RTFA: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-marijuana1…

Federal agents raided a Culver City medical marijuana dispensary where they spent more than four hours this afternoon, serving a search warrant that resulted in no arrests but left the shop in disarray.

Drug Enforcement Administration agents arrived about noon at Organica Collective in the 13400 block of Washington Boulevard, said Sarah Pullen, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles office of the agency.

“Marijuana remains a controlled substance, and it is illegal under federal law to possess, dispense or cultivate marijuana in any form,” Pullen said of the purpose of the raid.

The federal operation came on the same day an appellate court in San Diego ruled that federal law does not preempt the state’s law allowing the use of medical marijuana — a ruling touted by supporters of California’s medical marijuana law as a significant win.

WHOAH – SLOW DOWN. There are two major problems with this event.

Problem the first: whereas the state-level debate over California’s authority to regulate marijuana takes place in a courtroom, the federal-level response takes the form of militaristic thuggery. I would argue that the proper response to a ruling by this particular appellate court is to challenge the ruling in a higher court.

Problem the second: THE “AGENT” IN THE ABOVE PHOTO ISN’T DEA – HE IS WEARING A BLACKWATER SHIRT!

Get that? He’s a hired mercenary. He’s not even a federal officer. So the courts arrive at a decision, and the feds hire armed mercenaries to “overturn” the ruling? Did you read the part about there being no arrests? According to Pullen’s quote (above), she claims that marijuana is illegal… which is obviously at odds with the ruling of the California courts. They just stole things, and broke everything else.

Wow… Just wow…

EDIT: picture via boingboing

RTFA: http://lessig08.org/

exploratory
projects – first, a Change Congress movement, and second, my own decision whether to run for Congress in the
California 12th.

I have decided I want to give as much energy as I can to the Change Congress movement. I will decide in the next week or so whether it makes sense to advance that movement by running for Congress.

Many friends have weighed in on that decision – both strongly in favor and strongly opposed. Many more have joined draftlessig.org and a Facebook group asking me to consider it.

Watch or listen and you will understand some of my reasoning. Feel free to send your thoughts or advice to lessig@lessig08.org (though please excuse any slowness in my response).

Wow – very interesting development. I mean, the guy is basically an attorney, so it’s not like he’s a n00b at policy. Also, he started the Creative Commons, which is a profoundly economic contract for the public. He can motivate and mobilize people, and he’s been articulating his ideas publicly, through books and other media, for more than a decade. He has reputation and accountability. Of course, Lessig lives across the bay, and therefore isn’t going to represent me in a direct sense.