Citizens Opposing Prohibition » On the Hill

COPs on the Hill: Stories from the week of August 13, 2010

hiwayhowie — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 23:52:32 +0000

COPs on the Hill

Stories from the week of August 13, 2010

Just smile and not complain: While on vacation the IRS sent their letter approving COPs as a 501 c 3 non profit organization. Your donations are now officially tax deductible. Major donors will receive a copy of the IRS letter via the mail. If you also need a copy, just ask. The process per IRS guidelines should have taken three months. Our process took just over eight months. Still just smile and be happy.

Just keep knocking on the door: I am down to the last 74 offices in the House not done. These are the ones where the legislative aide never answers my email request and deletes the phone message requesting a 10 minute meeting. Therefore, I am reduced to going door to door & ask for a few minutes of their time (think door to door vacuum cleaner salesman). One day this week I struck out in 34 of 34 offices in the Rayburn building. Ouch. The next day I was able to see 7 of those 34, including 2 that I had not seen since 2006!! Ups and downs of the job, though my cowboy boots need to new leather bottoms.

Building relationships: This week I made a presentation to an Illinois office to the newly assigned legislative aide. It went well. Checking my records for that Congessman, the person I spoke to in 2006 is now the chief of staff and the person I spoke to last year is now the legislative director. I know that is one office that will ‘lobby’ their boss for the marijuana prohibition repeal bill which will be introduced in January. Big smile as I left the office.

14 presentations to Congressional staffers (start of new statistical year)

Consider being a member of COPs at $30.00 or more per year. Add your voice to those who agree that Modern Prohibition/War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow. Go to: www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org and click on Donate/Join – by credit card or check.

Howard

Your support for COPs meant–

Final COP First Year Stats 2009-2010:

443 presentations to Congressional Staffers

535 Congressional offices contacted

7 presentations to VIPs (elected officials)

37 published Letters to the Editor

Numerous conferences, hearings & briefings attended. C-Span broadcast my question at a Senate briefing.

12 radio shows

8 TV interviews (Colombian TV, Fox and Univision, NBC, cable)

COPs on the Hill: Stories from the week of July 30, 2010

hiwayhowie — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 22:36:03 +0000

The wine is sweeter today: This week the House passed by voice vote (no one heard a nay*) the Webb Criminal Justice Commission bill. The commission will study drug prohibition and make recommendations to the Congress on whether to keep all of it, some of it, none of it, etc. The Senate is expected (but don’t hold your breath) to pass it in September. Medium sized step..

As a bonus the House passed and it now goes for Obama’s signature a bill to reduce the disparity between crack and powder cocaine from 100:1 to 18:1. This an 82% improvement not based in science (in which case it would be 1:1). Still this will allow thousands to dealers to go free and act as a model for the states to adopt the federal standard. Some states have already gone 1:1.

As my LEAP colleague Tom Angell pointed out, it was very significant that the Republicans did not demand a roll call vote on either bill. “Soft on drugs/soft on crime” has been used by the Rs for decades to hurt the Dems. On this day, they allowed good legislation to go forward without a recorded vote.

Karen and I start a week long vacation today, so no letter next week.

Nay = nein

www.mapinc.org considered this the best published LTE a few weeks ago. It was in my hometown paper.

LETTER OF THE WEEK

LOST WAR ON DRUGS AND ITS CASUALTIES

When you lie down with dogs, often you will get up with fleas. Yet another in my profession (Megan Mattingly) has been tainted* by the enforcement of drug prohibition. Add her to the many, many thousands who have been corrupted or killed, or who have committed suicide after being corrupted. And for what? We in law enforcement know that every drug dealer arrested is replaced within days. The nine suspects released (or even if they had gone to prison) are meaningless.

A trillion tax dollars spent and 40 years of serious effort have resulted in a Maryland free of drugs? No. Quite the contrary. Drugs are cheaper, stronger and readily available to our teens.

Please tell this reader again why you support this Bridge to Nowhere policy.

Howard Wooldridge, retired detective/officer

Buckeystown

Source: Frederick News Post (MD)

Pubdate: Mon, 21 Jun 2010

Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n000/a017.html

Tainted = Makel – Spur

COP stats since August 2009:

443 presentations to Congressional Staffers

7 presentations to VIPs (elected officials)

38 published Letters to the Editor ( one more this week)

Numerous conferences, hearings & briefings attended. C-Span broadcast my question at a Senate briefing.

12 radio shows

8 TV interviews (Colombian TV, Fox and Univision, NBC, cable)

Howard

Detective/Officer Howard Wooldridge (retired)

Drug Policy Specialist, COP – www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org

Washington, DC

817-975-1110 Cell

howard@citizensopposingprohibition.org

Citizens Opposing Prohibition – Become a Member

PO Box 772

Buckeystown, MD 21717-0772

Modern Prohibition/The War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional & immoral domestic policy since slavery & Jim Crow.

COPs on the Hill: Stories from the week of July 23, 2010

hiwayhowie — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:31:03 +0000

COPs on the Hill

Stories from the week of July 23, 2010

I am a spy: Searching for allies on our issue is a 24/7 vigilance* in Washington. As you know, drug prohibition touches upon many other issues from foreign policy to terrorism to immigration. Thus I attended a meeting at the OSI (Open Society Institute) this week, where the panel urged a policy based on open borders, amnesty, citizenship, etc. The seminar was well-attended and a Congressional staffer happened to sit next to me.

During Question and Answer I brought up the point that since the first priority of federal borders agents is drugs, the goal of a ‘secure border’ remains an elusive* goal. NOTE: both liberal and conservative Members speak publicly of the need for no illegal entry i.e. a secure border. Two hours later we discovered we were both from Texas. She said she had been sent by her Texas Member to spy on the seminar to learn what the liberals were thinking. We had a short chat on my issue and parted company.

I am humbled and honored: The COP fiscal year ends on July 31. The stats below will record our first year’s efforts. So many of you have become members of COPs and given generously. Each time I found a check in the post office box or received a notice from PayPal, I was grateful and energized by the support. Your support kept a police voice/perspective in Washington, DC and to carry the message of anti-prohibition to all the Member offices . Thank you. Thank you so much.

*Vigilance = Wachsamkeit

Elusive = schwer faßbar

COP stats since August 2009:

443 presentations to Congressional Staffers (6 more this week)

7 presentations to VIPs (elected officials)

37 published Letters to the Editor (that we know of- one more this week)

Numerous conferences, hearings & briefings attended. C-Span broadcast my question at a Senate briefing. (one hearing this week)

12 radio shows

8 TV interviews (Colombian TV, Fox and Univision, NBC, cable)

Howard

hiwayhowie — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:21:45 +0000

COPs on the Hill

Stories from the week of July 16, 2010

Get your motor runnin’: Combining the COP t-shirt and my motorcycle, Saturday I joined 341 other bikers on a 100 mile, 7 stop charity rally for St. Judes Hospital. At all the stops a steady stream of people asked about the shirt & good chats followed. Some had a difficult time believing I had never been stopped by the police. Karen, my wife, wearing her ‘ask me why’ shirt also had many good chats.

A deputy who led the rally engaged me on the shirt. He had never spoken to a cop who agreed. “Maybe the retired guys feel that way, but no one I know.” Unknowingly, he answered his own point. Of course active duty cops can not ‘come out.’ The two who did in the past few years were fired or driven out. (Brad Jardis & Jonathan Wender).

Glad to help: Dave from Saginaw, Michigan helped me in 2006 meet several many VIPs and 3 editorial boards. Recently the local DEA commander has been busting Michigan-legal medical marijuana operations. Dave and I chatted about what could be done. Using my contact with an office which had a similar problem, I was able to provide Dave with (one day service) the letter that Congressman Jared Polis (D-Boulder, CO) wrote to Attorney General Holder on the issue of rogue* agents disregarding Holder’s orders to back off.* He will include this letter in communicating with his reps in DC.

Developing relationships and becoming a trusted source of information has been Job One since 2005.

*rogue = Gauner

*back off = sich zurückhalten

COP stats since August 2009:

437 presentations to Congressional Staffers (7 more this week)

7 presentations to VIPs (elected officials)

36 published Letters to the Editor (that we know of)

Numerous conferences, hearings & briefings attended. C-Span broadcast my question at a Senate briefing. (one new hearing this week)

12 radio shows (one more this week)

6 TV interviews (Colombian TV, Fox and Univision)

Howard

Detective/Officer Howard Wooldridge (retired)

Drug Policy Specialist, COP – www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org

Washington, DC

817-975-1110 Cell

howard@citizensopposingprohibition.org

Citizens Opposing Prohibition – Become a Member

PO Box 772

Buckeystown, MD 21717-0772

Modern Prohibition/The War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional & immoral domestic policy since slavery & Jim Crow.

