MassPot

2 - So what? If it's legal - I've heard rumors to that effect - then what the hell does it matter?

While I agree with you. It's illegal still on a federal level. Much of the DOT money comes from federal contracts so drug testing is mandatory and the DOT has a zero tolerance on drug usage.

Sure it's just a plant.. but where there's smoke, there's probably a fire.

I don't think that applies to an office building, especially a state-owned building.

2. You can only have marijuana plants at your own residence.

1. You still get the plant tested at the state lab in order to see if it is an actual marijuana plant or not if you want to bring charges (or take some HR action against an employee).

...it's a little more complicated than it seems.
Don't smoke if you have a CDL or you can kiss it goodbye on a drug test.
Maybe the cute fool should have just kept it home.

They are being smart and having it tested. That way, they don't get sued if it isn't pot.

I have a friend who does landscaping at a large zoo and there is a native plant growing there that looks like a pot plant to the very untrained eye. He is constantly having to deal with a dimwit security suppository who insists that these plants MUST BE POT PLANTS and keeps accusing my friend of growing pot plants even though the dimwit does not have a degree in horticulture nor any experience in xerescaping with native plants. Dimwit has been told and shown repeatedly what type of plant it is (it doesn't even smell like pot), and this has gone so far that he has been told that if he calls the cops again about it he will be fired.

MSP are apparently much smarter than a dimwit zoo security guard with DAREmania. They are getting an expert opinion.

1) If you read the transcript rather than the blurb at the link, State Police taped a note on the window telling the employee with the pot plant that "if they like their job, they should remove the plant". A photo of this was sent to Channel 5 who asked the police about it who said when they searched the building when MassDOT made them aware of the situation, they found no evidence of the plant. So, basically, the cops did the right thing by not cracking skulls and now there's no crime to investigate on it after the fact...but it's become a thing due to the photo and the employee(s) are in trouble for it. At the same time the Statie who posted the note isn't going to come forwards and say they didn't crack skulls, so MSP is going with the official line that they didn't post the note, it must have been someone else pretending to be a patrolman playing a joke on the office worker who had the plant in the window.

2) The law is that it's legal at your primary residence (that's right, no growing at your summer home on the Cape...or your state office window). It also can't be visible to the naked eye from the street (which it was for the cops to put their note on it).

This isn't 'nam. There are rules.

Take a mental vacation!