• Congressman Garrett (VA-R)

  • Gov. Chris Christy (NJ-R)

  • Colorado 2012

  • California Field Work, Prop 19

COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of September 5, 2014

 

Stories from the week of September 5, 2014

?You Howard Wooldridge? Maybe, who’s asking?: At the Newark airport waiting for my flight to Costa Rica, a young, off-duty NC cop Googled my shirt and figured out who I was. (he will be a detective someday). We had an excellent 45M chat.

Harley as a business expense?: The day after a two hour formal meeting with a member (Diputado) of the Costa Rican Congress, my new amigo approached me. We chatted for a bit about the politics (he had introduced a ground-breaking medical MJ and industrial hemp bill two weeks ago). Then we learned of our mutual love of traveling on our Harleys; he all over Central America and me North America…this helped seal our working relationship. He spoke not a word of English, so my Spanish was crucial.

Fifth Latin-American Conference on Drugs: The front line of the drug prohibition is Central America and I wanted to know how far along they were in wanting change/what could I do to move the change along. All to better prepare for the United Nations efforts in 15 & 16.

Sadly due to a visa issue, LEAP’s President Neill Franklin was missing his aide who was to handle all the Spanish. He asked me to fill in which I gladly did. His schedule was packed with high-level meetings, interviews and the opening of LEAP’s branch in Costa Rica.

The undercurrent of the conference (350 attended) and the meetings was an intense desire to change from the current prohibition approach. Relationships were established which will facilitate that change.

This week’s raw data:

91 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.     03 this week

  • 37 Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)…01 this week
  • 19 major conferences attended..  this week (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions.  etc)  01  this week
  • 28 published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 02 this week

Two meetings

 

  •   COP stats since inception: August 2009

1678 Presentations to Congressional staffers..  this week

54 brief chats with Members of Congress..   00 this week

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

48 Radio Interviews..  00 this week

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

79 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $78,000).. 00 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.    …  Go to: ·       www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org and click on Donate/Join – by credit card or send a check to:
  • Citizens Opposing Prohibition

POB 543

  • Buckeystown, MD 21717

 

 

 

 

Filed under:On the Hill

COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of August 22 & 29, 2014

Stories from the week of August 22 & 29, 2014

Frodo Redux – The Table of Power: COP just finished its fifth year and I was reflecting on what to include in the annual report. About six months ago at Grover’s meeting I sat in a chair at ‘The Big Table.’(17 chairs) Nobody asked me to leave. I sat there the next week and ever since.

This seat-at-the-table gives our message stature and strength. Small step.

Axis of Change: I met with Senator Booker’s (D-NJ) this week and in combo last week’s meeting with Senator Paul’s office, we are laying the groundwork for substantive change in several areas of criminal justice/drug prohibition. NOTE: Booker & Paul are buddies.

Inquiring minds want to know: Going thru security at the House office bldg, the officer & I say hello all the time. This week he wanted to know more about DC’s new decrim law & Colorado (he is going there on vacation, hmmm). Twenty minutes later I began my day. 50 or so mostly staffers saw us chatting….good association.

Travel: Next week I am attending a 3 day drug conference for all of Latin America in San Jose, Costa Rica. About 300 will attend plus reps from the United Nations. The flight, hotel and conference fees cost $1,000 and I believe it will be time/money well spent. Yes, I am studying my Spanish extra hard and given its proximity to the hell in Central America caused by the cartels, I will take my own advice of ‘cuidado.’ (be careful). I WON’T be wearing my t-shirt.

