Colombian senator says cocaine dealers in congress

Yahoo | Reuters ^ | 8/25/05

[LibWhacker]

BOGOTA, Colombia (Reuters) - Colombian congressmen are not only using cocaine but buying it in the Congress building, a senior Colombian senator said on Wednesday.

"I know names of people who distribute cocaine here in Congress," Sen. Edgar Artunduaga told local RCN television.

"There are important officials who distribute and senators and representatives who consume," said Artunduaga, who is deputy speaker of the Senate.

Colombia is the world's largest producer of cocaine but the government has received more than $3 billion in mainly military U.S. aid since 2000 to stamp out the drug trade so Artunduaga's remarks are likely to set off a storm.

Asked whether he would name names, the senator said: "I'm thinking about doing that, with the concern that a number of members of Congress will have to testify to the authorities."

Although selling cocaine is illegal in Colombia, possession of small doses for personal use is not. But with the government's efforts to stamp out the drug, which generates the money to buy bullets for Marxist rebels and far-right paramilitaries, any politician caught using it would be engulfed in scandal.

As in many U.S. and European cities, cocaine is easy to find here and its use common. But it is much cheaper in Colombia.

[thoughtomator]

That's nothing, we had one as President (maybe two).

[Mike Bates]

When I saw the headline, I thought he was going to out some U.S senators. That'd explain some of their votes.

[twigs]

Who's the second? I hope this senator has a very good bodyguard.

[mewzilla]

For a minute I thought he was talking about our Congress.

Now that I think about it, maybe his is.

[conserv13]

Clinton and Bush both used it.

Anyone whose ever worked in DC knows its everywhere. Interns and staff mostly. Lobbyists, lawyers, etc...

[zarf]

Colombian senator says cocaine dealers in congress

Master of the obvious.

[samadams2000]

When can you say a country cannot govern itself and therefore represents a threat to other societies.....10, 20, 40 years? What? We may need an Operation Mop and Glow down there once we've dispatched the radical A-rabs.

[Roccus]

If he names names, he'll be a dead man talking.

[MizSterious]

Same here. There are some in the U.S. congress who at least talk like they're on some kind of drugs.

[twigs]

But Bush's days were far over by the time he became president.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

You beat me to it.

[TXBSAFH]

I do not know about dealing, but frequent and heavy useage by many in congress could explain some the legisaltion of the past 10 or so years.

To put it bluntly, that crack just don't smoke itself.

[madison10]

Clinton and Bush both used it. Not as President Bush. You need alittle clarification with the accusation.

[newcthem]

When I saw the headline, I thought he was going to out some U.S senators. That'd explain some of their votes.

SAME THOUGHTS!

[MarineBrat]

"I know names of people who distribute cocaine here in Congress,"

Suicide attempt!

[BostonianRightist]

with the concern that a number of members of Congress will have to testify to the authorities." Hmm... Things are different down in Columbia. Up here, our Congressmen answer to no authority.

[Mike Bates]

You know what they say about great minds.

[conserv13]

I didn't say 'President'. I just said they'd both used it.

[DTogo]

We have Kool-Aid dealers in our Congress.