Extra Drug Funds for L.A. Area Killed

The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday killed an effort to single out the Los Angeles area for tens of millions of federal dollars and create hundreds of new positions for drug prosecutors and investigators.

The proposal, made by committee members Howard L. Berman (D-Panorama City) and Carlos J. Moorhead (R-Glendale), was turned down as legislators rushed to iron out details of a sweeping anti-drug package that would establish a federal “drug czar,” toughen penalties for crack and cut off federal aid eligibility for repeat drug offenders.

The congressmen also rejected arguments for legalizing some drugs. A finished drug bill is expected to go to the full House later this week.

One proposal would have cost more than $5.4 million a year and added at least 344 federal agents, lawyers and other specialists to help fight violations in Southern California. The California congressmen argued that it was justified by the rapid worsening of trafficking and violence in the area, expanding influence of gangs and an inadequate federal presence.

But Rep. William J. Hughes (D-N.J.), who helped to craft the bill, summed up the sentiments of the committee toward this and other proposals eventually defeated when he placed a decorated Christmas tree in the hearing room. Berman withdrew his proposal before it came to a vote.

The Senate, working on its own drug bill, has approved capital punishment for drug-related killings, which the House has rejected.