Sex parties cost DEA millions in funding cuts
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/sex-parties-cost-dea-millions-in-funding-cuts/article/2565507
The House got its revenge late Tuesday night against the Drug Enforcement Administration by cutting millions of dollars in funding for the agency, after it was revealed in March that DEA officials participated in “sex parties” in Colombia with prostitutes.
The Office of Inspector General for the Justice Department released a report in March that said these sex parties were attended by prostitutes that were “funded by the local drug cartels.” In a hearing held later, officials later admitted that the cartels providing the prostitutes were the same cartels the DEA officials were supposed to be investigating.
The scandal forced then-DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart to resign about a month later.
Tuesday night, the House punished the DEA even more by piling on cuts to administrative salaries. Members were considering legislation to fund the Department of Justice and other related agencies, a bill that already withholds $20 million from DEA until the agency implements recommendations aimed at addressing “employee misconduct.”
In a series of quick amendment votes Tuesday night, the House added another $23 million in cuts to DEA salaries and administrative expenses. One of these came in the form of an amendment from Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., who wanted to cut $4 million from DEA and use the money fund efforts to investigate sexual assault against children.
Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., proposed another $9 million in cuts to DEA salaries to boost funding to help children and victims of abuse, and Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, proposed a $10 million cut to DEA salaries to fund police body cameras.
Each of these proposals was approved by voice vote, showing that both parties were fine with cuts to DEA.
The House turned away just one other proposal, also from Cohen, to cut DEA salaries by $12 million to boost funding for the Legal Services Corporation.
Filed under: General Problems
Revenge is not a good reason to decrease funding for the DEA — the total failure of the drug war should be the reason to defund this out-of-control agency.
Kudos to the Congressmen, esp Cohen who has been a vocal proponent against the DEA and its inappropriate actions and absurd priorities for several yrs, and a great START. Unfortunately its but a paper cut. What they NEED to do is outlaw civil seizure and asset forfeiture. What they NEED to do is revoke DEA’s authority over the quota system. Let us give another agency (FDA, fully rather than current partnership status), one w/ some medical or pharmaceutical background control over the ‘quota system’ for raw materials to manufacture controlled meds or better yet do away with it altogether.
It IS and would be totally inappropriate for an agency to have control over enforcement and the regulatory process if they were doing an exemplary job, which they are not. As shown by the GAO, they are doing an abysmal job and cannot even admit to the smallest of shortcomings in this important function. One cannot correct mistakes if they cannot see that they haven’t made any. This group who operates w/ far too little oversight needs to start by giving up the names of EVERY agent at said sex party and charge them criminally with bribery, corruption, and/or dereliction of duty (or equivalent charge).
ANY and ALL SAC involved in the planning and implementing of operations which are known beforehand to violate citizen’s CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERTIES as in the case of Oregon/ACLU vs DEA need to be charged CRIMINALLY and if/when convicted, sent to PRISON. Another good start would be to institute the implementation of UDTs (IA naturally) with a one and done no tolerance policy. What is good for the goose………………….
Why is it that corporations and govt agencies only receive fines or cuts in appropriations? Why aren’t individuals who plan and exercise control over operations resulting in crimes and violations of civil rights rarely facing CRIMINAL charges. Any citizen who was involved in criminal activities that violated another’s civil rights would be charged and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
When the DEA is fined for incidents like the assault on that poor man in CO, http://www.pitch.com/FastPitch/archives/2015/05/18/tim-mccue-the-dea-agent-involved-in-an-infamous-kck-road-rage-incident-is-now-a-recruiter-for-the-agency but does not even fire the agent much less prosecute him it only harms the taxpayer (victim awarded >$800,000) and does nothing to deter future criminal acts.
Why can agents and propaganda spokesmen lie to the public in interviews about sending agents into pharmacies w/ ‘unwritten rules’? Surely pharmacists who come forward and report these incidents have nothing to gain except more scrutiny from authorities so why would they lie?
Why should DEA have ANY role to play in the National Pain Strategy, or better yet our health system altogether? They are the single biggest cause for the inadequate care given to our most vulnerable citizens in the first place, it is ludicrous to involve them in our health system at ANY level for ANY reason if just based on the overkill reaction to the Rx epidemic alone which denies patients compassionate care. Until they are cut by AT LEAST 50% I will assume it’s business as usual.
I am sure the agency will find other ‘creative’ avenues to replace the $23 million in cuts and then some.
At this point, I am sure that individual states are more than up to the task of monitoring their own doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and any other parts of their health system that the DEA has their unqualified and uneducated hands in.
An agency that treats Constitutional violations like business as usual and ignores direct orders from Congress (already defunded MMJ raids LAST year) just makes a mockery of our supposed system of ‘checks and balances’ and needs to be abolished. IF we continue to implement this ridiculous policy of prohibition for one more year then every overseas office and every agent should be shut down and recalled. I am sure there are countries other than Bolivia (and Venezuala) which no longer wish to have the DEA interfering w/ their state’s sovereignty. It is repulsive for a country who espouses freedom and democracy to bully sovereign nations using tactics of coercion to attain cooperation.
Then when involved in scandals up to and including murder, refuse to cooperate with these same governments that they berate for lack of transparency and accountability! http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/01/29/evidence-the-dea-attempted-to-alter-testimony-on-drug-war-massacre-in-honduras/ &
http://www.cipamericas.org/archives/14509 ironically it was the victims, NOT the agents involved who were interrogated and pressured to change their original accounts of the shooting, even offering financial incentives!
-Hopefully this positive action is but a start for a continued reduction in DEAs power to oppress US and foreign citizens.