By John Geluardi
Public corruption is a negative force that has an impact far beyond any single act of paying for favors and privilege. Public corruption cost taxpayer millions of dollars annually and casts a shadow over government ability to make sound policies, assert the rule of law and the citizen’s ability to pursue economic prosperity.
It’s for that reason the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other law enforcement agencies, makes it a priority to investigate allegations of public officials who use their positions to enrich themselves. But suppressing corruption once it has occurred is expensive and not effective. It is also important for government officials to be proactive by not enacting policies that foster corruption, rent seeking and extortion. That’s why it is critically important that the conflict between state and federal marijuana laws are resolved as soon as possible.
In those states that have legalized the sale of medical and recreation cannabis, the industry is flourishing. State and local laws have done great work in creating policies and laws that give such businesses a sense of stability that allows them to make business decisions with some confidence. But federal laws still regard cannabis as a schedule 1 narcotic and have not only closed access to reliable banking, the U.S. Postal Service and fair tax laws, but there is also the constant threat of law enforcement raids, lengthy and expensive court battles and prison.
Even in the states that have legalized cannabis, federal law has created a climate of fear and uncertainty among cannabis entrepreneurs and some politicians and law enforcement officers are exploiting that fear to enrich themselves. There are numerous examples of this type of corruption. In fact, The Daily Chronic, an online news source that covers the cannabis community, has a pages-long section devoted to cannabis related police corruption nationwide.
The Braying Dog 