Edward Forchion
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Robert Edward Forchion (b. July 23, 1964), also known as NJWEEDMAN, is an African-American cannabis activist and a perennial candidate for various New Jersey elected offices. Most recently, Forchion ran for Governor of New Jersey in 2005, losing to Democratic candidate Jon Corzine. Forchion identifies himself as a member of the US Marijuana Party and campaigns primarily on the single issue of cannabis legalization. Forchion has done various stunts to bring attention to cannabis legalization, including smoking cannabis in front of the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, as well as attempting to legally change his name to NJWeedman.com.
Forchion is a resident of Browns Mills, New Jersey, a section of Pemberton Township, New Jersey.[1]
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[edit] Life before politics and activism
At the age of 15, Forchion smoked his first marijuana cigarette and was "immediately impressed by its medical healing powers, in regard to his asthma."[1] By age 18 he was a regular user of marijuana, and he dismissed the Surgeon General claims of its harms as "propaganda and Christian Superstitions".
In 1982 upon graduation from Edgewood Regional High School in Atco, New Jersey, he enlisted in the New Jersey National Guard and enrolled at Claflin College, Orangeburg, South Carolina. In 1986 he received an honorable discharge from the NJ National Guard and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps without marijuana, he had an asthma attack and was medically discharged. After being discharged from the Marine Corps, he changed his name to Edward and enlisted in the United States Army. While in the army he used cannabis despite the warnings from the government, to control his asthma. On April 18, 1988 he married his first wife Pam in Fort Bliss, Texas, and in 1990 he receive an honorable discharge from the army. He became a coast-to-coast trucker using his own truck he purchased in 1994.
He proudly admits he was a "marijuana smuggler", driving hundreds of pounds of cannabis from Arizona border towns to east coast cities such as Cleveland, Ohio, Philadelphia, New York City and Camden, New Jersey. His Mexican suppliers in Arizona were the first to dub him The New Jersey Weedman, because while other drugs were available for transport he only wanted to transport cannabis.
On November 24, 1997 he was arrested by the Camden County Drug Task Force and members of the local DEA - On Dec.1st, 2000 after a very public trial, Forchion accepted a plea deal and was convicted and sentenced to 10 years by Judge Ronald Thompson. He was released after 17 months on April 3, 2002 into the state's ISP. (Intensive Supervision Program). His ISP officers ordered him not to talk about cannabis and re-imprisoned him August 19, 2002 when he refused to comply with what he regarded as an illegal order. Unpon re-imprisonment he filed a pro se "Writ of Habeas Corpus" to the Federal Courts, alleging he was a political prisoner of New Jersey's War on Drugs. - On January 24, 2003 Federal Judge Irenas agreed with Forchion and ruled in Forchion Vs New Jersey imprisonment was a violation of his right to Free Speech and ordered him freed.
Forchion simultaneously fought the state's newly enacted DNA law, for several months his case put on hold the state's new DNA law. Eventually Forchion won his DNA case [Forchion Vs New Jersey DNA Act]http://www.law.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/View&c=LawArticle&cid=1065122109162&t=LawArticle and was not obligated to surrender his DNA.
Ironically, while Forchion and the public call him NJWeedman. The [Camden County Prosecutor's Office]http://www.camdencounty.com/government/offices/prosecutor/mr2004/05042004.html and the State of New Jersey successfully fought his petition to legally change his name to that of his website: NJWeedman.com.
[edit] Political ambitions
In 1998 as a way of supporting his planned Jury Nullification defense to the charges he was facing he announced the formation of The Legalize Marijuana Party and his intention to run for a seat on the Camden County Freeholders board and the first district Congressional seat. He now claims this was a successful tactic and has since continued to run for offices as a protest to the cannabis laws. Forchion now has a history of running for various state and federal offices as an independent candidate. Forchion has never been successful in any of his attempts for public office, which he acknowledges isn't even his goal. He is currently running for U.S. Senator of New Jersey.
