The pee-pee at MPP

Several publications, including HighTimes and The Washington Post, have reported on the sexcapades of Rob Kampia over at the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP). It seems, according to current and former MPP staffers, Rob Kampia, the co-founder and Executive Director of MPP, has used the organization as his personal harem. Back in August Rob had, what everyone agrees to be true, consensual sex with a subordinate. It occurred after a MPP after-hours get together at a local D.C. watering hole. And, just at it was with Watergate and other scandals, it was the cover-up as much as the actual act that created the problems.

A number of employees have quit or resigned, due to their belief that Rob and the MPP board, led by financier Peter Lewis, were attempting to sweep this and other incidents of Rob's sexual misconduct under the rug. In response, both Peter Lewis (speaking for the board) and Mr. Kampia made official statements. Incredibly, Rob Kampia stated that it was only the second time he'd had sex with a subordinate - wow, that's a relief! - and, even more incredibly, he blamed it on the fact he was just "hyper-sexualized." Really? That's the best you could come up with after having weeks if not months to think about it?

And Peter Lewis was no smarter. He stated that Rob's conduct was neither illegal nor against company policy. According to Mr. Lewis, Rob will be temporarily stepping down to undergo 90 days of sensitivity training - and would be welcomed back after successfully becoming more sensitive to women and, apparently, no longer "hyper-sexualized." This statement smacks of Al Gore claiming there was no "controlling legal authority" prohibiting his taking campaign contributions from dubious sources. That didn't pass the smell test, and neither does this.

It is both personally and politically naive to believe allowing Rob Kampia (even a newly sensitive and less sexualized version) to remain head of MPP will not taint whatever good MPP has done and, by extension, cast a pale over the entire drug policy reform movement. So why have drug policy reform leaders been silent on this shameful and sordid affair?

Stay healthy and high when it helps