COP on the Hill: Stories from the week February 8, 2013

COP on the Hill

Stories from the week February 8, 2013

Jumping in the boat:    Below are two emails I received this week.  The Member of the second signed onto the repeal bill.  These letters are becoming typical of staff reaction to the COP message.

Hi Mr. Wooldridge,

Shelby forwarded your e-mail to me.  I’d be happy to speak with you.  I’m pretty flexible with my schedule here on the Hill, so you may call my desk at 202-226-xxxx and schedule a time when it’s convenient for you.

I’m already with you 100% on the issue, so to cut to the chase, a 1-to-3 page policy briefing for my boss would be ideal.  If you have any proposed legislation in mind, bring a draft with you in writing.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Howard,

I just wanted to thank you for coming in to meet with me yesterday and explain your position.  The information and data that you offered will be helpful in the future as Congress addresses some of these issues.  I will make sure that Congressman xxxxx is alerted to the information that you provided in our meeting.  Please feel free to contact me in the future with further information.

REPEAL Bill introduced:  Congressman Jared Polis (CO-D) introduced HR 499 this week.  The wording is substantially the same as last session’s clean and simple Ron Paul/Barney Frank bill to repeal federal prohibition of marijuana.  It already has 11 co-sponsors.  We ended up with 21 co-sponsors last session.  My goal is to double that.  Polis talking points are at the bottom.

Rally the troops:  I drove an hour to Fairfax, VA on Thursday night to address the Northern Virginia NORML chapter.  We had a good crowd and a local reporter made a story and foto of it.  I did my best to give them a sense of what progress has been made in Congress and beyond.  http://fallschurch.patch.com/articles/local-group-high-on-legalizing-pot#photo-13298093

COP stats since inception: August 2009

• 1078 Presentations to Congressional staffers..11 this week
• 30 Appearances on major TV networks (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)
• 22 published interviews in major (daily)newspapers or magazine this week
• 44 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. 1 this week
• 71 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $70,000) =  this week
• 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning my efforts & in support of COP position
• 25 Radio Interviews..1  this week
• 34 brief chats with Members of Congress
• 31 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, etc.
• 11 major conferences attended (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, etc)
• Permanent invitation to 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.   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.   If you agree that Modern Prohibition/War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow and want to be a part of the solution…  Go to:

• www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org and click on Donate/Join – by credit card or send a check to:
• Citizens Opposing Prohibition
• POB 2902
• Washington, DC  20013

Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2013

Rep. Jared Polis (CO-2)

Section-by-Section Summary

Title I: Marijuana Decriminalization

 Removes marijuana from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.

 Maintains the Controlled Substances Act’s current definition of marijuana.

 Prohibits marijuana from being shipped into a state or territory in which marijuana

remains illegal.

 Removes special law enforcement authority given to the Department of Agriculture and

the U.S. Forest Service to pursue individuals producing marijuana on federal land. This

bill does not permit growing of marijuana or hemp on federal land. Growing anything on

federal land without a permit is illegal under federal law; this bill simply reduces the

penalty for growing marijuana and hemp so that the penalties for doing so are in line with

those for growing all other plants.

 Removes marijuana from the list of “dangerous drugs” for which suspected manufacture

or sale can be considered sufficient for the Department of Justice to issue permission for

a wiretap.

Title II: Regulation of Marijuana Like Alcohol

 Adds a “Marijuana” section to the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, ensuring that the

law distinguishes between individuals who grow marijuana for personal use (and are not

subject to any federal registration or permitting requirements) and individuals who are

involved in commercial sale and distribution.

 Requires that commercial producers and distributors of marijuana (in states in which

commercial production and distribution is legal) register for a permit with the Department

of the Treasury. Permits will only be available to producers and distributors who have not

committed a crime within the past five years (unless the crime was for a marijuanarelated

activity that was legal under state law at the time).

 Requires that Treasury charge a fee for each permit. This fee, which closely emulates the

permit-and-fee system for commercial alcohol manufacturers, will be used to offset fully

the cost of all federal oversight and regulation of marijuana.

Title III: Transfer of Federal Marijuana Jurisdiction

 Removes jurisdiction of marijuana regulation from the Drug Enforcement Administration

and gives it to the newly-renamed Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana, Firearms and

Explosives.

 Renames the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau the Alcohol, Tobacco, and

Marijuana Tax and Trade Bureau.

