Posted September 21st, 2011 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Your Voice in the United States Congress
I represent the MDCA: Tipping my hat to 20 year running NORML leader Rick Day for the genesis* of my new effort this week, I visited all 435 House offices this week. Taking up all day Tuesday and Thursday, I announced myself thusly: “Hi. I represent the Mexican Drug Cartel Association (said slowly and a bit louder, when others were in the reception area of an office). Has your office taken a position on 2306, the repeal of marijuana prohibition? (9 of 10 times the response was I don’t know) I continued, “Here is a fact sheet (far bottom) to give to your judiciary LA {legislative assistant}. We hope your office will stand with us, the Cartels, in opposing the legalization of marijuana. Pot is much, much too dangerous to legalize.” A solid 250 visitors and fellow lobbyists heard my pitch, half the time their chats stopped, when they heard “I represent the MX Drug Cartels.”
Two staffers asked if I were serious. I responded, ‘my clients have killed 40,000 people in Mexico and legalization would hurt their business. They and I are serious.’ Both visibly recoiled** and fell silent. NOTE: I did not take pleasure in making them uncomfortable. But I wanted staffers to accept me being a lobbyist for the cartels.
A staffer and former county prosecutor got right in my face, demanding if I were serious representing the cartels that he had prosecuted in Florida. I did not miss a beat. We had a terse, one minute chat. The cartels feel threatened by legalization and I was hired to look out for their interests. Especially since it was a Republican office, I put extra emphasis in asking that the Congressman stand with the cartels in opposing this legalization effort.
On the other hand, three staffers whose Member has co-sponsored the 2306 repeal bill thought my efforts effective in framing the issue and its allies. One promised to show the handout to the Congressman.
Karen feels I am risking the Cartels hurting me, as I pretend to represent them. I feel the risk is low and acceptable.
Mixing with powerful people: At Grover’s Brunch this week six Republicans seeking the party nomination spoke to us. One was from a western state running for the US Senate and I thought he would be excellent. As the meeting broke up, I introduced myself. I urged him to use ‘horsepower’ to get elected, showing him the Reason magazine centerfold of Misty and me in California + another foto where we made the front page of a California paper. He was intrigued and asked a few questions, then asking for my business card. (I had never even mentioned my politics). Upon reading my business card, he said softly he agreed with my position. (below my name the card says: ‘Police voice on Capitol Hill in opposition to Drug Prohibition’) I was so taken aback by his words, I needed a second to catch my breath before saying, ‘we want to protect children better by not wasting time on Willie Nelson and Charlie Sheen.’ He thanked me for my efforts and wished me luck. He is the second R candidate for the US Senate in three months who whispered he agrees with the COP position.
*Rick and I had a chat 10 years ago, he believing that the drug gangs were buying influence in Congress.
**recoiled = zurückschrecken
Stats for COP’s third year, started on August 1, 2011:
139 presentations to Congressional staffers: 14 this week
2 Letter to the Editor: 1 this week
2 Other media (blogs, cable TV, etc)
4 (Member of Congress) contacts: 3 this week
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. Go to: www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org and click on Donate/Join – by credit card or send a check to:
COP
POB 772
Buckeystown, MD 21717
If you have questions or comments, please send an email to: howard@citizensopposingprohibition.org
COP total stats in first two years: August 1, 2009 thru July 31, 2011)
649 Presentations to Congressional staffers
22 Appearances on major TV networks
10 published interviews in newspapers
12 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, etc
57 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $56,000)
19 brief chats with Members of Congress
13 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, etc.
6 major conferences attended (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, etc)
Permanent invitation to Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 140 conservative VIPs.
Attn: Judiciary LA
The Mexican Drug Cartel Association
urges you to vote NO on HR 2306 – Do NOT repeal Marijuana Prohibition
Why? – Marijuana Prohibition generates high-paying and exciting jobs for 900,000 American teens who would otherwise be unemployed.
Why? – MJ Prohibition provides jobs for 10,000 well-paid state prison guards and even more local jail personnel.
Why? – MJ Prohibition generates employment for tens of thousands of Mexicans who might otherwise come to the USA for looking for job.
Why? – We, the Cartels, earn 10 billion from marijuana sales, helping the Mexican economy.
