MARIJUANA PROPONENTS TAKE ON STATE ATTORNEYS

BOSTON -- A group supporting more lenient marijuana laws is trying to
turn another law involving campaign financing against their opponents
- -- the state's district attorneys.

The Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policy, which supports a ballot
referendum that would decriminalize possession of small amounts of
pot, filed campaign finance complaints yesterday against organizations
and individuals opposing their ballot question, including the
Massachusetts District Attorney Association.

The complaints, filed with Office of Campaign and Political Finance
and the Attorney General's office, allege that opponents of the
marijuana ballot question committed 14 infractions of fundraising laws
and another violation of campaign laws by allegedly publishing false
statements.

"I find it quite egregious that people whose sole job is to uphold the
law chose to break the law for political campaign means," said Whitney
Taylor, the executive director of the pro-marijuana committee.

Taylor said that the Coalition for Safe Streets, a group opposed to
Ballot Question 2 comprised of the state's district attorneys, broke
the law by accepting contributions and spending money prior to
declaring itself a formal ballot question committee.

Although the safe-streets group filed papers on Sept. 5 to become a
committee, records show the coalition received over $27,000 between
July 18 and Sept. 5. Ten of 12 contributions were from committees
representing Massachusetts district attorneys, with each gift ranging
from $2,200-$2,500.

On Aug. 21 the Safe Streets campaign gave $21,000 to O'Neill and
Associates, a Boston public relations firm, which was named in the
complaint.

Jason Tait, a spokesman for the Office of Campaign and Political
Finance, said that prior to spending or raising money a group must
organize as a ballot question committee to comply with campaign
finance laws. When a committee violates the law the likely
consequences would be a payment by a committee member to the state or
a letter to the public outlining the violations committed, Tait said.

Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone said that the safe streets
coalition engaged in no wrongdoing. He did not expect any judgment
against the group. "The complaints are a weak ploy to derail the
strong and determined opposition to (ballot) Question 2," Leone said
following a press conference to publicize opposition to the marijuana
ballot question.

The Coalition for Safe Streets said in a statement yesterday evening
that it has been in close contact with the Campaign and Political
Finance office and has followed its guidance throughout the campaign.
If passed by voters in November, Question 2 would make possession of
an ounce or less or marijuana a civil rather than criminal violation
that would carry a fine, but no threat of jail. Supporters say the
measure would help cities and towns focus on other, more serious offenses.

Yesterday afternoon, opponents of the measure, including district
attorneys, religious leaders and police officers, gathered outside the
Statehouse to repeat their opposition to the ballot question, warning
that marijuana is a gateway drug to more serious addictions.

They said passing the measure will have troubling consequences for the
state.