 Requires the Government Accountability Office to review all parts of the U.S. Code

referring to the Controlled Substances Act or other federal drug laws, and to make

recommendations to Congress of any sections that may need to be amended in light of

this legislation.

 Allows a federal agency to continue to set its own drug policy.

COP on the Hill: Stories from the week February 1, 2013

COP on the Hill

Stories from the week February 1, 2013

 Boot Leather:  The House was in recess (AKA working in district) and thus was the most opportune time to meet with legislative aides.  I had 29 meetings.  I will spend almost two  days next week catching up on the paper work that the meetings generate.

Quelle surprise:  I was having lunch with three staffers, when an aide I knew came up to say hello.  I rose and as I was shaking his hand, he began speaking French.  We chatted for two minutes, en français, and he left.  Fortunately, I keep up my French skills at a café on Saturday mornings where about 8 of us chat in French for an hour.  I can only imagine the staffers were fairly shocked that the ‘big buckle’ cowboy speaks fluent French.  It was fun.

NOTE:  When the aide and I met a year ago, I mentioned speaking French to police officers in Switzerland in the context of the describing the Swiss Heroin Assisted Treatment (HAT) program.  He broke into perfect French and we ended the last five minutes of the presentation en Français.

COP stats since inception: August 2009

• 1067 Presentations to Congressional staffers..29 this week
• 30 Appearances on major TV networks (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)
• 21 published interviews in major (daily)newspapers
• 43 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, etc
• 71 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $70,000) =  this week
• 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning my efforts & in support of COP position
• 23 Radio Interviews..1  this week
• 34 brief chats with Members of Congress
• 30 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, etc.
• 11 major conferences attended (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, etc)
• Permanent invitation to 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.   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.   If you agree that Modern Prohibition/War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow and want to be a part of the solution…  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

COP on the Hill: Stories from the week January 25, 2013

COP on the Hill

Stories from the week January 25, 2013

The Good:

I had a 30 second ‘elevator’ chat with an R Congressman from the Southeast.  I told him I represented police officers who did not want to waste time chasing a green plant and guys like Willie Nelson.  His response?  “And it is a horrible waste of tax dollars.”

I met with the chief legal counsel to Congressman Polis who will introduce the bill to repeal the federal prohibition of marijuana.  The bill will be clean and simple, much like in the last session.

Two R offices this week who sat on the fence last session said they will now co-sponsor the repeal bill, citing the robust wins in Colorado and Washington.

One day this week I had an average day of six presentations.  The good was in four of the five R offices the staffer said he agreed completely with the COP mission and ‘what can I do to help?’  Such comments are coming more and more frequently this session.  Wow and what a change from 2005, when I rode into town.

The Bad:

The new chairman of the House Judiciary Committee (Goodlatte from Virginia) has almost the same mentality as Lamar Smith the former chairman.  Do not expect a hearing/vote on the new bill.

Short of a miracle, I agree with Keith Stroup of NORML.  A vote by the Congress on total repeal will not take place for at least 6 years.  However, if present trends continue, the vote to repeal will pass.

The Ugly:  Besides urging the Members to support the repeal bill, I am asking them to starve the beast. “Stop giving law enforcement any money.”  This is direct off the sheet I give each aide:

China & others will loan us 6 billion of the 15 billion spent on prohibition by Congress in FY 2014.  3B just for marijuana war.  Return on that investment after a trillion dollars?  Drugs are cheaper, stronger, and readily available to anyone in the USA per federal reports.

On the night of the Texas Inaugural Ball  I ran into the Chief of Staff of a name you would recognize = extra big cheese.  In a ten minute chat I asked him why the Republicans don’t just cut say a 100 billion from our 1 trillion dollar budget deficit…. just to show the world they are serious about cuts.  He sighed and gave me a brief lesson on how the world of Congress works. = Members have obligated themselves (to special interests) to spend 3.8 trillion next year.  The lobbyists/special interests would hurt (politically) the Members, if they did not spend all that money.  Thus, though the Republicans talk about cutting spending and have the power to send those cuts to the Senate, they don’t and they won’t.   Drug Prohibition spending will not be cut.

I was seriously impacted by this chat.  I kind of knew the ‘way of the world’ before he explained.  Now, ain’t no doubt.  As a USA citizen, it was a painful 10 minutes.

