Tuesday, May 8, 2001 Asa Hutchinson put war on drugs high on his list years ago KEVIN FREKING ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Asa Hutchinson has shown a particular fascination with the war on drugs almost from the day he arrived here, according to a review of speeches and committee assignments and the bills that the third-term congressman has sponsored. Indeed, two months into office, the Arkansas Republican stood on the House floor and blasted the Clinton administration for "retreating." "During the 1980s, our nation declared a war against drugs. I was in that battle as a federal prosecutor. It was during that time that our families, our communities and our law-enforcement officials mobilized in a united effort to fight this war. Because of this national crusade, teen-age drug abuse declined from 1985 to 1992," Hutchinson said on March 6, 1997. "Then what happened? It was then that our national commitment against this war on drugs waned. It was then that teen-age drug use again started to increase, and we saw that teen-age experimentation with drugs was on the incline." Now, President Bush is said to be considering making Hutchinson as the point man in the country's efforts to eliminate illegal drugs -- the administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration. If that happened, Hutchinson would oversee more than 9,100 employees, a budget of $1.5 billion and offices in 56 foreign countries. Neither the White House nor Hutchinson would comment on reports that he is destined for the job. The congressman's silence is a deviation from when he was being considered for deputy attorney general earlier this year. Then, he was guarded in his comments, but he at least acknowledged being approached by representatives of the president. This time around, his only reply is "no comment." Why the change? "I have no idea," said his spokesman, Christian Brill. "That's what he told me [to say]." Some political insiders back in Arkansas predicted an announcement as early as Monday. It didn't happen, but Hutchinson's staff said an announcement one way or the other is likely by the end of the week. If Hutchinson were to get the job, elections would be held later in the year to fill his slot in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the House, Hutchinson has left a clear imprint on drug legislation. Last year, he co-sponsored a bill that increased funding for drug-enforcement agents and the cleanup of methamphetamine labs. The bill, which became law, also increased the penalty for amphetamine possession and provided money for treating drug addiction. When House Speaker Henry Hyde, R-Ill., sponsored a bill that would make it harder to seize property from drug dealers, Hutchinson proposed an amendment that law-enforcement officers considered more friendly. Hyde wanted to change the legal burden of proof that the government needed to show in order to seize property from a "preponderance" of evidence to "clear and convincing" evidence. Hutchinson's amendment, which failed, would have stricken that. "It was Ronald Reagan who understood how to fight and win the war on drugs," Hutchinson said on the House floor in June 1999. "It was President Reagan who knew that you had to seize the drug dealers' cars, boats, airplanes and cash that were used to carry on the drug business in order to hit them where it hurts." "This is not the time to disarm our soldiers and to demoralize our police on the front line, and it is certainly not the right time to send the signal to the drug dealers that we are weakening our resolve." Hutchinson also serves on the Task Force for a Drug-Free America, a group of legislators focused on developing effective strategies for fighting the drug war, particularly as it effects youth. He also is on the Select Committee on Intelligence, which makes him privy to budget discussions for such agencies as the Central Intelligence Agency, which often works hand in hand with the DEA. If nominated to head the DEA, Hutchinson would need to be confirmed by the Senate. If approved, he would work with the United Nations, Interpol and other organizations on international drug-control programs. Copyright © 2001, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. All rights reserved. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-~> <FONT COLOR="#000099">Clubmom is the first free organization dedicated to rewarding and celebrating Moms! Join today - it's free - and get a free year-long subscription for Parents magazine - just for being a Mom! </FONT><A HREF="http://us.click.yahoo.com/TtO.UB/YKfCAA/tvCFAA/xrOVlB/TM";><B>Click Here!</B></A> ---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> Please let us stay on topic and be civil. To unsubscribe please go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cia-drugs -Home Page- www.cia-drugs.org OM Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
