Baucus going after drug money like a 'mongoose'
2007-07-07
Source: The Billings Gazette
Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., told law enforcement officials in Billings Friday that he will continue to use "mongooselike tenacity" to secure funding for drug enforcement in Montana.
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rss feedBaucus, who was honored at a luncheon attended by about 30 area drug enforcement officers and agents, said he heard their message that they need more personnel and continued full federal funding.
The tenacity, Baucus said, requires him to keep after leaders of various federal agencies and, "Just grab ahold of 'em until they say, "Hey, let's do it and get this guy off our back.'" Baucus was honored by the National High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Directors Association for his efforts to restore funding that has twice been on the chopping block of the president's budget.
Rocky Mountain HIDTA Director Tom Gorman, of Denver, who is also the association president, presented Baucus with a plaque naming him the group's "Legislator of the Year" for 2005 and 2006.
Gorman said Baucus has accomplished things that seemed impossible. The first was to get Montana included in the Rocky Mountain HIDTA Region at a time when it appeared that the national regions would be decreased.
Baucus said that was relatively simple, it just took some motivation.
"Sometimes in life, something kind of ticks you off," he said.
