Cushingberry 4 Senate 2010 - Online Donation Center


I think it is time to realize that LEO is not following the law or the will of the People. Patients and Caregivers are getting arrested when they are in compliance with the law. Many of these innocent persons are victims of the inexcusable delays with the Michigan Department of Community Health. Our Community has been subject to much abuse. Who knew that Law Enforcement would waste more tax dollars trying to figure out ways to arrest patients and caregivers? Who knew that it would take 5 months in some instances until a person received there card from the MDCH? Who knew that despite what the law says, LEO was going to ignore it “ after 20 days your application is your valid card? Who knew that in April of 2009 that the battle was just beginning.


Apparently it has been ignored and forgotten that this law was passed by a ballet initiative by 54 percent of the vote.
On the simplest level, the reason we find ourselves here is because we are talking about marijuana, a plant that has been subject to the Greatest Propaganda Media campaign in the history of media. There still exists a fundamental resistance in segments of our political and social order that refuse to see it any other way.
Additionally despite the voters will, the public perception outside the medical marihuana community at times has been subject to irrelevant but negative attention.
Understand that the issues of interpretation of the MMMA that are up for debate are likely to be resolved in the Courts, there should be concern.

At times I have literally had to contain myself when I have heard judges, police officers and prosecutors say things about patients/ clients like:
“Your client doesn’t look like a medical marihuana patient”
“Why can’t your client just use prescription medication like everyone else”
“While on bond counselor, your client can not use any drugs without a prescription, and that includes marihuana”
“I don’t think I can even enforce the MMMA because it is Illegal Federally.”
Let me tell you as attorney practicing for 18 years I wouldn’t wish my worst enemy to have to go through a criminal case. The level of understanding in the Courts about medical marihuana or the act itself is minimal if any.

The reality is that this is a political and social war. The reality is that this is all about Marijuana.

Now with that being said, and if I have not painted to dark a picture let me tell you that this thing is not over. In addition to the continued community efforts to protest city council meetings, appear at congressional hearings, picket sheriffs and prosecutors, there remains an additional necessity.
George Cushinberry is the first and only political ally of our community. I know him personally. I have had cases with him when he was a practicing criminal defense attorney. I have watched him defend the wrongly accused and fight as a champion of the underdog. I have known him as a politician who understands and I can say he is 100% behind the Medical Marihuana Community.

I have watched him become enraged by the stories he has heard of LEO abuse, and have heard him promise to make a difference and make certain this law would be applied as it was intended to be. For example June 24, 2010:
The House Intergovernmental and Oversight committee met to make an executive decision on the status of the Michigan Medical Marijuana program. The goal of the meeting was to take action to address the problem of a 120 day backlog for processing applications to the Michigan Medical Marijuana program. Currently there are over 22,000 new applications that are affected by this dilemma.

The committee unanimously voted to outsource the process of new and renewal applications and place them out to the highest bidder. This action was taken because participants in the program are being subjected to arrest and persecution because of the delay in processing applications and a lack of technology resources to get the job done. The next move is to appear before the Michigan Senate to start the process of letting bids go out to the public for the job. The date certain for this system to become operational is September 15, 2010 @ 7am.


This action was taken despite the lack of support from the Attorney General Office. For the last 4 or 5 meetings Attorney General Mike Cox or a designated representative did not appear before the committee after being asked to do so by the Chief of the Appropriations Committee George Cushinberry.

George Cushinberry has been the only ear listening to the cries from innocent and law abiding citizens, being abused by LEO. He knows that law enforcement agencies are interpreting different rules for Marijuana as opposed to other civil actions. It has taken the leadership of Chairman Cushingberry to provide the action and direction that is lacking in the Attorney General’s office and all other political agencies.

In Lansing on Wednesday after the unanimous vote, I got a chance to thank him for his efforts. I told him that he seemed to be the only one who was listening in Lansing. He immediately responded, he knew this and this had to change. In the simplest of terms “THE MAN GETS IT.”

George Cushingberry has asked for our support and we must support the candidates that support our community.
Imagine for a minute if George Cushinberry wins the State Senate Seat. Imagine for a minute if prior to that moment, the medical marihuana community plays a significant role in raising the necessary money to prevail in this election. Imagine now that our community has power. Imagine now that other politicians realize that the medical marihuana community, who has already established a majority voting block, now can raise money for its endorsed candidates and those candidates win. Imagine now that the medical marihuana community matters.

