Federal Prosecutor Tries to Silence Drug Policy Activist (Again)

Jacob Sullum | April 17, 2009

A federal grand jury in Topeka is investigating pain treatment activist Siobhan Reynolds for obstruction of justice because of her advocacy work on behalf of Steven Schneider, a Kansas physician accused of writing inappropriate narcotic prescriptions. The Associated Press reports that the grand jury—apparently at the behest of Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Treadway, who is prosecuting Schneider and his wife, Linda—recently issued a subpoena demanding "all correspondence with attorneys, patients, Schneider family members, doctors and others related to the criminal case and malpractice lawsuits against the Schneiders." Reynolds does not plan to comply. "I am going to fight it as far as I need to," she told A.P. "If I were to give in here, lawful advocacy against the United States in court will effectively be brought to an end. So...a lot is at stake here." Reynolds, who is challenging the subpoena on First Amendment grounds, said in a motion, "This is a direct attempt to intimidate me and silence me."

The Drug War Chronicle notes "this isn't the first time Treadway has tried to shut Reynolds up." Last July the prosecutor unsuccessfully sought a gag order barring Reynolds from discussing the case publicly or talking to Schneider's patients.

More on Reynolds here. More on the conflict between drug control and pain control here.

Comments

|4.17.09 @ 3:11PM|#

Lemme help you out, Jacob:

The Associated Press reports that the grand jury-apparently at the behest of Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Treadway, who the Obama Justice Department, which is prosecuting. . . .

Since when does public advocacy constitute obstruction of justice? Is this more of that Obama-the-civil-liberties-saviour stuff the Obamatarians were pushing?

SpongePaul|4.17.09 @ 3:21PM|#

The DEa has efffectivly caused millions to suffer. If you specalize in pain mang. you are targeted as a drug dealer. if you write over the avg # of prescriptions you are targeted. they have effectivly taken the doctor out of pain managment. if you do not folow, or fit into the dea guidlines, you are a drug dealer. Now some people have muted reactions to opiates, it takes a higher and more frequent dose to attain the same level of relief. It hurts weekend warriors and causes them to spend money, if the doctor will even write the script anymore. it was only 10 years ago, you could call your doc, say hey doc i sprained my ankle, then go to the drugstore and pickup your presc. of painkillers, usually lortab, and muscle relaxers. all it took was a tele call. now you have to go in (co-pay) plus the cost of the prescription. and nowadyas they will usually give only NSAIDs out. i have been to joint and bone specalists and had to sing waivers letting me know that the pratice does not dispense narcotics. its getting hard to find a doctor for injuries short of an ER that will even write scripts nowadays

JP|4.17.09 @ 3:24PM|#

From the AP article: ... in court documents filed last year in the Schneiders' case, prosecutors portrayed Reynolds as having a "sycophantic or parasitic relationship" with the couple. Prosecutors alleged she was using the case to further her group's political agenda and her personal interests.

And that constitutes obstructing justice how, exactly?

High Every Body|4.17.09 @ 3:43PM|#

Obamatarians

I must use that in the future. Thank you RC!

|4.17.09 @ 4:07PM|#

Doesn't anyone remember when Cliff Shoemaker tried to shut Kathleen Seidel up with his lawsuit?

Here was Kathleen's response to her subpoena: http://www.neurodiversity.com/weblog/article/150/

Maybe Reynolds can use this as a template for his response.

|4.17.09 @ 4:09PM|#

The feds are nasty bastards. My best friend is an a criminal defense attorney. Now understand this guy is a former Army officer. He is a mainline law and order Republican. He is not one to buy into conspiracy theories and is the last guy you would hear talking about the man trying to oppress him. But, he will tell you that as a defense attorney you need to be very careful if you practice in federal court. That the attitude of US attorneys is that the defense attorneys are no better than the criminals they defend. The feds will absolutely go after you if they think you are in their way.

|4.17.09 @ 4:23PM|#

That the attitude of US attorneys is that the defense attorneys are no better than the criminals they defend. The feds will absolutely go after you if they think you are in their way.

But the right [wrong] people are in charge now. Only criminals [our side] will be targetted by the feds.

|4.17.09 @ 4:29PM|#

"But the right [wrong] people are in charge now. Only criminals [our side] will be targetted by the feds."

If only it were that simple. DOJ and its component parts have been out of control since I don't know when. It doesn't matter who is in charge. DOJ is always going to be out of control.

|4.17.09 @ 4:55PM|#

No shit.

|4.17.09 @ 5:13PM|#

These potheads need to shut their doobie holes. Obama will get to fixing some of the Bush Cheney abuses of power once he gets done doing REALLY important things like protecting our patriotic telephone companies from whiners who don't like domestic wiretapping.

|4.17.09 @ 5:15PM|#

Where is xeones? Nowhere in sight? Well, then, in his/her absence, here goes:

Yo, fuck Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Treadway.

the innominate one|4.17.09 @ 5:19PM|#

J sub D - John doesn't understand you nor does he understand irony. Give up.

the innominate one|4.17.09 @ 5:31PM|#

Also, apparently Tanya Treadway should be disbarred for her inability to grok the first amendment.

