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Wohlsifer Weighs in on SB 1714 (formerly SB 7120)

Press Coverage / April 14, 2014

AG Candidate Bill Wohlsifer says Legislators are Stealing Home away from Brewers

Tallahassee FL, April 11, 2014: Bill Wohlsifer, candidate for Attorney General, has been watching the various versions of market manipulation that involve craft brewers in the State of Florida. There are already limitations to container sizes and the ability to sell the beer that independent brewers produce. This year’s session proposes yet another round of restrictions to these small businesses. The changes are proposed by Senate President Don Gaetz’s neighbor, friend and Republican donor; an Anheuser-Busch affiliate beer distributor. Senate Bill 1714 is insidious in that it gives the brewers the right to sell 32 oz, 64 oz. and 128 oz. containers (”growlers”) on premises (something they have been fighting for over the last four years) but with a catch: first their brewer must fictionally sell the brew to a distributor, who will then fictionally sell it back to the brewer, so that the brewer can sell it to the beer drinker. As they say, you can’t make this stuff up. The Distributors mark-up may be 30% or more before they sell it back to the brewery that crafted the beer. Bill Wohlsifer believes this is a slap in the face to the small business men and women who are trying to compete in the (not-so) open market. The lawmakers in Tallahassee are clearly under the influence of Big Beer.

“The really interesting thing is that the Republican leadership’s position on craft beer sales relies on the argument that having different entities produce, distribute, and retail craft beer under the traditional three-tier system fosters competition in each market segment. However, on the contrary, about one week earlier, in response to a question presented from a private enterprise known as Medical Marijuana Tampa, when does the state plan to look to the private sector for input on the contemplated sale of Charlotte’s Web, a medication with isolated application derived from the plant species cannabis sativa (now pending approval under HB 843, SB 1030) Don Gaetz’s son, Rep. Matt Gaetz, replied, “We don’t.’ Gaetz referred to, ‘vertical integration:’ a platform where the medicinal marijuana must be cultivated, processed, delivered and sold by a single entity. Even more hypocritical, the proposed legislation restricts production and sale to as few as one company and no more than four, statewide. Where is the competition in that? How does the establishment justify forced cross-company pre-consumer sales for craft beer, yet vertical integration for the sale of Charlotte’s Web? The answer is easy: both favor big business over free market competition. I will go to bat for Florida’s breweries”

~ Bill Wohlsifer, Candidate for Attorney General

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AP rules Fla AG Candidate not rich enough to participate

Press Coverage / February 20, 2014

February 18, 2014. Tallahassee. Someone seems to have put the Associated Press in charge of Florida’s Attorney General election and the corporate media giant is using government resources to exclude one of the four candidates from participating in the process. Libertarian Party candidate Bill Wohlsifer says he knows the election system is prejudiced. But he’d still like to get a fair shot at running for an office he’s more than qualified for.

Via OppositionNews.org

https://www.oppositionnews.org/articles/2014/q1/ap-rules-fla-ag-candidate-not-rich-enough-participate/

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Are Floridians ready to elect a Libertarian Attorney General?

General Commentary, Press Coverage / February 14, 2014

Florida’s first Libertarian candidate for attorney general, Bill Wohlsifer, polls at six percent, when compared to incumbent Pam Bondi and Democratic contender Perry Thurston. Six percent, combined with an additional twelve percent who reported as undecided, is a huge accomplish for 59-year old Wohlsifer – a business law attorney from Tallahassee.

