Posted January 5th, 2021 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Stories from the week of December 25, 2020 & January 1, 2021
Note: As usual during these two very slow weeks, I send out season’s greeting to some 200 professional acquaintances, many of whom are in the media I have met over the years.
I begin the new year with a real sense of optimism. The Congress has many loud voices calling for an end to Mass Incarceration, and end to the Drug War and President-elect Biden stated in the last debate he favors treatment vs incarceration for average citizens….Decrim is the logical path forward to achieve those goals.
Activity this week:
3454 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 05 these 2 weeks
COP stats since inception: August 2009
90 Radio Interviews… 0 this week
327 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 0 this week
206 interviews and reports in minor media …0 this week.
397 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.: 0 this week –
107 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week
44 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss, French, Spanish TV and radio) Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Grand Rapids Press + 9 other MI papers. Chicago Tribute, Honolulu Star Advertiser {foto and caption}, Reason Magazine, Reuters
31 major conferences attended – (UN drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 0 this week
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 $40.00 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
Posted December 20th, 2020 by hiwayhowie
2019 Fiscal Year Summary of COP Activities
The Numbers:
118 presentations to Congressional Staff
15 chats with Members of Congress
26 chats with other VIPs (state reps, state senators, etc.)
1 Major conferences attended CPAC
Expenses:
Salaries: 000
Website Master: 000, time/expertise donated by Dwight Maskew of Colorado
990 Preparations and misc. bookkeeping: 000 – time and expertise donated by Karen Anderson
Mileage & Mass Transit: 783
Meals: 490
Office Supplies: 672
Misc: 171
Internet & Phone: 1560
Conventions , CPAC : 2414
Total: $6,090 — Monies raised in 2018: circa 11, 500
Work done in 2019 – 2020:
Congress – COP continued to focus on educating the Congress which resulted in steady progress toward our goal of applying the 10th Amendment to marijuana. In 2019 -2020 we maintained and expanded with enough votes in the House and the Senate to pass our 10th legislation but Republican leader ship blocked any vote. Covid hit in March, Congress closed its door and all efforts involved Covid issues versus anything else through August 2020.
Nationally – COP spoke truth to power at two major political events. Though expensive, the audience at these events are the leaders who return home, infected with anti-prohibition ideas and talking points.
Internationally – COP continues to promote to all Members of Congress and the White House the Swiss Heroin Treatment Program. Additionally, a summary of the Portugal approach to Drug Decrim was distributed to all Members and the White House. Howard Wooldridge had three productive meetings in Switzerland this fiscal year: one with the administrator of the Swiss program, another with the architect of the HAT Program and who is currently on the front lines of the issue. The last meeting was with a retired Swiss police Sergeant who gave me information on how front-line officers feel about the Swiss approach to hard drugs. NOTE: only expenses incurred on those three days were charged to COP.
Posted December 20th, 2020 by hiwayhowie
2018 – 2019 Fiscal Year Summary of COP Activities
The Numbers:
333 presentations to Congressional Staff
39 chats with Members of Congress
21 chats with other VIPs (state reps, state senators, etc.)
12 Minor press interviews
14 TV interviews, major press comments
1 radio interviews
1 Major conferences attended
Expenses:
Salaries: 000
Website Master: 000, time/expertise donated by Dwight Maskew of Colorado
990 Preparations and misc. bookkeeping: 000 – time and expertise donated by Karen Anderson
Mileage & Mass Transit: 1952
Meals: 1176
Office Supplies: 139
Misc: 400
Internet & Phone: 1736
Conventions , CPAC, : 575
Total: $5,978 — Monies raised in 2018: circa 12,500
Work done in 2018 – 2019:
Congress – COP continued to focus on educating the Congress which resulted in steady progress toward our goal of applying the 10th Amendment to marijuana. In 2018 -2019 we maintained and expanded with enough votes in the House and the Senate to pass our 10th legislation but Republican leader ship blocked any vote.