 

This week’s raw data:

1678 Presentations to Congressional staffers.. 12 this week

Two meetings

  •   COP stats since inception: August 2009

54 brief chats with Members of Congress..   00 this week

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

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

48 Radio Interviews..  00 this week

  • 81 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc..    this week
  • 36 Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)… this week
  • 18 major conferences attended..  this week (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions.  etc)    this week
  • 26 published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… this week

79 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $78,000).. 00 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.    …  Go to: ·       www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org and click on Donate/Join – by credit card or send a check to:
  • Citizens Opposing Prohibition

POB 543

  • Buckeystown, MD 21717

 

Filed under:On the Hill

COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of August 15, 2014

 

Stories from the week of August 15, 2014

Frost on the pumpkin: A meeting with a staffer from a Republican, leadership office reminded me of my first year on the Hill. She was cold as ice during the 20 minutes. Upon conclusion, she uttered a terse, “Thank you for coming in.” It has been several years since I had a staffer be that officious.

Global warming is back baby: an hour after the above meeting I stopped into an R office from Texas. The press secretary and aide and I had a robust, 20 minute chat on the issue in the reception area. They described their efforts and frustrations, as they are trying to convince the Boss to adopt a 10th Amendment approach to marijuana. Another aide came in and asked my views of horse slaughter for meat. Another 5 minute, lively roundhouse discussion. Such encounters really help, especially after Ms. Icecube above.

Serious question anyone? Anyone at all? I gave the Grover Norquist meeting my quarterly update on Colorado; teen use is down, violent crime is down, fatal car accidents are down, unemployment is down nearly 1%, etc. Asking for questions, all I got was, ‘ how are sales of the Frito Lay Corporation!!!’ I am telling you, this is progress, since I began attending 5 years ago.

Parlez-vous Spanish? I had a 4:00 meeting with a staffer from Rand Paul’s office. He was running late and the receptionist & I were chatting. I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. He said his major was French and he was looking at the State Dept. I replied I spoke French. He broke into French and we chatted for a minute or so. (the office stopped, including the press secretary who had come in…probably in disbelief that a cowboy spoke French).

My staffer came in during the French chat. He said he spoke Spanish. I asked him a relatively simple question in Spanish. He replied in English that his Spanish was a little weak.

It is not every day I have the chance to showcase my skills with four staffers of a US Senator. BTW, the staffer who had studied Spanish had no hard feelings about the incident. I gave him some tips on how to use his limited Spanish to enhance the reputation of the Boss.

I had a nice mention in a blog this week: text & URL at very bottom

 

This week raw data:

1666 Presentations to Congressional staffers.. 24 this week

  •   COP stats since inception: August 2009

54 brief chats with Members of Congress..   00 this week

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

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

48 Radio Interviews..  00 this week

  • 81 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc..    this week
  • 36 Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)… this week
  • 18 major conferences attended..  this week (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions.  etc)    this week
  • 26 published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… this week

79 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $78,000).. 00 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.    …  Go to: ·       www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org and click on Donate/Join – by credit card or send a check to:
  • Citizens Opposing Prohibition

POB 543

  • Buckeystown, MD 21717
  • https://www.opensecrets.org/news/issues/marijuana/
  • Pharmaceutical Corporations. Retired police officer turned anti-drug war lobbyist Howard Wooldridge told the Republic Report in 2012 that one of his biggest opponents on Capitol Hill was the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), given that marijuana can “take[e] the place of everything from Advil to Vicodin and other expensive pills.” PhRMA is certainly an organization to be reckoned with. In 2013 alone PhRMA spent nearly $18 million on lobbying, ranking it ninth in spending among all lobbying clients. Drug manufacturers gave big in the 2012 elections — nearly $21.8 million to various federal candidates and committees as well as the parties.

 

Filed under:On the Hill

COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of July 25 & August 1 & 8, 2014

 

 

 

Stories from the week of July 25 & August 1 & 8, 2014

Trying to light a fire:  Before taking a six day trip to Wisconsin to meet the new babies of my God kids and some needed R&R, I spent two whole days  emailing all 535 offices.     I am/was trying to show them the ‘children on the border’ c should be called ‘Drug War Refugees.’  So far that idea has only been picked up by a few papers and Robert Reich, Clinton’s labor secretary.

