That new Federal rule that brings the sentencing for crack cocaine closer in line to the sentencing for powder cocaine (instead of it’s present 100 to 1 disparity) is set to kick in next Monday, March 3. As I mentioned two weeks ago, Attorney General Michael Mukasy has tried to derail the sentencing revisions from being retroactive, contending at a Congressional hearing, that U.S. communities would be overrun by violent drug-dispensing felons should the changes, put in place by the U.S. Sentencing Commission, be enacted.
This morning, however, more than fifty community leaders from all over the nation are showing up for what is being called “Crack the Disparity” Lobby Day to try to persuade their various congress people to settle the issue by passing crack cocaine sentencing reform themselves. Several versions of such bills have been introduced in both the House and the Senate, most of them with bipartisan support.
(So buzz off Mukasy.)
In addition to press conferences and meetings with individual lawmakers, the citizen lobbyists will attend today’s hearing titled “Cracked Justice – Addressing the Unfairness in Cocaine Sentencing” before the House Judiciary’s Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security.
“My community has experienced the harm caused by drug abuse,” said Howard Saffold, a former Chicago police officer and participant in the “Crack the Disparity” Lobby Day cosponsored by The Sentencing Project. “We need services to treat people who are addicted to crack cocaine and employment opportunities for the young men who have, for various reasons, chosen to sell it. Excessive prison terms do not address the real problems.”
By the way, today’s Lobby Day is also being cosponsored by such notorious scofflaws and drug-huggers as the American Bar Association, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the United Methodist Church.
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NOTE: I just watched Sunday night’s edition of 60 Minutes, in particular the segment on former Alabama governor Don Siegelman. (Thank you, TiVo.) I strongly suggest you watch it. The segment, which CBS effectively buried by scheduling it to run opposite the Oscars, speaks for itself. (The other segments—on the murder of reporter, Chauncey Bailey, and a repeat of an earlier episode on the disappearance of bees—are also worth watching.)
I didn’t watch it. Siegelman (Democrat) is a big-time crook, and even my liberal sister and brother-in-law couldn’t stand him or vote for him. And, Scrushy, the former head of Health South, lived high off the hog but cost investors millions. They should stay in prison with the crack convicts.
On the retroactive sentencing of crackheads, it’s hard to trust the system to do the right thing no matter which direction it goes. I wonder how many of those convicted accepted a plea bargain on reduced charges of crack but are actually more serious drug offenders. We wouldn’t want those back on the street.
BTW, for the Republican conspiracy theorists, a station in Alabama broadcast a blank screen for twelve minutes of the 60 Minutes segment.
Why won’t they admit that Siegelman is a Democrat and in prison for being a crook rather than blaming Karl Rove? How pathetic.
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Okay, I just wanted to insert that. Let’s return to the main topic of the crack convicts.
Celeste, I suspect you already know this but Scott Horton of Harper’s has been blogging about the Seigelman case for some time. An interesting footnote to the drama was the Hunt channel WHNT had a blackout during the program’s broadcast in northern Alabama. Reasons behind the blackout are speculative and suggestive, but not necessarily definitive.
http://harpers.org/archive/2008/02/hbc-90002497
Listener, why would a station do something to bring more attention to an issue if they wanted it stuffed? Left-wing conspiracy theorists know no bounds–like saying that Bush stole Florida.
On the crack sentencing issue from above….“Young men who have for various reasons, chosen to sell it.” Well, isn’t that a nice and tidy phrase for convicted drug pushers? Words like that don’t make me feel warm that these guys fighting for release take drugs seriously. I would feel better if they admitted that it was a bad problem that could become worse instead of watering down the crime and impact on people’s lives. Then, we could talk about early release.
Of course they blacked it out. Like Woody they know that being a Dem has to be a crime. Reaally, I used to think that Siegelman was guilty. Then I saw the evidence. Really, Woody is a broken record. And a pretty silly one too.
rlc, I spend a lot of time in Alabama and keep up with its news. Siegelman was a crook long before the crime that imprisoned him, and that’s in general agreement with both liberals and conservatives. Of course, being a Democrat is a crime, but it just sentences one to a life of stupidity and government dependence.
Then why is his chief defender Grant Woods. Co-Chair of the McCain Campaign and a Republican AG?
It’s all part of a ruse to make it look like a Republican is defending Siegelman only to lose his appeal on purpose.
Listener, I really need to go back and read all the Scott Horton stuff, as I’ve been late in coming to this issue. (Raw story has a series too, but I like Horton’s sense of intellectual balance a lot better). But I will. Thanks for flagging it.
Woody, like or loathe Siegalman as a politician (or a person), I recommend you watch the 60 Minutes thang. Grant Woods is pretty impressive.
Celeste, since you like 60 Minutes, then you’ll like their next segment:
How can you trust any show that has been associated with Dan Rather?
Because Rather was right and Drudge was wrong.hrub did go AWOL in ‘Bama probably because of a cocaine binge. Sorry to breakj it to you. Your guy is a sociopath.
If WHNT was stilled owned by the NY Times, that crap wouldn’t have happened.
So, The NY Times never has equipment failures? I didn’t know that they were better technicians than reporters, which wouldn’t take a lot.
I wonder if the Witnessla ever has any technical difficulties? I wouldn’t mind a black-out of the “broken record”, who is constantly posting Ad-Hominem comments. We all know who I’m talking about, his name is W…….*****************************///////////////////////////////——————–
I finally watched the segment about Siegelman. The prosecution was rife with conflicts of interest that would have been vetted and resolved in any administration other than Bush’s and perhaps Nixon’s.
52 former state attorney’s general from both parties believe that Siegelman was railroaded. Grant Wood’s comment when Scott Pelley asked him, “You’re a lifelong Republican. How do you square this?” and his reponse, “I’m an American first,” speaks volumes.
There are none so blind as those who are willfully so.
In the interest of truth, see this fom Friday’s New York Times:
I’m certainly inclined to believe them and this seems plausible.
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