Personal Note:  Many of you have asked about Karen.  Please know she is 100% in body and spirit.    Lucky boy I am.

COP stats since inception: August 2009

• 1038 Presentations to Congressional staffers..13 this week
• 30 Appearances on major TV networks (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)
• 21 published interviews in major (daily)newspapers
• 43 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, etc
• 71 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $70,000) = 1 this week
• 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning my efforts & in support of COP position
• 22 Radio Interviews
• 34 brief chats with Members of Congress
• 30 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, etc.
• 11 major conferences attended (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, etc)
• Permanent invitation to 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.   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.   If you agree that Modern Prohibition/War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow and want to be a part of the solution…  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

This LTE was published by the Dallas Morning News on January 6, 2013

Pot laws a danger to kids

Re: “Which way on marijuana? — Legalization movement is gambling with our children’s futures, says Richard Roper,” Wednesday Viewpoints.

I’m writing as a retired street cop. I saw the prohibition of marijuana reduce the safety of our children. Nearly 1 million teens are selling drugs like marijuana today, since prohibition creates a job option. Every week, kids are shot because of their prohibition employment. Moreover, while detectives are in helicopters looking for a green plant, pedophiles are more able to contact and rape our children.

Roper fears an increase in teen use when marijuana is legal. Maybe. Or they might use less, as the attraction of a forbidden fruit is gone. I am not an expert. Is Roper?

Last, bear in mind that law enforcement may want to keep prohibition because they fear a loss of jobs and easy overtime. They have a conflict of interest.

Howard Wooldridge, Dallas

Stories from the week January 18, 2013

COP on the Hill

Stories from the week January 18, 2013

I had a modest week on the hill with 12 presentations to staffers.  Lots of changes of personnel in the offices which = more work at home to record who is the right staffer in 535 offices.

Ron Paul Legacy:   On Tuesday evening I was invited to address the local chapter of a group called C4L = http://www.campaignforliberty.org the umbrella organization for the Ron Paul efforts.  About 40 were attending and we had a robust 30 minutes.  I was surprised by how many Republicans attended.

KING for a day:  When I presented last week at Grover Norquist’s brunch, I was quite surprised to see my name on the back of a chair at the main table where the VIPs sit.   The info at the bottom of last week’s newsletter was the sheet I gave to the 150 in the room.  Sorry for not stating that.  Money can buy anyone access.  Good ideas/presentations count at Grovers.

My published LTE in a Florida paper is at the bottom.

COP stats since inception: August 2009

• 1025 Presentations to Congressional staffers..12 this week
• 30 Appearances on major TV networks (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)
• 21 published interviews in major (daily)newspapers
• 43 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, etc
• 71 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $70,000) = 1 this week
• 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning my efforts & in support of COP position
• 22 Radio Interviews
• 34 brief chats with Members of Congress
• 30 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, etc.
• 11 major conferences attended (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, etc)
• Permanent invitation to 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.   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.   If you agree that Modern Prohibition/War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow and want to be a part of the solution…  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

DRUG PROBLEM NO EASY FIX

As a retired detective, I heartily agree with Kingsley Guy’s Jan.  13 column, “Time to re-think our War on Drugs.” We need to end this drug prohibition.

After 41years, and a trillion dollars spent, the DEA’s own brochure states: “Drugs are readily available to America’s youth…” The police and courts cannot fix stupid.  Have a drug problem? See a doctor.

Howard Wooldridge, Buckeystown, Mass.  

PUBLISHED in the Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL) January 18, 2013

COP on the Hill: Stories from the week January 11, 2013

COP on the Hill

Stories from the week January 11, 2013

The Perfect Speed?  –Being There—:  On Tuesday morning I attended a panel discussion held at the Brookings Institute.  The topic was who would/should control marijuana policy; the federal government or the States?  I was able to have a small chat with the ambassador from Holland and a longer chat with a board member (Francisco Thoumi) of the International Narcotics Control Board based in Vienna, Austria.

That afternoon I met with the aide to Congressman Polis (D-CO) who will be the prime sponsor of this session’s bill to repeal federal prohibition of marijuana.

Spending all day Friday on the Hill, I ended up with 12 presentations this week.

It IS who you know:  later in the week I received this from Mr. Thoumi (in response to my standard meet & greet letter)

…..In ten days I will go to Vienna to attend an International Drug Control Board session. That is going to be very interesting because the Board will have to face the recent developments in Colorado, Washington State, Guatemala and Uruguay and the global support to Bolivia’s rejoining the conventions with reserves.

