Pubdate: Fri, 04 Apr 2014 Source: Trentonian, The (NJ) Copyright: 2014 The Trentonian Contact: http://www.trentonian.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1006 Author: Sherrina V. Navani NJ WEEDMAN FINED BY ELEC FOR FUNDING HIS CAMPAIGN ON Undisclosed Pot Sales TRENTON - An election funded by weed apparently isn't legal. The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission has fined Robert Edward Forchion Jr. - a.k.a. Weedman - over $13,000 for not appropriately filing all the election contributions he has received during his last three election campaigns. "At the time the only way I could finance my election was through the sale of marijuana, how do they want me to file paperwork for that?" questioned Weedman. "I couldn't say I sold 2 ounces of weed for 1,000 (campaign) flyers." Forchion said he tried to collect money but no one would contribute to his campaign fund, so he decided to bartering pot for campaign advertising. The commission's three-count campaign violation decision, released Thursday, says that when Forchion ran for State Assembly in the 8th Legislative District during the 2011 general elections, he violated the Campaign Reporting Act by not sending in his campaign finance reports 29 days-prior to the election. According to Weedman, this is not the first time he's snuffed the commission, as he has chosen not to share how he's been able to gain funding to promote his candidacy for The Legalize Marijuana Platform. "I've been running for U.S. Congress since 1999 and I have always refused to submit the paperwork because of my 5th Amendment right not to incriminate myself," he said. "I'm a pot head - this is what I do." The poster-boy for legalizing cannabis, Forchion recently completed a nine month stint in a Burlington County jail for violating probation on possession of marijuana charges. The 49 year-old suffers debilitating bone cancer and he says he is in constant pain due to the large tumors all over his body. Although he is a registered medical marijuana card holder in his home state of California, the self-proclaimed "marijuana smuggler," was visiting his children and ex-wife in Browns Mills, in 2010, when he was pulled over by a state trooper. When searched Forchion's pockets were stuffed with a significant amount of weed, which he claims he kept in his pockets because it was the only treatment which alleviated his constant pain. "I carry marijuana in my pockets like some people carry aspirin," he said. Now a free man, he wants to continue his activism work and hopefully make pot as assessable as any other pain medication, for everybody. The ELEC's three-count verdict outlines numerous correspondence sent to Weedman's home, beginning in September 2011, requiring him to fill out and file Report of Contributions and Expenditures or the alternative, to file with the Commission a Candidate Sworn Statement, all contributions over $300. The mailings kept coming and he kept ignoring them, leaving them unopened and instead using them as a coaster for his pot, until Thursday. "They can fine me but it is really unenforceable, that's the funny part. ... I guess they can put me in jail and all that stuff," Weedman said confidently. "Who knows maybe a contempt of court charge, maybe they can wiggle their way in - but really it's unenforceable." The commission report says otherwise. "[I]f no moneys, loans, paid personal services or other things of value were contributed, the report shall so indicate, and if no expenditures were paid or incurred, the report shall likewise so indicate." The maximum statutory penalty has been imposed, according to the decision, because Weedman continues not filing the report as required by state law. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D