Ashcroft Justice

Talk Left has some good coverage of the conviction of Oakland's Ed Rosenthal by the Ashcroft Justice Department. Rosenthal was convicted under federal law for growing medicinal marijuana, even though his activities were legal under California law. The S.F. Chronic reports:

After a two-week trial Friday, a 12-member federal jury unanimously concluded that Rosenthal, a world-renowned marijuana advocate, was growing more than 100 plants, conspired to cultivate marijuana and maintained an Oakland warehouse for a growing operation. He was painted as a major drug manufacturer and put on little, if any, defense.

The jury was not told that Rosenthal was acting as an agent of the city of Oakland's medical marijuana program, which was an outgrowth of a 1996 medical marijuana initiative approved by California's voters.

At least four of the 12 jurors would not have voted to convict if Rosenthal would have been permitted to testify as to those facts.

The next time you hear some Republican talk about federalism or states' rights or smaller government or the Tenth Amendment, please remember that he's just blowing smoke up your ass.