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'I don't feel that bad about breaking a bad law': Defiant Tennessee congressional candidate, 77, admits she regularly smokes weed after 180 marijuana plants are found in her backyard
A 77-year-old Tennessee congressional candidate may be facing criminal indictment after more than 180 marijuana plants were discovered in a barn on her property.
Florence 'Flo' Matheson, who is running for the 6th Congressional District seat in the state, is adamant that the plants aren't hers - but has no problem admitting that she regularly smokes weed.
'I don't feel that bad about breaking a bad law,' she said. 'I smoke marijuana. I'm guilty.'
Matheson has admitted that the two ounces of weed found inside the home belonged to her, but said it did not come from the plants she claims she didn't even know were in her backyard.
The congressional candidate was renting out the barn to her friend Stephen Michael Harrington, 60, a homeless disabled veteran who she said came to her for help.
Harrington, who was serving three years probation for growing more than 20 marijuana plants at a different home last year, also faces criminal indictment.
Matheson said Harrington had the address of her property changed last year and that she should thus not be linked to the growing operation, according to Upper Cumberland Now.
The address is a match to the one Matheson used when she filed paperwork to run in the August primary election, although it is not clear when that paperwork was completed.
Harrington has defended Matheson, who claims she never went back to the barn where he lived.
'The only thing this woman is guilty of is helping out a homeless disabled vet who betrayed her trust,' he told The Tennessean.
Harrington added that he was growing the plants for his own personal use, specifically to help him cope with frequent pain from injuries suffered during his military service.
He said he has never sold marijuana to anyone in the area or from the plants police found.
The Crossville Police Department served the search warrant on Matheson's property on May 13.
Matheson has maintained that she did not know about the plants (pictured) in the barn, which she rented out to her friend Stephen Michael Harrington, 60, a homeless disabled veteran who also faces indictment charges
Matheson has maintained that she did not know about the plants (pictured) in the barn, which she rented out to her friend Stephen Michael Harrington, 60, a homeless disabled veteran who also faces indictment charges
Police also found two ounces of marijuana, as well as a gun and cash. Matheson has admitted that the weed found in her home was her own personal stash - and that she smokes two to three times a week
'Some evidence of an illegal grow operation were found inside the residence,' the authorities said in a statement following the raid.
'However, the full-scale cultivation was found in a large barn, just a few hundred yards away. The inside of the barn had been finished to create two separate tropical grow environments.'
Police said 'remote wireless surveillance equipment' used 'to monitor the compound' had also been found, as had a locked gate, a gun and cash.
But Matheson said the police had completely blown the evidence out of proportion, making her and Harrington 'sound like Bonnie and Clyde'.
The Congressional candidate said the surveillance equipment was actually a 'dummy camera' she had installed to stop people from knocking her mailbox down.
And, Matheson added, the locked gate was to keep her donkeys, llamas and horse from leaving her property.
Matheson, who said she smokes two to three times a week, planned to use one ounce of the marijuana found in her home for personal use, and the other to make cannabis oil.
The Congressional candidate said she will plead guilty if the Cumberland County grand jury indicts her.
'The people are tired of politicians lying,' she said. 'And I'm not going to be a liar.'
Matheson has no plans to halt her campaign - and said the way she has been treated after the discovery of the plants has only made her want to fight harder for marijuana legalization and decriminalization
Matheson has no plans to halt her campaign - and said the way she has been treated after the discovery of the plants has only made her want to fight harder for marijuana legalization and decriminalization
Matheson also has no plans to halt her campaign - and said the way she has been treated after the discovery of the plants has only motivated her more.
'I really don’t regret that this happened,' she told NBC News.
'It’s been a life changing experience for me and in that it has made me more defiant and determined to try and get these laws changed.'
Tennessee Democratic Party spokesman Spencer Bowers said the state party does not 'condone illegal activity of any kind' and said it is confident the authorities will 'take the necessary steps to complete their investigation'.
But Matheson has remained outspoken that she will work 'even harder now' to get marijuana decriminalized and legalized.
'I'm willing to put my head on the block for it,' she said. 'I'm just one person, but there are millions of people suffering.'
