Cops on the Hill: Stories from the weeks of March 11, 2022

 Sky Above – Mud Below:

I had a most excellent chat with Senator Merkley’s (D-OR) aide for criminal justice.  The topic was Oregon’s, one-year, positive experience with total drug decrim.  She asked for and received the names of six, Senate, Republican staffers who expressed interest/support for the concept.  In the past 14 months, Majority Leader Schumer has only expressed in marijuana legislation and his aide will not take a meeting.  I am still pushing for a companion, decrim bill in the Senate.

The next day I had a good chat with the aide of my Congressman Trone (D-MD). She gave one excuse after another to do nothing on the topic of learning about the effective Swiss heroin treatment program.  Example: ‘you can’t imagine how difficult it is, the many hoops a Member has to jump thru to get approval for foreign travel.’  She ended the chat saying that, ‘no, CMan Trone will not talk to someone on the House Health committee about the Swiss approach.  Rather, I should do that and influence a Member to learn more.  Un, bleeping believable… = Mud Below

Me thinks the $40-billion Drug Treatment Industry has effectively bought our Congress and President.

My two-minute chat with freshman, Republican House Member Nancy Mace (R-SC) was refreshing and productive. I am not allowed to say on what we agreed.    She introduced last year the best, most comprehensive marijuana repeal bill I have seen in my 15 years on the Hill.   She was the first woman to graduate from The Citadel military academy in SC and it showed.  Wow!