Nationally – COP spoke truth to power at two major political events. Though expensive, the audience at these events are the leaders who return home, infected with anti-prohibition ideas and talking points.
Internationally – COP continues to promote to all Members of Congress and the White House the Swiss Heroin Treatment Program. Howard Wooldridge had two productive meetings in Switzerland this fiscal year: one with the administrator of the Swiss program and another with the architect of the HAT Program and who is currently on the front lines of the issue. NOTE: only expenses incurred on those two days were charged to COP.
Posted December 19th, 2020 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Stories from the week of December 18, 2020
Marijuana becomes “normalized.” A former Fall River, Massachusetts mayor’s chief of staff pleaded guilty to federal charges of extorting and bribing marijuana businesses.
Kind Words: Each December I send out 300 emails to all my contacts to let them know I am still alive…I had this reply from someone I met ten years ago. He is still a law professor in Knoxville, TN and hosts a radio show for law students………”Congratulations on your many victories, and thanks for your efforts. You are doing God’s work. Persistence is the difference between winning and losing.
Among all the reasons to decrim is the effect that prohibition has had upon our fundamental rights—most of the erosion of the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments over the past fifty years has been due to drug busts. So, you’re not just saving lives, but protecting our civil liberties.
Keep the faith, and keep going. Many people are silently cheering you on.”
Best of the Season to you and yours, Howard
Activity this week:
3449 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 03 this week
1 meeting – Grover Norquist
COP stats since inception: August 2009
90 Radio Interviews… 0 this week
327 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 0 this week
206 interviews and reports in minor media …0 this week.
397 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.: 0 this week –
107 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week
44 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss, French, Spanish TV and radio) Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Grand Rapids Press + 9 other MI papers. Chicago Tribute, Honolulu Star Advertiser {foto and caption}, Reason Magazine, Reuters
31 major conferences attended – (UN drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 0 this week
Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders. Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
84 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $83,000) 0 this week
* Consider being a member of COP at $40.00 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
Posted December 15th, 2020 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Stories from the week of December 11, 2020
Analysis of Drug Reform News at the end of this Congressional Session: The much-discussed MORE Act to essentially repeal the 1937 federal prohibition of marijuana law was passed narrowly in the House and died in the Senate. The MORE Act would repeal the 37 law plus several ideas to repair some of the harms done to citizens, mostly of color, over the past 80 years. Because it was not a simple repeal bill, it only received five (5) Republican votes, instead of about 60. I should note that a careful analysis of Senate offices showed some sixteen (16) Republicans ready to vote for a clean, 10th Amendment bill.
The question arises in 2021; is it necessary to pass the MORE Act in order to repeal the federal prohibition. For minor reasons, the MORE Act should become law. For the major reason of allowing the States to choose their own path, it is not. Why? In the past seven (7) years neither the Obama, nor the Trump administration interfered with the 46 States which have MJ legalized and regulated in some fashion.
Thus, in the main, the goal of COP these past 11 years has been met, by default. Therefore, in September 2020 COP shifted its focus to the concept on national, decriminalization of all drugs. This focus will continue in 2021. Note: I have some eleven (11) colleagues, lobbyists in DC working full-time to pass the MORE Act. They will succeed without me.
Activity this week:
3446 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 08 this week
1 meeting – Grover Norquist center right
206 interviews and reports in minor media …01 this week..Michigan podcast interview
COP stats since inception: August 2009
90 Radio Interviews… 0 this week
327 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 0 this week
397 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.: 0 this week –
107 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week
44 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss, French, Spanish TV and radio) Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Grand Rapids Press + 9 other MI papers. Chicago Tribute, Honolulu Star Advertiser {foto and caption}, Reason Magazine, Reuters
31 major conferences attended – (UN drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 0 this week
Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders. Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
84 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $83,000) 0 this week
* Consider being a member of COP at $40.00 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
