By Ed White | Related Press
The previous head of a Michigan medical marijuana licensing board has agreed to plead responsible to accepting $110,000 in bribes when he led the panel over a two-year interval, authorities mentioned Thursday.
Rick Johnson acknowledged in a signed courtroom submitting that he acted “corruptly” when he accepted money and different advantages to assist companies get licenses.
Expenses towards Johnson and three different males have been introduced by U.S. Lawyer Mark Totten at a press convention close to the Capitol in Lansing.
Johnson, 70, was chairman of the marijuana board for 2 years till spring 2019. The Republican years earlier additionally was a strong lawmaker, serving as Home speaker from 2001 by 2004.
“Public corruption is a poison to any democracy. … That poison is particularly poisonous right here,” Totten mentioned. “The marijuana business has been likened to a modern-day gold rush, a brand new frontier the place contributors can stake their declare and simply possibly return large rewards.”
The marijuana board reviewed and accepted functions to develop and promote marijuana for medical functions.
A message in search of remark from Johnson’s lawyer wasn’t instantly returned.
Agreements with Johnson and others to plead responsible have been filed concurrently with prices in federal courtroom in Grand Rapids. All are cooperating with investigators, which might assist them at sentencing.
Johnson accepted $110,200 in money and advantages from at the least two firms whereas voting in favor of granting them marijuana licenses, in keeping with the bribery cost.
Johnson “offered invaluable personal details about the anticipated guidelines and operation of the board and help with license software issues,” the courtroom submitting states.
John Dalaly, who obtained a marijuana enterprise license, has agreed to plead responsible to offering at the least $68,200 in money and different advantages to Johnson, together with two personal flights to Canada, in keeping with courtroom paperwork.
Two lobbyists, Brian Pierce and Vincent Brown, have agreed to plead responsible to conspiring to cross bribes to Johnson, filings present.
Brown voluntarily spoke to federal brokers for hours in 2020 earlier than he had a lawyer, protection lawyer David Griem mentioned.
“I solely battle circumstances that I can win at trial or the federal government provides me no alternative, the provide is so unhealthy. We’re not going to battle this,” Griem informed The Related Press.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer abolished the medical marijuana board in 2019, a number of months after taking workplace, and put oversight of the business inside a state company.
Michigan voters legalized marijuana for medical functions in 2008. A decade later, voters accepted the leisure use of marijuana.