COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of June 7, 2014

Stories from the week of June 7, 2014

Now what? Post vote strategy:  I reached for the phone to pick the brain of Aaron Houston, former lobbyist for MPP.  I have always considered him the man with the ‘savoir faire’ for our side in DC.  His advice was simple and direct:  focus on the 42 Republicans who voted our way last week and convince them to co-sponsor HR 1523 (the other 7 are already co-sponsors).  So, in the coming weeks I will re-contact those offices with a special request to co-sponsor. NOTE:  I should have the vote analysis from Dan Riffle of MPP by next week.

If you were naughty:  As I made the rounds this week, I left each office with a message for the Member.  If they voted for continuing the DEA medical marijuana raids I said this:

‘Please tell the Boss how disappointed hundreds of thousands of police officers are that he voted to have the DEA continue to chase patients, sick people and a green plant.  We hope one day he will come to understand the value of the 10^th AMENDMENT and respect the will of the voters in the 32 States that have medical marijuana.’ (I am throwing in the 10 States which have the new CBD laws for childhood epilepsy).

The dig & emphasis on the 10^th is especially poignant because it was almost always a supposedly states’ rights loving Republican who voted to keep the federal agents busy busting citizens in the various states. (plus 17 cowardly Democrats…like Waxman)

If they were nice:  I said, ‘On behalf of law enforcement please thank the Congressman for his vote to respect the voters who believe the police should not arrest patients who use marijuana. Most of us did not become an officer to chase a green plant,  God’s medicine.  The vote is deeply appreciated.’

1558 Presentations to Congressional staffers..   08 this week

•   COP stats since inception: August 2009
• 56 brief chats with Members of Congress..   this week
• 81 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.     this week
• 41 Radio Interviews..   this week
• 81 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc..    this week
• 36 Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)… this week
• 18 major conferences attended..  this week (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions.  etc)    this week
• 26  published interviews in major (daily)newspapers or magazine… this week

      *   78 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $75,000)..  this week

      *   2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position

• Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders.   Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
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