'If I can do anything to dilute the suffering of people, I will do it.'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ckyard-Tennessee-congressional-candidate.html
A 77-year-old Tennessee congressional candidate may be facing criminal indictment after more than 180 marijuana plants were discovered in a barn on her property.
Florence 'Flo' Matheson, who is running for the 6th Congressional District seat in the state, is adamant that the plants aren't hers - but has no problem admitting that she regularly smokes weed.
'I don't feel that bad about breaking a bad law,' she said. 'I smoke marijuana. I'm guilty.'
Matheson has admitted that the two ounces of weed found inside the home belonged to her, but said it did not come from the plants she claims she didn't even know were in her backyard.
The congressional candidate was renting out the barn to her friend Stephen Michael Harrington, 60, a homeless disabled veteran who she said came to her for help.
Harrington, who was serving three years probation for growing more than 20 marijuana plants at a different home last year, also faces criminal indictment.
Matheson said Harrington had the address of her property changed last year and that she should thus not be linked to the growing operation, according to Upper Cumberland Now.
The address is a match to the one Matheson used when she filed paperwork to run in the August primary election, although it is not clear when that paperwork was completed.
Harrington has defended Matheson, who claims she never went back to the barn where he lived.
'The only thing this woman is guilty of is helping out a homeless disabled vet who betrayed her trust,' he told The Tennessean.
Harrington added that he was growing the plants for his own personal use, specifically to help him cope with frequent pain from injuries suffered during his military service.
He said he has never sold marijuana to anyone in the area or from the plants police found.
The Crossville Police Department served the search warrant on Matheson's property on May 13.
Matheson has maintained that she did not know about the plants (pictured) in the barn, which she rented out to her friend Stephen Michael Harrington, 60, a homeless disabled veteran who also faces indictment charges
Matheson has maintained that she did not know about the plants (pictured) in the barn, which she rented out to her friend Stephen Michael Harrington, 60, a homeless disabled veteran who also faces indictment charges
Police also found two ounces of marijuana, as well as a gun and cash. Matheson has admitted that the weed found in her home was her own personal stash - and that she smokes two to three times a week
'Some evidence of an illegal grow operation were found inside the residence,' the authorities said in a statement following the raid.
'However, the full-scale cultivation was found in a large barn, just a few hundred yards away. The inside of the barn had been finished to create two separate tropical grow environments.'
Police said 'remote wireless surveillance equipment' used 'to monitor the compound' had also been found, as had a locked gate, a gun and cash.
But Matheson said the police had completely blown the evidence out of proportion, making her and Harrington 'sound like Bonnie and Clyde'.
The Congressional candidate said the surveillance equipment was actually a 'dummy camera' she had installed to stop people from knocking her mailbox down.
And, Matheson added, the locked gate was to keep her donkeys, llamas and horse from leaving her property.
Matheson, who said she smokes two to three times a week, planned to use one ounce of the marijuana found in her home for personal use, and the other to make cannabis oil.
The Congressional candidate said she will plead guilty if the Cumberland County grand jury indicts her.
'The people are tired of politicians lying,' she said. 'And I'm not going to be a liar.'
Matheson has no plans to halt her campaign - and said the way she has been treated after the discovery of the plants has only made her want to fight harder for marijuana legalization and decriminalization
Matheson has no plans to halt her campaign - and said the way she has been treated after the discovery of the plants has only made her want to fight harder for marijuana legalization and decriminalization
Matheson also has no plans to halt her campaign - and said the way she has been treated after the discovery of the plants has only motivated her more.
'I really don’t regret that this happened,' she told NBC News.
'It’s been a life changing experience for me and in that it has made me more defiant and determined to try and get these laws changed.'
Tennessee Democratic Party spokesman Spencer Bowers said the state party does not 'condone illegal activity of any kind' and said it is confident the authorities will 'take the necessary steps to complete their investigation'.
But Matheson has remained outspoken that she will work 'even harder now' to get marijuana decriminalized and legalized.
'I'm willing to put my head on the block for it,' she said. 'I'm just one person, but there are millions of people suffering.'
'If I can do anything to dilute the suffering of people, I will do it.'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ckyard-Tennessee-congressional-candidate.html
