Posted April 9th, 2015 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Stories from the week of April 3, 2015
Oh Boy – overtime & double time pay: On Saturday I spent most of the day in DC being a member of a panel. The event was an SSDP (Students for a Sensible Drug Policy) activist education day with 75 attending. College students are always a welcome change from meeting staffers. Neill Franklin, LEAP President, and I had lunch to catch up.
On Sunday (dbl time pay) I drove to central Pennsylvania to be the keynote speaker at the regional, annual ACLU dinner. It was my third such trip to PA. The next day was an interview by local paper and another college gig, attended by 225. I finished the trip with a chat with 225 college students and an hour on the local, popular talk radio station.
The weekend hours totaled about 17 @ double time X hourly rate of zero = lots of zeros…shucks – I hate modern math.
Good news continues: Late this week COP received a request from a major nation embassy in DC for help in setting up meetings in Denver, Seattle and Washington, DC. …along the same lines of what we did last fall year. Someone suggested I apply for diplomatic plates. As the positive reports from such delegations crosses the Pond, the chances of the 1961 treaty being changed do improve.
The delegations will do all their work in the first 10 days of May. I will give you all the details then.
Pennsylvania daily paper article w/ foto:
http://www.dailyitem.com/news/ex-cop-drug-war-a-disaster/article_2197ccde-d698-11e4-88e0-cb5585dead82.html
57 Radio Interviews.. 02 this week
04 meetings this week
38 published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 02 this week
COP stats since inception: August 2009
1776 Presentations to Congressional staffers.. 17 this week
143 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. this week (delegates to UN meeting)
61 brief chats with Members of Congress.. 0 this week
22 major conferences attended.. (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, etc) 01 this week
87 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. 0 this week
38 Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC)…0 this week (BBC)
12 Conversations (five minutes or longer) with Member of Congress.. 0 this week
81 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $80,000).. 0 this week
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
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 $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
Posted April 1st, 2015 by hiwayhowie
Stories from the week of March 20 & 27, 2015
Asked for advice: I ended up having a half hour chat with the aide to a member of the House Judiciary Comm., while making the rounds on Thursday. She wanted my input on three bills the Member is considering introducing..nice to be asked.
Retired the shirt: I was on a panel on Saturday in DC, next to two guys who spearheaded the effort to legalize/regulate MJ in Washington, DC. Wearing my “COPS SAY LEGALIZE DRUGS “ shirt (see foto below) I displayed my “POT” shirt during my presentation, thanking all those who helped make the message obsolete in the District.
Bite me: On the last day of the UN meeting in Vienna the man in charge of the event scolded the US for Colorado, stating the USA was not in compliance with the 1961 treaty. A few minutes later the US rep stated that ‘due to the federal prohibition still in place’ the US WAS in compliance. It was the diplomatic speak for “bite me.”
No opposition sheets to Congressional offices: I asked a half dozen aides this week, if their office had received any literature attacking the results in Colorado. Zero, zip, nada. After 15 months the fans of prohibition have not yet found enough negative data to distribute to Congress. Thus, COPs “Cheerful News” remains the only sheet to go to all 535 offices.
This week’s raw data:
1776 Presentations to Congressional staffers.. 17 this week
143 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 6 this week (delegates to UN meeting)
55 Radio Interviews.. 01 this week
02 meetings this week
- COP stats since inception: August 2009
61 brief chats with Members of Congress.. 0 this week
- 36 published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… this week
- 22 major conferences attended.. (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, etc) 01 this week
- 87 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. 0 this week
38 Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC)…0 this week (BBC)
12 Conversations (five minutes or longer) with Member of Congress.. 0 this week
81 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $80,000).. 0 this week
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
- 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 $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
Posted March 20th, 2015 by hiwayhowie
Stories from the week of March 6 & 13, 2015
Activity of the week: UN annual conference on dangerous drugs
Rockstar? After a 10 hour flight from DC & a short train ride to the middle of Vienna, I emerged from the tunnel into daylight. I was orienting myself, when a voice called out, “Are you with LEAP?” Naturally I was wearing my COPS SAY LEGALIZE POT windbreaker. The 25 year old made sure I bought the weekly subway ticket guided me to the right level. Good start to my stay.
