Senate Judiciary Chairman: Don't Prosecute Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps might feel like the entire world is coming after him for taking the bong hit seen around world. His sponsor Kellogg Co. is dropping him, the local sheriff is threatening to prosecute him, and USA Swimming has suspended him for three months.

But at least one cooler head on Capitol Hill isn't going to join the mob. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is a former prosecutor and said that if a sheriff had brought a case like Phelps' to his office, he would have used his discretion and not prosecuted it.

"When I was a prosecutor, I was far more interested in going after armed robbers, murderers and rapists rather than trying to go after some kid for smoking marijuana," said Leahy.

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CHECK OUT MORE ON THE PHELPS' SCANDAL HERE.

Comments

[markbaland]

YES! This is awesome; to hear an old white guy in the Senate say that he'd rather law enforcement officers go after robbers and rapists and murderers than marijuana smokers is one giant step for mankind. Maybe next, we can stop arresting and locking up non-violent drug users, and with all the room that frees up in the prison system, we can keep the violent criminals off the streets!

[helgathewitch]

Senator Leahy is right. Spend money and time on the real criminals. This whole thing is ridiculous. Anyone under the age of 60 who thinks what he did is so unbelieveable must have forgotten all about their own college days! And another thing do you REALLY know what your own kids are doing? They probably just partied all weekend!

[munki]

YES!
Have Mike to help to promote community...
Raise money for "schools", etc. instead...

[SingingWaiter]

I'm betting that, if asked, Michael might want to just accept a plea agreement, do some community service, and get the whole thing out of the spotlight. All the Angries out there would have at least some justice. And we could move on to more important things.

But then again, in America, we'll actually IMPEACH the president for a little hanky-panky. We're so obsessed with the latest scandal, and constantly tune in (and blog our opinions - guilty!) to see how the intensity of the plot can be ratcheted up. Maybe Phelps only needs to wait it out another week or so until our attention shifts to the next life's-most-embarrassing-moment scandal. We'll lose interest sooner rather than later.

[munki]

YES>>>

[harrymellon]

Recall this sheriff...he has wrong priorities. Abolish the DEA altogether while we're at it. Nothing but lies and corruption from these fanatics.

[SimJack]

Now this is a good issue to be spending time on right now. Priorities, priorities, mon capitans.

[leftLibertarian]

Legalize all drugs - start with marijuana.

[Samalabear]

Thank you, Patrick Leahy. Finally somebody in our government is bringing this out in the open. It is ridiculous. Legalize the stuff, sell it, tax it, make money. One of the byproducts might be a drop in heroin, cocaine and meth and, maybe, just maybe, all that BigPharma crap. You never know. Alcohol is the absolute worst and it is everywhere you turn and it's advertising is at least as appalling as BigPharma's, i.e. if you're not taking this or drinking this your life sucks.

[FreedomTruth]

Lmao ok,so if i get caught,then off to JAIL i go.But Phelps get a pass?.Well ok,then they should legalize marijuana or don't give me any crap when i'm freaking stoned!

[innerninja]

Let Michael be Michael, man! He's not out there smoking in your face. He was caught in a gotcha moment by some haters, and now all the righteous hypocrites are coming out of the woodwork like the iconoclastic bastards they are!
Help free Michael Phelps!
http://www.cafepress.com/innerlegend/6455684

[evekendall]

Good grief. Comedians get on television all the time and make jokes about smoking pot and the audience laughs. On his show, Bill Maher speaks regularly about smoking it and urges its decriminalization. If the truth be known, probably half of America has at least tried it. Ask any college student. It is ridiculous to blow this all out of proportion. What he did is less dangerous than drinking a couple of martinis. Our law enforcement should be spent on better things.

[SunflowerPipes]

Michael Phelps is an American Hero. He stood tall and made America proud at the Beijing Olympics. This is how America treats its heroes, we forget all of the hard work Michael Phelps did to achieve his task, we forget the pride we felt with the each gold medal, we forget how Phelps helped America to be competitive against a Chinese when they planned on winning all of the gold’s, we forget all of those things and hang a man for smoking a glass pipe at a college party. It is time that we as a country stand up for the rights of the individual, it’s time we stand together with our neighbors and take collective control of our destinies. Write a congressman or a senator any of them; Imagine the weight of millions of emails calling for a change in policy. In this moment in America anything is possible just Google the email address of your representative and send him or her short email. It will take 10 minutes but then you have taken responsibility for change. A senator considers each email as representative of 2 thousand voters.
SunflowerPipes.com

[evekendall]

Here's the Congressional Directory. Find your senators and representatives and write to them.
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt

Congressional media directory:
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/

[Marie62866]

Michael, never never never admit to anything! Should have said smoking flavored tabacco! Who cares, I love Michael, he is young and just trying to have alittle fun! Anyway,legalize it and tax it, America needs some $$$$$$$$$$$$$!!!

[Rog49Thomas]

What a wonderful system of government we have and what a wise bunch of solons represent us.

600,000 people lost their jobs last month and naturally the focus of our wise elected representatives is on the critical issue of how many hits Brother Phelps took from his bong.

Seriously, gentlemen, there are more pressing issues to consider. There's steroid use in baseball and whether the Patriots secretly philmed the Eagles' practice.

USA #1 !!!

[mdn]

Even if they prosecute, he will probably get off with a slap on the hand because he is white and can afford the best lawyer possible.

It is time to decriminalize pot for everyone.

[in4success]

more GOP jealousy and emotional retardation on the part of another yahoo country sheriff.