COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of February 13, 2015

Stories from the week of February 13, 2015

Wink, wink – nod, nod: Making the rounds this week at House offices, I had a staffer inform me his boss was never going to let go of the drug war. He then whispered that several in the office were not in agreement with the boss and gave me a big wink. Just made my day.

Sir Walter Raleigh II: Finishing the day, I was in the back of the elevator, when it stopped on 4. Freshman Congresswoman Barbara Comstock (R-VA) was there with an aide. She said she would wait for the next one. I cried out, “Will no one give up their place for the new Congresswoman from Virginia?”

Sure enough, one gentleman stepped out, insisted she take the spot. She did and the aide used the stairs. I was able to introduce myself and the mission. She is a regular at Grover Norquist meetings = I certainly don’t learn/recognize many Members.

New Allies:   www.ThirdWay.org hosted a breakfast of all the major players in the MJ reform movement. 17 of us showed up. May I say it was an impressive group of trouble-makers. Third Way is a center left think tank of moderate size/influence that just added marijuana as one of their issues.  They will be a force going forward.

This week’s raw data:

1739  Presentations to Congressional staffers..  13 this week

               60 brief chats with Members of Congress..   02 this week (Barbara Comstock – R/VA & Juan Vargas – D/CA)

   02  meetings this week

•   COP stats since inception: August 2009

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

80 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $79,000).. 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

COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of February 6, 2015

Stories from the week of February 6, 2015

No longer a wild & crazy guy:  A Capitol police officer has been interested in my issue since I arrived nearly 10 years ago.  He remarked this week that whereas upon my arrival I was considered close to a lunatic (promoting legalization of all drugs), now I am close to mainstream and winning votes.  After only 10 years, I/the message is an overnight success.

From a staffer where the Member voted no:  “Thanks for the email this morning, Howard! I’ll do what I can to preach the good word in this office.”  ….Nice to know the message is being spread, even when I am not there.

The word is ‘Prohibition:’ On Friday 100 gathered at the CSIS (Center for Strategic & International Studies: http://csis.org/ to hear the Drug Czar and the US’s chief delegate on drug issues at the United Nations (William Brownfield).  Brownfield thundered that the world faced two choices:  Legalization or Prohibition.

It was gratifying to hear the word ‘prohibition’ employed to describe current policies. He later stated these four pillars of US policy.  A Summary of his total remarks at the bottom.

1. Respect the integrity of the existing UN Drug Control Conventions…
2.  Accept flexible interpretation of those conventions.
3. Tolerate different national drug policies…accept the fact that some countries will have very strict drug approaches; other countries will legalize entire categories of drugs…
4. Combat and resist criminal organizations

I met both after the presentation and had a brief chat.

This week’s raw data:

1726  Presentations to Congressional staffers..  20 this week

03  meetings this week

108 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.     02 this week

Drug Czar Botticelli & Ambassador Brownfield

•   COP stats since inception: August 2009

58 brief chats with Members of Congress..   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

80 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $79,000).. 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

Brownfield’s remarks & analysis by a reporter

:

State-level cannabis reforms, which gathered steam this month, have exposed the inability of the United States to abide by the terms of the legal bedrock of the global drug control system; the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. This is something that should force a much-needed conversation about reform to long-standing international agreements. But while ostensibly ‘welcoming’ the international drug policy reform debate, it is a conversation the US federal government actually wishes to avoid. The result is a new official position on the UN drugs treaties that, despite its seductively progressive tone, serves only to sustain the status quo and may cause damage beyond drug policy.

The 1961 Single Convention has been massively influential. Almost every state in the world is bound to prohibit cultivation, trade and possession of cannabis and a range of other substances such as coca and opium for anything but medical and scientific purposes. Wherever you are, your drugs laws are probably modeled on this agreement.

The United States has been a staunch defender of this legal regime. The treaties are central to its foreign policy on drugs, including in Latin America. But at home the government has been clear that it will not trample on the will of voters with regard to cannabis, even though this places it in breach of the 1961 Convention. So the US faces a predicament; a treaty breach it does not wish to admit within a system it wishes to protect.

The response is the new ‘four pillars’ approach, set out by Ambassador William Brownfield (Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement):

Respect the integrity of the existing UN Drug Control Conventions…
Accept flexible interpretation of those conventions…
Tolerate different national drug policies…accept the fact that some countries will have very strict drug approaches; other countries will legalize entire categories of drugs…
Combat and resist criminal organizations

Brownfield’s statement received some positive responses, welcoming it as a breakthrough in drug policy reform. However, its attractiveness is superficial and there are important reasons to be cautious.

For US foreign policy on drugs the four pillars make sense in the short term. Through these pillars, the US can appear to embrace reform discussions while changing nothing of substance. US approaches to Latin America that have dominated US attentions can carry on as before. The US gets to continue to have presence in places it has no business being other than to fight the drug trade – the fourth pillar of this ‘new’ approach.

In addition, in defending the ‘integrity of the treaties’, the US can go on using those treaties as a disciplinary tool against producer and transit nations in the region. Under the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, when a country does not fulfill the requirements of the international drugs conventions, the President determines that the country has ‘failed demonstrably’ to meet its obligations, which can lead to sanctions.

Bolivia received such a determination again only a few weeks ago. While explaining the rationale for a more ‘flexible interpretation’ Brownfield said, ‘Things have changed since 1961’. However, the Presidential Determination on Bolivia stressed that the ‘frameworks established by the U.N. conventions are as applicable to the contemporary world as when they were negotiated and signed by the vast majority of U.N. member states’.

COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of January 30, 2015

Stories from the week of January 30, 2015

Seeing Eye Person: Returning to work in the basement corridor of the Cannon Building, I noticed a woman totally engaged/wrapped up in her I-Pad as she walked. I commented to her that it was a bit dangerous to not watch where one goes. She explained that her aide in front was making sure she had no trouble. I realized at that moment it was Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL). I broke into Spanish to introduce myself and that I represented law enforcement who wanted to end federal prohibition of drugs, starting with MJ.

Nice: FYI..On my first visit to offices this year I remark to the aide about the Member’s votes in 2014. For those who voted to end federal prohibition I say: ‘On behalf of street cops, thank the Member for the votes in 2014 which supported a 10^th Amendment approach to MJ. These votes are allowing my profession to focus on serious bad guys like pedophiles and the deadly drunk drivers. We hope and trust he/she will maintain their belief in the 10^th.’

Naughty: Please let the Member know we are disappointed with the votes in 2014 and the lack of commitment in the 10^th Amendment (emphasis on 10 A) {almost all the votes against the 10^th approach came from Republicans..pointing out their lack of belief in the 10^th is a hard sting to hear}…we need to have the police in this country focus on pedophiles, people blowing up marathons and buildings,…. not waste time on a green plant.

NOTE: my laryngitis prevented me from  using my voice much.   I learned I am definitely part of the LEAP team going to the United Nations drug conference in Vienna in early March.  I am now spending 20 hours/week on my languages.

This week’s raw data:

1706 Presentations to Congressional staffers..  04 this week

• meetings this week

•   COP stats since inception: August 2009

58 brief chats with Members of Congress..   0 this week

12 Conversations (five minutes or longer) with Member of Congress..  0  this week

106 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.     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

80 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $79,000).. 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

COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of January 23, 2015

Stories from the week of January 23, 2015

Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell: “Hey, where are my free samples?” shouted the Capitol Police officer who was checking people at the entrance to the Cannon building. I had just said a few words to a Member and I will admit to be momentarily speechless, before I replied, “Sorry, I already gave them all away.” The Member did not ask & I did not tell and we parted company. Too bold, too open for the officer? Yikes!

Making Grover Norquist smile: Due to the protest march against Roe v Wade, the Norquist brunch had many special guests this week. After the meeting I introduced myself to a German Right to Lifer who was part of an international org. We spoke two minutes auf Deutsch. I then turned to her colleague from Mexico and had a brief chat in Spanish. Making Grover’s guests feel welcome is part of my job.

Good Guy?: Almost late for a soirée in the Capitol I tried to use the tunnel from Cannon. The first officer said I would have to go up and out and come in via the Visitor’s Center…a 10 minute task. His colleague said I know this guy and he is okay…they let me use the tunnel and I arrived just as the event opened their doors. The event featured Senator Paul and the three, black Members: Mia Love of Utah, Will Hurd of Texas and Senator Scott of SC. I made some good contacts. Crown and chocolate that night!

Change the World: Nico Orduz of LEAP and I had a planning meeting before the soirée. We will visit the embassies in this hemisphere. We will introduce them to LEAP and suggest they sponsor changes to the 1961 treaty which began world-wide prohibition. Our first visit should be in two weeks. !Buena suerte a nosotros!

Georgia on my mind: Georgia NORML is working hard for change and a state senator asked for resources to persuade his colleagues. He and I chatted for 15 minutes. I sent his judiciary staffer several sheets on marijuana that I use in Congress. Later I started the ball rolling to provide him with LEAP assets in the Peachtree State…where I graduated from high school

I was knocked out the first part of this year with a nasty cold, laryngitis. I am back to 100%

This week’s raw data:

1702 Presentations to Congressional staffers..  12 this week

58 brief chats with Members of Congress..   04 this week

12 Conversations (five minutes or longer) with Member of Congress..  01  this week

(Weber R-TX, Ros-Lehtinen R-FL, Castro D-TX, Waters D-CA, Roby R-AL)

106 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.     01 this week

03 meetings this week

•   COP stats since inception: August 2009
• 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

80 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $79,000).. 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.    …

COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of January 16, 2015

Stories from the week of January 16, 2015

Shhh! Don’t tell anybody” The House staffer had just presented to the Grover Group and was headed out the door. We met by the elevator, I introduced myself, he asked for our input on reducing spending, exchanged cards and away he went. This has happened twice more since January first.

Sitting at the VIP table at Grover’s, folks must think I am important. I’ll never tell.

Finally, a good team: one of my meetings this week was a strategy meeting regarding just marijuana legislation. For the first time since we met five (5) years ago – where I pushed to adopt the strategy of a complete MJ repeal bill – the groups were together again. I am happy to report this team is not only the best ever (COP, DPA, MPP –now has two full-time federal lobbyists—one for Dems and one for Rs—NICA (Nat. Industrial Cannabis Assoc), EVERYONE is competent and hard-working.

We have many long hours and months of work ahead but it is just wonderful to be part of such a team. I am absolutely not a Lone Ranger anymore.

This week’s raw data:

1690 Presentations to Congressional staffers..  04 this week

53 Radio Interviews..  1 this week

4 meetings this week

•   COP stats since inception: August 2009

105 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.     0 this week

11 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

54 brief chats with Members of Congress..   00 this week

• 81 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc..    0 this week

80 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $79,000).. 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.    …