We are not crazy! First day – a guy who remembered me from last year engages me in a chat. He is essentially a detective/police specialist employed by the United Nations. I asked if when he is amongst his colleagues, if they chat about the stupidity of the world-wide prohibition of a few drugs. “Sure.” He elaborated. Any chance he and his buddies might mention to others with more authority at the UN? He started to laugh and I joined in. He wants to keep his cushy job.
No Frontal Assault: I had several, serious folks advise me on how to change the world. As I made contacts on the main floor – handing out the “Cheerful News from Colorado” in 4 languages – I used this strategy/verbal argument: ‘We are 54 years into a grand experiment in WW drug prohibition. We hear speaker after speaker, nation after nation, detail the problems they are having caused by the policy. I believe the UN should – for the first time – do an analysis to see if prohibition is reducing the pain, suffering and death around the world.’
Eyebrows go up and non-verbal behaviors hint that this might be a solid approach to take..the frontal assault = amending the treaty, an admittedly heavy lift
Alice in the UN: Speaker after speaker uses the term “this controlled substance,” to talk about a prohibited drug. I have to believe that many truly believe these drugs are actually controlled due to the UN treaties vs. controlled by the Cartels, criminals and terrorists. Their language strikes one as almost creepy – so out of touch to reality.
This week’s raw data:
137 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 26 this week (delegates to UN meeting)
- 22 major conferences attended.. (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, etc) 01 this week
01 meetings this week (Center Right Meeting in Vienna, Austria)
- COP stats since inception: August 2009
1759 Presentations to Congressional staffers.. this week
61 brief chats with Members of Congress.. 0 this week
- 36 published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… this week
55 Radio Interviews.. 0 this week
- 87 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. 0 this week
38 Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC)…0 this week (BBC)
12 Conversations (five minutes or longer) with Member of Congress.. 0 this week
81 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $80,000).. 0 this week
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
- 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 $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
Posted March 2nd, 2015 by hiwayhowie
Stories from the week of February 27, 2015
Give thanks: My dear wife Karen had only a pillow to hold onto for three nights this week, as I galloped off to CPAC. Home for two nights and now off again for 17days in Vienna as part of the LEAP team to attend the UN’s conference on dangerous drugs and more ‘save the world’ stuff. Karen is the wind under my wings. Je t’aime.
Is the COP message more popular than new Sarah Palin of CPAC?: After back to back fotos & captions in the New York Times and the Washington Post, plus another bunch of stories, mentions and fotos in major media, this CPAC was a thundering success for the legalization message. The report on Gary Johnson debating legalization used my foto talking to two uniformed officers, instead of the former two term governor of New Mexico, etc, etc.
Silly me. I was thinking of a new message for next year’s CPAC t-shirt. !Not!
Special moments at CPAC: Active duty Army Sgt made a beeline to me and thanked me for the shirt/activism. Due to Iraq combat, he suffers PTSD and knows how much God’s meds work.
Last hour of last day the police Lieutenant and Sgt who were supervising the 20 or so deputies at the conference asked me why. We had a super 20 M chat in the main hallway. The Lt. had been on the scene, when Neill Franklin’s best friend was shot dead on a dope arrestl gone bad.
The near constant expressions of thanks from the young, “Go LEAP” type shouts, hand signals, “can I get a foto with you?” etc….all made this a wild, wonderful & exhausting 3 ½ days.
COPs Mission: The primary goal of COP is to repeal the federal prohibition of drugs (starting with marijuana). A lesser mission is to further, in the macro, the end of prohibition in all 50 states.
To that end, COP partnered at CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) with LEAP and a new org RAMP (Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition). COP provided half of the $4,000 fee for a booth. LEAP donated their booth display and materials. RAMP and LEAP provided the people to talk to attendees at the booth. I was in reserve for lunches and such.
This level of collaboration is what keeps reform going forward and ever closer to fulfilling our mission statements. Next week I will partner with LEAP at the United Nations in Vienna, Austria. Your $$ support makes such projects possible. Thank you.
