Udall Arizona Daily Sun 06.22.73UPDATE: A reader pointed out that we should put into context how much pot three ounces (the amount Udall was found to have, per the newspaper articles) really is.  Here is a New York Magazine article on pot.  It actually shows how much pot two ounces is.  It’s a lot.  And, here’s what an unserious blog says about pot:

“If you are in a touring band, or are a die-hard pothead, [one ounce] is the bag you usually carry home.  If you are carrying home more than an ounce, odds are you are unloading part of it on your friends at a reasonable profit.”

Pot is one thing, but three ounces is a lot for a casual user.  Wait….  You weren’t selling that weed were you, Mark?  And, then, allegedly amphetamines, too?  Really?

It’s no secret in Colorado that Sen. Mark Udall has some problems telling the truth.  It’s probably also relatively well-known that Mark Udall admitted to The Rocky Mountain News (RIP) that he was arrested for possession of marijuana.  But, here’s Sen. Udall’s dirty little secret – it wasn’t just marijuana and it was a little more complicated than he shrugged off in the Rocky.  Here’s his statement in the Rocky:

“Yes. When I was 21, I was pulled over by an Arizona State patrolman for possession of marijuana. My dad thought it would be a good lesson for me to spend the night in the local jail.”

That’s not exactly how it went down, per newspaper clips from 1973.  Late on Saturday, February 17, 1973, Udall was driving a 1969 Datsun station wagon with Louisiana plates. He was pulled over.  On the front seat, two highway patrolmen found some marijuana.  A later search found three ounces of marijuana and (this is the part he left out) “dangerous drugs”, which were identified as amphetamines. The patrolmen seized Udall’s car for “transporting drugs”.  He was charged with two felony drug counts.  According to an article in the Arizona Daily Sun, “initial felony charges were reduced as requested by the County Attorney.”

The newspaper went on to explain that this is a normal part of the plea bargaining process.  We’re sure that Udall’s beloved father, Mo Udall, didn’t help at all with his plea.

Speaking of, what about his dad, Mo Udall “teaching him a lesson” by having him “spend a night in jail”?  Well, that’s not true either.  According to the Arizona Daily Sun, Udall was released that same night.  And, here comes another lie.

The punishment for Udall’s crime was a little bit stiffer than he let on. He was fined $300 (that’s about $1,500 in today’s dollars), ordered to spend one night in jail (not by his father), and put on probation for six months.  In addition, the state of Arizona seized the car he was driving in a civil action.  The car was valued at $1,500 then, or about $8,000 in today’s dollars.

Is transporting drugs and felony drug charges a youthful indiscretion?  It seems like a bigger deal than just a night in jail, as Udall described.  But, what’s a bigger deal is that when Udall was asked about this episode in a candidate questionnaire, he lied.  He glossed over the fact that this was a months-long legal battle, he lost his car, he was on probation, and that he was transporting “dangerous drugs”.

When will Mark Udall stop lying to Colorado?  If you don’t believe us, check out the newspaper articles to the right and below.

Udall Arizona Daily Sun 02.19.73 Udall Arizona Daily Sun 02.22.73Udall Arizona Daily Sun 07.06.73 Udall Tucson Daily Citizen 02.19.73