Posted December 17th, 2023 by hiwayhowie
Howard awarded a Purple Heart: The Congressman from Texas and I had a long, six-minute chat. The first 3 minutes were about drug policy-yeah..the last 3 were a speech about all the ills in the USA, how close to destruction we are, etc…this is when I began to bite my lip, so when he said at the end that only Trump can fix it, only by drawing blood was I able not to respond to his tirade. I stayed on topic…. I hope I don’t earn another one!
The boy can make an entrance: I entered another Texas, Republican office looking to learn the name of the Health Policy Advisor. In the reception was the CMan Luttrell flanked by 4 assistants. The room stopped. After a few seconds Luttrell said, “You must be an important person!” Not missing a beat, I strode over, shook his hand and we had an excellent 7-minute chat about mostly drug policy. He did ask about the Long Rider buckle…that extended our chat by 2 minutes.
No. I did not say, “Yes, I am an important person!” LOL
Note: this X Navy Seal who earned the Navy Cross & Purple Heart is leading the fight in Congress to utilize hallucinogens for our vets suffering from mental health issues. I told him I will be his foot soldier on this, when a bill is introduced. At the moment he and others are arguing with the Veterans Admin. His paragraph of having the VA do the research was included in the Defense budget for this year and is now law.
Solid week: 12 meetings, six Members
This Week:
5064 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 12 this week
381 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 06 this week: Nehls (R-TX), Mooney (R-WV)
Quigley (D-IL), Luttrell (R-TX), Griffth (R-VA), Hank Johnson (D-GA…my fourth good chat),
Meetings: 01 Grover Norquist
COP stats since inception: August 2009
451 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, 0 this week…
109 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week.
215 interviews and reports in minor media …0 this week –
98 Radio Interviews: 0 this week
33 major conferences attended – CPAC 2023, (3 UN drug conferences in Vienna, Austria), LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 0 this week
Media: Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, OAN, 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
* Consider being a member of COP at $40 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 ( to donate by Internet)
To send a check:
COP
POB 543
Buckeystown, MD 21717
Posted December 17th, 2023 by hiwayhowie
Weekly Activities:
May I say something?: Unique to my some 6,000 presentations (5K for COP and 1000 for LEAP), was my experience this week. I barely covered my background and organization info, when she asked a question and another and another and another…28 minutes later, I had to leave for my next appointment and she let me have 30 seconds. Whew!!!
As you know, lobbyists/advocates are paid to run their mouth, not to listen for half an hour!
The questions were all excellent and criminal justice centered, FWIW.
Not for Nothin; Due to confidentially rules, I can not say what exactly was exchanged. However, I am very pleased that the last 14 years, I have been the ‘go to guy’ for drug policy info for Grover Norquist and his center-right friends. Grover is totally on board with legalize/regulate/slightly tax marijuana.
Solid week: 13 meetings, 15,300 steps in 2 days
This Week:
5052 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 13 this week
Meetings: 01 Grover Norquist
COP stats since inception: August 2009
375 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 0
451 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, 0 this week…
109 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week.
215 interviews and reports in minor media …0 this week –
98 Radio Interviews: 0 this week
33 major conferences attended – CPAC 2023, (3 UN drug conferences in Vienna, Austria), LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 0 this week
Media: Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, OAN, 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
* Consider being a member of COP at $40 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 ( to donate by Internet)
To send a check:
COP
POB 543
Buckeystown, MD 21717
Posted December 17th, 2023 by hiwayhowie
Weekly Activities
Congressional Fight Club Caucus: No, I did not join.
She Understands and Supports Change: As I have said, every Assistant knows someone who has died of an overdose. Thus they are receptive to the concept of we failed their loved one and perhaps there is a better approach.
Brianna let me finish before revealing her mom is a heroin addict. Brianna in her early teens and siblings were removed from the home and mom lost custody. My words on paper can not convey the emotions boiling to the surface in this minute; hers and mine.
Becoming tired of the lies: Nearly every Republican “informs” us constantly that the only reason the fenty is crossing the border is Biden’s lax enforcement of illegals. This despite the published info that 86% of the arrests and suspected volume made by the border patrol are Americans in their own cars and trucks. Oh Vey!
