Ethics Committee Eyes Iowa Rep’s Medical Marijuana Lie

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Photo: Des Moines Register
GOP Rep. Clel Baudler lied to a California doctor in order to get a medical marijuana authorization.

​An Iowa state representative’s lie to a California doctor to obtain a medical marijuana authorization is the focus of an ethics complaint to be considered Thursday by a legislative ethics committee.

The complaint was filed by Des Moines resident and marijuana advocate Mike Pesce, who said Rep. Clel Baudler broke California law, which forbids people from fabricating information to obtain a medical marijuana recommendation, reports Jason Clayworth at the Des Moines Register.
Rep. Baudler claims he “did not fill the prescription.” He said he conducted the publicity stunt last year to demonstrate what he claims are “abuses” of California’s medical marijuana laws.
“I spent 15 minutes with this ‘doctor’ and six of thouse were used attempting to overcome the language barrier between us (he was an oriental [sic]‘doctor’ and only spoke broken English,)” Baudler wrote in an email to supporters in October.
Baudler, 71, a former state trooper, admitted he lied about having medical problems — hemorrhoids, in his case — to obtain a medical marijuana recommendation to prove “how asinine it would be to legalize ‘medical marijuana.’ “

He made public his plan to lie about a medical condition to obtain a medical marijuana authorization almost a year ago, when the Iowa Board of Pharmacy voted unanimously to recommend to legislators reclassify marijuana in a way that could allow Iowans to use it for pain, nausea and other symptoms from diseases like cancer, AIDs and multiple sclerosis.
He told of his plan to visit California. “Then I’ll lie about having hemorrhoids so I can get medical marijuana for hemorrhoids and get smoke blown up my rear end,” Baudler said.
California law states that a person who fraudulently represents a medical condition to a doctor is subject to a $1,000 fine or six months in jail for their first offense.
Baudler (R-Greenfield) declined to comment on Wednesday about the issue, saying he would wait until after the ethics committee makes a ruling.
In a written response to the House Ethics Committee, Rep. Baudler claimed he believes the complaint “fails to allege facts and circumstances necessary for a valid complaint” and that it additionally does not establish a violation of Iowa’s ethics code.
So apparently, Baudler believes it’s OK for an Iowan to lie to a doctor, as long as he’s in California. Whatevs, Clel!
The Ethics Committee meeting begins at 11:45 a.m. on Thursday, February 10, in Room 102 of the Capitol Building in Des Moines.
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