These poll results are even more impressive considering that this is Wohlsifer’s first race for public office, and that his campaign just launched shortly before Christmas 2013. Moreover, Pam Bondi, the incumbent Attorney General Wohlsifer wants to unseat, had raised $1,209,958 as of Jan. 31, 2014, compared to Wohlsifer’s donation total of $2,641 (also as of Jan. 31, 2014).

https://www.examiner.com/article/are-floridians-ready-for-a-libertarian-attorney-general

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Medical marijuana bill re-introduced in Florida

Medical Marijuana, Press Coverage / February 14, 2014

“…Florida Attorney General candidate Bill Wohlsifer said:

Senator Jeff Clemens stepped up to the plate in 2011 and he just keeps on swinging. But this time he has public opinion on his side; finally. Today in the Capitol rotunda I observed patients, their family and friends speak in support of Sen. Clemens and Rep. Joe Saunders’ reintroduction of the Cathy Jordan Medical Cannabis Act. They told their stories of how systemic marijuana use has cured an illness or revitalized a patient’s standard of living and asked their legislators to not treat these patients as criminals. The last time I was in the Capitol Building concerning the CJMCA (which I wrote in 2012) I was there, along with Mrs. Jordan and Jodi James, to join Rep. Katie Edwards in a press conference announcing that the proposed bill had died in committee under Republican leadership, without debate, during the 2013 legislative session. Today, I witnessed overwhelming support for this common sense bill. What a difference a year makes. Issues that Libertarians have supported since 1972, such as same-sex marriage and legalizing marijuana have finally found their way into Florida’s political debate.”

https://www.examiner.com/article/medical-marijuana-bill-re-introduced-florida

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Florida Libertarian Expected to be First Minor Party Nominee for Attorney General Since 1916

Press Coverage / February 7, 2014

On December 12, the Florida Libertarian Party issued a press release, which said that the party expects to nominate Bill Wohlsifer for Attorney General in its 2014 primary. Assuming he gets on the ballot, which is very likely, he will be the first minor party candidate for Attorney General to appear on the Florida ballot since 1916, when the Socialist Party ran A. D. Miller for that post. Miller received 7.96% of the vote.

Florida Libertarian Expected to be First Minor Party Nominee for Attorney General Since 1916 – Via Ballot Access News – 12/13/2013

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Bill Wohlsifer Meets with Students at UCF

Press Coverage / February 3, 2014

Bill meets YAL at UCF — Bill Wohlsifer meeting with members of the Young Americans for Liberty and others in the community.

It is a brisk Tuesday morning in East Orlando, the bright lights from my hard working computer and the persistent Facebook® page lighting up with comments and posts from the previous night. Mr. Bill Wohlsifer, having launched his candidacy in mid-December, is now in his fourth week of Campaigning and with a budget of barely $1500, has relied heavily on dedicated volunteers to make today a reality.

The Young Americans For Liberty at UCF, headed by Brittany Turner the President of the club, has offered to host Bill on the campus as a way to involve more students in political discussion and the Libertarian party ideals as an alternative to the Mainstream political establishment in Florida.

“Before Bill Wohlsifer visited UCF, I was pretty skeptical. The reasons being is that first, he’s running to be a politician. When I finally got to meet Bill Wohlsifer, he was really friendly. I could see Bill was interested in getting to know what Young Americans for Liberty and I are about. He also was genuinely interested in talking to other students from various areas of the political spectrum. As he was explaining what brought him to Libertarianism, I could tell Bill was legitimate about his passion for liberty. Bill is a legitimate Libertarian. Although I differ from Bill’s stance on two issues thus far, he has my support. ”

Neil Vegoinre an Undergraduate student at UCF and Bill’s Regional Coordinator in Orlando, and Vicki Kirkland the Chair of the Orange County LPF were early organizers of the Bill Wohlsifer for Florida Attorney General Campaign. Neil, approached YAL with the prospect of having a candidate come and help grow the club on campus, and after emphasizing a number of Bill’s political positions, such as Open Carry, Pro LGBT, and Pro Medical Cannabis rights YAL was on board with the meeting.

