cannabisnews.com: Dendahl Confident Discord Resolved Dendahl Confident Discord Resolved Posted by FoM on March 24, 2001 at 07:23:44 PT By Steve Terrell, The New Mexican Source: Santa Fe New Mexican This week's public reconciliation between state Republican Party Chairman John Dendahl and Republican members of New Mexico's congressional delegation was a result of two weeks of discussions, Dendahl said Friday. U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici and Reps. Joe Skeen and Heather Wilson have said they are satisfied with a letter of mea culpa this week - in which Dendahl admitted that some of the things he said at a March 5 news conference supporting Republican Gov. Gary Johnson's package of bills to reform drug laws were out of line. But Rep. Ron Godbey, R-Cedar Crest, perhaps Dendahl's harshest Republican critic and the leading opponent of liberalizing marijuana laws, said Friday that he is not satisfied with Dendahl's fence-mending effort.Godbey said he would support another candidate for state chairman - though no challenger has surfaced for the party-chairmanship election in May.Dendahl appeared at the March 5 news conference with former Gov. Toney Anaya, a Democrat hired as a lobbyist by the Lindesmith Center, a national think tank that worked for the passage of Johnson's drug package. Two days later, Domenici said Dendahl should no longer be party chairman.Skeen and Wilson soon joined in publicly criticizing Dendahl, who has been chairman for more than six years."We had two weeks of staff-to-staff discussions and some person-to-person discussions between Pete Domenici and myself and Heather Wilson and myself," Dendahl said Friday."I just had lunch with Joe Skeen's chief of staff," he said. "I don't think there's any residual problems."He said Domenici did not want to have a state chairman "who sees fit to speak his mind freely on any issue that is in conflict with the position of the national party."At the March 5 news conference, Dendahl described the platform of the national Republican Party concerning marijuana laws as a "hang 'em high" policy.Of the controversy itself, Dendahl said, "It was a good and enlightening fight." In his letter to members of the congressional delegation, Dendahl said his news conference appearance and events that followed "have been contrary to the broad party-building objectives which are my primary responsibility as chairman."However, Dendahl did not repudiate his personal support for changing drug laws.Dendahl dismissed as rumor that Domenici's call for his removal actually stems from last December's resignation of Kevin Moomaw as executive director of the state Republican Party."If (Domenici) had his choice, he probably wouldn't have accepted the resignation," Dendahl said. "But that was a party-leadership decision I had to make."Dendahl asked for the support of the congressional delegation in his bid for reelection as party chairman at the May 5 meeting of state GOP central committee.Steve Bell, head of Domenici's staff, said Friday that "it's really not (Domenici's) role," to support a candidate for state party chairman."But he said Domenici has not recruited and does not plan to recruit any challengers. The senator, he said, is too busy trying to get President Bush's budget and tax-cut bill through the Senate Budget Committee."We feel comfortable with the way things are now," Bell said.The joint statement from Domenici, Skeen and Wilson praised Dendahl as a strong leader. "We believe that Chairman Dendahl's letter goes a long way toward repairing the breach that resulted from his remarks," the statement said. "We are pleased that the entire party can begin to reunite now and make the upcoming April 7 Lincoln Day Dinner a success and this election cycle truly memorable," the letter said. Source: Santa Fe New Mexican (NM)Author: Steve Terrell, The New Mexican Published: March 24, 2001 Fax: (505) 986-3040Copyright: 2001 The Santa Fe New MexicanAddress: 202 E Marcy, Santa Fe, N.M. 87501Contact: letters sfnewmexican.comWebsite: http://www.sfnewmexican.com/Related Articles & Web Site:TLC - DPFhttp://www.lindesmith.org/GOP Chairman Apologizes To Party http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9126.shtmlSkeen, Wilson Join in Dendahl Criticismhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8947.shtmlVentilating Dendahl Would Only Delight Demshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8938.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by superstoner on March 24, 2001 at 15:01:45 PT: confusion growing up listen to rush limba and my dad a huge repulican he made democarats seem like cry babies and tryin to please every one .. well all thou there are alot of democratis i dont like i am now not liking how the GOP is standing aginst a drug that i happen to like and use responibly. But then agian i fight for my right to own guns... im lost in the polictal naming ... at this point i dont associate with a party just cause they are all abuch of losers in one way or another.I say that we stoners do what is ever needed for johnson to get in office agian and show we support people like him this is the best way to change the 2 controling powers that be in washington. With out competetion this aint america. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by LetsgetFree on March 24, 2001 at 11:51:23 PT Enlightening indeed Of the controversy itself, Dendahl said, "It was a good and enlightening fight." Yes indeed it is very enlightening, it just shows how american politicians can't have any views that stray from what their lobbiests want. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by ekim on March 24, 2001 at 10:59:29 PT: Hip Hip Horay However, Dendahl did not repudiate his personal support for changing drug laws. 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