Rave Act already being abused

[revaluation]

The Rave Act used in Montana to Suppress a Political Fundraiser

The ink from President Bush’s signature has not even dried and the RAVE Act is already having profound unconstitutional effects. On May 30th, exactly one month after the RAVE Act was signed into law, a DEA agent entered the Eagles Lodge in Billings, Montana with a message for the property owner: proceed with the event tomorrow and you could be slapped with a $250,000 fine. Our worst fears have come true, as this action constitutes the foulest abuse of this infamous legislation.

On May 31st, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws was to have a fundraiser to change Montana law regarding the use of medical marijuana. The event was to take place at the Eagles Lodge in Billings. The DEA agent, reportedly waving a copy of the RAVE Act, told the managers they could be prosecuted and face a $250,000 fine if anyone were caught smoking marijuana at the event. Clearly, the first amendment guarantees their right to assemble and speak about whatever they choose. But under the threat of the RAVE Act, the property owners, after consulting their attorneys, felt that the heavy fine was too much of a deterrent and cancelled the event. This action presents a landmark, as it is the first time the RAVE Act has been used since it was signed into law on April 30th.

This brings up two important points about this law. One, the suppression of freedom of speech is absolutely unacceptable. This is exactly the kind of consequence that opponents of the RAVE Act warned Congress about, and exactly what Sen. Biden told us would not happen. Yet, here we are, and the first application of the new law is to scare venue owners into canceling a political fundraiser that local or federal authorities wish to prohibit.

Second, it shows the degree to which authorities have given up on the drug war. Instead of busting dealers, distributors or the people actually using the drug, they have gone to threatening the people who have no involvement with the sale, distribution or use at all. The RAVE Act specifically says that violators must “knowingly and intentionally†make their venue available for the distribution of drugs. The only thing the Eagles Lodge owners were knowingly and intentionally doing was making their venue available for a political rally. The language in the original RAVE Act which caused so much opposition was the “reasonably ought to know†clause which was subsequently removed. Yet, here are the DEA officers threatening the Lodge owner with the “reasonably ought to know†language.

Senator Biden must be made aware of this abuse. This is exactly the kind of action we protested so fervently and exactly the kind of action he promised would not occur. Help DCNC convey this message to Senator Biden.

Get more information here:

http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/06_09_03rave.cfm

Biden, Joseph - (D - DE)

201 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510

(202) 224-5042

E-mail: senator@biden.senate.gov

Get involved! Visit www.dcnc.org

[therunner]

Sieg Heil!!

[Guest jroo]

i forgot to bring this up when i got back from kentucky, but they had a techno club there. on the flyer it listed 5 clubs all different types. the techno club was just called "e" then it said techno club. you think those promoters know about ecstacy? sure you could battle that anyway you wanted to, i wish i went in to see what it was all about.

[revaluation]

Originally posted by jroo

i forgot to bring this up when i got back from kentucky, but they had a techno club there. on the flyer it listed 5 clubs all different types. the techno club was just called "e" then it said techno club. you think those promoters know about ecstacy? sure you could battle that anyway you wanted to, i wish i went in to see what it was all about.

that's the point jerami. you can't just bust somebody because YOU THINK they know about something. you must PROVE that they knew about it and intentionally provided the place for the illegal activity to take place.

[Guest jroo]

Originally posted by revaluation

that's the point jerami. you can't just bust somebody because YOU THINK they know about something. you must PROVE that they knew about it and intentionally provided the place for the illegal activity to take place.

lets go to law school. you can take a break while i get my first degree, but they we'll go.

[therunner]

Originally posted by jroo

i forgot to bring this up when i got back from kentucky, but they had a techno club there. on the flyer it listed 5 clubs all different types. the techno club was just called "e" then it said techno club. you think those promoters know about ecstacy? sure you could battle that anyway you wanted to, i wish i went in to see what it was all about.

There is a place in Falls Church called "e-city" It's pretty shitty. Shitty crowd, shitty music and overpriced drinks.

[spinsaikel]

The only E-city I know of is in Tysons corner (I think it's near a car dealership) yeah that place is caters to the corperate crowd. Pink slip parties are a reg there.

[Guest jroo]

Originally posted by spinsaikel

The only E-city I know of is in Tysons corner (I think it's near a car dealership) yeah that place is caters to the corperate crowd. Pink slip parties are a reg there.

yeah, that place could use some e. it you wanted to advertise your company on its walls, kinda like small billboards, it costs 50 grand.

[therunner]

Originally posted by spinsaikel

The only E-city I know of is in Tysons corner (I think it's near a car dealership) yeah that place is caters to the corperate crowd. Pink slip parties are a reg there.

Yeah, that's the one. Wrong place but right club. That place kinda sucked ass.