COPs on the Hill: Stories from the week of July 9, 2010

hiwayhowie — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 20:00:08 +0000

Shrinking Briefcase: Back in the Dark Ages, circa 2005 when Misty and I rode into this town, I carried 5-6 copies of 12-14 types federal info that demonstrated the metrics* of the drug policy had been going backwards for 40 years. Several times per day staffers would challenge me on information, causing me to give them copies prepared by the DEA and the Drug Czar’s office (ONDCP).

About a year ago after a particularly long day of walking the halls of Congress, I took stock of exactly how much of what did I need. I realized that it had been many months to a year or more that a staffer had asked for this or that type of documentation. I was able to reduce the weight of copies by more than half. Now I am asked for govt. statistics and graphs about 1-2 times per month. This demonstrates that nearly 100% of staffers know what we know: the policy is a disaster and dysfunctional.

Do you mind?: It was a typical, busy recess week for me. I made 22 presentations over four days. Meagan asked me to postpone our scheduled Thursday meeting till Friday in order that two interns could sit in. She said both had a keen interest in drug policy and she believed they would benefit from my presentation.

The three of us had an excellent chat on Friday with the interns posing challenging questions. 30 minutes later the repeal prohibition crowd had three new converts. Small steps. BTW, it was an Republican office.

*metrics = statistiks

COP stats since August 2009:

430 presentations to Congressional Staffers (22 more this week)

7 presentations to VIPs (elected officials)

36 published Letters to the Editor (that we know of)

Numerous conferences, hearings & briefings attended. C-Span broadcast my question at a Senate briefing. (one hearing this week)

11 radio shows

6 TV interviews (Colombian TV, Fox and Univision)

My Published Rebuttal to an article written for a police magazine by a narc in California regarding the upcoming vote on Prop 19:

Legalizing Marijuana

Our colleague Officer Watkins made a common mistake when he stated that marijuana causes the agony of Mexico. Prohibition of marijuana causes those deaths, not the use of MJ. The production of marijuana on public land does cause environmental problems but that would not occur, if farmers could grow it legally on their own land. Nobody grows corn in a National Forest. Prohibition is the underlying problem, Chris. What you wrote about are the unintended consequences of prohibition.

During my 18 years of police service I was dispatched to zero calls generated by the use of pot. Alcohol use generated some 1300, including murder, suicide, rape, child abuse, felonious, aggravated and simple assault/battery. Pot is a much safer drug than alcohol both for the user and those around them.

We will arrest a lot more pedophiles, when detectives are not flying around in helicopters looking for green plants. Road patrol will arrest more DUIs, when they don’t have their heads buried in some kid’s seat looking for a baggie. No question that marijuana prohibition reduces public safety. Our job is public safety, not personal safety. Tomorrow we will be arresting fat people for possessing salt. Is that what we want to do as a profession?

Howard

Detective/Officer Howard Wooldridge (retired)

Drug Policy Specialist, COP – www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org

Washington, DC

817-975-1110 Cell

howard@citizensopposingprohibition.org

Citizens Opposing Prohibition – Become a Member

PO Box 772

Buckeystown, MD 21717-0772

Modern Prohibition/The War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional & immoral domestic policy since slavery & Jim Crow.

COPs on the Hill:Stories from the week of June 18, 2010

hiwayhowie — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:51:44 +0000

Tea for one?: As is often said, ‘in life, it is not what you know but who.’ This week at Grover Norquist’s brunch my Libertarian friend introduced me to a key manager in the national Tea Party Movement.* After a few minutes she agreed that repealing federal prohibition of marijuana would be absolutely in keeping with the theme of personal freedom and less federal government. She said she would bring up this issue as she moved around the country organizing and attending Tea Parties. Small steps.

I have a new girl friend!! To the delight of many, the woman on the cover of Time ‘Saint Sarah’ Palin, this week on Fox News declared marijuana to be a “minimal problem.” She used the words ‘limited resources’ as she declared the police have more important matters than an adult using marijuana in their own home. Small step, maybe medium.

Once again we see those who are on the side of repealing marijuana prohibition or dialing down the police time spent on the issue cover the entire range of political philosophy from ultra liberal to ultra conservative.