[edit] 2005 Governor of New Jersey race
Forchion ran for Governor of New Jersey in 2005 under the slogan of “Legalize Marijuana (G.R.I.P.)- Get Rid of Incumbent Politicians”. As with his prior campaigns, Forchion ran largely on cannabis legislation. In his official statement mailed with the sample ballots to registered New Jersey voters, Forchion accuses the "Christian Government and law enforcement officers who rely on this ungodly racist WAR ON DRUGS for their livelihoods" as interfering with his rights to freedom of religion and speech. In particular, he notes that his religion of Rastafari and his "belief that our herb/sacrament is good" is oppressed. His statement ended with the slogans "TAKE A TOKE, THEN VOTE" and "ENEMY OF THE STATE" written in capital letters.
The Governor election was held on November 8, 2005. Of the ten candidates appearing on the ballot for Governor, Forchion came in sixth place with 8,271 votes, according to unofficial election results provided by the State of New Jersey [2]. The election was won by Democrat Jon Corzine.
[edit] 2006 United States Senate election, New Jersey
Forchion ran for US Senator from New Jersey in 2006. He was placed on the ballot with the same “Legalize Marijuana (G.R.I.P.)" slogan. Forchion came in fourth place with 11,593 votes, or approximately 0.5% of the vote according to the official vote tallies[3]. He lost to Democratic incumbent Bob Menendez, Republican candidate Thomas Kean, Jr., and Libertarian Len Flynn.
[edit] Other elections
Forchion ran in 2005 for a Congressional seat from New Jersey, garnering 4,914 votes, approximately 1.6% of the vote. He lost to incumbent Jim Saxton, Republican. [4] In both 1998 and 2000, Forchion ran and lost against incumbent Congressman Rob Andrews, Democrat, receiving 1257 [5]. and 1959 [6] votes, respectively. In his 1998 campaign, Forchion had not yet taken the moniker of NJWeedman, and instead ran as an independent simply as "Rob."
Besides the above campaigns for Congress, Forchion also ran for New Jersey General Assembly. In 1999, Forchion received 947 votes and lost to incumbents Francis L. Bodine and Larry Chatzidakis, both Republicans.
[edit] Incarceration history
Forchion was incarcerated in Camden, New Jersey for various drug related charges. The dates of his incarceration were between December 1, 2000 and April 03, 2002. Forchion’s offenses included the following[7]:
- 1 count/merged count of : 2C:5-2*2 Conspiracy
- 1 count/merged count of : 2C:35-5*2 CDS/Manufacture, Distribute, Dispense
- 1 count/merged count of : 2C:20-7*3 Receiving Stolen Property
- 1 count/merged count of : 2C:20-3*3 Theft by Unlawful Taking/Disposition
According to his official statement mailed with the sample ballots during his 2005 candidacy for New Jersey Governor, Forchion notes that “I’ve been jailed without the right to a fair trial (2000), imprisoned for simply saying LEGALIZE IT”. Forchion describes himself as a former political prisoner for his views.
Forchion was jailed from August 19. 2002 - Jan 24th, 2003 by the State of New Jersey for attempting to air political ad's calling for the end of the war on drugs CENSORED AD'S. He was charged with advocating criminal activity, Forchion claimed it was a violation of his first amendment rights and filed a "writ of habeas corpus". U.S. District court Judge Irena's held hearings and agreed that his imprisonment was a violation of his right to freedom of speech and ordered him freed saying; "Many elected public officials have called for a liberalization of the nation's drug laws. Simply put, Plaintiff's place in this debate will do nothing to harm a public that is already itself debating the current state of our nation's drug laws".
[edit] References
- ^ Genzlinger, Neil. "JERSEY; Dear Graduates: Wake Up, and Thanks for Stopping By", The New York Times, May 16, 2004. Accessed December 11, 2007. "I know that your first choice for a speaker today was Edward Forchion Jr., the Brown Mills marijuana advocate whose request to have his name legally changed to NJWeedman.com was rejected by an appeals court the other day."
