“More than three weeks after he declared victory in the race for state attorney general, Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley conceded defeat Wednesday as he trailed by more than 50,000 votes in one of the closest statewide races in California history…”

Read the entire story online.

Kamala Harris

As of noon today, the race for California Attorney General is too close to call. Kamla Harris has a small lead over anti-medical cannabis candidate Steve Cooley, but thousands of ballots from Southern California remian uncounted. There is no word at this time when we will have final results. The best place to look for officlas numbers is the California Secretary of State’s web site.

Kamala Harris

A poll conducted by the San Francisco Chronicle shows that San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris trails medical cannabis opponent and LA District Attorney Steve Cooley by only four points in the race for California Attorney General – less than the poll’s margin of error! The choice for patients and providers is clear. Kamala Harris has always supported medical cannabis, while Steve Cooley wants to roll back safe access.

If he is elected, Cooley will pursue the same anti-medical cannabis agenda we know all too well from his tenure in Los Angeles County. Cooley will rewrite or repeal the Attorney General’s medical cannabis guidelines – possibly misinterpreting state law to forbid sales of cannabis in legal patients’ collectives, stop all transportation of medicine, and close the storefronts patients rely on for safe access every day. Steve Cooley will file amicus briefs opposing medical cannabis and aggressively prosecute patients and growers. And he will support bad legislation to limit access to medicine, while opposing reasonable measures.

What can you do to stop Steve Cooley in this increasingly contentious race? Register to vote before October 18, and get out and vote on November 2. You may also want to find out what you can do to help Kamala Harris get elected. And be sure to sign up with Americans for Safe Access’ (ASA) “Not Cooley” get-out-the-vote effort.

California voters will elect a new Attorney General on November 2, and Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley wants the job. Citizens all over the state are standing up to say no – Steve Cooley is the wrong choice for Attorney General!

Not Cool on the ENVIRONMENT… Cooley fired all but one environmental lawyer when he took over as the LA County District Attorney. California can’t afford to have an Attorney General who will not make protecting our environment a top priority.

Not Cool on MARRIAGE EQUALITY… Cooley has pledged to fight against the effort to overturn Proposition 8, which denies equal rights to gay and lesbian couples. We need an Attorney General who will defend the rights of every Californian.

Not Cool on MEDICAL MARIJUANA…  Cooley will criminalize the sale of medical marijuana and aggressively raid legal dispensaries around the state. The Attorney General needs to support the will of the voters, defend legal patients, and promote sensible regulation.

Not Cool on WOMEN’S ISSUES… Cooley has a spotty record on women’s rights, including issues with discrimination in his own office. We can’t afford to have an Attorney General who doesn’t take equal rights seriously.