The Mansour Effect: Corrupt Detroit Politicos Get Rich Off the Backs of Cancer Patients
Corruption is running wild throughout our political system, and the Michigan medical marijuana program is in jeopardy because of it. The city of Detroit is set to pass rules to put many medical marijuana distribution centers out of business at the behest of politically-connected special interests.
Political activist George Brikho, former 9th District Congressional Candidate and owner of Edenz Hydro Gardening Store, is outraged by these developments, and refuses to take them lying down.
“It is crony capitalism, bar none,” Brikho said. “The medical marijuana dispensary system is bringing much -needed prosperity back into Detroit. We are bringing sustainable jobs that are putting people to work and feeding families without any taxpayer money being spent to do so. And this is what the city council is so concerned about and wants to stop? Shame on them all.”
Strict new zoning regulations are likely to be passed by the Detroit city council. These regulations are completely arbitrary, and would put a large number of dispensary owners out of business instantly. Conveniently, the “Reef”, a dispensary run by Terrence Mansour, President of the Michigan Cannabis Development Association, is unaffected by the ordinance. Brikho says this is not happening because of mere coincidence.
“I was there, and I can personally attest to the fact that Terrence is working on a deal to give a Detroit city council member and their significant other a 10 percent cut of the action from his dispensary to pass these new rules,” Brikho said. “It’s a pay-to-play system that is being created by these dirty, corrupt bureaucrats and the fat cats like Mansour who own them. This is a heist that is taking place. It’s criminal.”
Brikho also points to Mansour as being responsible for bringing infamous real estate developer, Ron Boji, into the fold. According to Brikho, they have been working feverishly to crush common sense medical marijuana reform in Lansing. Mansour, Boji and his associates want to add unnecessary transportation rules into important medical marijuana legislation that would allow their cronies to secure what amounts to a very lucrative kickback – with patients, caregivers and dispensary owners picking up the tab.
“Whenever there is some crooked low-life dealings going down to the medical marijuana industry, it seems as if the crook Terrence Mansour is always right in the middle of them,” Brikho said. “He has ruined many businesses partnerships because of his seedy and unethical behavior.”
Mansour’s poor professional reputation lends additional credibility to Brikho’s claims. Within his own organization, Mansour has experienced immense controversy stemming from accusations that he illegally purged opposition members from the group. Peter P. Cimeot and Patric Wimberly were terminated from the MCDA Board of Directors, and they claim their expulsion broke the organization’s bylaws and was orchestrated by Mansour.
“It is apparent that Peter P. Cimeot and Patric Wimberly have been removed from MCDA membership, and I from the Director’s Board, illegally,” Peter Cimeot wrote in a letter from Feb. 2015 to the MCDA. “The MCDA bylaws… state that any Director may not be removed other than by a unanimous decision of all current directors. No such vote was ever taken as neither myself, nor my business partner, Patric Wimberly, were notified of a meeting for same. ”
Cimeot and Wimberly claim that they were harassed by MCDA lobbyist, Duke Tallandier, who reportedly yelled obscenities at them before quitting the organization. However, Mansour called Cimeot and informed him that Tallandier would be re-instated in spite of his hostile, abusive, unprofessional behavior. Cimeot strongly objected to this decision, and Mansour demanded his resignation. When he refused, he and his partner Wimberly were booted from the organization in a seemingly clear violation of the rules.
Mansour apparently runs MCDA like his own personal fiefdom, and he treats hard-working taxpayers and medical marijuana patients with the same contempt and disrespect as his business associates. It has gotten so bad that even caught the attention of the mainstream media, who put Mansour and his criminal associates in the public spotlight for their shady dealings.
Mansour, Boji and State Rep. Klint Kesto were profiled in a recent FOX 2 Detroit report about corrupt players in the medical marijuana industry. Brikho was even mentioned in the report while Kesto was being interviewed. Although the legislators played dumb when confronted by the journalists, the allegations of dirty money is very difficult to ignore.
“Kesto tried to laugh off my legitimate concerns,” Brikho said. “But he’s fooling nobody. Word is spreading that he is a snake, criminal and a villain, and I won’t stop until everyone knows his true nature.”
“I am happy to see that FOX 2 News picked up on this corruption as well,” Brikho said. “It is very refreshing to see mainstream media focus on this controversy, and call out the bad guys. Hopefully, many Detroit residents were awakened to the special interest power-grab that is in the works by the likes of Mansour and Boji, and how puppets like Klint Kesto do their bidding in Lansing.”
Along with the many others in the community, Brikho and his partners are fighting for a patient-centric medical marijuana industry where dispensary owners are successful based upon the quality of medicine and service that they provide through the marketplace. On the other hand, criminals like Mansour are pushing for an industry dictated by bureaucrats giving privileged deals to cozy special interests, at the expense of their competitors and sick patients who desperately need their medicine.
In spite of recent turmoil, the fight is far from over. Brikho has another trick up his sleeve that he feels will come through in the end.
“There is a way to get around all of this nonsense,” Brikho said. “The people are much more wise than their politicians. So if the corrupt city council won’t do what is right, we will take the issue directly to the public.”
“When the people have a chance to give the finger to criminal corrupt corporate vulture like Mansour, I am confident that they will make the right choice,” Brikho said. “Public anger toward these type of people is very high, and growing by the minute. The people’s voice will be heard before it’s all said and done, one way or another.”