Pubdate: Fri, 06 Jun 2014
Source: Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Copyright: 2014 Sun-Sentinel Company
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/mVLAxQfA
Website: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/159
Author: Anthony Man
Page: 1B

PRO-POT GROUP SLAMS US REP.

Medical Marijuana Advocates Say Debbie Wasserman Schultz Out of Touch 
After Vote

A pro-medical marijuana group is going after U.S. Rep. Debbie 
Wasserman Schultz of Weston, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee.

It's labeling her as "out of touch" because she was one of only 18 
Democrats in the House who voted against legislation aimed at 
stopping the Drug Enforcement Administration from interfering with 
state medical marijuana laws.

And it's targeting her base in an ad that's running in South Florida 
on MSNBC, the cable channel favored by Democrats where Wasserman 
Schultz is a frequent guest.

The ad released Thursday by the medical marijuana advocacy group 
Americans for Safe Access is a classic negative spot, with 
unflattering black-and-white still pictures. It charges Wasserman 
Schultz thinks it's OK to send ailing patients who need medical 
marijuana to prison.

Sean Bartlett, communications director for Wasserman Schultz, had no 
comment on the ad. He said she voted against the amendment because, 
"The congresswoman believes that it is not appropriate to limit the 
ability of the Executive Branch to enforce federal law at their discretion."

The vote in question was on an amendment sponsored by U.S. Rep. Dana 
Rohrabacher, R-Calif., that passed 219-189, in the wee hours of the 
morning on May 3 0. The yes votes came from 49 Republicans and 170 
Democrats, according to the Marijuana Policy Project.

The amendment would prohibit the Department of Justice, including the 
DEA, from spending funds to prevent states from implementing their 
own medical marijuana laws. A yes vote was a move to stop the federal 
government from raiding state sanctioned medical dispensaries. To 
back up its contention that Wasserman Schultz is

How they voted

South Florida's members of Congress split on the medical marijuana amendment.

Ted Deutch and Lois Frankel, who represent parts of Broward and Palm 
Beach counties; Patrick Murphy, who represents northern Palm Beach, 
Martin and St. Lucie counties; and Joe Garcia, a Miami-Dade County 
(all Democrats).

Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Frederica Wilson, who represent parts of 
Broward and Miami-Dade counties (both Democrats), and Mario 
Diaz-Balart, who represent parts of Broward and Miami-Dade counties 
(Republican).

Alcee Hastings, who represents Broward and Palm Beach counties 
(Democrat) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Miami-Dade (Republican). out of 
touch, Americans for Safe Access cited a Quinnipiac University Poll 
showing 88 percent of Floridians surveyed supported medical marijuana.

As part of its "Vote Medical Marijuana" campaign, the group has 
prepared voting statistics and a report card for each member of Congress.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom