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

Cops on the Hill: Stories from the week of July 9, 2021

 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.

This week:

3604 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 05 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

206 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 2, 2021

Cops on the Hill

Stories from the week of July 2, 2021

Confusion hurts:  As many of you know, even reformers use the two words: decrim and legalize as meaning the same thing.  So, I am carefully explaining to staffers the difference.  The task is a bit easier today than previously; Colorado has legal, regulated, taxed marijuana and Oregon has only decriminalized personal amounts….still illegal.

State Efforts: This week I had a solid chat with my state Senator’s Chief of Staff.  I urged him to sponsor Maryland legislation to imitate Oregon.

If you would like me to contact your local state Senator or Rep, just provide me with contact info.  Know that many states allow “pre-file” a bill for 2022, so now is still a good time.  

Still on my radar:  During a meeting today, I knew the Member was a nurse.  I used that opening to speak for a minute about the Swiss heroin treatment program.  I asked the staffer to pass the summary I sent on, to those she thinks might interested on the House Health sub-committee.

3599 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 06 this week..

398 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.: 01 this week –

Meetings this week:  02 -Grover’s center-right; Full legalization group

COP stats since inception: August 2009

330 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 0

92 Radio Interviews… 0 this week

206 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