Ross Parker

In a fascinating coincidence I got two emails on the same day my column was published about the imbroglio over the DEA Administrator’s critical remarks regarding President Obama’s comments on the safety of marijuana. The first was a forward of an email sent out by Dan Riffle, Director of Federal Policies, Marijuana Policies Project, containing a call to arms to “Fire Michele Leonhart” by forwarding a petition to the President.

Riffle wrote:

The DEA has gone rogue. First, an agent describes marijuana regulation in Washington and Colorado as “reckless and irresponsible,” contrary to the president’s assertion that it’s “important for it to go forward.” Now, DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart has criticizedPresident Obama for, accurately, saying marijuana is no more harmful than alcohol to the consumer. In fact, the science says marijuana is dramatically safer than alcohol, for both the consumer and society.

It is unacceptable for our nation’s top drug cop to not understand the relative risks of America’s two most popular recreational drugs. That’s why we have started aChange.org petition calling on President Obama to fire Michele Leonhart and replace her with someone who will base decisions on science and evidence instead of politics and ideology.

A few minutes later I received a forwarded email of a medical journal article from LiveScience entitled “Marijuana Use During Pregnancy Affects Baby’s Brain.” The study by neuroscientists showed that THC interfered with the formation of connections between nerve cells in the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain responsible for higher thinking skills and forming memories.

The conclusions were not surprising since several other previous studies had reached similar conclusions.

Michelle Klimt/FBI photo

Michelle Klimt was eating dinner with her dad in the 1970s when he grumbled about women becoming FBI agents, the Florida Times-Union reported.

He was a special agent at the time. 

“And I sat there and said, ‘Hey dad, I can do what you do now.’ He never complained again and was very supportive of me,” Klimt told the Florida Times-Union.

Sure enough, Klimt not only became an agent, she became the first woman to lead the Jacksonville division seven months ago the Times-Union wrote.

Steve Neavling

The FBI is investigating the sale of bogus tickets for Miami Heat basketball games after a former NFL Hall of Fame player was scammed out of first-row seats and $200,000, WPTV.com reports.

Quarterback Warren Moon was reportedly scammed, along with other NFL players Charles Woodson and Jarvis Green.

The FBI confirmed it was investigating the sale of bogus tickets but wouldn’t elaborate.

Miami Heat is urging fans to be on the look out for scams.

Steve Neavling

Gregory T. Bretzing, a former accountant who joined the FBI in 1995, will become special agent in charge of Oregon’s FBI office, The Oregonian reports.

Bretzing, 47, will take over on March 31.

Bretzing, whose father was an FBI agent, served as inspector at the bureau’s Washington D.C. headquarters for the past 18 months.

Bretzing also supervised a joint terrorism task force in Salt Lake City.

Bretzing has five children.

Steve Neavling

About 11 million illegal immigration in the U.S. have “earned the right to be citizens,” said new Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.

The Daily Mail reports that Johnson called for “comprehensive, common sense, immigration reform” during his speech at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington D.C.

“An earned path to citizenship for those currently present in this country is a matter of, in my view, homeland security to encourage people to come out from the shadows,” Johnson said.

He added: “To offer the opportunity to those who want to be citizens, who’ve earned the right to be citizens, who are present in this country – many of whom came here as children – to have the opportunity that we all have to try to become American citizens.”

Steve Neavling

NSA leaker Edward Snowden claimed Sunday that U.S. officials “want to kill me,” the Daily Mail reports.

In an interview with a German TV station, Snowden cited an anonymous Pentagon official quoted as saying, “I would love to put a bullet in his head.” An NSA analyst was quoted as saying he would kill Snowden.

The 30-year-old, who took refuge in Moscow to avoid treason charges, said he does not want to return to the U.S. because he wouldn’t receive a fair trial.

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