How do I feel? Wink, wink, nod, nod: Finishing my lunch in the Longworth café, a Republican aide I have known for several years stopped by to chat. He agreed Sarah Palin’s marijuana statement will have a small to perhaps medium impact on the vote in California. He would not say how he felt but he gave me the number of his mom in Los Angeles, saying she would be willing to help me locate places that Misty and I could make a solid impact. As is often the case, staffers keep their cards close to the chest. * However, they do communicate much thru a wink, a nod, a phone number.

As I work into my fifth year of this Odyssey, I am gratified and comforted that now a solid majority of Congressional aides (both Dems and Rs) want me to succeed. Good thing too. I have had five birthdays here in DC & my energy is less.

*Tea Party Movement = politische Bewegung, hauptsächlich Konservative

*cards close to chest = nicht offen zu sein, sondern alles im Kopf halten

COP stats since August 2009:

387 presentations to Congressional Staffers (4 more this week)

7 presentations to VIPs (elected officials)

33 published Letters to the Editor (that we know of)

Numerous conferences, hearings & briefings attended. C-Span broadcast my question at a Senate briefing

11 radio shows

6 TV interviews (Colombian TV, Fox and Univision)

Howard

Detective/Officer Howard Wooldridge (retired)

Drug Policy Specialist, COP – www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org

Washington, DC

817-975-1110 Cell

howard@citizensopposingprohibition.org

Citizens Opposing Prohibition – Become a Member

PO Box 772

Buckeystown, MD 21717-0772

Modern Prohibition/The War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional & immoral domestic policy since slavery & Jim Crow.

Published LTE: Shreveport, LA Times–THANKS FOR SHINING LIGHT ON A SHAMEFUL PRACTICE

hiwayhowie — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 19:59:07 +0000

Author: Howard Wooldridge

Re: “Forfeiture law stacked against Louisiana property owners” ( June 22 ): Thank you for lighting a candle on the shameful, dark practice of my colleagues to go around state law to seize property from citizens. Worse, we now focus more on drug dealers than rapists, child molesters and those possessing child porn. Why? Because we can only take money from drug dealers, not pedophiles.

Over the past 40 years of drug prohibition/war on drugs, my profession has become addicted to the $70 billion in tax dollars you give us every year. Even that is not enough, as Dr. Fraser pointed out so well.

When will we become as wise as our grandparents and repeal our prohibition?

Howard Wooldridge

Retired detective/officer

Drug policy specialist

Citizens Opposing Prohibition

Adamstown, Md.

hiwayhowie — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:30:20 +0000

COPs on the Hill

Stories from the week of June 25, 2010

Energy bar for the spirit: When making a 20-minute presentation to a staffer, the location varies. Most often there is a small conference room with four chairs. Sometimes there is a table in an open area, adjacent to staffers. Sometimes we are able to use the Member’s private office. 1-2 times a week we have to go into the hallway, when nothing is available. During one such chat this week, we talked at a table next to two staffers. I noticed one paying attention to the conversation.

After that meeting I was outside writing up my notes, when a staffer with that office came out and grabbed my hand. He thanked me profusely for my efforts, saying it was such a breath of ‘fresh air.’ (NOTE: 99% of advocates on the Hill ask for money & are obviously just ‘gunslingers,’ working for the big bucks.) *

I am sustained* by many things on this 10 year Odyssey, not the least of which is being thanked by you and others by thought, word and deed…and from time to time the thanks of a Congressional staffer.

Thank you: Two weeks ago I reported on holding onto my FIRE PELOSI button. Several of you wrote, explaining what a bad idea that was. What was I thinking? The button has been placed in the metal recycling container.

*gunslingers working for the big bucks = Revolverhelde, die nur für Geld arbeiten.

*sustained = unterstützt

COP stats since August 2009:

397 presentations to Congressional Staffers (10 more this week)

7 presentations to VIPs (elected officials)

36 published Letters to the Editor (that we know of)

Numerous conferences, hearings & briefings attended. C-Span broadcast my question at a Senate briefing. (one hearing this week)

11 radio shows

6 TV interviews (Colombian TV, Fox and Univision)

Howard

Detective/Officer Howard Wooldridge (retired)

Drug Policy Specialist, COP – www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org

Washington, DC

817-975-1110 Cell

howard@citizensopposingprohibition.org

Citizens Opposing Prohibition – Become a Member

PO Box 772

Buckeystown, MD 21717-0772

Modern Prohibition/The War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional & immoral domestic policy since slavery & Jim Crow.

