May 17th, 2010 - Help ASA End the Bank Account Closures
| By Americans For Safe Access | Published May 17, 2010 |
Hello ASA friends and supporters,
As you know, dozens of state compliant medical cannabis dispensing
collectives and related businesses have had their accounts closed, often
without notice or explanation. ASA is deeply concerned about this trend and
we've been working multiple channels in Washington, DC, to investigate the
nature of the bank account closures and end these closures once and for all.
This week, U.S. Representative Jared Polis (D-CO) and Financial Services
Committee Chairman, Representative Barney Frank (D-MA), together with their
colleagues in the House of Representatives have agreed to sponsor a
congressional sign-on letter to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. The letter
requests that the Treasury Department issue written guidance to financial
institutions to clarify that the Department's priorities do not include
targeting or pursuing institutions whose account holders are involved in a
business operating in clear compliance with a state medical marijuana law.
TAKE ACTION TODAY: TELL YOUR U.S. REPRESENATIVE TO CO-SIGN THE POLIS/FRANK LETTER TO TREASURY SECRETARY GEITHNER
1. Please call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202.225.3121 and ask to be connected to your representative's office.
To identify your Member of Congress, visit http://www.house.gov and enter your zip code.
2. When connected with the office, request to speak with the person "medical marijuana issues" for the Representative
3. Whether you speak to this person directly or leave a message, tell them:
"My name is (Your Name) and I'm a constituent of Representative
(Rep.'s Last Name) . I am calling to urge Representative (Rep.'s Last
Name) to sign on to the Polis/Frank letter to Treasury Secretary Tim
Geithner urging that the Department clarify in writing that investigation of
banks whose customers are state-legal medical marijuana businesses will not
be an enforcement priority. Denying business who operate in compliance
with their state medical marijuana law access to banking institutions
jeopardizes public safety and constitutes and inefficient waste of federal
resources. This is important to me personally because (add a personal
comment, if you like) . For more information or to add Representative
(Rep.'s Last Name) to the growing list of co-signers, please contact Shawn
Coleman in Representative Jared Polis' office at 5-2161. Thank you for
listening to me; I am counting on my Representative's support on this
It is urgent that your calls be made immediately! The more Members of the House that sign on to the letter, the better chance we have to ensure Treasury will work with financial institutions to resolve the problem and ensure legal medical cannabis dispensaries and related business are free to operate without undue burden or hardship.
Thanks,
San Diego Americans for Safe Access
www.SafeAccessSD.org
