cannabisnews.com: President Bush's Drug Czar Invades Politics President Bush's Drug Czar Invades Politics Posted by CN Staff on July 18, 2007 at 15:05:15 PT By Bill Piper and Anthony Papa Source: Huffington Post Washington, DC -- In a startling discovery of what appears to reek of the stench of collusion, a Congressional committee has discovered evidence that the nation's drug czar and his deputies traveled to almost two dozen events with vulnerable Republican members of Congress in the months prior to the 2006 elections. Rep. Henry Waxman, D-California, Chair of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, alleged that the taxpayer-financed trips were orchestrated by President Bush's political advisers and often combined with the announcement of federal grants or actions that benefited the districts of the Republican members. A November 20, 2006 memo from Sara Taylor, the former White House director of political affairs, summarized the travel Drug Czar John Walters took at her request. Of the almost 20 events, all were with Republicans in close races. An agency e-mail sent the following day describes how Karl Rove commended his agency (and three cabinet departments - Commerce, Transportation, and Agriculture) for "going above and beyond the call of duty" in making "surrogate appearances" at locations the e-mail described as "the god-awful places we sent them."That e-mail, as well as e-mails that followed, show that the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) officials were proud of the commendation they received from Rove and the political travel they took using taxpayer dollars. According to ONDCP's liaison to the White House, Douglas Simon, "...our hard work...in preparing the Director and Deputies for their trips and events" allowed them to travel "thousands of miles to attend numerous events all across the country." The ONDCP by law is obliged to be non-partisan and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is expected to have hearings on the matter later this month.The accusation that Drug Czar John Walters and President Bush were scratching each other's backs for financial and political gain was shocking, even in current cesspool of Washington, D.C. politics. Walters used taxpayer money to campaign for Republicans; while President Bush ignored the agency's failures and increased funding for programs his own analysts determined were ineffective. One hand washes the other.Numerous government-funded studies have found that the government's anti-marijuana ad campaign and student drug testing program are ineffective, yet the Bush Administration continues to request funding increases for those programs.The recently released memos and e-mails are only the latest evidence that ONDCP uses taxpayer money to influence voters. During 2000 federal lawsuit evidence surfaced showing that ONDCP's billion dollar anti-marijuana TV ad campaign was created to influence voters to reject state medical marijuana ballot measures. The Drug Czar and his staff are also routinely accused of using taxpayer money to travel to states in order to convince voters and legislators to reject drug policy reform.During the 2002 election, ONDCP's campaigning on a Nevada ballot initiative was so intense that the state's attorney general complained in a letter to the Nevada secretary of state that, "it is unfortunate that a representative of the federal government substantially intervened in a matter that was clearly a State of Nevada issue. The excessive federal intervention that was exhibited in this instance is particularly disturbing because it sought to influence the outcome of a Nevada election."More recently, ONDCP bureaucrats traveled to New Mexico at least four times in 12 months -- at taxpayer expense -- to lobby state legislators to oppose medical marijuana legislation. Fortunately, the legislators ignored them and seriously ill people in New Mexico finally have access to legal medical marijuana.The president continues to blatantly compromise the integrity of his administration for political gain, legality and ethics be damned. Two questions should be asked. How long will the drug czar and other public servants continue to use taxpayer money to influence voters on behalf of the Republican party before Congress takes action to stop this clearly unethical and illegal action? President Bush: how long will you fund costly, ineffective and harmful policies as a quid pro quo to secure a few votes?Bill Piper is National Director of the Drug Policy Alliance; Anthony Papa is their communications specialist.Source: Huffington Post (NY)Author: Bill Piper and Anthony Papa Published: July 18, 2007 Copyright: 2007 HuffingtonPost.com, LLC URL: http://tinyurl.com/yty28hContact: scoop huffingtonpost.comWebsite: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Drug Policy Alliancehttp://www.drugpolicy.org/Drug Czar Deployed for GOP, Papers Showhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23188.shtmlWhite House Had Drug Officials Appear With GOP http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23187.shtmlHouse Oversight Committee Calls Taylor Back http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23184.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by user123 on July 20, 2007 at 16:02:16 PT: Pay attention to the Last 6.5 years How long will the drug czar and other public servants continue to use taxpayer money to influence voters on behalf of the Republican party before Congress takes action to stop this clearly unethical and illegal action? President Bush: how long will you fund costly, ineffective and harmful policies as a quid pro quo to secure a few votes? The answer - At least until Jan. 19, 2008. Congress will not do squat! [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Christen-Mitchell on July 18, 2007 at 19:10:10 PT: Greyhound Alert The Greyhound Bus Depot in Denver now has signs declaring the threat of personal searches for anyone entering the building.My friend entered with a ticket for Maine and was surprised to find a metal detector leading to the boarding area. He had a tool or something and then was told to empty his pockets. After trying to leave he was patted down and a bag discovered. Police called, ticket issued and his bus ticket voided without refund.In Colorado you or your car cannot be searched without your permission or probable cause, by police. Shoot, now security cops can circumvent the Constitution by being private property. Wait until the Blackwater crowd start operating here.I've seen Greyhound buses in Albuquerque searched by dog and Feddie.I guess we can get used the new America, sort of like a fourth Reich.Check out the new vid Zeitgeist, Mayan. Hemptopia [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on July 18, 2007 at 18:57:08 PT mayan I want Kucinich to introduce the marijuana decriminalization bill he said he was going to do a few months ago. As far as I know he has no control over the money they get though. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by mayan on July 18, 2007 at 18:29:01 PT Axe The ONDCP It is high time for Kucinich to axe their budget. The ONDCP has been nothing but a failure on the taxpayer's dime since it's inception.THE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...McCain Loses It and Flees After 9/11 Truth Questions: http://www.jonesreport.com/articles/180707_mccain_911.htmlActress Janeane Garofalo Blurts '9/11 Was an Inside Job' on Conan O'Brien: http://www.jonesreport.com/articles/170707_garofalo_911.htmlProof Bin Laden Tape Is 5-Year-Old, Re-Released Footage: http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/july2007/180707oldfootage.htm9/11 WAS AN INSIDE JOB - OUR NATION IS IN PERIL: http://www.911sharethetruth.com/ [ Post Comment ] Post Comment