COP on the Hill – Stories from the week of August 30, 2024

Small Matter: On my brief description of each Member of Congress, I include their Year of Birth. Especially with Republicans, those under 60 are much more receptive to the COP message.

Very slow last full week of recess..many offices only had the receptionist.

At the bottom is a longer explanation from my last newsletter regarding the federal politics of marijuana and why nothing is being passed..a COP member asked for it.

This Week:

6081 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 10 this week

0 meeting.. Grover did not have a meeting this week.

COP stats since inception: August 2009

403 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 0 this week

476 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs,   … 0 this week..

117 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 this week

245 interviews and reports in minor media … 0 this week –

102 Radio Interviews:  01 this week

34 major conferences attended – CPAC 2024, (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, Stern

* 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)

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Why Congress has not repealed the 1937, marijuana prohibition law.

Well, it is a sad story that started five years ago. Early 2019 we did a whip count in the House and Senate and found out we had enough folks in both chambers to end the federal prohibition of marijuana, using a clean, simple 1 page law. (STATES Act)

Immediately, our friends at DPA, MPP, NORML and Others told democratic Leadership to slow down and not take a vote. Then they wrote up a 38-page bill called the MORE act which is so full of social ideas that no Republican will vote for it.

Their justified fear is that they would lose their job as a federal, marijuana lobbyist. Also, their organizations would suffer significant loss of contributions. You may know this has already occurred now the last 12 years, as state after state legalizes marijuana, contributions from that state drop off significantly. That is why there have been office closings and layoffs in everybody’s organization. COP Lost half of its yearly budget when I told former Dallas Cowboy, 5-time all-pro Mark Stepnoski that we had everything we needed in Washington to repeal the 1937 law and now Schumer is holding it back. His major interest was to end marijuana probation, and that essentially has been done in terms of support for a clean, simple one page bill. He has diverted his funding to Texas, marijuana reform. God Bless.

I do receive literature from the Democratic Party and Schumer specifically. It states in a nutshell; you need to vote for Democrats because we will legalize marijuana. And then give us $100 so we can be elected.

If they legalize marijuana, Schumer and the Democrats would no longer have a slogan to use to raise money and get votes. It is that simple and ugly.

In 2024 there are X number of marijuana industry lobbyists in DC. In terms of marijuana lobbyists to legalize it for social reasons, as far as I know, there’s only me and Don Murphy who is paid by a private individual these days.  Unlike 2019, the whole gang does not get together every six weeks for a soirée, exchange ideas and info. I know Michelle does lobbing for the NCIA and after that I have no idea who the industry people are. NCIA laid off two or three of their lobbyists and I believe Michele is the only one now.

In the spring of 2019, I was so depressed to learn all this shit that I took off for two weeks to clear my head

From the Swamp, howard