It was now ten minutes south of nine in the morning, and briskly strolling over to the student union, still sore from posting flyers all over campus a few nights before with the Young Americans, it was time to re-introduce Bill to one of the largest public universities in the country. The first event from 10-1 had lower turnout than expected, the only ones who showed were Vicki, Brittany, Bills Wife, and John Wayne (an LPF candidate for Governor) however we were able to Introduce Bill to NORML, the National Organization for Women (NOW), the College Democrats, and the Secular Student Alliance at UCF, organizations recruiting in front of the Student Union. Mr Jared Thiele a member of NORML at UCF had this to say:

“Bill was a very personable guy; his policies seem to be very pro-humanity”

Bill Neil Brittany — Neil Vegoinre (Left), Bill Wohlsifer (Center), & Brittany Turner (Right)

Coincidentally, Bill is an alumnus of the University of Central Florida, and as we wrapped up our first session that afternoon, we unanimously decided to go to a local restaurant called “Wackadoos” on campus known for its memorabilia. Later that night, the Young Americans were hosting bill, being the start of the semester Brittany decided to conduct the meeting in a more relaxed atmosphere. We once again met at “Wackadoos”, on the outside patio, the cool fresh air reminding us that it is still early in the year, and much is left to be done. One of the gentlemen who showed up to the Q & A, who chooses to go by Oscar R, had this to say about first meeting Bill:

“Meeting bill was really refreshing. It is nice to meet someone who has the will of the people as their main driving force”

For the next two hours, young men and women both from within and outside UCF, asked Bill the “tough” questions, his stance on gun laws, cannabis, small government and regulations, and issues in immigration and finance were just some of the issues touched upon. As the meeting concludes, many are cautiously optimistic, we realize the epic challenges that we face over the next 10 months as the campaign heats up. Mr. Raymer Maguire, a Volunteer Coordinator with the United for Care campaign in Orlando, had this to say:

“I support Bill because he is a no nonsense leader, who can rise above the politics, and bring genuine change to Florida”

By. Neil Vegoinre

Reprinted with permission by Neil Vegoinre, Copyright Neil Vegoinre 2014. Paid for by Bill Wohlsifer for Florida Attorney General, Licensed for use on Wohlsifer4ag.com under Creative Commons and exclusive commercial use, BY-SA (Attribution-ShareAlike). All other users under CC BY-NC (Attribution-NonCommercial).

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Bill Wohlsifer Writes About Exclusion From Debates

Press Coverage / January 30, 2014

Bill Wohlsifer, Libertarian Party of Florida’s Candidate for Attorney General, Writes About Exclusion From Debates Independent Political Report, 01/29/2014

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Florida Gun Rights Advocates Discuss Their Secret Weapon at Capitol Rally

Press Coverage / January 11, 2014

Florida Gun Rights Advocates Discuss Their Secret Weapon at Capitol Rally Sunshine State News (Published January 11, 2014)

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Real ID and Federal Overreach

Billy's Blog, General Commentary, Immigration Reform, Press Coverage / December 30, 2013

In 2005 the Real ID Act, also known as H.R. 1268, was passed. This law places stringent requirements on the states to issue drivers licenses and state ID cards in a specific format, and requiring specific types of documentation to demonstrate a person’s identity. Additionally, Real ID requires that all existing ID cards and licenses be compliant by December 1, 2014 for persons born after December 1, 1964, by December 1, 2017 for persons born before December 1, 1964, and that all the basic information from these licenses and ID cards be copied to a “national database”. The national database could be accessed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA).

The Real ID Act was prompted by a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission and the DHS to help combat “terrorism” by having applicants “prove” that they were U.S. citizens. The theory goes, that by having applicants supply a birth certificate, social security card, photo ID, and additional proof of legal U.S. citizenship (if not already proven by the previously mentioned documents), the Real ID card confirms the identity of its holder and that the cardholder is, therefore, not a known terrorist. Non-compliant cards will bar holders from being able to fly on commercial flights, to gain security clearances, or to enter certain buildings.

The requirement of Real ID is essentially an infringement on state and individual rights. Driving is considered a privilege granted by the states, obtained through qualification for a driver license. In order to demonstrate competency to drive in Florida, a previously unlicensed applicant must pass a 4-hour drug and alcohol traffic awareness course, a DMV road signs & rules exam, and must perform basic driving tasks on a road test. Through reciprocity, our Florida Driver Licenses are recognized in other states. A license was never intended to be used as a passport or as a means to secure top secret clearance. The only function a Driver License should serve is to demonstrate competency to operate a motor vehicle and to help locate a driver who may be liable for personal injury or property damage caused while driving. The Real ID Act takes advantage of people’s desire to drive, infringes on their privacy, and places an unfunded financial burden on the state, which is then passed along to the licensee.

