Make TBO Your Home Page| Subscribe To The Paper| Advertise With Us| Contact Us| Login| Edit Profile| Register
Suncoast Pinellas News
Email
Print
His Call
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: February 23, 2008
Late Tuesday evening, state Rep. Peter Nehr sent out an e-mail alert in which he revealed he was the source of a tip that led Pinellas Sheriff's Office vice-narcotics detectives to a house in the Palm Harbor area in which the investigators found growing marijuana plants and root balls and harvested pot.
The Tarpon Springs Republican revealed his role in the investigation to draw attention to legislation he is co-sponsoring that would increase criminal penalties for marijuana cultivation.
Nehr told the Sheriff's Office he was planning to go public ahead of time.
Trust us, however, that Sheriff's Office officials, from Sheriff Jim Coats down, would have preferred Nehr had kept his role as a tipster a secret. They weren't questioning the lawmaker's motives. They were concerned the public would mistakenly assume the Sheriff's Office had released the name of someone who gave the agency information about possible criminal activity believing the tip would remain confidential. That wasn't the case.
We're not criticizing Nehr for what he did. The decision to go public, however, was his. People need to understand that.
Email
Print
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertisement
TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online ©2009 Media General Communications Holdings, LLC. A Media General company. Member Agreement | Privacy Statement | Work With Us
