• Congressman Garrett (VA-R)

  • Gov. Chris Christy (NJ-R)

  • Colorado 2012

  • California Field Work, Prop 19

COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of September 13, 2013

 

COP on the Hill

Stories from the week of September 13, 2013

 

This week’s stats:

  • 1381 Presentations to Congressional staffers..07  this week
  • 39 brief chats with Members of Congress.. 02 this week
  • 41 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 01 this week (KY Agriculture Commissioner)
  • 62 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. 01 this week
  •  

A friend of yours =a friend of mine:  Ben Droz, lobbyist for www.votehemp.com put together a briefing on industrial hemp for House staffers this week.  A packed room heard support from Congressmen Massie (R-KY) and Polis (D-CO) extol the virtues of industrial hemp.  Of note, KY Ag commissioner stated that due to the Holder memo of August 29, farmers in Kentucky WILL be putting seed in the ground next spring.  KY is one of three states that have in place the rules/regs for growing hemp.

After the meeting I had an excellent  six minute chat with Congressman Massie, giving him & Ag Comm. James Comer  the full COP rationale of ending fed, MJ prohibition and why legalize/regulate/tax the entire green plant.  Such opportunities are rare.  Thanks Ben for the invite.

Senator Leahy’s hearing on marijuana was a snoozer:  = Perfect.  It was a who’s who of the drug reform/marijuana reform movement on hand Tuesday for the first ever Senate hearing on marijuana prohibition.  Essentially the Dept. of Justice did not back down an inch from the Holder memo of two weeks ago.  The sheriff of King County (Seattle, WA) testified like a LEAP speaker, not just defending the voter’s decision but actually promoting legalize/regulate/tax marijuana.  It was a wonderful moment in my eight years on the Hill.

Change:  Due to the Holder amendment, I am doing a thorough, top to bottom, critical analysis of how COP should proceed in this new environment.  I am speaking to staffers I trust, mentors, drug reform experts, etc.  As part of that, I analyzed where the legislative aides are on the issue.  In particular one Democratic, Ohio office went from an aide who believed in prohibition (she left) to one who will help pass HR 1523.  In the entire House I can count on two hands how many aides are believers in MJ prohibition.  I wish I had kept my first spreadsheets from 06, 07 to see concretely the difference.

Hell froze over this week:  Senator John McCain said the time may have come to legalize marijuana. “I will respect the will of the people.”  Recall his former aide (and probably the Senator) thought the solution was to kill any and all who sell drugs.

COP stats since inception: August 2009

  • 32 Radio Interviews.. this week
  • 34 Appearances on major TV networks..this week(Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)
  • 22 published interviews in major (daily)newspapers or magazine… this week
  • 72 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $70,000)
  •  2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
  • 15 major conferences attended..  this week (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions.  etc)
  • Permanent invitation to 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.   If you agree that Modern Prohibition/War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow and want to be a part of the solution…  Go to:

 

 

 

 

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