News (Media Awareness Project) - US FL: GOP Attacks Bloom On '75 Marijuana Bill |
| Title: | US FL: GOP Attacks Bloom On '75 Marijuana Bill |
| Published On: | 2000-10-13 |
| Source: | Miami Herald (FL) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-03 05:46:10 |
GOP ATTACKS BLOOM ON '75 MARIJUANA BILL
Two days after U.S. Rep. Clay Shaw accused Elaine Bloom of illegally driving up drug costs for seniors, the state Republican party accused her of driving down drug punishments for criminals.
Calling Bloom ``far out and far left,'' the state GOP resurrected a 25-year-old bill Bloom and Democratic candidate for education commissioner George Sheldon, a former state House member, pushed for in 1975. Sheldon sponsored the bill, which Bloom cosponsored.
But the bill, Sheldon said Thursday, did not ``decriminalize the possession of marijuana,'' as a GOP release said. Sheldon said the bill, which did not pass, ``in effect diverted from the jail system'' defendants charged with possessing less than 1 ounce of marijuana.
A fine of $100, Sheldon said, would have replaced jail time, and a companion bill increased prison terms for repeat offenders and for transporting marijuana. A similar bill, which lowered the possession amount to 5 grams, passed a few years later, Sheldon said.
``It was my belief that we should be paying the bulk of our attention to those people who were selling (marijuana),'' Sheldon said. ``Are there votes from 25 years ago I would change? Probably. This is not one of them.''
Bloom also dismissed the swipe, just as she did two days earlier when the Shaw campaign linked her to a Fort Lauderdale generic drug maker under federal investigation for alleged ``anti-competitive practices.'' Republican incumbent Shaw and Democrat Bloom are vying for the congressional District 22 seat.
Bloom said she could not recall specifics of the bill, but added that she supports treatment for first-time drug offenders and the Sheldon bill was an early example of that philosophy.
``I think it was wonderful. It was ahead of my time,'' she said. ``I think that the actual activity in the courts today is to try and divert (first-time offenders into treatment). The important thing is to get people off the habit.''
Both Bloom and Sheldon said they oppose the legalization of marijuana.
Bloom suspected that the GOP release was an attempt to portray her as soft on crime, and noted that she has collected endorsements from state and local police unions. ``All of these people know that I have been their strongest ally in the legislature,'' she said.
Two days after U.S. Rep. Clay Shaw accused Elaine Bloom of illegally driving up drug costs for seniors, the state Republican party accused her of driving down drug punishments for criminals.
Calling Bloom ``far out and far left,'' the state GOP resurrected a 25-year-old bill Bloom and Democratic candidate for education commissioner George Sheldon, a former state House member, pushed for in 1975. Sheldon sponsored the bill, which Bloom cosponsored.
But the bill, Sheldon said Thursday, did not ``decriminalize the possession of marijuana,'' as a GOP release said. Sheldon said the bill, which did not pass, ``in effect diverted from the jail system'' defendants charged with possessing less than 1 ounce of marijuana.
A fine of $100, Sheldon said, would have replaced jail time, and a companion bill increased prison terms for repeat offenders and for transporting marijuana. A similar bill, which lowered the possession amount to 5 grams, passed a few years later, Sheldon said.
``It was my belief that we should be paying the bulk of our attention to those people who were selling (marijuana),'' Sheldon said. ``Are there votes from 25 years ago I would change? Probably. This is not one of them.''
Bloom also dismissed the swipe, just as she did two days earlier when the Shaw campaign linked her to a Fort Lauderdale generic drug maker under federal investigation for alleged ``anti-competitive practices.'' Republican incumbent Shaw and Democrat Bloom are vying for the congressional District 22 seat.
Bloom said she could not recall specifics of the bill, but added that she supports treatment for first-time drug offenders and the Sheldon bill was an early example of that philosophy.
``I think it was wonderful. It was ahead of my time,'' she said. ``I think that the actual activity in the courts today is to try and divert (first-time offenders into treatment). The important thing is to get people off the habit.''
Both Bloom and Sheldon said they oppose the legalization of marijuana.
Bloom suspected that the GOP release was an attempt to portray her as soft on crime, and noted that she has collected endorsements from state and local police unions. ``All of these people know that I have been their strongest ally in the legislature,'' she said.
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