Althouse: "They zip-tied the man, dragged him into a van, burned him with a blow-torch, doused him in bleach, severed his penis, and then drove away with it..."

February 6, 2014

"They zip-tied the man, dragged him into a van, burned him with a blow-torch, doused him in bleach, severed his penis, and then drove away with it..."

"... all in a bid to learn where he was hiding his cash. Now Elliott, the industry lobbyist, appends press releases with an unusual note: 'To understand the importance of fixing banking, please read this story: "Marijuana clinic owner penis cut off."'"

23 comments:

Anonymous said...: This guy and PSH are both collateral damage in TWOD.; 2/6/14, 7:29 PM
Carl Pham said...: Well, "Hell hath no fury..."

Oh wait. This isn't about Hillary Clinton. Sorry! Carry on.; 2/6/14, 8:06 PM
traditionalguy said...: another reason a lawyer and a Court will always be needed. Business without a legal system is gang war.; 2/6/14, 8:08 PM
alan markus said...: Awhile ago I posted a link about Mexican Drug cartels targeting marijuana dealers in Colorado.

Here's another link:

Mexican Drug Cartels Will Likely Try to Overrun Colorado's New Pot Shops

some experts believing that sanctioned marijuana retailers could become targets of Mexican drug cartels. Denver DEA office spokesman Albert Villasuso told reporters, "What is quite possible is that cartels will hire straw owners who have clean records who can apply for a license, then sell large quantities both legally and on the black market."

Officials believe that operating a legal business synonymous with illegal drug cartels might make pot retailers an objective for extortion. With marijuana legally being distributed in Colorado, there is virtually no need for black-market competition or backdoor deals to be made. Obviously, this wouldn’t sit well with those involved in the illegal industry.

Seems like all we heard for the last 50 years was that if drugs were legalized, there would be no drug-related crimes.; 2/6/14, 8:09 PM
Anonymous said...: Wait, if you're a criminal and you engage in criminal behavior, other criminals are going to target you and try and take what you've earned through your criminal behavior?

Who'd have thought?

Here's an idea. Don't rely on the government to protect you when you're breaking the law. Arm yourself, we have a 2nd amendment.; 2/6/14, 8:15 PM
Anonymous said...: Seems like all we heard for the last 50 years was that if drugs were legalized, there would be no drug-related crimes.

Not all alcohol-related crimes ended on Dec 5, 1933 either. Was the 21 Amendment a mistake?; 2/6/14, 8:47 PM
Anonymous said...: "Not all alcohol-related crimes ended on Dec 5, 1933 either. Was the 21 Amendment a mistake?"

Was the 21st Amendment passed after 50 years of being told it would end all alcohol related crimes?; 2/6/14, 8:49 PM
Wince said...: I wonder: did they use his penis to make a bong?; 2/6/14, 8:50 PM
Hagar said...: Lie down with dogs; get up with fleas.; 2/6/14, 9:22 PM
Anonymous said...: Was the 21st Amendment passed after 50 years of being told it would end all alcohol related crimes?

Who has been saying for the past 50 years that if drugs were legalized there would be no drug-related crimes?

Actual name(s), please.; 2/6/14, 9:28 PM
The Godfather said...: I am not a big fan of legalizing pot, but I think that ought to be a state's decision to make. If a state legalizes it, then the federal government should treat it as legal with respect to that state, including for purposes of banking laws.

I know the Supremes have ruled that federal authority over interstate commerce authorizes federal prohibition of drugs, but I think that's wrong.; 2/6/14, 9:39 PM
Joseph Blieu said...: So the EPA should surely have no jurisdiction over polutants or gsoline grades accepted by the various states? No coal ban! States can make anything legal.; 2/6/14, 9:55 PM
William said...: I'd have told them everything after the ziplock. Definitely by the blowtorch.; 2/6/14, 10:15 PM
Anonymous said...: "Who has been saying for the past 50 years that if drugs were legalized there would be no drug-related crimes?

Actual name(s), please."

I have no idea, but your rejoinder only works if it's an equivalency. Which clearly it's not.; 2/6/14, 10:55 PM
Grimstarr said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/7/14, 12:27 AM
Grimstarr said...: Taking this post in context with the unstated (but apparent) theme of the blog today, I'm guessing because he's a man he deserved it, cuz grrrl power or something?

Also I would have appreciated a trigger warning. This brought me to a state of panic by taking me back, mentally and physically, to the last time I was zip-tied, drug into a van, burned with a blowtorch, doused with bleach and then forced to watch as my severed penis drove off in a van with vanity plates from an all-women's university.

Please help me feel safe again?; 2/7/14, 12:28 AM
Tom said...: Okay okay okay - we'll fix the banking system. Just leave my penis attached! Please!; 2/7/14, 5:33 AM
Martin said...: Love the three sets of quotation marks at the end!; 2/7/14, 7:50 AM
Martin said...: Love the three sets of quotation marks at the end!; 2/7/14, 7:55 AM
Anonymous said...: "So the EPA should surely have no jurisdiction over polutants or gsoline grades accepted by the various states? No coal ban! States can make anything legal."

Sounds like good policy to me; 2/7/14, 9:11 AM
Douglas B. Levene said...: 1) The idiot should have given up his stash.
2) I can't see any intelligent argument for a local exception to the federal money laundering laws. There is no such thing as a "local" bank - even a small community bank with only one location participates in the national money transfer systems, so if it's exempt from money laundering laws, that is a wide open loophole for any gangster to turn his money from physical cash into electronic currency that can be moved anywhere in the world.
3) The solution is for the Federal Government to legalize marijuana sales. If the president and the Congress don't want to do that, if the sale of marijuana is going to remain illegal under federal law, then for a bank to accept deposits of the proceeds of illegal marijuana sales is going to continue to be illegal money laundering.; 2/7/14, 9:22 AM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Who could have seen this coming? It isn't like we have some historical comparisons of what happens when lots of money flows into a product that is illegal (I know locally legal, but FEDERALLY illegal) and you have that product and cash just lying around for the taking.

Prohibition? Anyone? ... Bueller?

Nope. Let's not learn from history. Human nature will be different THIS time.; 2/7/14, 10:23 AM
Sam L. said...: Unintended consequences...; 2/7/14, 1:26 PM