COPs on the Hill: Stories from the week of June 11, 2010

hiwayhowie — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 16:54:02 +0000

COPs on the Hill

Stories from the week of June 11, 2010

Boy Scout Ready – Merit Badge: At Grover Norquists brunch this week I was approached by a member of the Republican National Committee that I met a year ago. We always chat in Spanish = fun for both of us. He pressed something in my hand saying it was something ‘muy importante’ to display.

I read the button. FIRE PELOSI.* I thanked him and put it on. Upon leaving the meeting I removed the button. After reflection, I decided not to keep the button. Love or hate Speaker Pelosi, she is with me on the issue of drug prohibition.

Seen you before?: After lobbying hard all morning, 6 construction-business owners from Tulsa, Oklahoma sat near me at lunch. One asked where I was from. I replied Connecticut.* After we had a good laugh, we had a good conversation on my issue. Four of the six agreed with my position. Just before leaving, one asked, “Have I you seen you on TV?” “Could be, I replied. I was on national TV a couple of times, as I rode my horse across North America. “

Rightly or wrongly, being on TV makes one more credible. It was just a fun 20 minutes.

Sideways step: About a month ago Aaron Houston, the chief lobbyist for the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), became the Exec. Director of Students for a Sensible Drug Policy. Aaron had been THE man to repeal federal prohibition of marijuana. His leaving MPP will probably mean that using the muscle of MPP to introduce legislation will possibly be delayed. The good news is that Aaron stays in DC and will harness the nationwide network of SSDP chapters to move issues around the country and DC. I and reform will miss his advice, experience & access to senior staff and Members.

*Pelosi = Hauptpolitkerin im US House of Representatives. Die Republicaners hassen sie.

* Connecticut = Staat im Nordost USA…es gibt sehr wenig Pferde und Cowboys in diesem Staat

COP stats since August 2009:

383 presentations to Congressional Staffers

7 presentations to VIPs (elected officials)

33 published Letters to the Editor (that we know of)

Numerous conferences, hearings & briefings attended. C-Span broadcast my question at a Senate briefing

11 radio shows

6 TV interviews (Colombian TV, Fox and Univision)

Consider being a member of COPs at $30.00 or more per year. It is tax-deductible. Add your voice to those who agree that Modern Prohibition/War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow. Go to: www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org and click on Donate/Join – by credit card or check.

Howard

Detective/Officer Howard Wooldridge (retired)

Drug Policy Specialist, COP – www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org

Washington, DC

817-975-1110 Cell

howard@citizensopposingprohibition.org

Citizens Opposing Prohibition – Become a Member

PO Box 772

Buckeystown, MD 21717-0772

Modern Prohibition/The War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional & immoral domestic policy since slavery & Jim Crow.

COPs on the Hill: Stories from the week of June 4, 2010

hiwayhowie — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:43:21 +0000

Stories from the week of June 4, 2010

One at a time: This week an aide to a House Member told me that due to my educational efforts over the past three years with his office, the Congressman is now actively seeking more information on the policy. Note that it is rare that a staffer would share such a dramatic change in position. This openness tells me the Tipping Point* is in sight. Small steps.

Stamp of Approval: Check the new section below on the sheet I give to every Congressional staffer. Yes, I am being a bit more aggressive. I had two aides I have known for years review it and both said they thought it was effective to point out who supports current policy.

Supporters of Marijuana Prohibition and Why:

Law Enforcement: reason – smaller paychecks if legal (per FOP)
Mexican Drug Cartels: reason – 50% reduction in profits if legal
Pharmaceutical Industry: – 1-2% reduction in gross sales ($6-12 billion loss )
Illegal USA growers: 90% reduction in gross profits if legal
Teens who sell marijuana for status and profit
Outlaw Biker Gangs (especially in Canada) – make money w/o breaking a sweat

Staying Positive: This recess week of Memorial Day I held a steady pace, averaging 6 presentations each day for a total of 24. I felt very good entering and leaving the House Buildings and kept a positive attitude all day long. Glad I figured out not to try and do too much in one day or week.

*Tipping Point = der Punkt wo die Bevölkerung wird 50% oder mehr, um eine Politik zu ändern

COP stats since August 2009:

372 presentations to Congressional Staffers

7 presentations to VIPs (elected officials)

33 published Letters to the Editor (that we know of)

Numerous conferences, hearings & briefings attended. C-Span broadcast my question at a Senate briefing

11 radio shows

6 TV interviews (Colombian TV, Fox and Univision)