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CA Political Watchdog Digs Into Anti-Legalization Group

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Photo by Gracie Malley

Politics

CA Political Watchdog Digs Into Anti-Legalization Group

Something smells funny in the run-up to the vote on Prop. 64, California’s long-awaited legalization measure – and it’s the anti-cannabis crew.

The state’s Fair Political Practices Commission said Monday it would investigate claims made against SAM Action, Inc., the political arm of former Congressman Patrick Kennedy’s anti-legalization outfit Smart Approaches to Marijuana.

According to the Los Angeles Times, SAM Action is accused of filing spending reports late, and may not have properly accounted for how it spent nearly $150,000.

The FPPC made no judgment on the allegations of wrongdoing themselves – made, of course, by attorneys working on behalf of the Prop. 64 effort – but did acknowledge it would investigate.

SAM Action did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Times.

Smart Approaches to Marijuana is thus far the only opposition group to appear against Prop. 64 with any funding to speak of. As reported, nearly all of its money has come from one source: a retired art teacher in Pennsylvania.

According to the latest finance records, Julie Schauer has contributed more than $1.35 million towards the anti-Prop. 64 effort.

That a retired community college art teacher would loathe cannabis so much as to contribute a fortune to defeating it is… weird, but nevertheless, it pales in comparison to what the pro-legalization effort has raised from billionaire tech tycoon Sean Parker and funds controlled by George Soros and the heirs of the late Peter Lewis.

As of Tuesday, pro-legalization forces had raised more than $16 million, according to the Secretary of State.

Are you voting for Prop. 64? Tell us why or why not.

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