Drug Czar Asked for Explanation

[boulder]

Nevada's secretary of state has asked National Drug Czar John Walters to explain why he hasn't followed the state's campaign contributions and expenditures law.

 

Secretary of State Dean Heller released a letter Wednesday that he sent to Walters, asking the federal official to explain why he has failed to submit legally required information about his efforts to defeat Question 9. Nevada voters in November rejected the ballot question, which would have allowed adults to possess as much as 3 ounces of marijuana in their homes.

 

During the campaign, Walters made three trips to Nevada to speak out against the ballot question, and his Office of National Drug Control ran many television advertisements warning of the dangers of marijuana.

 

Under a state law, "every person" who advocates the passage or defeat of a ballot question must submit campaign contribution and expenditure reports.

 

Walters' office did not return a message seeking an explanation, but his deputy director said in a Nov. 21 published report that it is the mission of the office to speak out against drug use at every possible turn.

 

Heller sought the explanation from Walters after receiving a complaint from the Marijuana Policy Project about the drug czar ignoring the state law. The policy project is the parent company of Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement. The Marijuana Policy Project spent $1.8 million last year on the campaign to pass Question 9, which lost at the polls 61 percent to 39 percent.

 

"We followed the rules, and they should follow the rules," said Bruce Mirken, director of communications for the Marijuana Policy Project.

 

During the campaign, Billy Rogers, leader of Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement, had complained that he could not compete against the resources used by Walters to defeat Question 9.

 

Mirken said Walters' office has a $180 million advertising budget. He earlier threatened to sue Walters for not complying with the Nevada campaign law. Mirken said Walters uses taxpayer money and should be accountable for his use of funds like anyone in a Nevada campaign.

 

Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)

Author: Ed Vogel, Review-Journal Capital Bureau

Published: Thursday, January 16, 2003

Copyright: 2003 Las Vegas Review-Journal

Contact: letters@lvrj.com

Website: http://www.lvrj.com/