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Friday, 15 January 2010 19:25 |
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Rumors have been flying around for months that Marijuana Policy Project executive director and co-founder Rob Kampia was charged with "sexual misconduct" by an employee. Seven staffers left the organization since the August incident. Now they've gone public and it's not a pretty story.
 "Rob acted inappropriately toward MPP employees and interns throughout my time there," Zane Hurst tells High Times.
“Rob's behavior over the long term was inexcusable and irresponsible," adds Sarah Hench. "I am ashamed that I only felt empowered to address it after something very serious and egregious happened."
The incident in question took place on Aug. 7 in Washington, DC. According to one of the "MPP 7," Kampia offered to drive a female employee home after a group of MPP staffers had drinks at Union Pub at 201 Massachusetts Ave.
"They ended up at his house and sex ensued," one of the MPP 7 tells CelebStoner. "She was a subordinate non-management employee. There's a question about how consensual the sex was. He should've kept his hands to himself. You don't do that. It's all part of an ongoing pattern of fairly blatant sexual harassment.
"Rob has a long-standing habit of inappropriate behavior among woman and employees. Many quit. There had been some complaints and attempts to deal with this in the past. I can't work for people I don't trust or respect. Rob Kampia is a dishonest creep."
Diane Fornbacher recalls the time when Kampia made a move on her at the home of a DC marijuana activist. "Rob was lascivious," says Fornbacher, who has worked for the DPA and NORML, in an exclusive interview with CelebStoner. "He patted his lap. He had a hard-on. He inched closer and closer to me and he leaned over and smelled my cleavage. 'You look great,' he said. I didn't realize until then what a dickhead Rob was.
"He's a pig, a worm and a disappointment. He thought he was untouchable. It's about time he got called on this. I don't think he's capable of cleaning up his act. There needs to be a change of guard and a complete dismantling of the MPP. This is very devastating to the movement."
Earlier this week, the MPP celebrated its 15th anniversary with a star-studded DC gala.
Photo by CelebStoner
Also see:
High on the Hill with Cheech & Chong
More Marijuana News
CelebStoner News
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http://freedomofmedicineanddiet.blogspot.com/2008/03/drug-policy-foundation-advised-by-c.html
http://freedomofmedicineanddiet.blogspot.com/2008/03/drug-policy-foundation-legal-connection.html
http://freedomofmedicineanddiet.blogspot.com/2008/03/e.html
Whatever your opinion of MPP, if this story doesn't play out any differently than it has already, Rob Kampia should permanently step down. And it wouldn't be a bad idea to seriously examine whether medical marijuana should remain the focus of drug policy reform.
A lot of people are upset with MPP, because they push for medical marijuana bills that have repeatedly limited the access of patients, all the while touting themselves as the leading organization for Marijuana policy reform.
I've lost faith in MPP. I trust Ethan of DPA.org and all of my good friends at SafeAccessNow.org.
However, were it not for MPP's efforts these past 13 years we would not have progressed so far.
We should judge MPP for it's track record as a reform group, and stop focusing on one man's antics.
Isn't it funny that these people didn't speak up until now?
At a moment when our movement is really booming, is is coincidental or purposeful?
If you know that sharing your experience is going to damage the sanctity of this movement, be kind enough to deal with it in private.
There is no need to smear the good name of MPP like this.
The movement is more important than even one person's sexual harassment, I'm sorry.
According to the report he never 'forced' anyone to have sex with him.
It's not sexual harassment to 'have a hard on.'
A beautiful women tends to do that to a man.
Maybe he needs to calm down and get some tail.
If this is going to hurt MPP, then yes he should step back and let this scandal fade.
War Breaks Out Within the Marijuana Legalization Movement (Part 1)