Wednesday, February 7, 2007

Politico nails ONDCP's Tom Riley This is hilarious. Ryan Grim writes another good, well-researched, well-sourced article at The Politico: Bush Wants Funding Jump for Anti-Drug Ads Rated as Useless. Check out the editorial sidebar on the story at The Politico: Ryan Grim, who wrote today's story on the anti-drug campaign program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), previously worked for the Marijuana Policy Project, which lobbies to legalize marijuana. Grim worked at the project from June 2004 until May 2005, a fact that has been on his official bio since he joined Politico.com. Grim called the ONDCP for comment for his story early Wednesday. Instead of returning Grim's call, Tom Riley, the agency's spokesman, called The Politico's senior publisher and editor, Martin Tolchin, to point out Grim's previous work with the Marijuana Policy Project. He then threatened to complain to Washington Post media columnist Howard Kurtz about a conflict of interest. The ONDCP did not return Grim's call Wednesday. Ouch. How's that feel, Tom? Tom Riley, who has a conflict of interest with the truth, complains about conflict of interest when the press reports the truth, because he doesn't have any actual... facts. All in an attempt to silence the press, while protecting his propaganda. And he gets called on it. Priceless. [Perhaps one more thing for the Domestic Policy Subcommittee to investigate?] [Via Scott Morgan] 11:02:16 PM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []

Felony Murder charges to be filed against Kathryn Johnston's killers According to WSBTV in Atlanta: ATLANTA -- Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard plans to ask a grand jury to consider murder charges against three Atlanta police officers. The big news is not only the notice of the indictment itself, but also an FBI [official] indicated to Channel 2's Mark Winne that the action by the Fulton County D.A.'s Office came without any notice to either the FBI or U.S. Attorney's Office. The official suggested the FBI investigation has not been completed and the FBI had not been notified of what he indicated was a unilateral action taken by the District Attorney. I'm not sure what it means that the DA is acting separately from the federal investigation, but ultimately I would expect hope to see these officers tried for felony murder. If the apparent facts hold up and the officers lied to get a warrant, and then broke into Kathryn Johnston's home based on that warrant and killed her in her home (regardless of her self-defense actions), then what other conclusion can you reach? 10:40:24 PM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []

Odds and Ends It's way too early to obsess about the '08 Presidential election, but Glenn Greenwald has a fascinating post explaining why those who are quick to dismiss Rudy Giuliani's chances are mis-reading the dynamics. And he ends it with a description of Giuliani that reminds me why I think Rudy would be just about the worst possible option for us. Giuliani is an "authoritarian narcissist" -- plagued by an unrestrained prosecutor's mentality -- who loves coercive government power (especially when vested in his hands) and hates dissent above all else. He would make George Bush look like an ardent lover of constitutional liberties. He is probably the absolute worst and most dangerous successor to George Bush under the circumstances, but his political talents and prospects for winning are being severely underestimated. Award for understated headline: Afghanistan losing war on drugs, general says. And while the New York Times doesn't quite have a clue of what to do in Afghanistan, they at least realize that patterning their efforts after what we've done in Colombia is stupid: Editorial: Wrong Model for Afghanistan. Related: The Senlis Council will be holding a symposium in London next week: "A Cohesive Strategy for the Future of Afghanistan" Meth crackdown fuels smuggling -- not a surprise to any of us. Pat Rogers has more, in Barack Obama, Assassin of Youth Lou Dobbs has always been a moron, but he shows it anew in a segment that includes LEAP member Terry Nelson: DOBBS: Now, you may think, and certainly I do, that we are in the grips of a mass idiocy when it comes to failure to secure our borders and our ports. The U.S. Border Patrol says drug seizures of cocaine and marijuana are up sharply this year. President Felipe Calderon, of Mexico, continues to target drug cartels, to his credit. But despite the idiocy that surrounds border security, there is another idiocy rising up. A group of law enforcement agents now say that effort is actually fueling drug trafficking and violence, and they say the answer is to end the war on drugs. [emphasis added] North Dakota Issues First Hemp Permits. Will the DEA blink? And I wonder -- will Kucinich put Karen Tandy on the hot seat if the DEA denies permission? And finally, the Marijuana Policy Project will be hosting its annual fundraising party at the Playboy Mansion on May 14. Could be a lot of fun, if you're got an extra grand to spring for the ticket. Last year, they raised more than $170,000. Not bad. 8:39:21 AM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []

Drug Policy roundtable tonight For any of my readers at Illinois State University, I'll be leading a roundtable on current issues in drug policy tonight with the Illinois State University chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy. Wednesday at 8:00 pm in Stevenson 212. 12:35:45 AM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []

The Drug Czar looks forward to wasting even more of your cash The drug czar's "blog" is bragging about the President's new budget which includes: an additional $30 million dollars for ONDCP's award-winning National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign and an additional $7.5 million for random student drug testing ... by "award-winning" they must mean "slammed by the GAO for a complete lack of credible evidence of effectiveness." 12:31:16 AM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []