STATE GOP HOLDS OFF ON DRUG SLAP

The national party platform calls for strong criminal penalties for
those caught using and distributing drugs.

Johnson, a Republican in his second term as New Mexico governor, has
asked the party to remain open to decriminalizing drugs and has asked
for statewide debate on drug policy.

The governor is on vacation and was not immediately available for
comment, a spokeswoman for the governor said today.

The resolution and letter were debated for an hour Saturday during an
executive committee meeting in Albuquerque. No vote tally on the
resolution was announced.

Dendahl, the state Republican Party chairman, wrote a letter to
committee members two days before the meeting, calling the passage of
a state platform plank against decriminalization "unwise."

"As I write this I worry that the resolution would be perceived as a
direct slap of Governor Johnson by our committee," Dendahl wrote.

He said he faxed the letter to all 40 members of the executive
committee. As the party chief, Dendahl appoints those on the elite
committee.

The drug decriminalization issue has sparked controversy among
rank-and-file Republicans statewide.

The governor has said repeatedly that he does not believe smoking
marijuana should be a crime.

Right now, possession of illegal drugs is a misdemeanor or felony
depending on the type of drug involved, and a conviction could result
in jail or prison time.

By decriminalizing drug use, police would have the option not to
arrest.

The governor's comments have angered many Republicans. In fact,
Dendahl said, one Republican who worked to get Johnson elected has
"hammered" Johnson for raising the decriminalization issue. He
declined to name the Republican.

The move to pass the resolution against decriminalization of drugs is
apparently the byproduct of growing GOP outrage over the issue.

Farmington Republican Mike Larimer asked that the resolution be placed
on Saturday's agenda. He was not immediately available for comment.

Larimer's resolution was no surprise to the executive committee
members. Rep. Ron Godbey, an Albuquerque Republican, had told the
committee that Larimer planned to introduce the resolution.

Godbey encouraged committee members to "help see that the resolution
passes with a unanimous vote."

In his own letter to committee members, Godbey said he was concerned
by a "proposal from a few high-level Republicans concerning the
legalization of drugs."

"While I respect their right of free speech and thought, I object to
their unilaterally taking our party down this slippery slope," Godbey
wrote.

He wrote a three-page position paper informing committee members of
the "dangerous side" of drug decriminalization.

He noted that the Netherlands, where public sale of marijuana in
coffee shops is legal, drug addiction has tripled.

Godbey also pointed out a national study that concluded that marijuana
is a "gateway drug," leading to the use of harder drugs.

Another study, he wrote, showed that 12- to 17-year-olds who smoked
marijuana are 85 percent more likely to use cocaine than kids who did
not use marijuana.

Late Sunday evening, Godbey said he vehemently opposes decriminalizing
drugs.

"I think that even discussing the legalization of marijuana or drugs
is extremely harmful not only to the party but to America," he said.
"What does it say to kids who we are trying to keep off drugs when
we're talking about legalizing it?"

He acknowledged that his letter brought a swift response from
Dendahl.

Dendahl said he disagrees with those in the party who say the governor
has "no right" to be talking about decriminalizing drug use.

He said he worked to defeat the resolution because an executive
committee meeting is no place to add planks to the party's platform.
He said those issues can be raised during platform
conventions.

Dendahl said there was nothing to be gained by passing a resolution
that is critical of Johnson.

"We're not prepared to break ranks with the governor," he said. "A
majority of the committee is absolutely with the governor -- not on
every issue.

"What is not appropriate . . . is the executive committee (trying) to
adopt a resolution that could be construed publicly, that could be
defined, as a split in the party. We don't have a split."

Dendahl got help in amending the resolution from Colin McMillan, a
Roswell Republican.

McMillan is a party bigwig who is serving on Texas Gov. George W.
Bush's presidential exploratory committee in New Mexico.

McMillan also ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 1994. He is
among a long list of Republicans that could run for office in the
state's 2nd Congressional District if incumbent Republican Rep. Joe
Skeen decides to step down.

It was McMillan who offered the letter amendment at Saturday's
meeting, Dendahl said.

Dendahl said he is working on the letter that he plans to send to
Johnson on the drug issue.

He said McMillan and Larimer will be asked to review the letter before
it is sent to Johnson. Dendahl said he won't deliver the letter until
Johnson returns from vacation.

"The letter I have drafted will talk about a few other things --
something to the effect that when leaders talk about decriminalizing
drugs, it is easily construed by some as approval of drug use,"
Dendahl said. "The committee wants the message clear that 'no!' it
does not approve of drug use.

"The committee feels it is important for the Republican Party to have
some reaction to the perception that because our governor has talked
about decriminalizing drugs we're going soft on drugs. The committee
is not."