Pubdate: Wed, 17 Mar 2004
Source: Hill, The (US DC)
Copyright: 2004 The Hill
Contact:  http://www.hillnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1509
Authors: Albert Eisele, and Jeff Dufour
Note: Item snipped from longer column
Cited: Office of National Drug Control Policy (www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov )
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/props.htm (Ballot Initiatives)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

ANTI-POT CAMPAIGN NOT PROPAGANDA, SAYS GAO

With the General Accounting Office (GAO) declaring that White House ads 
touting the benefits of the new Medicare law stray into a gray area of 
political advocacy, another, less noticed GAO opinion states that an 
election-year, anti-medical-marijuana initiative by the White House Office 
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) was perfectly legal.

In the run-up to the November 2002 elections, with medical marijuana 
initiatives on the ballot in several states, ONDCP Deputy Director Scott 
Burns wrote to local prosecutors stressing their role in "fighting the 
normalization of marijuana."

His letter made a number of statements that medical marijuana advocates 
considered inaccurate, including that "marijuana and violence are linked" 
and "no credible research suggests" that marijuana has medical uses.

In April of last year, libertarian Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) asked the GAO to 
investigate whether the Burns letter violated the ban on using taxpayer 
funds for "publicity and propaganda" as well as the long-standing GAO 
position that "the government should not disseminate misleading information."

In responding to Paul nearly a year later, just last week, the GAO 
declared, in essence, that the veracity of ONDCP's statements is 
irrelevant. "Even though the statements may have been controversial, wrote 
GAO General Counsel Anthony Gamboa, "they were made within the context of 
ONDCP's statuatory responsibilities, which include taking such actions as 
necessary to oppose efforts to legalize certain substances."

He further pointed out that the executive branch is only prohibited from 
"communications aimed at influencing legislation pending before the 
Congress," not state legislative bodies.

"It is unfortunate, although not surprising, that the GAO counsel believes 
the ONDCP acts within its bounds when it engages in political action at 
taxpayer expense," said Paul. "Imagine the outcry if IRS staff traveled the 
country arguing against tax cuts at the state level! Drug laws, like 
virtually all criminal laws, are wholly the province of states. Neither 
Congress nor any administration had the authority to create and fund a 
federal drug-war cheerleading agency."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom