COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of July 31, 2015

Stories from the week of July 31, 2015

Karma:  I was delivering a thank you note to Congressman Bishop (R-MI) late on Wednesday. En route I engaged two Members in one minute chats. Note: with all these type of chats, I barely introduce myself and simply talk 10th Amendment for marijuana.

MISC: After a House hearing on the heroin overdose crisis I had a 2 minute chat with the US Drug Czar Botticelli. I confirmed he was quite aware of the 20 year running Swiss program which has very successfully reduced crime, death from overdose and disease.

I was then able to have 5-6 minute chat with Congressman Bishop of Michigan. He had asked some solid questions during the heroin hearing…all good.

Helping Hand: I had a 45 minute meeting with the chief legal counselors (for the Democratic Party) to the House Judiciary Committee. One remembered seeing my hat/me at the hearing on heroin the day before. We branched off into that area of policy. They asked me for LEAP speakers for upcoming hearings this fall on the overdose problem/crisis.

82 brief chats with Members of Congress..   02 this week

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

1887 Presentations to Congressional staffers..    02 this week

82 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $80,000).. 01 this week

03 meetings this week

  COP stats since inception: August 2009

149 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.     00 this week

38 published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 00 this week

59 Radio Interviews..  0 this week

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

22 major conferences attended..   (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review,  etc)    0 this week

38 Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC)…0 this week (BBC)

*   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/n406/a04.html
Newshawk: Suzanne Wills
Votes: 0
Pubdate: Sun, 19 Jul 2015
Source: Dallas Morning News (TX)
Copyright: 2015 The Dallas Morning News, Inc.
Contact: http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/send-a-letter/
Website: http://www.dallasnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/117
Author: Howard J Wooldridge
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v15/n396/a03.html

LEGAL THEFT BY THE POLICE

Re: “Assets being taken unjustly – Forfeiture laws give states free hand to seize property of individuals simply on suspicion, say Laura and John Arnold,” Tuesday Viewpoints.

As a retired Michigan police detective, I am keenly aware of my profession’s desire to “police for profit.” As a property room officer, I handled the cash coming in and the sale of mostly $2,000 cars my colleagues seized.  Our local prosecutor received 10 percent of all money seized in the county, ensuring political support.  How does this work?

Every six months I would take almost a thousand dollars in cash to buy hay for our horses.  Had I been stopped, the officer could seize the money and the truck, claiming I was en route to buy drugs.  A year later I could go to the court to show ownership of four horses and the need to buy hay every six months.  Maybe, I would get the money back – maybe not.  How could I prove I was not buying drugs?

This legal theft by my profession is disgusting.

Howard J Wooldridge, Dallas co-founder, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition