Martinez Defends Anti-Drug Program

The Bush Administration sought Thursday to defend its record on fighting drugs in the face of scathing Democratic attacks that condemned the President’s $32-billion anti-drug program as a miserable failure.

Bob Martinez, Bush’s national drug control policy director, told the Senate Judiciary Committee that Congress was at fault for stalling progress by failing to finance some Bush programs and attempting to cut funds for others. Also at fault, Martinez said, is an eroding public interest in the drug problem.

But committee Democrats released their own report, which says drug-related murders have gone up, addiction has risen and federal law enforcement dollars to local jurisdictions have shrunk under the Bush Administration.