HUTCHINSON TAKES OVER DEA

Former Rep. Asa Hutchinson was formally sworn in yesterday as head of the
Drug Enforcement Administration, saying he "fully supports" President
Bush's balanced goals of aggressive law enforcement, increased treatment
and reduced demand.

"The DEA is designed to enforce the law, and that's our mission and that's
what we're going to do," the three-term Republican congressman from
Arkansas said at a press conference before his swearing-in ceremony at DEA
headquarters.

"But it also is important to focus on new approaches that include an
emphasis on educating our youth for the best life choices and the
rehabilitation of those who have become addicted to drugs," he said.

Mr. Hutchinson, 50, also said that as a former federal prosecutor and
congressman actively involved in anti-drug legislation, he brought to the
DEA "a sense of urgency" that he hoped would relate to deeds accomplished.

"The ultimate goal is to reduce the entry of illegal drugs into the United
States and the use of drugs in the United States," said Mr. Hutchinson,
adding that "what we are doing is important to America." He described the
nation's anti-drug effort as "a noble purpose worthy of a great crusade."

He said one of the "most frustrating things that I've had to encounter thus
far" was the notion that the DEA's mission had been unsuccessful.

"I think you have to put this in perspective; that whenever you look at
national social problems, whether you look at child abuse, whether you look
at teen violence, whenever you impact people's lives, it's a victory," he said.

Many rank-and-file DEA agents believe Mr. Hutchinson has the necessary
credentials with Congress to ensure that the agency's budget and manpower
needs will be met and that the DEA will be able to elevate its profile as a
federal law enforcement agency. The agents privately refer to Mr.
Hutchinson's congressional experience as "the juice."

Asked at the press conference if he had "the juice" to satisfy the
expectations, Mr. Hutchinson said he intended to work vigorously with
members of both the Senate and the House.

"If you look back at my record as United States attorney, I was very
straightforward - at that time in life I called it aggressive," he said.

During his confirmation hearings in July, the Senate Judiciary Committee
put partisanship aside to embrace the Hutchinson nomination.

The committee's chairman, Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, Vermont Democrat, called
Mr. Hutchinson "a man of integrity and intelligence," while the panel's
ranking Republican, Sen. Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, described the former
congressman as "good people" and said he was "grateful" that he was
"willing to serve" as DEA administrator.

All of the Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee supported
the Hutchinson nomination in a letter to the Senate.

During yesterday's press conference, Mr. Hutchinson also said the DEA would
continue to monitor scientific information on the use of medical marijuana,
but that no data had surfaced to show the drug had any legitimate medical use.

"Congress affirmed that, and the Supreme Court affirmed that as well," he
said. "If the scientific and medical community come in and continue to
study it, we're going to listen to them. But that's the consensus we have
at this time."

Mr. Hutchinson, a former member of the House Judiciary Committee, served as
one of 13 managers during the Senate impeachment trial of President Clinton.