Pubdate: Mon, 5 Apr 2004 Source: Amarillo Globe-News (TX) Copyright: 2004 Amarillo Globe-News Contact: http://amarillonet.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/13 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/tulia.htm (Tulia, Texas) CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS NOT IN FOCUS ON TULIA STING It isn't exactly a surprise that Congress is looking into the controversial 1999 Tulia drug sting. When the details of the botched sting and the illegitimacy of discredited undercover officer Tom Coleman came to light, it was only a matter of time before the federal government got involved. U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., announced last week his support for hearings in the House Judiciary Committee. Considering the scope and impact of what happened in Tulia, the federal government should get involved. However, Uncle Sam seems more interested in funding for drug task forces than holding accountable those actually responsible for this gross miscarriage of justice. Focus seems to be on federal money contained in the 1988 Anti-Drug Abuse Act that pays for state anti-drug efforts, including the Panhandle Regional Narcotics Trafficking Task Force. There is growing sentiment that these funds should be halted because of a lack of control and oversight among the drug task forces. As we've said, we fail to see how requiring corroborating evidence such as audiotape or videotape in drug surveillance operations would not solve the problem. It also does not make sense to yank $500 million in federal funds for law enforcement because of the illegal and inept actions of a handful of people. The federal government needs to carefully review, research and scrutinize what happened in Tulia and not automatically jeopardize an entire national program based on one incident, no matter how egregious. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman