Posted November 27th, 2017 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill:
Stories from the week of November 24, 2017
“We were waiting for the cowboy hat to come thru the door!” Making the rounds in the House, I stopped in at the new Congressman from SC. Two aides got all excited, to say the least. I had met them in other offices. They had been advising the boss since day one to apply the 10th Amendment to MJ policy. And the boss was still skeptical….what about the ‘Gateway” problem, etc?
They put me in contact with the scheduler and I should shortly have a 15-minute sit down with the Congressman. May I say that, their opening exclamation will be long remembered by me. At my age, am I just an odd fellow with a giant hat and belt buckle? Or am I an effective voice for my profession to end the War on Drugs. The affirmation of these millennials was overwhelming and will make me smile for years to come.
Such a privilege: At Grover’s this week not many attended, due to the holiday the next day. I attended to express my thanks to him for the privilege of attendance and I said I hoped I was worthy of a chair at the big table. He agreed I was and he thanked me for what I bring to the meeting.
This week’s stats:
2648 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 22 this week
Meetings – 2
COP stats since inception: August 2009
243 personal chats with a Member of Congress… this week
223 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. this week
80 Radio Interviews. this week
149 interviews and reports in minor media = 0 this week.
84 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $83,000) 0 this week
42 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
72 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media..This week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss. French TV and radio) 00 this week
27 major conferences attended – (United Nations drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc) 00 this week
Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders. Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
* 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 prohibition. COP provides that voice. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org
Posted November 20th, 2017 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill:
Stories from the weeks of November 10 & 17, 2017
This foto captures the last couple of weeks: a 2-minute chat with Senator Rubio (R-FL), as I gave him the main points of the Swiss MAT program. Thanks to my partner, Don Murphy of MPP and his trusty camera.
Fun Moment in my life: We all have had the feeling that you desperately want to tell someone what a muffin head they are. I was distributing to all Member offices the sheet on why officers do and do not want to legalize MJ. As I was speaking to the aide in Cman Poe’s office, Poe was standing 6 feet away. Halfway thru my 2-minute explanation, as I was saying how cops want to search every car via “smelling MJ,” former Judge Poe broke into the chat, saying officers don’t feel that way.
We went a full 5 minutes from 3 feet apart in an oral battle royale. As Texans, I kept saying we should apply the 10th Amendment and “let Texas run Texas” free from the influence of Washington, DC. He replied the federal government must have a role in protecting people from harmful drugs, even if the state of Texas legalizes marijuana. It was great!!
PS…a few hours after our chat he announced his retirement. No, not because of our chat.. he has leukemia.
This week’s stats:
2626 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 22 this week
243 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 04 this week ( 4 Reps)
223 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 04 this week (candidates in running for Congress)
80 Radio Interviews. 01 this week
4 meetings
COP stats since inception: August 2009
149 interviews and reports in minor media = 0 this week.
84 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $83,000) 0 this week
42 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
72 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media..This week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss. French TV and radio) 00 this week
27 major conferences attended – (United Nations drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc) 00 this week
Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders. Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
* 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 prohibition. COP provides that voice. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org
Posted November 9th, 2017 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill:
Stories from the week of November 3, 2017
Where is the COP DC Office? K Street?: Senator Franken agreed to give me a minute, as he walked to his next meeting. We walked down three flights of stairs in Dirksen, as I gave him the broad outline of the Swiss MAT program. Who needs a K Street office at $10,000 a month? Stairwells are much cheaper.
Welcome American Legion: The AL held a press conference in the Cannon House Building this week to emphasize their support for HR 2020 ( moves MJ to Schedule 3) and the medical use of marijuana. These are important, powerful allies. COP, MPP and NORML were instrumental in developing and influencing this position during the summer.
Ray of Sunshine?: This week a VIP of the NRA asked me to write a 500 word oped for their magazine. The subject is when and if – gun owners have been denied the ability to buy a gun or ammo, due to being an MMJ patient. For the past six years the NRA has been ‘studying’ the situation.
This week’s stats:
2604 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 21 this week
239 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 07 this week ( 3 Senators/4 Reps)
219 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 01 this week (candidate in Maine’s governor race – Mary Mayhew)
5 meetings
COP stats since inception: August 2009
149 interviews and reports in minor media = 0 this week.
79 Radio Interviews. 0 this week
84 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $83,000) 0 this week
42 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
72 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media..This week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss. French TV and radio) 00 this week
27 major conferences attended – (United Nations drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc) 00 this week (CPAC)
Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders. Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
* 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 prohibition. COP provides that voice. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org
Posted November 3rd, 2017 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill:
Stories from the week of October 27, 2017
Grunt work:
I spent the week in the House Cannon building educating the offices on the whys the police industry fights legalization. That means I opened 111 doors. On the back side were the reasons now about 40% of us want to have a legal, regulated marijuana industry. (see below)
This week’s stats:
2583 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 23 this week
232 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 03 this week
2 meetings
218 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 01 this week (Lt. Gov. of Ohio, Mary Taylor)
COP stats since inception: August 2009
149 interviews and reports in minor media = 0 this week.
79 Radio Interviews. 0 this week
84 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $83,000) 0 this week
42 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
72 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media..This week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss. French TV and radio) 00 this week
27 major conferences attended – (United Nations drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc) 00 this week (CPAC)
Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders. Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
* 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. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org
Reasons Police Officers do not want MARIJUANA legalized:
1.Money: nationwide -the police earn via wages and overtime circa 11-13 billion per year, due to marijuana being illegal. Fear of layoffs due to legalization.
2. Money: the police earn circa five (5) billion from civil asset forfeiture. Marijuana arrests consistently constitute half of all drug arrests, thus half of the money.
3. Ability to Search: Using marijuana smell as an excuse/lawful reason, officers are able to search essentially any vehicle or person they come in contact with. With legalization – this ability will be severely restrained…as we already see in Colorado.
4. Emotional: Officers who have buried colleagues (essentially every cop in the USA), due to a drug raid, shot at a traffic stop involving drug trade – these officers do not want to confront the emotional trauma their partner, friend, colleague died “for nothing,” in vain.
5. Racist cops want this tool (prohibition) to hurt people they don’t like.
6. Cognitive Dissonance: For 80 years Law Enforcement has demonized marijuana, up to including being as dangerous as heroin. To admit they were wrong, is often impossible for them.
7. In order to be promoted, street cops know they need high arrest numbers. Marijuana arrests are / can be numerous, easy to find and with minor, personal risk.
List prepared by Detective Howard J. Wooldridge, Bath Township, Michigan (retired)
The Reasons police officers WANT to legalize/regulate marijuana:(this is going to all Members of Congress next week)
1. Most officers did not sign up to spend so much time on a green plant, possessed by otherwise law-abiding citizens. We want to catch ‘bad guys’ – not some kid who has a joint.
2. Public Safety will improve. Currently the profession spends about 10,000,000 hours to look for, arrest and prosecute MJ cases. 90% of the cases are simple possession. Detectives flying around in helicopters, are not arresting pedophiles in social media, etc. We all know personally and professionally that MJ use is dramatically less dangerous to society than alcohol.
3. Greater Respect for the police and our system of laws. Stopping millions of citizens per year, searching their cars and persons for a bit of God’s green plant infuriates nearly everyone. The police are seen as oppressors of people who are not harming others. The hypocrisy that whiskey is legal and MJ is not – this is lost on no one.
The police are known and widely believed to lie about the smell of marijuana, in order to search a person or vehicle. This is a form of corruption which is not necessary in a post-prohibition world. This behavior hurts police-community relations.
4. Reduce contacts between citizens and the police. Legalization is already reducing friction in states like Colorado.
5. Help unclog our court systems.
6. Some officers are concerned about the racist implementation of MJ prohibition.
7. your idea here.
Posted November 3rd, 2017 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill:
Stories from the week of October 20, 2017
Real Team: We (10 full-time professionals) met for the second time at a swanky office near the Capitol to push a letter and effort to deny the DEA money in Fiscal Year 2018 to go after state-legal MMJ businesses and citizens. It was right out of the movie: “Miss Sloan.” http://www.misssloanemovie.com/
And it felt damn good to be part of large and serious team, focused on protecting 2,000,000 MMJ patients. For the first time in 12 years. Yes, this is lobbying and COP is allowed about 5% of its time to lobby, in order not to break 501c3 rules.
From the archives – December 30, 2005
Funny Story of the Week: Meeting with a Congressional staffer on Tuesday, I came to realize I was not in Kansas anymore. This man was sympathetic with LEAP’s position but he said I just did not understand how Washington works. “It is all about pork.” He said. “Take your idea of treatment instead of jail. How does that help my district? You need to propose that the federal government build a regional treatment center in our district. That would definitely help you get such a bill passed. Your ideas would lay off thousands of high-paying, federal prison guard jobs. You have to replace those lost federal paychecks with other paychecks or you won’t go anywhere in this town.” I lost it and just started chuckling. I am so naïve but this cowboy is learning the ropes.
It was a slow week on the Hill, since many offices were closed. I did meet with a half-dozen aides and made my first presentation to a Rotary club in Maryland. I’ll ‘saddle up’ after the holidays and tilt my lance at Capitol Hill slightly wiser.
This week’s stats:
2560 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 03 this week
217 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 03 this week (candidates running for Congress)
2 meetings
COP stats since inception: August 2009
232 personal chats with a Member of Congress… this week
149 interviews and reports in minor media = 0 this week.
79 Radio Interviews. 0 this week
84 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $83,000) 0 this week
42 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
72 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media..This week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss. French TV and radio) 00 this week
27 major conferences attended – (United Nations drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc) 00 this week (CPAC)
Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders. Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
* 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. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org
