WeedTRACKER

Graehstone · 08-04-2006, 06:35 AM

Is this someone we should perhaps get in contact with and see if he can help us here in the San DEAgo area?

Santa Cruz -- A pot-smoking billionaire in Cleveland has bankrolled nearly all the $32,000 raised for the ballot measure to make marijuana crimes the lowest priority for Santa Cruz police.

Mega-donor Peter Benjamin Lewis, 71, chairman of the Cleveland-based Progressive Insurance Corp., is known in political circles as a leftist who gives millions to liberal causes and anti-war movements — in the same league as his friend, financier George Soros. The two are the country's biggest contributors to liberal candidates and causes such as marijuana legalization, gay rights and the environment.

Highest on Lewis' list of political priorities is the effort to decriminalizing marijuana.

Disclosure forms filed this week by Santa Cruz Citizens for Sensible Marijuana Policy with the county Elections Department report Lewis contributing $32,000 to the Santa Cruz ballot measure.

Roughly $1,200 of the Santa Cruz marijuana campaign has come from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws of San Francisco.

None has come from local donors, according to the financial disclosure forms.

"Most of our money may come through another channel, but we are a grassroots organization," said proponent Andrea Tischler. "It costs a lot of money to run a campaign and we don't think that will matter to the voters if the money comes from someplace else."

The measure would force police officers to focus on crimes other than adult marijuana sales or use on private property, and would not allow officers to participate in regional marijuana busts.

Some, including City Attorney John Barisone, question the measure's legality.

Lewis strongly favors taxing and regulating the use and sale of the drug. He was a chief backer in California's 1996 passage of Proposition 215, the measure that made medical-marijuana use legal.

A bulk of the Ohio man's marijuana-related contributions — seven-figure yearly donations — goes to the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C.

The nonprofit, established in 1995, doles out Lewis' money to "grassroots organizations" working around the country to pass local legislation to legalize marijuana, spokesman Bruce Mirken said.

Lewis' money went through the Policy Project before reaching Santa Cruz, where it paid for the $20,000 petition drive earlier this year that yielded almost twice the required 3,400 signatures of registered city voters to qualify the initiative for the Nov. 7 ballot.

"Peter Lewis is our largest individual donor," Mirken said Thursday. "He has been involved in supporting marijuana-law reform for a number of years. The grants program he funds has been in the neighborhood of $2 million."

Ranked as one of the world's richest people by Forbes magazine, Lewis was arrested for possession of marijuana in January 2000 while traveling in New Zealand.

He admitted to three charges of importing drugs and freely acknowledged to being a regular pot smoker, according to various media reports, including an article in the Capital Research Center in Washington, D.C.

Lewis has also been the biggest donor to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, giving $77 million to the arts institution since 1993.

The Princeton graduate gave a gift of $60 million to the Ivy League university for the construction of a library in his name, and has given more than $60 million to Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

A spokeswoman for Progressive Insurance on Thursday said Lewis was out of the country and unavailable for comment.

Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel (CA)
Author: Shanna McCord , Sentinel Staff Writer
Published: August 4, 2006
Copyright: 2006 Santa Cruz Sentinel
Contact: editorial@santa-cruz.com
Website: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/

08-04-2006, 07:00 AM

Now this is the type of man that we need backing San Diego patients and all patients alike.

**onelazysurfah** · 08-04-2006, 07:37 AM

That is really great to hear. Im glad some of these wealthy people who use cannabis are finally starting to come out and support what they belive in, too bad it takes an arrest to incite that fire..