There are approximately 22,000 patients currently certified in the MMP. If each of them gave a mere 10 dollars, or there caregiver donated 10 dollars from the next batch of medicine, that would be $220,000.00. Don’t think the governor’s race or the attorney generals race next year would not have to address this community. Every politician around this state will have to listen now.

The next time you hear the sickening story of a person being shot during a ‘drug raid’ or a gun to a sick patients head, remember not one politician cares, and it is business as usual. This will remain the status quo unless this community starts being a political force. To obtain this status, the community must organize as a voting block and be able to raise serious money for its candidates. George Cushingberry is the first to give us the opportunity to do this and make our mark. But what is so much more important is that he remains in office, and wins the seat of State Senate so our voice will be heard in Lansing.

George has told me to use this website to report stories of abuse for medical marihuana patients and caregivers. If you have been arrested and convicted as a valid Michigan Medical Marijuana patient or caregiver, please leave your information( you do not have to leave personal information) on the new forum thread entitled “ complaints for Cushinberry,” so that he can document the abuse and collect the data.

I am reminded of the recent passing of Jack Herer (See Video in Sidebar)
advocate and author of everything cannabis. No one has ever educated more people about hemp & cannabis than Jack. The two most important truths for anyone doing this activism from Jack were the following, they were referring to relegalizaion but are appropriate for medical marihuana.
The first is that marijuana is not going to (become medical) (stay legal medically) legalize itself and anyone interested in relegalization ( medical marihuana) must register to vote (and promote the registration of like minded folk) as the highest political priority.

The second is that those interested in (medical marihuana) relegalization will spend hundreds of dollars on a bag, but not donate two cents to reform, and, that unless this fact changes, relegaliation will never occur and medical marihuana implementation will continue to have problems.
George Cushingberry has asked for our support please do all that you can to help him help our cause.





STATE REPRESENTATIVE GEORGE CUSHINGBERRY, JR.
DISTRICT-HOUSE #08
Office: Room S-687, Cora B. Anderson House Office Bldg., P.O. Box 30014, Lansing, MI 48909,
District Office: (517) 373-2276, Toll-Free: (888) 347-8008, E-Mail:
georgecushingberry@house.mi.gov



Committees: Chairman of Appropriations, Subcommittees: Investigations (Chair); Supplementals (Chair); House Fiscal Agency Governing Board (Chair)


Biography: Democrat, of Detroit; born January 6, 1953, in Royal Oak Township; Lifelong Detroit resident; Married to Maria Hazel Drew Cushingberry, children George III and Brandon, son of Edna and George Sr. (deceased), siblings, Carey Walter, Dennis Barton, Dr. Allen B. Cushingberry; graduate of Cass Tech High School; B.A. (with distinction) in Black Studies and Political Science, Urban Politics, Policy, and Administration, and Ph.D. candidate in Political Science, Wayne State University; J.D., University of Detroit Mercy; youngest person ever elected to the Michigan House of Representatives (age 21), serving from 1975 to 1982; 16 years as a member of the Wayne County Board of Commissioners; member, New Mount Vernon Baptist Church – Royal Oak Township; Assistant Sunday School Superintendent, and Chair, Political and Social Action Committee, New Starlight Baptist Church, Rev. C. L. Petty, Senior Pastor; Principle Attorney, George Cushingberry, Jr. and Associates PLLC; active with the NAACP, the Concerned Citizens Council Youth Task Force, and the Afro-American Museum of Detroit; reelected to the House of Representatives, 2004, 2006, 2008; Historian, Michigan Legislative Black Caucus.


A Record of Accomplishment
• Attorney and Counselor at Law
• Graduate Wayne State University (BA with Distinction) MA & PhD. Candidate
• Elected State Representative 1974, 1976, 1980,2004,2006
• Director and Member, Charles Wright Museum of African American History
• Elected County Commissioner 1986-2002
• Father of George III & Brandon, husband to Maria
• Successful Businessman
• Community Activist
• Century Club Michigan Democratic Party
• Chair, House Appropriations
• Historian, Michigan Legislative Black Caucus
• Evangelist, Missionary Baptist Church
• Member Michigan Black Caucus
• Northwest Detroit Leadership Fund