This week’s raw data:
1759 Presentations to Congressional staffers.. 04 this week
61 brief chats with Members of Congress.. 01 this week (Jeb Hensarling TX – R)
111 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 03 this week (Gov Perry of Texas = most VIP)
- 21 major conferences attended.. (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, etc) 01 this week
- 36 published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine…08 this week
55 Radio Interviews.. 02 this week (20 M live on Serius Radio + NPR )
- 87 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. 06 this week
02 meetings this week ( Grover’s, Wilson Center – Uruguay topic)
- COP stats since inception: August 2009
38 Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC)…0 this week (BBC)
12 Conversations (five minutes or longer) with Member of Congress.. 0 this week
81 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $80,000).. 0 this week
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
- 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 $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
I am #10 in photo essay
http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/cpac-conservatives-to-millennials-blah-blah-blah-20150226
Republicans Warn Washington to Think Twice About Legalizing Marijuana
By JENNIFER STEINHAUERFEB. 26, 2015 ..New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/27/us/as-marijuana-becomes-legal-in-washington-congressional-republicans-warn-city-to-think-twice.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share
Bloomberg News…9th foto
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/photo-essays/2015-02-26/inside-cpac-2015
Cruz now supports 10th amendment; http://www.ibtimes.com/cpac-2015-cruz-marijuana-policy-shifts-1830142
Recall two years ago at CPAC, he read my t-shirt saying, “I like what your shirt says.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/thousands-flock-to-cpac/2015/02/27/b0758a42-bebd-11e4-b274-e5209a3bc9a9_gallery.html ( I take my cowboy hat off to be polite to those behind me)
Posted February 23rd, 2015 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Stories from the week of February 20, 2015
Please, arrest me: On Friday I was chatting with two Capitol police officers at a door checkpoint. I started by informing them they had missed the chance for a big bust this morning. I had had my briefcase full of free, MJ samples for Congressional staff but at 1500 they were all gone.
They countered with the story of a guy earlier this week. They asked what is in the 303 shell casing (fairly large rifle bullet)…the guy extracted a small bud of MJ. He then demanded the police arrest him, putting his hands together to be cuffed. My colleague didn’t miss a beat. “You wanted to be arrested for that much marijuana? Take it outside and give it to a Metro DC officer.” And escorted him out of the building. Times are a changin.
Two weeks ago recall I asked the Drug Czar a question…did not know CSpan covered it…my question starts around 1:07 & 45 seconds…the non-reply is a few minutes later. CSPAN: http://www.c-span.org/video/?324232-1/discussion-us-domestic-foreign-drug-policy
It’s working: It is worth noting I heard my first full-throated defense in six months for drug prohibition this week. The WV office and his staffer were absolutely convinced that current policies are working to reduce crime, death, disease and drug use. !Yikes! Still having two out of 435 offices clueless. The Senate is worse with about 20 out of 100 being clueless.
My colleague from MPP Don Murphy gave me an excellent tip at lunch…if Congress allows states to legalize, there will be more money for states that don’t…i.e. if you are a vegetarian, that leaves more meat for me…I will try next time… thanks Don.
Published LTE in Baltimore Sun: At very bottom “Heroin Prohibition is the Problem.”
This week’s raw data:
1755 Presentations to Congressional staffers.. 16 this week
81 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $80,000).. 01 this week
02 meetings this week
- COP stats since inception: August 2009
60 brief chats with Members of Congress.. 0 this week
108 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 0 this week
12 Conversations (five minutes or longer) with Member of Congress.. 0 this week
- 20 major conferences attended.. (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, etc) 0 this week
- 81 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. 0 this week
53 Radio Interviews.. 0 this week
38 Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC)…0 this week (BBC)
- 28published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine…this week
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
- 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 $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
URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v15/n103/a02.html
Newshawk: http://www.drugsense.org/donate.htm
Votes: 0
Pubdate: Tue, 17 Feb 2015
Source: Baltimore Sun (MD)
Copyright: 2015 The Baltimore Sun Company
Contact: talkback@baltimoresun.com
Website: http://www.baltimoresun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/37
Author: Howard J. Wooldridge
HEROIN PROHIBITION IS THE PROBLEM
Tsunamis of drugs have rolled into and around Maryland since the 1960s. As a retired detective, I worked the trenches of our drug war. Polls show 80 percent of the people recognize the total failure of policy.
Indeed, the police are a mosquito on the butt of an elephant. We have never, ever been able to make more than a dent in drug availability. Attorney General Brian Frosh needs to come clean to Maryland residents and admit that heroin prohibition is more the cause of deaths than a way to reduce them ( “Maryland joins multistate task force to combat heroin,” Feb. 12 ).
Howard J. Wooldridge, Buckeystown
The writer, a retired police detective, is co-founder of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.
