COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of March 2 & 9, 2018

COP on the Hill:
Stories from the week of March 2 & 9, 2018

These two weeks were filled with sick days. A bit of the flu and it left me with no energy, no voice. Shucks. I did go to two meetings at Grover ( I wore a mask). I had a good chat with a guy running for Congress and another with a woman running for the House in Ohio. Nurse Cratchett (AKA my wife Karen) ordered me to bed rest and that was that.

At Grover’s I had a 10-minute chat with a guy putting together a briefing in the House on the nexus of terrorism / Hezbollah being financed by the sale/traffic in illegal drugs. He agreed at the outset how legalization would cut off this billion dollar + stream of money. No convincing needed. He added that the power structure in Congress is nowhere near allowing a macro discussion on our Drug War.

This is part of a memo from my NORML colleague Justin Strekal…it articulates what I have been saying about how we are coordinating our efforts and intelligence in DC for the first time ever.

“To the best of my knowledge, we’re entering into an unprecedented level of cooperation between the advocacy community and industry when it comes to addressing policy at the federal level. By dividing the appropriations committee among us, we will ensure that each office is hit at least once and by the individual who has the deepest ties with that office.

Between the economic incentive of the newly state-legal marketplaces and the non-profit forces assembled representing patients, social justice, criminal justice, and civil rights constituencies, we have a real shot to break new ground here by moving our shared federal priorities through the committee process due to the unprecedented obstructionism displayed by Rules Chair Pete Sessions. “

This week’s stats:

239 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 02 this week (candidate running for Congress & one for state House in Ohio)

Meetings – 3

COP stats since inception: August 2009
152 interviews and reports in minor media = 0 this week.
2709 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 0 this week
254 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 0 this week
Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders. Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
84 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $83,000) 0 this week
43 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
75 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. This week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss. French TV and radio) 0 this week
28 major conferences attended – (United Nations drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 00 this week
83 Radio Interviews. 0 this week

* Consider being a member of COP at $40.00 or more per year. All contributions are tax-deductible. 40 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