Robert Bonner
 Robert Bonner    (judge) | |
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On February 28, 1989, Bonner was nominated by President George H. W. Bush to be a federal judge for California's Central District, to a seat vacated by Pamela Ann Rymer. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 18, 1989, and received commission on May 24, 1989. Judge Bonner resigned on August 12, 1990, to be reassigned to a new position, and on May 11, 1990, President Bush nominated him to be Administrator of the DEA. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 27, 1990, and sworn in as the DEA's fifth Administrator on August 13, 1990. Bonner served as Administrator from August 16, 1990, to October 31, 1993. Bonner signed the DEA's 1992 political denial of the legitimacy of medical cannabis, incorrectly stating that "no responsible physician could conclude that marijuana is safe and effective for medical use" since that time, thousands of responsible physicians have done so. His ruling has caused thousands of patients to be arrested, prosecuted and jailed since that time.
In November 1993, just after leaving his post as head of the DEA, Judge Bonner appeared on 60 Minutes and criticized the CIA for permitting a drug shipment of one ton of pure cocaine to be smuggled into the U.S. without first notifying and securing the approval of the DEA.
