Politco – by Burgess EverettIt wasn’t a new attorney general or defense secretary, but the Senate still hit a milestone on Monday by confirming President Barack Obama’s first nominee following a Republican takeover of that chamber.
The Senate voted 92 to 0 to approve Michael Botticelli as director of National Drug Control Policy, a nomination that didn’t even draw procedural opposition in the hyper-partisan Senate.
Botticelli was so noncontroversial that he was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee just last week and was whisked onto the Senate floor for a Monday vote, a brief turn to executive nominations while Republicans struggle legislatively to fund the Department of Homeland Security past Feb. 27. Defense Secretary nominee Ash Carter could also be confirmed later this week before Congress goes on a week-long recess, aides said.
In announcing his support for Botticelli, Senate Majority Leader Mich McConnell said that Botticelli has promised a spring visit to the GOP leader’s home state of Kentucky, which is dealing with worsening opioid addiction problems.
“Drug abuse is a serious problem in my home state,” McConnell said. “Visits like these help ensure continued federal efforts on Kentucky’s drug problem. And I look forward to working with the next drug czar to move closer to the day when drug abuse is no longer ravaging our families and our communities.”
Botticelli is a recovering alcoholic who has served as the acting director of National Drug Control Policy for nearly a year and will have to guide the Obama administration through an unprecedented period of uncertainty for the nation’s drug laws as four states and the District of Columbia recently voted to legalize marijuana. Votes on whether to legalize pot in more states are planned for 2016.
A D.C. resident, Botticelli made waves on Friday when he backed D.C.’s ability to spend its own money on legalization after congressional Republicans blocked federal spending on the new law in a December bill. Botticelli said he is against legalization but pro-budget autonomy for the District.
“I might not agree about legalization, but I do agree with our own ability to spend the money that we want.],” Botticelli said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/drug-czar-confirmation-michael-botticelli-115043.html#ixzz3RJwDxpA1
We’ve got a lot of empty suites at the crowbar motel after Obama set free these sexual predator illegal immigrants back to the streets. Looking for new “renters”, law enforcement will “double down” their efforts to throw your kid or friend in jail for recreational “doobie” smoking.
Holy $hit! The new “dry drunk” drug Czar looks been like he’s doing a lot of “doobie rolling” in his van down by the river!
lol Millard.
“You haven’t been usin your paper for writing…but for rollin doobies!”
That snl sketch makes me laugh every time. Matt Foley never gets old.
So, a blackmailed alcoholic organized crime operator to back the (anti?)drug program. I’ve seen how AA treats people with drug problems. They’re elitist “drug” addicts. (Thanks for the education Houston/Amarillo AA motorcycle gangs.) I never really understood the term “dry drunk” until I was exposed to these POSs. Self righteous, anyone?
These are the people who, you know, help cover up the government/organized crime program to import Afghan opium into western nations using our military, despite the consequences to our citizens. Great idea HW, you traitorous sack of s**t.
Of course we all know, on this site, that the whole government is one organized “Zionist” crime syndicate. And anyone who helps them is complicit in abetting their crimes.
Alcoholic drug czar…an oxymoron in the flesh.
Anti-marijuana? He’s stealthily and unanimously approved to keep the legalized pot programs from cutting into Zionist organized crime profits. All of that “off budget” money is just too important to jeopardize.
Did you see the reports of plummeting opioid overdose deaths in states where marijuana is legalized? Probably not, as they don’t want that info getting out.
“Drug abuse is a serious problem in my home state,” McConnell said…..and worse than that, the Mexican cartels are cutting into his profits.
Why is the Senate confirming someone in a position that shouldn’t exist? Which article of the Constitution outlines the role of “drug czar”, and how much power is being put in the hands of someone that the people never voted for?