Solid week: 19 meetings
This Week:
5039 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 19 this week
375 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 02 this week Dr and CMan Buchson(R-IN) and CMan Doggett (D-TX)
451 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, 01 this week… MS man running for US Senate
Meetings: 01 Grover Norquist
COP stats since inception: August 2009
109 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week.
215 interviews and reports in minor media …0 this week –
98 Radio Interviews: 0 this week
33 major conferences attended – CPAC 2023, (3 UN drug conferences in Vienna, Austria), LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 0 this week
Media: Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, OAN, 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
* Consider being a member of COP at $40 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 ( to donate by Internet)
To send a check:
COP
POB 543
Buckeystown, MD 21717
Posted December 17th, 2023 by hiwayhowie
Weekly Activities:
It’s been a while: My first meeting on Thursday was with an R office from Texas extreme conservative ( you have seen him on the news). For the first time in at least 5 years an assistant treated me with disdain…5 seconds into my presentation – he looked at his watch and did so at least 8 times in the next 15 minutes…he yawned twice for 20-30 seconds without covering his mouth… = blatant…wow. Undeterred, I took my full 15 minutes to present the COP POV.
Saving lives might be too expensive: later on Thursday an assistant to a Republican office from California asked me how much does methadone cost. The cost is about $18/day. I pointed out it costs parents and the school board about $500,000 to raise a child to 18..LOL….yes, this was a first that it might be too expensive to save a life. Yikes!
Solid week:
This Week:
5020 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 16 this week…
Meetings: 01 Grover Norquist
COP stats since inception: August 2009
375 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 0 this week
450 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, 0 this week…
449 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, 0 this week…1 running for Congress. I always make the offer to help them articulate a conservative POV on drugs.
109 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week.
215 interviews and reports in minor media …0 this week –
98 Radio Interviews: 0 this week
33 major conferences attended – CPAC 2023, (3 UN drug conferences in Vienna, Austria), LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 0 this week
Media: Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, OAN, 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
* Consider being a member of COP at $40 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 ( to donate by Internet)
To send a check:
COP
POB 543
Buckeystown, MD 21717
Posted November 5th, 2023 by hiwayhowie
Weekly Activities:
Spend 15K or just show up? I had done my 6 presentations on Thursday and had some free time before quitting time. I was going door to door, learning the contact info of aides that I missed earlier in the year.
Just after entering Mike Kelly’s office (R-PA), in popped the Member. Per usual protocol, we shook hands and I had 15 seconds to give him the COP mission statement. After I said, “we want to make drugs a medical issue versus criminal,” he put his hand on my shoulder and said, ‘come into my office and let’s talk.’
15 minutes later he had an obligation and we ended our very informal exchange of ideas. His 42 y/o son had become a heroin addict at 14 and had been in and out of treatment and prisons ever since; currently his son is doing hard time in a PA state prison. He agrees with COP completely regarding making drugs a medical issue, he is friends with HR 1359 co-author Don Bacon (R-NE) and he will look hard at the bill.
Note: for a lobbyist to have 15 minutes of alone time with a House Member usually runs about 1K/minute = 15K….check made payable to campaign fund (all very legal).
This Week:
5020 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 12 this week…
375 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 02 this week: CMan Mike Kelly (R-PA) CMan Andy Biggs (R-AZ)….yes, the one who does not like COP
450 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, 01 this week…1 R running for the US Senate and current Secretary of State of Ohio. I always make the offer to help them articulate a conservative POV on drugs.
Meetings: 01 Grover Norquist
COP stats since inception: August 2009
109 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week.
215 interviews and reports in minor media …0 this week –
98 Radio Interviews: 0 this week
33 major conferences attended – CPAC 2023, (3 UN drug conferences in Vienna, Austria), LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 0 this week
Media: Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, OAN, 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
* Consider being a member of COP at $40 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 ( to donate by Internet)
To send a check:
COP
POB 543
Buckeystown, MD 21717
