cannabisnews.com: Republican Lawmaker Says Dendahl Should Resign Republican Lawmaker Says Dendahl Should Resign Posted by FoM on March 06, 2001 at 13:43:57 PT By Steve Terrell, The New Mexican Source: Santa Fe New Mexican Shortly after state Republican chairman John Dendahl publicly announced his support for Gov. Gary Johnson's drug-reform package, a Republican legislator called for Dendahl's resignation. Rep. Ron Godbey of Albuquerque - who is known as one of the most adamant opponents of Johnson's drug bills - predicted Dendahl would be challenged for his chairmanship in May. "He is clearly outside of the party rank and file," Godbey told reporters. Both Dendahl and the governor agreed Godbey could be correct about a challenge. Dendahl said the only people he has heard mentioned as possible opponents have assured him they will not run against him."But these intraparty deals are usually sneak attacks," Dendahl said.The state Republican Central Committee will select a chairman on May 5. Dendahl, who has been chairman since 1994, said he is seeking another two-year term. The committee has about 400 members.Dendahl, who has never made a secret of his agreement with Johnson's basic philosophy on drug decriminalization, appeared at a Capitol press conference with former Gov. Toney Anaya, a Democrat who is a lobbyist for The Lindesmith Center, a New York-based think tank dedicated to drug-law reform."I, as chairman of the Republican Party, do not have the party's broad-based support on this issue," Dendahl said. He noted the platform of the national Republican Party - which he described as a "hang 'em-high" policy - is "miles apart" from his own beliefs about drug laws.Dendahl and Anaya were on hand to talk about a poll - paid for by Lindesmith and conducted by longtime New Mexico pollster Brian Sanderoff's company - that showed overwhelming support for decriminalizing marijuana, making marijuana available to certain medical patients and other issues addressed by the governor's drug-reform package.The poll also shows there is not a large difference between Democrats and Republicans on these issues.Dendahl said he is urging Republicans not to make drug-reform a partisan political issue in the next election - and not to use a vote for any of the bills against an opponent."I can't prevent Republican candidates from campaigning any old way they want to," he said, "but I can give some cover to Democrats by stating I believe this is a nonpartisan issue." Dendahl is known for his aggressive attacks on Democratic legislators and legislative candidates. In a recent press release, he referred to House Speaker Ben Lujan, D-Nambč, as a "thug enforcer" for former Speaker Raymond Sanchez.Dendahl also has been responsible for efforts to replace Republican legislators he claimed were too cozy with the Democratic leadership. "I've been an aggressive chairman," he told a reporter after the press conference. "You become something of an enforcer. You have to do that to be an effective chairman."House Republicans took no time to distance themselves from Dendahl. Even before the press conference began, a spokeswoman for the House minority leadership was on hand to tell reporters that Dendahl did not speak for them.Minority Leader Ted Hobbs, R-Albuquerque, reiterated his opposition to decriminalizing marijuana. But Hobbs said he was not joining Godbey in calling for Dendahl's resignation, saying the chairman was entitled to his opinion.Godbey scoffed at Dendahl's suggestion that drug reform should not be a political issue. "The governor already has said it was a political issue," he said.Godbey said any Republican carrying drug legislation should worry about primary opposition. Rep. Joe Thompson, R-Albuquerque, is sponsoring some of the bills, including the medical-marijuana bill.Contacted later, Thompson noted the poll showed nearly 80 percent of the public supports the idea of allowing sick people to use marijuana for certain medical conditions."If a primary is going to be used as a referendum, maybe it would be good for both of us," Thompson said.Johnson said Dendahl's willingness to "put his chairmanship on the line" to speak out on the drug issue is "a testament to the man."Johnson noted that Dendahl's counterpart, state Democratic chairman Dianne Denish, was not present at the press conference."It could fracture both parties," Johnson said. "It's a divisive issue for both Democrats and Republicans." Source: Santa Fe New Mexican (NM)Author: Steve Terrell, The New Mexican Published: March 6, 2001Copyright: 2001 The Santa Fe New MexicanAddress: 202 E Marcy, Santa Fe, N.M. 87501Fax: (505) 986-3040Contact: letters sfnewmexican.comWebsite: http://www.sfnewmexican.com/Related Articles & Web Site:TLC - DPFhttp://www.lindesmith.org/ Poll Suggests N.M. Voters Support Drug-Law Reform http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8906.shtmlDendahl's Drug-Law Support Criticizedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8905.shtmlCannabisNews Articles - Governor Gary Johnsonhttp://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=gary+johnson Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #8 posted by NiftySplifty on March 06, 2001 at 18:15:57 PT You can't legislate morality... True, but the Republocrats try like hell. Those in our cause go to jail for their immorality.Republocrat sons of bitches.N... [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on March 06, 2001 at 18:02:00 PT My 2 cents Then the walls come tumbling down very much like an earthquake. No one that has given this whole drug war issue any thought can think that it will work under prohibionist laws. You can't legislate personal morality. I think they are finally realizing that we aren't talking so loudly because we like to hear ourselves talk. This is serious. We are serious. