Thompson looking into Ukiah DEA action

Thompson looking into Ukiah DEA action
By SETH FREEDLAND/The Daily Journal

Saturday, December 24, 2005 -

Clay Young, the Ukiah resident who denounced the sudden entrance into his home by six federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents two weeks ago, has found an ally in his hunt for more information: the federal government.

North Coast Congressman Mike Thompson's office is currently investigating the DEA action, a spokesman from Thompson's Washington, D.C., office said. In casual parlance, the office has 'opened a case,' but the spokesman, Press Secretary Matt Gerien, cautioned against seeing it as a legal proceeding.

'Essentially, (Young) has authorized us to look into what happened,' Gerien said.

Heidi Dickerson, a district representative for Thompson, has been 'very proactive,' Young said. Dickerson sent a letter to the San Francisco DEA office, he said, and is currently waiting for a response.

'It feels good to have the representative working on this,' Young said. 'This is what passes for progress with these things.'

Last week, Young spoke in front of the Board of Supervisors to call for more county interaction with federal action in Mendocino County. He added that he will soon ask newly appointed Sheriff Kevin Broin to look at the federal-local relationship in the upcoming weeks.

Seth Freedland can be reached at udjsf@pacific.net ."