Biden Recruited To Hand Out Free Joints

During his time in Congress, Biden was one of the fiercest drug warriors in Washington

SOURCE: www.huffingtonpost.com
AUTHOR: Radley Balko

The Denver Westword reports that a pro-pot group fighting a new proposal to impose a 30 percent tax on the drug -- which is now legal under Colorado law -- wants Joe Biden's help.

      "Earlier this month, a group opposed to Proposition AA, the measure to establish tax rates on recreational marijuana sales in Colorado, staged a rally at Civic Center Park during which attendees were given free joints.

"Now, that same group, No on Proposition AA, is planning a second free-joint event tomorrow on Boulder's Pearl Street Mall. And one organizer, attorney Rob Corry, has written a letter to Vice President Joe Biden inviting him to take part.

"Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, are expected in Colorado Monday to survey damage from the floods that have devastated so many Front Range communities."

Glorious as it would be to see Biden outdo his Onion alter-ego, Corry's clearly trolling the veep. During his time in Congress, Biden was one of the fiercest drug warriors in Washington. Here's a not-comprehensive list of policies Biden has supported over the years that I put together in 2008 shortly after Obama chose him as his running mate:

      Hate the way federal prosecutors use RICO laws to take aim at drug offenders? Thank Biden. How about the abomination that is federal asset forfeiture laws? Thank Biden. Think federal prosecutors have too much power in drug cases? Thank Biden. Think the title of a "Drug Czar" is sanctimonious and silly? Thank Biden, who helped create the position (and still considers it an accomplishment worth boasting about). Tired of the ridiculous steroids hearings in Congress? Thank Biden, who led the effort to make steroids a Schedule 3 drug, and has been among the blowhardiest of the blowhards when it comes to sports and performance enhancing drugs. Biden voted in favor of using international development aid for drug control (think plan Columbia, plan Afghanistan, and other meddling anti-drug efforts that have only fostered loathing of America, backlash, and unintended consequences). Oh, and he was also the chief sponsor of 2004′s horrendous RAVE Act.

Biden has also been a champion of the Byrne Grant and COPS programs, which as I've pointed out here, have helped proliferate the SWAT teams and other paramilitary police units that are today primarily used to serve drug warrants.

Biden has softened up in a couple areas. In 2008, he said he opposed the federal raids on medical marijuana clinics, though he still opposed legalizing the drug for medicinal purposes. (And he's part of an administration that has actually conducted more such raids than the three before it.) Just before he ran in 2008, he also sponsored a bill to remedy the crack/powder cocaine sentencing disparity.

But I imagine it will be a while before we see a U.S. vice president handing out joints at a pot rally.