Please keep me abreast of developments in your organization.

Best..

Such letters keep me going.

COP stats since inception: August 2009

• 1013 Presentations to Congressional staffers..12 this week
• 30 Appearances on major TV networks (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)
• 21 published interviews in major (daily)newspapers
• 43 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, etc
• 69 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $68,000)
• 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning my efforts & in support of COP position
• 22 Radio Interviews
• 34 brief chats with Members of Congress
• 30 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, etc.
• 11 major conferences attended (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, etc)
• Permanent invitation to 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.   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.   If you agree that Modern Prohibition/War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow and want to be a part of the solution…  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

• Marijuana Prohibition by the Numbers – January 2013
•  
• Legalizing Marijuana in Washington and Colorado – A Shot Heard ‘Round the World’
• The United Nations will NOT invade nor attack Colorado & Washington.  This per a 2007 declaration by then United Nations Drug Czar Antonio Costa.
• George Mason University School of Law professor Greve stated that state sales would not put USA in violation of the 1961 Single Convention Treaty which established world-wide prohibition of marijuana.
• Washington: Republican candidate for US Senate Michael Baumgartner of Washington on October 4, 2012 endorsed legalization. He became first Senatorial candidate from a major party in modern times to call for legalization. Legalization polled nearly half million more votes than Romney.
• Colorado: legalization polled 68,000 more than Romney, helped by former Congressman Tom Tancredo who worked the conservative crowd to vote yes on legalization.
• On November 6, Washington & Colorado, via ballot initiative made one ounce legal to possess and use for adults 21 and over.  Both essentially will handle marijuana (including sales) like alcohol, selling it from single product stores (like an ABC store) regulated by the state.  Colorado allows adults to possess 6 plants for grow your own, while WA does not allow personal grows.  WA implemented a DUIM law with a blood level maximum of five (5) nanograms.   Colorado continues to rely on officer’s professional judgment on impaired driving + subsequent blood test to show presence of marijuana. WA passed by 56% v 44% and CO passed by 55% v 45%
• Revenue Projections:
•  
  • Colorado:  State sales tax on med pot was 5 million in 2011.  Projection for general use is $42M in taxes + a savings of 12 million in law enforcement costs.
  • Washington: Bureaucrats in Olympia estimate taxes on sales will amount to about 500 million per year. This author’s opinion is less than half that.
  • 20 states have decriminalized MJ in some form; WSJ oped 1-5-13 (decrim = no possible jail time)
  • 18 states have legal, medicinal use = one American in three has state-level, legal access to God’s medicine.  In November, Massachusetts voted for medical use by 63 v 37.
  • White House Reaction:  has been a ‘thundering silence’ to date.
  • Reaction S/O the Border:
  •  
  • Mexico – new President Peña Nieto has called for review of entire drug policy because of WA, CO legalization.  Questions why MX should continue arresting its citizens for growing for export.
  • Guatemala – new President Perez Molina has called for legalization of all drugs to stop violence there.
  • Colombia – new President Santos has publically questioned why marijuana should be illegal there.
  • The vote this fall has been heard “around the world.”  The voters of Colorado and Washington cracked a big hole in the world-wide ‘Berlin Wall’ of marijuana prohibition.  Even Holland, with their system of coffeehouses, does not measure up to full legalization in these two states.
  • And there is no going back.  Even if federal agents crack down hard in CO & WA, try finding a jury to convict..of anything.  While in Colorado I had a meeting with Boulder County district attorney Stan Garnett.  He reiterated what he said on ’60 Minutes, ’that seating a jury of 12 on a marijuana case would be impossible.   Jury nullification will be a fact in these two states.
  •  Michigan also had five city-wide important votes that demonstrate the will of the voters.  The City of Detroit voted 3 to 1 to legalize marijuana. Even extremely conservative Grand Rapids (more churches per square mile than any city in the USA) made simple possession a civil infraction, like a parking ticket.  All five votes ended in victory for the anti-prohibition side.   Politicians have been put on notice of the will of the people.  They ignore these votes at their peril.
  • LOSERS:
  • Oregon’s initiative to legalize for personal use was defeated 48 v 52 (over reach by OR activists)
  • Arkansas medical marijuana initiative was defeated 47 v 53 (first try in southern state)