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by kaptinemo on March 06, 2001 at 17:20:01 PT: Earthquake coming This article reminds me oddly enough of the recent earthquake in Seattle.You know about earthquakes; sometimes one tectonic plate slides under another. And sometimes, when plates are head on against each other, things build up. The pressure has no place to go...until something gives, and then the entire amount of energy that's been stored up for decades lets rip with force comparable to nuke detonations.I think it's not stretching things at all to compare what's happening to the WoSD as something very similar to an earthquake. Pressure for change has been slowly building up. The system fostered by the WoSD is so rotten with corruption, to manifestly unfair in it's 'justice' (Representative Dan Burtons' son gets to walk for trafficking in weed, but you and I would be lucky to get 20 years) and so obviously a failure, that even Joe Sixpack is tumbling to it now. But as usual, the antis have gone deaf from listening to their own high-volume histrionics that they can't hear anything but the echoes of their own propaganda. Well, in this case, the antis have had all the warning the people can give, short of armed insurrection. But they seem oblivious to the political pressure for change that's building directly beneath their feet. They are totally clueless about the shifting regarding the public's perception of the WoSD. And should the New Mexico primaries indeed tip the antis arse-over-teakettle, it'll happen - to them - with all the suddenness of an earthquake.I wish I was a resident of New Mexico; I'd love to ask some of these anti pols why they think they can run roughshod over the manifest intent of the voters and not pay some price. Party politics are about to take a back seat to issue politics...and the Devil take the stupidest anti not swift enough to run outside of their house of cards when the ground starts shaking. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by jAHn on March 06, 2001 at 17:11:59 PT Where was Dendahl in November? Shortly after state Republican chairman John Dendahl publicly announced his support for Gov. Gary Johnson's drug-reform package, a Republican legislator called for Dendahl's resignation. Rep. Ron Godbey of Albuquerque - who is known as one of the most adamant opponents of Johnson's drug bills - predicted Dendahl would be challenged for his chairmanship in May. "He is clearly outside of the party rank and file," Godbey told reporters. Can a "Compassionate-Conservative-Republican-Politician" fill me in on Why Dendahl wasn't opposing the Insurrection to the Selection of "Bush W." by the "Supreme Court?" How is that George W. Bush gets to walk freely for using a substance that's fatally worse than Cannabis? Even for experimenting "when he was a yout"? How can you "Freedom Fighters" let these creepy F**KERS sneak on by- again and again? When it comes down to the time of voting in New Mexico, PLEASE vote your Conscience! Vote for Dendahl! Screw up the Republican "Party Lines" even more-so than what's already occuring! I'm cheerin' you on!!! With a million more smilin' faces!!! [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Dankhank on March 06, 2001 at 16:50:45 PT: A good example of what ... COMPASSIONATE CONSERVATISM is really like...It rears it myopic, degenerate self-loathing head out of the muck to defecate on another good and strong elected official who has come to his senses.Hooray for freedom [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Dan B on March 06, 2001 at 15:34:23 PT: They Won't Be Incumbents For Long For instance, the marijuana decriminalization proposal was supported by 60 percent of Republicans, 66 percent of Democrats and 75 percent of those who identified themselves as independents.The proposal about treatment instead of jail for first and second offenses of possession of heroin and cocaine was supported by 59 percent of Republicans, 63 percent of Democrats and 73 percent of independents.The above is from the article that precedes this one (chronologically) on Cannabis News: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8906.shtmlLet's hope that the people of New Mexico will vote their consciences in th next elections. If the poll is truly representative, the Republicans who have attacked Dendahl will not be in office for long. They have neither the support of their own party's constituents, nor any likelihood of potential "crossover" support for their draconian drug policies. The people of New Mexico have spoken: end the drug war!I believe that the next elections held in this country will reveal an overwhelming swing against incumbents who support the war on some drugs. Not since the 1970s has public awareness reached this level; it may have even surpassed that mark by now. Polls have consistenly shown that Americans now realize the futility of continuing the downright evil practices supported by the federal government with regard to drugs in this country. We will win. We are winning. Dan B [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by ras james rsifwh on March 06, 2001 at 15:16:09 PT CANNABIS IS HEALING THE NATION Cannabis Sativa is "healing the nation". 400,000 died this year from addicting-deadly tobacco, but the Republicans took $8,000,000.00 to look the other way...and to lie about the sacred "Tree of Life"...and everyone sees this happening. The truth has set THE I free.Give all praise and thanks to Jah Rastafari... [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by MikeEEEEE on March 06, 2001 at 14:09:28 PT Obey the party From the article:"He is clearly outside of the party rank and file," Godbey told reporters. These guys make it obvious about crossing party lines.Hmmmm, does rank and file mean these guys are soldiers?Perhaps drug warriors? [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: