Document:California Press Release 9 February 1999 Libertarians Form Prop 215 Blue Ribbon Committee
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- NEWS FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA
- 400 Capitol Mall, Suite 900
- Sacramento, CA 95814
- (916) 449-3941
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- For immediate release: February 9, 1999
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- For additional information:
- Juan Ros, Executive Director
- Phone: (818) 506-0200
- Fax: (818) 506-0212
- Mailto:director@ca.lp.org
- Web: http://www.ca.lp.org/
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Libertarians form Prop. 215 Blue Ribbon Committee in wake of Kubby arrests
SACRAMENTO -- Three weeks after the arrest of Steve Kubby, 1998 Libertarian candidate for governor, and his wife Michele on drug charges, the Libertarian Party of California has formed a Proposition 215 Blue Ribbon Committee to investigate allegations of "political persecution" and to develop an ongoing strategy for assisting the Kubbys.
"Steve and Michele Kubby appear to be the latest victims of what I would call political persecution," charged Libertarian state chair Mark Hinkle, who made the committee announcement. "The Committee will get to the bottom of this issue and determine how the state party should respond. We will investigate all avenues available to us -- legal, political, and media -- and decide on a suitable course of action."
The Kubby arrest was the second time in six months that California authorities have arrested a prominent Libertarian Party member for using medical marijuana, which was made legal in November, 1996, when voters passed Proposition 215. Last July, best-selling author Peter McWilliams was arrested in Los Angeles and charged with conspiracy to grow marijuana plants.
Just 19 days earlier, McWilliams had blasted federal drug policy in a speech at the Libertarian National Convention in Washington, D.C. that was broadcast nationally on C-SPAN.
"The Prop. 215 Blue Ribbon Committee was formed to help people like Peter McWilliams and Steve and Michele Kubby," Hinkle noted. "Libertarians will not sit still while decent, law-abiding citizens are being persecuted for standing up and expressing their political beliefs. We know this happens in Cuba and North Korea, but it shouldn't be happening in California."
The members of the Libertarian Party Proposition 215 Blue Ribbon Committee are:
- David Bergland, Costa Mesa - attorney, 1984 Libertarian candidate for President, current Libertarian National Committee Chairman
- Ed Clark, San Marino - attorney, 1980 Libertarian candidate for President
- Jack Dean, Fullerton - past Libertarian state chair, senior advisor to the 1996 Harry Browne for President campaign
- Dennis Schlumpf, Homewood - Placer County Libertarian officeholder (Tahoe Public Utility Board), past Libertarian state Northern Vice Chair
- Aaron Starr, Simi Valley - C.P.A., campaign manager and political strategist
- Sandi Webb, Simi Valley - former Simi Valley City Councilmember, 1990-98