Politics & Advocacy
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) head Karen Tandy is resigning, an agency spokesman announced Monday. Tandy, who was the first woman to hold the top job in federal drug law enforcement, served four years as director. She will leave to take a position as a senior vice president with Motorola.
Karen Tandy
During Tandy's tenure, the DEA took credit for combating the growth of clandestine methamphetamine labs, which have declined by nearly two-thirds in four years. But the primary reason for the decline in home-cooked meth is the result of laws restricting easy access to precursor materials, both at the state and federal level. The decline in home meth labs has also resulted in meth of higher quality produced in Mexican super lab being imported into the US in greater quantities.
Tandy also expanded the DEA's presence in Afghanistan, now home to 93% of the world's opium supply. While the agency claims successes, including "historic extraditions of Taliban-connected drug lords," the poppy crop this year is 34% larger than last year, and the trade continues unabated.
But Tandy's most lasting legacy will probably be her leadership of the DEA as the agency cranked up its futile war against medical marijuana patients, producers, and dispensaries in California. Under Tandy's tenure, the DEA has conducted dozens of raids against operations legal under California law, in spite of the expressed opposition of state and local officials in many cases. The operations have been so unpopular in California that DEA raiders routinely have to call on local law enforcement to provide protection against outraged citizens protesting their raids.
Tandy, a former associate deputy attorney general at the Justice Department, will serve as Motorola's top spokesperson for public policy, focusing mostly on global telecom policy, trade and regulation.
Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.
Comments
Karen Tandy
Remind me to not buy any products from Motorola as long as she's a top executive there.
In reply to Karen Tandy by Anonymous (not verified)
Tandy at Motorola
Who would know more about useing telecomunications and influencing policy to spy on citizens than Ms. Tandy?
Spooky.
Tandy Heroin
just shy of Candy Heroin which is eerily one of those things this admonistration does w/ word play.
Tandy at Motorola.
There's got to be more to this than meets the eye. I never wish anyone any ill will, but why doesn't this woman just leave our country, and retire?? Working for the DEA, she's GOT to have enough money at her disposal. Why do I have a feeling she's joining Motorola to help steer development of covert surveillance technologies? What are the questions that no one's asking?
Discuss.
--Anonymous
DEA Tandy Criminal Wiretapping
I suspect that you are quite right. I would avoid anything by Motorola, let alone Verizon (google Verizon Wireless CEO Jesuit)
Should not she be going to prison for violating the Constitution?
Tandy
Yes, this is very weird. What kind of background does she have to work at Motorola. I also now will not buy anything from them.
Tandy Cam
I heard on NPR today that Motorola has a new technology that can pick up on key words and phrases....on your telecommunications.....and sell them to advertizers.
Isn't that a lot like her old job where one of her biggest achievements was tracking legal prescriptions of pain (and certain psychotropic) meds in order to bust law abiding physicians and pain patients?
Tandy--politics at its worse
Karen Tandy is just another example of power gone to the head. She talks with pride about the DEA's achievement in its extradition charges against Marc Emery in BC. Only the fascist police state in America agree. Too bad the Canadian government didn't have the balls to tell the DEA to get the hell out of their country and stay out. It is prohibition that is feeding the criminals and ruining our children's lives. Get control of the drugs and you can control the outcome of its use. Stupid Tandy can't understand simple principles because she has her head up someone's ass in Washington. Farewell, you unrighteous puck. I hope you and Motorola have a wonderful future. Maybe you will accidentally stick your finger in an electrical socket and shock your brain so you might gain some input into what the Drug War is really about. It's the love of money, stupid. Keep supporting the drug cartels with your asinine laws and they'll keep bringing us the drugs.
Tony Lourenco
Another marvelous Bush
Another marvelous Bush appointment. Totally unqualified for the positions to which she was named.
Ms. Tandy
Another sterling Bush appointment( as in "Great job, Brownie). What qualified her for this position?
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