The Official Position of the Branstad Administration

Des Moines 20100822 066While Governor Branstad lies about the official position of his administration, the Iowa Board of Pharmacy, the administrative agency given the task of formulating the official policy of the Branstad Administration, continues to say their official position is that marijuana is medicine and the legislature should create a medical marijuana program. You can listen for yourself by clicking here.

The first 52 minutes of the hearing was people testifying about their need for medical marijuana. Then there was a discussion of the law that created the duty of the board to make rules for medical use of marijuana that lasted for another 19 minutes, and then, finally for the last 20 minutes or so the board explains why it still supports the ruling it made in 2010.

When the legislature creates a law giving a specific administrative agency the duty of making a decision for the executive branch, it is the constitutional duty of the governor to faithfully execute that law. However, in this situation, Governor Branstad is denying that his administration supports reclassification or medical use of marijuana. That is a violation of the Iowa Constitution, imposter governor, sir.

This was also confirmed when we went to trial against the Iowa Board of Pharmacy on January 3, 2014. In the transcript of the hearing, on page 17, the judge asked the board’s attorney:

THE COURT: In fact, it made no opposite recommendation; is that correct?

MS. GAVIN: That’s correct, Your Honor. The Board has not taken any public position since this 2010 recommendation.