COP on the Hill Stories from the week of December 17, 2015

COP on the Hill

Stories from the week of December 17, 2015

Evolving: The most common response in 2015 to: What are the views of the Senator on drug prohibition? – was ‘his/her position is evolving.’ This is a wonderful verb. On Monday I was able to ask (in Spanish, natch) the new Mexican foreign minister, Senora Ruiz-Massieu, why after 100,000 Mexican dead her government still supports marijuana prohibition. She replied, ‘the position of my govt. is evolving on that issue.’ Sweet music to my ears, it was.

Oops: My meeting with Ted, a new aide to Senator Rubio, started by him telling me his dad from Mexico and his mom was from Canada where he was born…I responded, ‘kind of like the story of Ted Cruz.’ Oops….those two presidential candidates are not exactly nice to each other. We quickly moved on to the topic at hand.

Letters to Germany & France:   I took out time this week to send letters to my contacts at the French and German embassies… In the age of ISIS & the attacks in France and the USA can we agree that drug prohibition is a luxury the world can no longer afford? This was the theme of the letters. We need all police/federal agents ‘hands on deck’ to reduce the number of attacks. I urged them to have their governments modify the UN Drug Treaty of 1961 to at least end the world prohibition of marijuana.

Why I fight:   Of all the harms associated with drug prohibition, my primary concern has always been the teenagers hurt or killed because of their job dealing drugs.   The irony does not escape me that non-teen dealers do not like the COP mission, as it will eliminate their lucrative income source.

Last newsletter of 2015…next week most of the offices are closed till 2016

If you are looking for a Christmas gift, see bottom for an idea

107 personal chats with a Member of Congress..  02 this week

2003 Presentations to Congressional staffers..  13 this week

154chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.     02 this week

2 meetings this week

  COP stats since inception: August 2009

92 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc..   0 this week.

23 major conferences attended –  (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review,  etc)  this week

60 Radio Interviews..  0 this week

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

39 published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 00 this week

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

*   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