Preparation meets opportunity:   The staffer from a major European country and I had lunch in DC this week.  We spoke for 90 minutes in his language.  We established our relationship and agreed we need to end this world-wide drug prohibition.  We parted with my pledge to gather materials he could use to convince his government that it was in their interest to support the LEAP position. Note: LEAP Board Member Jim Gierach wrote and produced a booklet  which calls for an end to world-wide drug prohibition.  I gave my contact a copy.

Every ten years the United Nations has a special assembly to discuss drug prohibition.  The next takes place in New York in 2016.  There is time to change the world & I will do what I can.

Summer reading assignment:  I participated in a sanctioned House briefing on Tuesday.  LEAP speaker and former military police officer Dean Becker of the Drug Truth Network encouraged the federal govt. to read his book this summer.  To End the War on Drugs is a compilation of over 100 experts who have been guests on his radio program.  Dean, from Houston, & I go back 17 years.  It was a pleasure to help him.

At the very bottom is a report on the conference I attended in NYC/United Nations a month ago..  As you can read, the cracks in drug prohibition have spread to the UN.  I still chuckle remembering the Mexican rep informing us that Colorado marijuana has penetrated the Mexican market.

Cheerful news, again:  Two votes show bipartisan support for our issue: In late July  The Houses cast two votes  in support of ‘normalizing’ banking services to state-legal marijuana businesses. By a vote of 231-192, which included almost every Democrat and 50 odd Republicans, this was a demonstration that the Congress is well on the road to applying the 10th Amendment to marijuana policy.

This week raw data:

1642 Presentations to Congressional staffers.. 17 this week

48 Radio Interviews..  02 this week

2 briefings and one hearing on DUI marijuana.

 

  •   COP stats since inception: August 2009

54 brief chats with Members of Congress..   02 this week

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

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

  • 81 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc..    this week
  • 36 Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)… this week
  • 18 major conferences attended..  this week (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions.  etc)    this week
  • 26 published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… this week

79 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $78,000).. 00 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.    …  Go to: ·       www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org and click on Donate/Join – by credit card or send a check to:
  • Citizens Opposing Prohibition

POB 543

  • Buckeystown, MD 21717

Original URL:

http://idpc.net/blog/2014/07/preparing-for-the-2016-ungass-on-drugs-an-opportunity-we-can-t-afford-to-miss

The limited impact of repressive drug polices in reducing drug markets, as well as the increased harms caused by these policies, has now been widely recognized. To Ambassador Jean-Francis Régis Zinsou of Benin, “the importance of this topic no longer needs to be explained.” States have begun to create new national policies that they believe will more effectively address the harms caused by drugs. Ambassador Zinsou highlighted the most pertinent example when he described the recent marijuana reforms in several countries as “an admission of the failure of repressive policies.” Although the diverging perspectives between states increase the difficulty of constructive international dialogue, it is this fragmented consensus that makes the UNGASS so important. This was emphasized by the event moderator Mike Trace, Chair of IDPC, who also noted that the flexibility of the UN drug conventions is being stretched as states pursue their own policies. According to Mr. Trace, there is no longer any security in maintaining the current approach to international drug policy and the UNGASS is the ideal opportunity to discuss a new strategy.

Ambassador Yanerit Morgan of Mexico called for the UNGASS to be an “open, inclusive, substantive and comprehensive debate” involving all stakeholders. However, ensuring that such a debate takes place involves careful preparation. As Ambassador Zinsou reminded the audience, in the past, the drug policy debate has been silenced and is still at risk of being pushed to the margins of the international community. To the sponsors of the event, it is the international community’s responsibility to take full advantage of the opportunity presented by the UNGASS.

Dr. Renata Segura, Associate Director of the Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum of the Social Science Research Council, echoed the words of the Ambassadors when she reiterated that while an open debate as a goal sounds modest, it should not be minimized. Without adequate preparation, the international community risks a repeat of the 1998 UNGASS on Drugs, during which the voices of reformers and pragmatists were silenced by those in favor of the status quo.

