COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of May 1, 2015
Posted May 8th, 2015 by hiwayhowie
Stories from the week of May 1, 2015
Hat Trick (3) Congressmen: The Texas State Society puts on a breakfast once a month and I always try to go. Their speakers never disappoint. This month it featured the last man to walk on the moon – Gene Cernan of Apollo 17.
The café had 8-10 tables and none had a reserve sign, so I just picked one. The gods of chance smiled upon me. As the crowd moved in, I was at the VIP table, sitting next to three R Congressmen: Lamar Smith (former chairman of the Judiciary Comm), Judge Gohmert and Rep. Babin. It was my 6 to7th mini-chat with Gohmert (said he was closer to 10th Amendment than before). I chatted with Babin 10 minutes; half politics and half health (he also has a problem I have). I ended up the day with 5 total chats with Reps.
Cernan kept us spell-bound (I got goose bumps) for 30 minutes. At 82 he is sharp as any fighter pilot. He is awe – inspiring. Wow. He went to the moon at 25,000 MPH, while I rode across a continent at 6 MPH.
Guess who is coming to lunch?: Finishing my lunch in the Longworth café, the two guys at the end of the long table were discussing the Freddy Gray (Baltimore) homicide. They were stumped on a police question so I offered my experience. They asked a few questions and I ended up in a 10 minute chat. I became emotional as I expressed the futility of police efforts and the pain, suffering and death my colleagues cause as they pursue/enforce the war on drugs/people policy. We introduced ourselves as they got up to leave….Congressman Poliquin – freshman R from Maine and his chief of staff.
Here we go again, luckily: Rep. Rohrabacher introduced his repeal Fed MJ prohibition bill this week: HR 1940. “Amends the Controlled Substances Act to provide that provisions of such Act related to marihuana shall not apply to any person acting in compliance with state laws relating to the production, possession, distribution, dispensation, administration, or delivery of marijuana.”
1833 Presentations to Congressional staffers.. 13 this week
16 Conversations (five minutes or longer) with Member of Congress.. 02 this week
68 brief chats with Members of Congress.. 03 this week
01 meetings this week
COP stats since inception: August 2009
38 published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 00 this week
145 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 00 this week
88 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. this week
57 Radio Interviews.. 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)
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
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