A New York State Republican assemblyman who opposed medical marijuana legislation at every turn was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. The police found the marijuana after they pulled him over for speeding.
A statement released shortly after the March 2013 incident, law enforcement officials reported that state police discovered Steve Katz had a small bag of marijuana on him.
A New York State Trooper said that the 59-year-old assemblyman had been driving 80 miles per hour in 65 mph zone. He noticed the marijuana and took Katz into custody, charging him with possession before he was finally bailed out.
This should not overshadow the work I have done over the years for the public and my constituency, Katz said to reporters. I am confident that once the facts are presented that this will quickly be put to rest.
Watch the local report that aired in March of 2013 (article continues below).
Now heres where the story gets really interesting
After the arrest, the Republican politician flipped his position on marijuana, even joining the investor network of San Francisco-based marijuana investment and research firm The ArcView Group.
ArcView CEO Troy Dayton said that Katz is gung-ho about marijuana.
He says that he hopes to help pool millions of dollars of investment capital and fund marijuana-related start-ups.
For me, entering this industry at this time is a dream come true from a child of the Sixties all grown up, Katz said, completely ignoring his history as an opponent of medical marijuana.
I decided to vote what I believed to be the vote of my constituents. The day after that I told my wife, Next year, I really dont care. Im voting for medical marijuana because thats what I believe in and Im not comfortable with what happened. I knew how I was going to vote and I felt great about it. I knew how I was going to vote a year before the police incident.
The marijuana bust was an epiphany, he explained. Youre turning me into a criminal? You got to be kidding.
Katz says he knows doctors, lawyers, businessmen and pillars of their community who all use marijuana.
Were all criminals? This is ridiculous, he emphasized.
The arrest he faced didnt change anything other than make me decide that I was going to not only be a champion for medical marijuana, and for its total legalization, I was going to become part of the wave thats building in the industry itself. Its a great feeling. Its very liberating.
Steve Katz is not an anomaly, Dayton said. In the last few months numerous very prominent and seemingly unlikely investors have joined our investor group. People from all walks of life are realizing that cannabis may be the next great American industry.
A New York State Trooper said that the 59-year-old assemblyman had been driving 80 miles per hour in 65 mph zone. He noticed the marijuana and took Katz into custody, charging him with possession before he was finally bailed out.
I thought we were told that those who smoke pot don't engage in risky behavior.
"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."---Romans 5:6
A New York State Trooper said that the 59-year-old assemblyman had been driving 80 miles per hour in 65 mph zone. He noticed the marijuana and took Katz into custody, charging him with possession before he was finally bailed out.
If the AGENDA of the article wasn't to point out the hypocracy from this criminal shitbag, the above article would have been written more like this....
The fully armed thug New York State Trooper said that the 59-year-old father of four nuns had been driving 80 miles per hour in 65 mph zone. Without a warrant and while violating his constitutional rights, the thug tax collector and donut muncher ALLEDGED to have noticed the marijuana and took this poor innocent working man into custody, charging him with possession before he was finally bailed out, without his due process in court.
Time to revolt.
I'm the infidel... Allah warned you about. كافر المسلح
The fully armed thug New York State Trooper said that the 59-year-old father of four nuns had been driving 80 miles per hour in 65 mph zone. Without a warrant and while violating his constitutional rights, the thug tax collector and donut muncher ALLEDGED to have noticed the marijuana and took this poor innocent working man into custody, charging him with possession before he was finally bailed out, without his due process in court.
LOL, well done.
"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."---Romans 5:6
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
"He was in POSSESSION of marijuana." "You just made up the part about him being high."
Just think, will you?
He was pulled over for speeding. 80 in a 65. No big deal. He had a "small bag of marijuana" on him. Why was he searched?
In my lifetime I've been pulled over many times for speeding. Never once searched. Never.
You linked to another article -- which I read and apparently you didn't. If you had, you would have read: "After noting the odor of marihuana, a New York State Trooper found Katz in possession of a small bag of marihuana."
Now what? Are you going to claim that he had an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror that was "marijuana scented"?
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
"Still doesn't prove he was using it at the time."
Prove? No, they didn't convene a jury trial on-site to "prove" that. It's very possible that he lit up a joint and just waved it around the inside of the car.
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.