REPUBLICANS FEUD OVER DRUG-REFORM LEGISLATION

A blustery exchange this week between Republican lawmakers on
opposite sides of the drug-reform debate highlights the schism the
issue has created among GOP legislators.

Rep. Ron Godbey, R-Cedar Crest, argued with fellow Republican Reps.
Joe Thompson of Albuquerque and Dan Foley of Roswell at Monday's
House Judiciary Committee meeting. During the exchange, Thompson
asked newspapers to print that Godbey had admitted he wasn't aware of
any bills before the Legislature this year that would decriminalize
drugs other than marijuana.

Godbey on Tuesday refused to acknowledge Thompson's take on his
statements because the current drug-reform legislation "is part of an
incremental attempt to legalize drugs one step at a time."

The bills aimed at allowing the use of prescription marijuana for
medical purposes (SB8) and removing criminal sanctions for the
possession of small amounts of pot (HB25) "would not legalize heroin
and cocaine - just toking marijuana ... but (reform advocates will)
be back next year," Godbey said.

A fierce opponent of drug reform, Godbey also said a third
drug-reform bill (SB331) making treatment instead of incarceration
mandatory for first-time nonviolent offenders "is a subtle way to
legalize heroin and cocaine" because it removes the sanction of jail
time for users of those drugs.

Still, Thompson said Godbey's comments are the first time one of the
drug-reform opponents has admitted nothing before the Legislature
this year would actually legalize drugs such as cocaine and heroin.

Rep. Gail Beam, D-Albuquerque, stepped into the GOP fray, stating she
and Godbey "agree to disagree" on the issue of drug reform.

But Beam questioned Godbey about radio ads paid for by Protect New
Mexico, a group opposed to the drug-reform bills. In the ads, a
narrator hints the Legislature is trying to legalize heroin.

"It lowers the quality of the debate that citizens of this state are
entitled to" by lumping allegations of heroin legalization into the
mix, Thompson said.

"What do people have to fear from the truth?" asked Beam.

Godbey said he isn't a member of Protect New Mexico and hasn't heard
the ads, much less had anything to do with producing them.

"I will take a blood oath," Godbey said. "I will take a polygraph.
... I had nothing to do with those ads."

This week, a group called Improve New Mexico - which is part of the
Lindesmith Center, a drug-reform group that has been a driving force
in the effort to liberalize drug laws - began a radio ad campaign in
an effort to counter Protect New Mexico.

A commercial heard on KKOB-AM radio features two women talking about
"scare tactics" used by anti-drug reform proponents. The actors in
the ad deny anyone is trying to legalize hard drugs.

Katharyn Huffman, director of Lindesmith's New Mexico office, said
the ads were purposely similar to Protect New Mexico's because the
organization is trying to "clear up misinformation" she said was in
the other group's ads.

Steve Terrell contributed to this report.