BruceM|4.17.09 @ 6:00PM|#

Absolutely horrible. This is the type of big government abuse people should be having "tea parties" over. But all those idiots support the drug war and had no problem when Bush abused federal power over the past 8 years. They only decided they didn't like the federal government when a black man became the chief executive.

Kolohe|4.17.09 @ 7:03PM|#

This is actual no shit 'chilling' dissent. Not some banal DHS memos.

|4.17.09 @ 7:47PM|#

"J sub D - John doesn't understand you nor does he understand irony. Give up."

Shut the fuck up dickhead. I know exactly what he is talking about. No one asked for your dumb ass opinion.

|4.17.09 @ 8:08PM|#

It is so disgusting that these dogs and the pigs that serve them, seem to think they know more about practicing medicine than doctors. And that they would allow so many to suffer agonizing pain in the name of maybe stopping a few people from getting high.

I shouldn't be surprised, the feds torture people after all. People like Tanya Treadway probably secretly wish they could behead people in the square. They are no better than the terrorist we are supposed to be fighting. I hope history will treat them so accordingly.

the innominate one|4.17.09 @ 8:19PM|#

John | April 17, 2009, 7:47pm | #
"J sub D - John doesn't understand you nor does he understand irony. Give up."

Shut the fuck up dickhead. I know exactly what he is talking about. No one asked for your dumb ass opinion.

You are pathetic, John, but at least your spelling has improved.

Anonymous|4.18.09 @ 12:16AM|#

They only decided they didn't like the federal government when a black man became the chief executive.

Yeah, it has nothing to do with increasing the budget in less than eight fortnights as much as Bush did in eight years. How could they possibly disagree with the president now that the right people are in charge? They must be racists.

Anonymous|4.18.09 @ 1:56AM|#

Under the "Simple Return" plan, the Internal Revenue Service would complete tax returns for taxpayers whose sole income comes from one employer and whose interest income comes from one bank.

Now that the right people are in charge, who wouldn't want government filing your tax form for you?

|4.18.09 @ 3:06AM|#

Treadway is the criminal here. She's trying to deprive people of their constitutional rights under color of authority, and that's a charge that would bring her a ten-year stretch in Ft. Leavenworth if this country was still under the rule of law.

-jcr

robc|4.18.09 @ 8:06AM|#

Now that the right people are in charge, who wouldn't want government filing your tax form for you?

Technically, they should do all returns. Requiring you to do your own is a violation of the 13th amendment.

Anonymous|4.18.09 @ 10:24AM|#

robc, then how do they get the information? By telephone?

|4.18.09 @ 11:43AM|#

robc, then how do they get the information? By telephone?

I'm not robc, but my guess is your employer will supply this information into some kind of interconnected electronic information gathering and storage device. I'm not sure if that is the answer robc would give. I'm kinda an exceptional particular individual.

|4.18.09 @ 12:01PM|#

Prosecutors alleged she was using the case to further her group's political agenda and her personal interests.

I guess this means the Justice Department will be shutting MADD down any day, now.

|4.18.09 @ 12:05PM|#

how do they get the information?

They'll just download the RFID chip in your neck.

the innominate one|4.18.09 @ 3:00PM|#

You do know your employer submits copies of your W-2, W-4, etc. and banks submit INT-1099 forms to the IRS, right?

Fluffy|4.18.09 @ 5:14PM|#

You do know your employer submits copies of your W-2, W-4, etc. and banks submit INT-1099 forms to the IRS, right?

If the feds ever go to a straight-up system of just processing whatever W-2 and 1099 information they get and either ignoring or dispensing with the return you actually file, I have a great idea for a prank:

1. Apply for lots of employer identification numbers.

2. Obtain millions of social security numbers

3. File millions of false 1099's alleging large incomes for all those millions of people

4. Sit back and laugh as the IRS audit computer explodes.

|4.19.09 @ 7:39PM|#

LOL

Better yet, abolish the income tax so we can blow up the IRS building in DC and declare that date a national Fair Tax holiday.

Any president who signs that bill into law will be on Mt Rushmore before he dies.

Or would be, if there was any carvable rock left.

Regards,
Le

|4.19.09 @ 8:25PM|#

You have a link to more information on Siobhan Reynolds; how about a link to more information on the people's protector, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Treadway? Is this a personal crusade or is this something her office is pushing?