PLYMOUTH � How do you go from top dog to rock bottom?

That�s a question Medical Marijuana of Massachusetts, or MMM, has for Karen van Unen of the state�s Executive Office of Health and Human Services, who denied the company�s application for a license to open marijuana dispensaries in Plymouth, Mashpee and Taunton after giving MMM�s application the highest marks in the applicant pool.

MMM is appealing that decision on the grounds it was made in response to pressure from the governor�s office and state legislators, and not for any legitimate reason.

A judge is now allowing MMM to depose van Unen, documenting her answers to questions for use as evidence to support the company�s claim that the state�s Department of Public Health buckled under political pressure and violated its own regulations when it inappropriately revetted MMM�s entire application.

The deposition was scheduled for Oct. 9 in Boston.

MMM�s plan to locate marijuana dispensaries in Plymouth, Mashpee and Taunton was mired in politics last spring when the company was denied a license after being told it had passed the second phase of the application process with flying colors, scoring the highest of all the applicants.

According to the denial letter, the crux of the conflict swirled around conversations, among other issues, and whether MMM representatives had implied something they shouldn�t have in the company�s application about the support it had received from Senate President Therese Murray, D-Plymouth.

MMM fired back that its reference to Murray was purely to provide full disclosure about those to whom the company had spoken regarding its proposed clinics and there was never any reference to suggest support from those people.

In his memorandum on the motion to take van Unen�s deposition, the judge wrote: "On January 31, 2014 the defendant notified MMM that all three of its Phase 2 applications had been selected for a provisional certificate of registration. All three, in fact, had been scored 160 out of a possible 163 points, the highest score awarded to any Phase 2 RMD applicant."

Once MMM received its high marks, reporters descended, questioning Delahunt�s relationship with Department of Public Health Commissioner Cheryl Bartlett and suggesting that they were friends and that favoritism was involved in the decision.

But Bartlett didn�t make the decision.

According to the judge�s memorandum, MMM is using an email from Cheryl Bartlett in which she references these allegations.

"In the email, the commissioner discusses, at length, media criticism directed at her concerning the medical marijuana program," the memorandum reads. "The email details the commissioner�s minimal contacts with Delahunt, and her removal of herself from the RDM selection process by hiring �an executive director for the program��"

That executive director was van Unen.

Later in the email, according to the memorandum, Bartlett writes that van Unen received "directives" from both the secretary and the governor before making her final recommendations. It�s this reference to "directives" that concerns MMM because it seems to suggest political influence. The email goes on to say that once Delahunt�s group received its top scores those who were not selected mobilized, hiring attorneys and contacting the press claiming that Delahunt and Bartlett had a friendship that swayed the state�s decision.

MMM Community Affairs Consultant Kevin O�Reilly said MMM has spent more than $1 million already � $500,000 for the application process and another $500,000 on improvements to the building in the Plymouth Industrial Park where the growing and processing was to be located.

"What we�re hoping is that the judge will rule we can move forward with the three dispensaries that were approved," O�Reilly said. "If the judge rules that the process was flawed we should be able to be reinstated."

One of MMM�s arguments hinges on the state Department of Public Health�s own regulations, which were drafted to delineate the application process for medical marijuana dispensaries. In them, O�Reilly said, the DPH contends that Phase 2 of the process was focused on inspecting the facilities to make sure they were in compliance. But rather than stick to the DPH�s own process, O�Reilly said van Unen instead opted to review the three applications all over again.

It just doesn�t make sense, he added, noting it suggests political influence was brought to bear.

Wherever the truth lies, MMM is now moving ahead without its political ties.

Delahunt stepped down as president of Medical Marijuana of Massachusetts in September in order to play a leadership role with a new entity that hopes to develop cutting-edge addiction centers in New England. He said he supported medical marijuana use because studies suggest it acts as a painkiller for some patients, effectively replacing the need for opiates, which can and often do lead to heroin addiction. One of the reasons Delahunt cited for becoming involved with MMM was to help address the state�s heroin epidemic.

Follow Emily Clark on Twitter @emilyOCM.