GROUP WANTS DRUG CZAR TO REPORT NEVADA CAMPAIGN EXPENSES

An organization backing a state initiative to legalize small amounts
of marijuana has filed a petition with the Nevada Supreme Court
seeking to force U.S. drug czar John Walters to file expense reports
when campaigning against the issue in Nevada.

The Washington, D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project argued in court
documents filed April 22 that Nevada Attorney General Brian Sandoval
was wrong when his office said Walters did not have to submit an
expense list when he campaigned against a similar drug initiative
proposed during the 2002 election.

Walters already has campaigned in Nevada this year against the latest
marijuana initiative.

The group argues that those who support or oppose initiatives must
file expense and contribution reports with the secretary of state's
office.

"At this point we're following the advice of the attorney general,"
Renee Parker, chief deputy secretary of state, said Wednesday.

Marijuana Policy Project filed a complaint in 2002 with Heller's
office on Walters' conduct during that election season. The
organization argued Walters traveled to Nevada in October of that year
"with security detail in tow" to challenge the ballot issue.

The group had asked Heller to require Walters to file a campaign
report or be subject to a fine of up to $5,000. Walters did not file a
campaign report.

A federal lawyer for Walters argued the director of the White House
Office of National Drug Control Policy was exempt from Nevada law.

The state attorney general's office followed up with an opinion that
Walters did not have to file campaign expense and contribution reports
because he was acting within the scope of his federal duties when he
appeared in Nevada in 2002.

The 2002 initiative was defeated by 305,479 votes to
196,571.