Dr. Roberto Dondisch, Director General for Global Issues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Mexico, emphasized that after we have decided on how to prepare for the UNGASS, such as determining what formal structure for engagement and communication must be implemented, we must also decide on what we need to prepare. This bears resemblance to Dr. Segura’s first recommendation: that member states develop their position on drug policy by analyzing the existing evidence and the unique case in their respective countries. Dr. Dondisch stressed that nations must decide what they believe the problem is, namely, the use of drugs or the harms caused by drug use. States must then grasp the different environment that exists today, both internationally and in their nation, in contrast to the context in which the UN drug conventions were adopted. The objectives and strategies that are deemed most suitable will then become that nation’s reference point for discussions at the UNGASS. Mexico’s strategy of comprehensive participation is fundamentally focused on moving from a user-centered approach to a society-centered approach. Nations must prepare for the debate at the 2016 UNGASS by defining their objectives to reflect current circumstances and by identifying corresponding strategies that are ideal for their nation.

 

A representative from the Swiss Mission made a brief statement which reiterated Ambassador Morgan’s emphasis on the need for openness and transparency to promote a constructive discussion at the UNGASS. As Dr. Segura advised, Switzerland believes the inclusion of civil society and UN agencies other than UNODC is essential to the preparatory process. The Swiss representative also called for drug policies to be based on human rights, public health principles and scientific evidence. For Switzerland, the 2016 UNGASS should prepare the international community for the 2019 review of the 2009 Political Declaration and Plan of Action.

Filed under:On the Hill

COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of July 18, 2014

Stories from the week of July 18, 2014

I love New York:  Due to my participation in the United Nations drug conference in Austria this spring, I was invited to a planning session for UNGAAS 2016 ( every ten years the UN discusses how their world-wide prohibition is working). After introducing myself as the Co-Founder of LEAP & my standard statement to all such meetings: “The War on Drugs/Drug Prohibition has been the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow.”

(UNGASS = United Nations General Assembly Special Session)

To the panel and 75 attendees I proposed: ‘It was my professional experience as a police detective that drug prohibition or War on Drugs increased pain, suffering, death and crime. I propose that before UNGASS 2016 that the United Nation direct the Member States to conduct research as to what causes more pain, suffering, death and crime; the consumption of drugs or their prohibition?’

Immediately the representative from Sweden pushed back saying, ‘Sweden wants a drug free world & we should work towards that goal.’ Such is the typical thinking/statements (I heard ad nauseum in Vienna) 53 years after the first international treaty prohibiting six (6) drugs.

After the meeting ended I had a half dozen chats with panel members & others (the Mexican panel member heartily agreed with my proposal) & all were positive to my proposal.   I should point out that in my two encounters with the UN, nobody speaks ‘plain’ English or proposes much that is sensible (when the microphone is on).

BTW, the Swedish rep – a former police officer – came over and we chatted for 4-5 minutes. On a personal/police basis we found much common ground.

More Crown Royal: On Wednesday the House voted 231-192 to ‘normalize’ banking operations for marijuana-based businesses in the 34 states with such laws. Wow. I am still knocked out by a winning vote.. Yikes!   I am running low on Crown.

A shout out to Michael Collins of DPA and Michael Correia of The Cannabis Industry and the others who worked long and hard for the above winning vote.

This week raw data:

1625 Presentations to Congressional staffers.. 15 this week

54 brief chats with Members of Congress..   02 this week (Nadler & Danny Davis)

46 Radio Interviews..  02 this week

 

  •   COP stats since inception: August 2009

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

  • 10 Conversations (five minutes or longer) with Member of Congress..  0 this week
  • 81 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc..    this week
  • 36 Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)… this week
  • 18 major conferences attended..  this week (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions.  etc)    this week
  • 26 published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… this week

79 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $75,000).. 00 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.    …  Go to: ·       www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org and click on Donate/Join – by credit card or send a check to:
  • Citizens Opposing Prohibition

POB 543

  • Buckeystown, MD 21717

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed under:On the Hill