For more information contact the representative for the Cartel Association: Howard J. Wooldridge @ 817-975-1110
Posted September 19th, 2011 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Your Voice in the United States Congress
Need your help: Please send an email to your Congressman re: HR 2306 – the Barney Frank/Ron Paul bill: The Repeal Federal Prohibition of Marijuana Act of 2011. After the Member responds, send that response to me. Know that COP, DPA, MPP, NORML and SSDP all are working on the bill and we need the intelligence/responses from all 435 Members. Thanks.
Mission update: Coming out of the elevator in Rayburn, a staffer whom I had not met, “How’s the mission going?” as we passed each other. “13 voting yes so far. 205 to go.” I replied as we were passing…..such as passes for a chat in the busy of world of Congress. It is a small, nice jolt* to have staffers ask the status of one’s work.
OMG. It is 1937 again: On September 9 in the Rayburn House Office Bldg the DEA gave a briefing on why synthetic drugs like K2, spice, Bath Salts, etc should be immediately prohibited nationwide. I attended the 90 minute ‘education’ effort of the DEA along with a rep from Drug Policy Alliance.
Essentially the DEA was asking the Congress to not wait for studies being done by FDA on the effects, impact of the synthetic drugs, etc and just go ahead and impose nationwide prohibition. They brought in an emergency room doctor from Pennsylvania who gave us three horror stories of people who had hurt THEMSELVES on Bath Salts, etc. BTW, the stories reminded me of people getting drunk and doing about the same thing.
I asked two questions: 1) I asked the doctor what was the standard ER treatment for someone complaining of synthetic marijuana ‘overdose.’ I also asked how many cases of harm were there per thousand doses consumed. The doctor refused to answer the treatment question and the DEA had no idea what the ratio was between doses consumed and those who had a bad high.
Afterwards the chatter by Dem staffers in the hallway was the Repubs would enact the new prohibition without a real hearing, saying the briefing was all that was needed.
Combined with other questions and the general mood, I left saying OMG..this was like 1937, when the Congress heard four hours of testimony and then prohibited marijuana nationwide. SOB and it was spooky and scary.
*jolt = Schock,Schlag
Stats for COP’s third year, started on August 1, 2011:
125 presentations to Congressional staffers: 10 this week
2 Letter to the Editor: 1 this week
2 Other media (blogs, cable TV, etc)
1 (Member of Congress) contacts:
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. Go to: www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org and click on Donate/Join – by credit card or send a check to:
COP
POB 772
Buckeystown, MD 21717
If you have questions or comments, please send an email to: howard@citizensopposingprohibition.org
COP total stats in first two years: August 1, 2009 thru July 31, 2011)
649 Presentations to Congressional staffers
22 Appearances on major TV networks
10 published interviews in newspapers
12 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, etc
57 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $56,000)
19 brief chats with Members of Congress
13 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, etc.
6 major conferences attended (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, etc)
Permanent invitation to Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 140 conservative VIPs.
Posted September 6th, 2011 by hiwayhowie
Editor,
As my colleagues fly around in helicopters, pedophiles are not being caught in the Internet chat rooms, as they entice young teens to “meet in real life.” My profession shrinks by the day, and chasing after a green plant should be at the bottom of our priority list.
In my experience, marijuana is too dangerous to leave in the hands of criminals and cartels. It should be handled like alcohol. Can anyone explain how marijuana prohibition is helping our young people, since it is easier for them to buy pot than whiskey?
Det./Officer Howard Wooldridge (retired)
Posted September 5th, 2011 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Your Voice in the United States Congress
Recess nearly killed me: 27 presentations this week as the August recess came to a close: 115 for the month. I am worn out. All worthwhile as in this calendar year 269 offices in the House have received a COP presentation, where the marijuana repeal bill was mentioned. I have about 170 more to do this fall. Only twelve (12) offices out of 435 have never had an anti-prohibition presentation – all new Congressmen.
Why not? I will take this Labor Day time to explain how this works. I send out an email invitation to aides at least once a month. In this manner I book about 25% of my meetings. The other 75% will either delete without reading the invitation or never respond. The vast majority of the 75% are aides who are either swamped* or just do not want the ‘work’ of listening. Thus, I go door to door to pick up the vast majority of my presentations. I have to open about 12-15 doors to make one presentation. This is why I go thru so much boot leather (and help burn caloriesJ)
I was unsuccessful during the break to convince a Senate office to sponsor a companion bill to HR 2306. I will hit that nail hard, when I return to the Senate in December.
