Wilson Calls for Clinton to Fire Surgeon General

In an angry statement, Gov. Pete Wilson urged President Clinton on Thursday to fire Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders because she suggested that the nation consider legalizing drugs in an effort to cut down on narcotics-related violent crime.

But in attacking Elders, Wilson exaggerated her position on the issue, suggesting that she advocated legalization when she actually limited her remarks to urging further study of the controversial matter.

The Republican governor, who is focusing more on crime as he prepares for a reelection campaign next year, issued the written statement from his press office as he was en route to memorial services for Polly Klaas, the kidnaped 12-year-old Petaluma girl who was found dead last week.

Elders, in response to a question after a speech in Washington Tuesday, said she believed legalizing drugs could reduce violent crime. She cited the experience of other countries that have tried the approach.

“I do feel that we need to do some studies,” she said.

Those remarks, repudiated by the White House the same day, set off a storm of protest among Republicans in Washington, many of whom urged Clinton to dump Elders. Wilson has added his name to the list of those who are outraged by Elders’ suggestion, which he called a disgrace.

“Dr. Elders is willing to relegate the youth of America to the perils of addiction and enslavement in the interest of bureaucratic convenience,” Wilson said. “Her proposal is unconscionable and an insult to the courage and determination of every narcotics officer who has instead chosen the hard way and the right way to fight drugs.”

In characterizing Elders’ comments as proposing the legalization of drugs, however, Wilson overstated her position. She has only suggested studying the issue to determine if legalization could reduce crime caused by fighting over turf for drug trafficking.

That position is shared by conservatives such as writer William F. Buckley and two men Wilson recruited last year to join his newly formed Council of Economic Advisers, former Secretary of State George P. Shultz and economics professor Milton Friedman.

Shultz, who chairs the panel, said in 1989 that it was time to examine controlled legalization of drugs.

“We’re not really going to get anywhere until we can take the criminality out of the drug business and the incentives for criminality out of it,” he said.

Dan Schnur, Wilson’s chief spokesman, said Shultz’s position was different because he was not advising the governor on health or crime issues.

“Like all appointees, there are more issues on which the governor and Secretary Shultz agree upon than disagree,” Schnur said. “But there are some areas of disagreement. I can say with confidence that if the secretary were to make recommendations along those lines to the governor they would be rejected out of hand.”

Wilson’s comments were assailed by Assemblyman John Vasconcellos (D-Santa Clara), who advocates studying the legalization of drugs.

“We’ve increased every penalty you could imagine, but the rates of crime, violence and drugs are the same as they were before--for lack of any willingness to find out why people do what they do,” Vasconcellos said. “I’m sick and tired of that kind of pandering politics. It’s stupid not to talk about it and it’s stupid to decry those who do want to talk about it.”