Breidenthal marijuana lawsuit settled - News - MailTribune.com - Medford, OR

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

Document text

Breidenthal marijuana lawsuit settled Breidenthal Friday Aug 18, 2017 at 10:48 AM Aug 18, 2017 at 10:48 AM Damian Mann Mail Tribune @reporterdm A lawsuit against former Jackson County Commissioner Doug Breidenthal has been settled, and Breidenthal will continue to operate American Cannabis Co. in Medford. An Aug. 17 email to the Mail Tribune from John Howry, Breidenthal's Medford attorney, stated the settlement was confidential and that all claims have been dismissed. The email didn't provide any information about the details of the settlement. Breidenthal, a frequent critic of marijuana activities as a county commissioner, tried to open American Cannabis in February, but Greg Allen and two other investors in the store filed a lawsuit against him alleging he misappropriated funds. Allen, of Medford, as well as Lawrence and Mary Nelson of Arizona filed their lawsuit against Breidenthal Feb. 23, and sought at least $529,000 in damages. Breidenthal opened the cannabis store in March, operating under the corporate name Marigold Enterprises LLC. The Nelsons alleged Breidenthal misappropriated $150,000 that they invested into the marijuana business, located at 2131 W. Main St. The money was received through another Breidenthal business called Capital Pacific Advisors. According to the email from Howry, who is with Frohnmayer, Deatherage, Jamieson, Moore, Armosino & McGovern P.C., Breidenthal is the sole member and owner of Marigold Enterprises and Capital Pacific Advisors. The lawsuit settlement is one of a series of legal problems that have plagued Breidenthal over the past two years. The Oregon Government Ethics Commission is still investigating a special campaign account Breidenthal set up through the Association of Oregon Counties. The Oregon Department of Justice conducted a yearlong investigation into the campaign account but determined there was no criminal wrongdoing. The Ethics Commission is also investigating videos that showed Breidenthal allegedly taking cash payments for marijuana consulting while still a county commissioner Ethics Commission investigator Michael Thornicroft said he uncovered “substantial objective evidence” that Breidenthal violated ethics laws between August and December 2016, when he allegedly received $45,000 in cash payments from Greg Allen for marijuana consulting and to help open a marijuana business in Medford.  In a statement Breidenthal gave to the Ethics Commission, he said he had contacted the Ethics Commission to avoid any possibility of a conflict of interest in his marijuana business.  “A check of Commission records did not reveal any written advice was given to Mr. Breidenthal,” the Ethics Commission review stated. — Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected]. Follow him on www.twitter.com/reporterdm.