Where did he learn of me?: A new House employee (not connected to any office) came up to me at lunch on Tuesday. He had heard of my mission and wanted some advice for his combat veteran friend on what the Veterans Administration allowed regarding use of marijuana for the friend’s PTSD. We had a good 7 minute chat and I directed him to the appropriate organization (http://www.veteransformedicalmarijuana.org) I am gratified that knowledge of me and my mission was sufficient for him to just look for the tall guy with a large Stetson.
Happy Birthday COP: Karen had to remind me that COP had started its third year on August 1. I am grateful to all the verbal and financial support that many of you have expressed. Together we have kept a full-time presence of law enforcement in the nation’s capital. We start the third year with a true repeal bill – HR 2306 – that I am working on 24/7 within the confines of being a 501c3. Please take a moment to read the stats at the far bottom. You can take credit for them. Thank you.
*swamped = überbeschäftigt.
Stats for COP’s third year, started on August 1, 2011:
115 presentations to Congressional staffers: 27 this week
1 Letter to the Editor:
2 Other media (blogs, cable TV, etc)
1 (Member of Congress) contacts:
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. Go to: www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org and click on Donate/Join – by credit card or send a check to:
COP
POB 772
Buckeystown, MD 21717
If you have questions or comments, please send an email to: howard@citizensopposingprohibition.org
COP total stats in first two years: August 1, 2009 thru July 31, 2011)
649 Presentations to Congressional staffers
22 Appearances on major TV networks
10 published interviews in newspapers
12 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, etc
57 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $56,000)
19 brief chats with Members of Congress
13 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, etc.
6 major conferences attended (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, etc)
Permanent invitation to Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 140 conservative VIPs.
Posted August 30th, 2011 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Your Voice in the United States Congress
Still Busy: The Great East Coast earthquake did cause me to lose three PM appointments but still managed to make 28 this week. I was in the Rayburn basement when it happened. Given the muffled noise* and the shaking, my first thought was a bomb went off in the underground car garage.
Throw down challenge: As of this August recess, I have been challenging the aides to state one benefit, one advantage of drug prohibition & I would go home to Texas the next day. So far, one Legislative Director of a drug warrior quoted a 2010 Rand study that marijuana use would go up, if it were legalized and regulated.
Next day I gave Kevin a sheet which spoke of the Rand study. Problem is the study did not take into account that the how much less alcohol would be consumed by people switching drugs. Marijuana being much less dangerous than alcohol, any such drug switch would be a net gain for the country. Try again, I urged.
Saw you on blog of 500 most interesting people in Washington: I admit to being a bit startled, when I was in line to buy my slice of pizza and coke on Wednesday. A staffer, acting a bit star struck, informed me that she had seen my foto in the blog and to say she thought what I was doing was awesome. See below for the foto and link. I was also mentioned as being one of the Top Ten drug reformers in the country on another blog. Also below. NOTE: I have no idea how many people read these blogs.
Seriously, I am pleased with any exposure. Given 33,000 lobbyists in this town, anything which helps a staffer remember you and the issue helps. On a related note, I have been showing the Reason magazine with the centerfold foto of Misty and me in California, to all staffers whom I had met before. Misty has received many compliments on her beauty. = Extra carrots to her this weekend.
*muffled noise = gedämpfte Lärm
Blog 1: Howard Keep on a Comin – http://peoplesdistrict.com/howard-on-keeping-on-a-comin
Blog 2: Top Ten Drug Reformers: http://www.businesspundit.com/15-of-todays-biggest-advocates-against-the-drug-war-and-police-brutality/
COPs 2nd year stats to date:
285 presentations to Congressional staffers: 28 this week
TV appearances: 14 … this week (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, etc)
Newspaper stories: 7 dailies, 3 weeklies
Radio appearances: 13 – this week
Published LTE: 20 (this week) –see below
Other media (bloggers, cable TV, minor publications, etc): 12 (this week)
12 (Member of Congress) contacts: this week
6 other VIP (state Senators & Reps):
Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 or more per year. All contributions are tax-deductible. Your support keeps the COP voice loud and strong in the halls of the United States Congress. We agree that Modern Prohibition/War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow. Go to: www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org and click on Donate/Join – by credit card or send a check to:
COP
POB 772
Buckeystown, MD 21717