The Real ID privacy concerns arise out of the mandate for the creation of a national database that could be readily accessed by the TSA and DHS. A national database could expose one’s information to additional tracking and scrutiny without the necessity of a showing of probable cause. Additionally, the documentation requirement would affect many immigrants with temporary work visas or students who may not have a social security number. Without the requisite social security card, persons would not be able to drive by car in order to take part in gainful employment or to obtain formal education. As with the concealed carry laws, here the federal government grants the “privilege” (to drive) in exchange for the surrender of the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, and therewith, infringes upon our Fourth & Tenth Amendment rights. It is interesting that some political factions accuse other political factions of voter discrimination in requiring a voter to show minimal forms of photo ID, but have not objected to the huge burden of proof placed upon Floridians simply to obtain a Florida Driver License.

By Bill Wohlsifer

Sources:

U.S. Congress (2005). H.R. 1268 Real ID Act – Title II.

Anne M. Gannon Constitutional Tax Collector (2013). About Real ID.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2013). Secure Driver’s Licenses.

Paid political advertisement by Committee to Elect Bill Wohlsifer, 1100 East Park Ave Ste B, Tallahassee FL 32301. Approved in advance by Bill Wohlsifer.

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Pam Bondi Disregards U.S. Marijuana Patent Showing Medicinal Benefits

Billy's Blog, General Commentary, Medical Marijuana, Press Coverage / December 24, 2013

How can any logical person read the claims made in U.S. Patent 6630507 and not see the hypocrisy of the federal government’s prohibition against medicinal use, when the U.S. itself attests to its efficiency to treat many known diseases?

The U.S. owns the patent to medical marijuana. They (we) obtained the patent in 2003, when the U.S. DHSS government found “cannabinoids useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of wide variety of oxidation associated diseases such as; ischemia, age-related, inflammatory and autoimmune. The cannabinoids are found to have particular applications as Neuro-Protectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke and traumatic injury. It has also had an impact in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Dementia, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and AIDS. Non-psychoactive cannabinoids, such as cannabidoil (CBD), are particularly advantageous to use because they avoid toxicity that is encountered with psychoactive cannabinoids at high doses useful in the method of the present invention.” Paraphrased from the text of the Abstract of the US Patent, Please see for yourself at: USTPO

Marijuana is listed as a Schedule I (the most restrictive) drug under section 893.03(1), Florida Statutes (2013). A drug is classified for Schedule I of Florida’s controlled substance list if scientific evidence shows that the drug: 1) has a high potential for abuse; 2) has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States; and 3) its use under medical supervision does not meet accepted safety standards.

Section 893.0355(2), Florida Statutes, delegates authority to the Florida Attorney General “to adopt rules rescheduling specified substances to a less controlled schedule, or deleting specified substances from a schedule . . . .” On December 12, 2012,

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, responding to petitions received from the Cannabis Action Network (CAN), flatly refused to reschedule marijuana or to even consider the proposal. If I am elected to the Office of Florida Attorney General, I will use the power vested in that office to remove marijuana for medicinal purposes from Schedule I. I tried to do this when I drafted the Cathy Jordan Medical Cannabis Act, which the Republicans buried in committee. Elect Bill Wohlsifer for Attorney General, and I will get it done, without the need to amend the constitution or lobby the legislature. Now ask yourselves, how could Pam Bondi read U.S. Patent 6630507 and not find sufficient support in favor of rescheduling?

By Bill Wohlsifer

Sources:

United States Patent and Trademark Office (October 7,2003). uspto.gov.

Florida Legislature (December 24, 2013). leg.state.fl.us.

2012 Florida Statutes. Flsenate.gov.

Jodi James (December 12, 2012). Florida’s Attorney General Responds to FLCAN.

Florida House of Representatives (2013). HB 1139.

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