COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of February 13, 2015

Stories from the week of February 13, 2015

Wink, wink – nod, nod: Making the rounds this week at House offices, I had a staffer inform me his boss was never going to let go of the drug war. He then whispered that several in the office were not in agreement with the boss and gave me a big wink. Just made my day.

Sir Walter Raleigh II: Finishing the day, I was in the back of the elevator, when it stopped on 4. Freshman Congresswoman Barbara Comstock (R-VA) was there with an aide. She said she would wait for the next one. I cried out, “Will no one give up their place for the new Congresswoman from Virginia?”

Sure enough, one gentleman stepped out, insisted she take the spot. She did and the aide used the stairs. I was able to introduce myself and the mission. She is a regular at Grover Norquist meetings = I certainly don’t learn/recognize many Members.

New Allies:   www.ThirdWay.org hosted a breakfast of all the major players in the MJ reform movement. 17 of us showed up. May I say it was an impressive group of trouble-makers. Third Way is a center left think tank of moderate size/influence that just added marijuana as one of their issues.  They will be a force going forward.

This week’s raw data:

1739  Presentations to Congressional staffers..  13 this week

               60 brief chats with Members of Congress..   02 this week (Barbara Comstock – R/VA & Juan Vargas – D/CA)

   02  meetings this week

•   COP stats since inception: August 2009

108 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.     0 this week

12 Conversations (five minutes or longer) with Member of Congress..  0  this week

• 20 major conferences attended..   (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review,  etc) 0 this week
• 81 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc..    0 this week

53 Radio Interviews..  0 this week

80 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $79,000).. 0 this week

 38  Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC)…0 this week (BBC)

• 28published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine…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.”
• Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 or more per year.   All contributions are tax-deductible.  30 dollars buys all the copy paper COP uses in one year.   Law Enforcement’s voice in opposition to current policy is vital on the Hill to achieve a repeal of federal prohibition.  COP provides that voice.  www.citizensopposingprohibition.org