Californulan · 08-04-2006, 05:58 PM

I know I'm switching to Progressive Insurance and it's not because of the "Progressive Challenge"

08-04-2006, 06:35 AM	#1 (permalink)
Graehstone Papagei Papa Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: San Diego area Co-Op: No Vendor: no Patient: YES Posts: 559 Rep Power: 430	Cleveland Billionaire Backs S.C. Marijuana Measure Is this someone we should perhaps get in contact with and see if he can help us here in the San DEAgo area? Santa Cruz -- A pot-smoking billionaire in Cleveland has bankrolled nearly all the $32,000 raised for the ballot measure to make marijuana crimes the lowest priority for Santa Cruz police. Mega-donor Peter Benjamin Lewis, 71, chairman of the Cleveland-based Progressive Insurance Corp., is known in political circles as a leftist who gives millions to liberal causes and anti-war movements — in the same league as his friend, financier George Soros. The two are the country's biggest contributors to liberal candidates and causes such as marijuana legalization, gay rights and the environment. Highest on Lewis' list of political priorities is the effort to decriminalizing marijuana. Disclosure forms filed this week by Santa Cruz Citizens for Sensible Marijuana Policy with the county Elections Department report Lewis contributing $32,000 to the Santa Cruz ballot measure. Roughly $1,200 of the Santa Cruz marijuana campaign has come from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws of San Francisco. None has come from local donors, according to the financial disclosure forms. "Most of our money may come through another channel, but we are a grassroots organization," said proponent Andrea Tischler. "It costs a lot of money to run a campaign and we don't think that will matter to the voters if the money comes from someplace else." The measure would force police officers to focus on crimes other than adult marijuana sales or use on private property, and would not allow officers to participate in regional marijuana busts. Some, including City Attorney John Barisone, question the measure's legality. Lewis strongly favors taxing and regulating the use and sale of the drug. He was a chief backer in California's 1996 passage of Proposition 215, the measure that made medical-marijuana use legal. A bulk of the Ohio man's marijuana-related contributions — seven-figure yearly donations — goes to the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C. The nonprofit, established in 1995, doles out Lewis' money to "grassroots organizations" working around the country to pass local legislation to legalize marijuana, spokesman Bruce Mirken said. Lewis' money went through the Policy Project before reaching Santa Cruz, where it paid for the $20,000 petition drive earlier this year that yielded almost twice the required 3,400 signatures of registered city voters to qualify the initiative for the Nov. 7 ballot. "Peter Lewis is our largest individual donor," Mirken said Thursday. "He has been involved in supporting marijuana-law reform for a number of years. The grants program he funds has been in the neighborhood of $2 million." Ranked as one of the world's richest people by Forbes magazine, Lewis was arrested for possession of marijuana in January 2000 while traveling in New Zealand. He admitted to three charges of importing drugs and freely acknowledged to being a regular pot smoker, according to various media reports, including an article in the Capital Research Center in Washington, D.C. Lewis has also been the biggest donor to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, giving $77 million to the arts institution since 1993. The Princeton graduate gave a gift of $60 million to the Ivy League university for the construction of a library in his name, and has given more than $60 million to Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. A spokeswoman for Progressive Insurance on Thursday said Lewis was out of the country and unavailable for comment. Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel (CA) Author: Shanna McCord , Sentinel Staff Writer Published: August 4, 2006 Copyright: 2006 Santa Cruz Sentinel Contact: editorial@santa-cruz.com Website: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ Graehstone says..I come into the peace of wild things … … For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

08-04-2006, 07:00 AM	#2 (permalink)
Chris35 Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Cleveland Billionaire Backs S.C. Marijuana Measure Now this is the type of man that we need backing San Diego patients and all patients alike.

08-04-2006, 07:37 AM	#3 (permalink)
onelazysurfah Banned Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: B A B Y L O N Co-Op: NO Vendor: NO Patient: YES Posts: 822 Rep Power: 0	Re: Cleveland Billionaire Backs S.C. Marijuana Measure That is really great to hear. Im glad some of these wealthy people who use cannabis are finally starting to come out and support what they belive in, too bad it takes an arrest to incite that fire..

08-04-2006, 05:58 PM	#4 (permalink)
Californulan WT Regular Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: By the beach bwoy Co-Op: No Vendor: No Patient: YES Posts: 55 Rep Power: 16	Re: Cleveland Billionaire Backs S.C. Marijuana Measure I know I'm switching to Progressive Insurance and it's not because of the "Progressive Challenge"

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