Cops on the Hill: Stories from the week of August 20, 2021

Cops on the Hill

Stories from the week of August 20, 2021

 Making a Contribution:  After an 18-month halt/hiatus, anti-tax guy Grover Norquist is again holding a live meeting of his “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement” at his DC headquarters.  Simply grand it was to see and chat with the 150 leaders who attend.

One of his guests spoke of the need to legalize/regulate marijuana in all 50 states.  Grover had a very technical question which the guest could not answer, so he called on me.  I explained the nuance between drugs in schedules 1-5, drugs controlled by the GRAS rules* and the two drugs which are outside the entire system: alcohol and tobacco.  My advice for the group was to support any move to deschedule marijuana, just like alcohol/tobacco are.

It’s cool, when a drug policy question comes up and all eyes turn to me for the answer they can trust.

*Generally Recognized As Safe (& Effective)

These weeks:

3635 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 06 this week..

Meetings this week:  01-Grover’s center-right:

COP stats since inception: August 2009

398 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.: 0 this week –

330 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 0

92 Radio Interviews… 0 this week

207 interviews and reports in minor media …0 this week.

107 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week

44 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss, French, Spanish TV and radio) Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Grand Rapids Press + 9 other MI papers. Chicago Tribune, Honolulu Star Advertiser {foto and caption}, Reason Magazine, Reuters

31 major conferences attended – (UN drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 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.”

* 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 drug prohibition. COP provides that voice. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org

Howard ‘Cowboy’ Wooldridge

Detective Officer Howard ‘Cowboy’  Wooldridge, Retired

Founder & Drug Policy Specialist at COP Citizens Opposing Prohibition.org

Co-Founder of Law Enforcement Action Partnership(www.LEAP.cc)

howardwooldridge0@gmail.com

817-975-1110 (cell)

Metro Washington DC

The War on Drugs/Drug Prohibition has been the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow

Audentes Fortuna Iuvat / Fortuna Eruditis Favet – Fortune Favors the Bold

Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way

Cops on the Hill: Stories from the week of August 6 and 13th, 2021

 Personal Understanding:   I had a couple of xcl chats these two weeks.  One House staffer’s mom was an alcoholic who finally went sober.  The staffer’s understanding of addiction and treatment vs punishment was refreshing.  That she is in an R office is a bonus.

Senate support:  I finished the week with a long chat with a Senate staffer on Friday, whose boss is a doctor.  The POV is that yes, the medical community should be the profession helping drug abusers, not jails and punishment.  And this was again an R office…gives me some confidence that change will happen.

These weeks:

3629 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 11 this weeks..

Meetings this weeks:  02-Grover’s center-right:  DC Harm Reduction group

COP stats since inception: August 2009

398 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.: 0 this week –

330 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 0

92 Radio Interviews… 0 this week

207 interviews and reports in minor media …0 this week.

107 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week

44 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss, French, Spanish TV and radio) Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Grand Rapids Press + 9 other MI papers. Chicago Tribune, Honolulu Star Advertiser {foto and caption}, Reason Magazine, Reuters

31 major conferences attended – (UN drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 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.”

* 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 drug prohibition. COP provides that voice. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org

Cops on the Hill: Stories from the week of July 30, 2021

Almost broke a sweat:  8 presentations this week.

Cowboy Hat:  I had a good chat with a staffer I had met before.  He ended the chat, saying he hoped Nancy would open the buildings back up because “I miss seeing you and the cowboy hat going up and down the hallway.”  He is from downtown Chicago… Made my day.

This week:

3618 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 08 this week..

Meetings this week:  01-Grover’s center-right

COP stats since inception: August 2009

398 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.: 0 this week –

330 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 0

92 Radio Interviews… 0 this week

207 interviews and reports in minor media …0 this week.

107 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week

44 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss, French, Spanish TV and radio) Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Grand Rapids Press + 9 other MI papers. Chicago Tribune, Honolulu Star Advertiser {foto and caption}, Reason Magazine, Reuters

31 major conferences attended – (UN drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 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.”

* 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 drug prohibition. COP provides that voice. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org

Cops on the Hill: Stories from the week of July 23, 2021

Another slow week with only 5 presentations.

 One Bright Spot:    one office asked for my opinion/knowledge on the topic of hallucinogens being used to treat USA vets.  Thankfully, I attended a briefing on this topic in December of 2019.  I have referred her to a colleague, a vet, who knows the topic 10 times better than I.

This week:

3610 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 05 this week..

Meetings this week:  02-Grover’s center-right & group preparing a paper on how to legalize all drugs.

COP stats since inception: August 2009

398 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.: 0 this week –

330 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 0

92 Radio Interviews… 0 this week

207 interviews and reports in minor media …0 this week.

107 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week

44 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss, French, Spanish TV and radio) Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Grand Rapids Press + 9 other MI papers. Chicago Tribune, Honolulu Star Advertiser {foto and caption}, Reason Magazine, Reuters

31 major conferences attended – (UN drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 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.”

* 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 drug prohibition. COP provides that voice. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org

Cops on the Hill: Stories from the week of July 16, 2021

Another slow week with only 6 presentations.

What Timing!!:   A few days after I wrote how hard it is to meet with R offices, I received my best ever response from an R office, essentially saying, “Go Away.”

The Chief of Staff wrote a nice note and I  responded….total text below and informative.

From Last Week

FWIW: ¾ of the offices yet to do are Republican.  Since my arrival in 2005, this ratio has always been true, especially in the House.  If a staffer knows the Member would vote no and the staffer has no personal interest in being educated, it is nigh on impossible to have a short chat.

After multiple attempts, I do CC their supervisor, the Legislative Director and the scheduler.  When the Congress opens up, I will go door to door again, which yields some meetings.

Howard—

The Congressman maintains his position that keeping certain drugs illegal is beneficial.   His view is that it is inconsistent enforcement and incarceration that has led to a drug policy failure.   Indonesia does not suffer rampant drug abuse, like an opioid epidemic, because it does not tolerate illegal drugs to the degree that is done here.

We can chat with the Congressman, but I do not think he has backed away from his support of drug prohibition.

Chief Legal Counsel

Office of Congressman XXXXX

XXXX Rayburn HOB

Washington, DC

202-XXX-XXX

Morning Tom,

I deeply appreciate you taking the time to respond and give office’s POV.

Since after 50 years of Drug War and a trillion dollars spent, and Congressman XXXXX still believes the solution is the criminal justice system, I am confident nothing will change his outlook.  Probably save your time for something else, unless he wants to know what is coming up in judiciary this year.

As a 501C3 non-profit, I am obligated to be neutral in presenting any information.  I will include your office in any updates regarding the War on Drugs.  I will cease any attempts at further educating your staff via a one-on-one presentation.

Sincerely,

This week:

3610 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 06 this week..

Meetings this week:  01-Grover’s center-right

207 interviews and reports in minor media …01 this week.

COP stats since inception: August 2009

398 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.: 0 this week –

330 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 0

92 Radio Interviews… 0 this week

107 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week

44 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss, French, Spanish TV and radio) Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Grand Rapids Press + 9 other MI papers. Chicago Tribune, Honolulu Star Advertiser {foto and caption}, Reason Magazine, Reuters

31 major conferences attended – (UN drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 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.”

* 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 drug prohibition. COP provides that voice. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org