. Police can use INTERPOL to circumvent the Fourth Amendment to arrest Americans and to forfeit their property by bringing INTERPOL into a criminal or civil investigation. Government can too easily take an innocent person’s hastily written email, fax or phone call out of context to allege a crime or violation was committed to cause an arrest or Civil Asset Forfeiture.

Congress could help protect Americans from police/government forfeiture abuse by passing legislation that raised the standard of evidence Government is required to use for Civil Asset Forfeiture from a mere “Preponderance of Evidence” to “Clear and Convincing Evidence.”

write on jack...when $hit happens we fight back

COPS SAY LEGALIZE MARIJUANA!
Support LEAP(Law Enforcement Against Prohibition).

well the right to bear arms is your constitunional right as well i see a revalution coming , we need to win our freedom back!!

thevenusproject.com
thezeitgeistmovement.com
zeitgeistmovie.com

Some commentors may say, 'so what's new?' but this scares the living CRAP outta me. I know we live in a surveillance society and we are told over and over and over again that cameras and neighborhood watch and all the rest are there to 'protect', but in reality, if you actually put your pen where your heart is and say or sign anything that is against 'da man's' world-view wishes, it looks like it's gonna come down on you. There is no democratic process anymore. Just information for them to collect and hold against you later. How did Orwell write '1984'? How did he know it was really going to be like this?

It is apparent that there is a drive to make all 'americans' frightened of participating in signing petitions and voicing their genuine desires and beliefs. To make us frightened to appear in public wearing the wrong t-shirt or carrying the wrong book. This is the moment when it is absolutely vital to make a POINT of doing what is 'wrong'... publicly, without shame and with clear purpose.