Higher Profile for Mitch Daniels Brings Some New Scrutiny of 1970 Drug Arrest
- Posted on February 13, 2011 at 2:21pm by
Scott Baker
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Thursday, Politico.com ran a glowing profile of Mitch Daniels and his chances should he decide to run for President. Now, the same website is also running a story that recounts a Daniels arrest in 1970. It spells out the details that led then-Princeton student Mitch Daniels to pay a $350 fine for an infraction tied to marijuana possession.
IUPUI political scientist Margaret Ferguson says it’s part of what comes with national exposure.
“The chances of some new story coming up are pretty small at this point, I think,” she says, “but it’s a higher level of scrutiny, a higher office brings higher levels of expectation.”
The marijuana story is well known in Indiana political circles. It was widely reported when Daniels first ran for governor in 2004. Democrats tried to make it an issue.
Though Daniels is often knocked as a dull numbers guy, his past is actually among the most colorful of any Republican contender’s, beginning with the surprisingly little-known fact that he was arrested and jailed in a drug sting operation that centered on his Princeton University dorm room.
According to campus newspaper reports supplied by the university, Daniels and two other students were swept up in a five-month joint investigation between New Jersey state police and local police that culminated in the May 14th, 1970 raid on Daniels’ shared room at111 Cuyler Hall.
Daniels and the two other students were initially charged with possession of marijuana, LSD and prescription drugs without a prescription and with ”maintaining a common nuisance by maintaining a place for the sale of narcotics.”
A local detective testified that police had seized “enough marijuana to fill two size 12 shoe boxes and quantities of prescription drugs were found in the room,” according to a dispatch in the Daily Princetonian, whose archives aren’t available online for that year.
The undercover state police officer involved in the sting visited Daniels’ room “eight or nine times” and “observed narcotics paraphernalia, saw marijuana and hashish being used, and purchased marijuana prescription drugs and LSD.”
Daniels was never implicated in selling the drugs, and has never hidden the incident. During his 2004 run for governor, a former roommate told the Indianapolis Star that Daniels “had nothing to do” with selling drugs, saying “I was busted.” The roommate went on to say he was no fan of then-President Bush and would have gladly offered unflattering information about a GOP candidate if he’d had it.
Read the rest of Ben Smith’s report here.






















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Comments (181)
jkurtz
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 4:07pmWho cares! Like all of these people who will have issues with this have not smoked or taken something. Grow up
Report Post »Gabby Johnson
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 4:02pmIsn‘t mentioning Obama’s drug use racist?
Report Post »JROCCOD
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:59pmMay 14, 1970? And THIS is an issue? 41 years ago…..FUGEDABOUDIT
Report Post »JROCCOD
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 6:59pmMay 14, 1970, I was wandering the streets of Philadelphia **** faced on cheap whiskey…..But I was a kid, just like this guy was. We all grow up….And we all move on, well, most of us. I didnt hold anything against GW Bush for his boozing and cocaline use. And, I dont hold it against BH Obama.
Report Post »So give this guy the same pass we gave other candidates. The pot thing with with Clinton was funny though, I smoked it but didnt inhale…LOL Yea right, And I drank the whiskey but didnt swallow it….
franknshadow
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:53pmRead Michelle Malkins book, Culture of Corruption.. If you haven’t you may be surprised to see the pasts involved in this administration.. Bill Ayers comes to mind.. An unrepentant terrorist and bomber, and yes, a friend of the current president..
Report Post »katzenbacker73
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:52pmWhat does this have to do with our current crisis? The crisis of the red menace permanently destroying this great nation!
Report Post »thepatriotdave
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:51pmThis will be kept quiet by the left until after the primary. Then once he goes up against Obama the left and the media will act as if he had murdered a school full of 5 year olds.
http://tinyurl.com/4s67e3q
Report Post »Cog
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:51pmWow! Wonder if those same super-snoops ever found even one fellow student who remembered Barack Obama?
Report Post »C. Schwehr
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 6:50pmNope, but they probably remember Barry Soetoro.
Report Post »ferdbyrd
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:49pmMisdemeanor pot in 1970? GTFOH.
Report Post »ladyda
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:48pmHey, which one of us did not do a stupid thing or two when we were kids? This was 41 years ago for heavens sake. I have also experimented with things in the past that I am not proud of today, but with maturity and the forgiveness of our Lord God, I have been boringly straight for many many years and loving it! We don‘t really want to dig into the past of all these 60’s hippies in political positions these days now do we libs?
Report Post »eileen for freedom liberty
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:43pm2012 – ‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well…lookee here America! Another dirty rabid attack by the Democratzi ‘loons’ to discredit anyone and/or anything showing some threat to the PUPPET of the Bilderberg…Obama the Bush in 2012!
Keep it up…we will use these ‘nails’ of lies and deception like we did in November…to seal your political coffins once and for all!
Many were sealed in November…and we used all our nails to do so! But we are gathering them again for 2012…guaranteed!
Keep it up…they are valuable tools for ‘real’ Americans doing the hammering in 2012!
~~~
WHY IS IT NO ONE IS INVESTIGATING WHY THE PUPPET OF THE BILDERBERG…OBAMA THE BUSH IS USING A CT SS# NUMBER WHEN HE HAS NEVER, EVER LIVED IN CT?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oLIUT16ko0
Report Post »TheRealTruth
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:34pmSo now Politico is vetting “drug users”? Oh, I see….hmm….is this on the form that obambi created for all those who wanted to work in his administration?
Remember that farce?
Report Post »kspatriot
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:33pmYeah, we have a dope smokin’, coke snortin’, president now in Obama that I doubt to this day could pass a drug test. The left ALWAYS has a double standard and are raging HYPOCRITS!!!
Report Post »weeblewacker1
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 11:10amerrr,better check the history of your “dear-leaders” like mr.beck and rush,a 40 year old pot arrest? get serious. not like he was hooked on oxycotin and cocaine, and cystal meth and alcohal just a few years ago. remember…??
Report Post »HonorJC
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:29pmI live in Indiana- Great Governor…I Am sure he never INHALED!
Report Post »KornHuskerKid
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:54pmHope he stays there too…
Report Post »fishstx777
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:28pmyoull either get a rebuttle at 5 from beck or have to wait till 9 from hannity the rest of the time between is the snore zone every once in a while they might throw that ferocious conservative krauthammer at you fox better wake up and be a little more upbeat and not so politically correct at these hrs 6-9. if beck was on at 7 p.m his viewer audience would be 3 million . bring rush limbaugh on tv. sick of watching cash cab at 7 pm. baher at 5pm limbaugh at 6pm beck at7pm oreilly at8 pm and hannity at 9 pm cant beat that line up
Report Post »cidav8r
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:57pmI totally agree. Get rid of that loser Shepard Smith and put Glenn on instead. Send Smith to MSNBC where he belongs. I seriously doubt Rush would be interested in another TV run. Too much work and time away from his HOT wife. He‘s said time after time that he doesn’t want to do TV again.
Report Post »TexOkie
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 4:29pmProblem is that if they move Beck into a prime time slot during which people are actually home instead of on the road communting or at work, his numbers would challenge O‘Reilly’s position and that would be totally unacceptable to Bill.
Report Post »beckwill
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:22pmOh why oh why couldn’t he have been doing something benign like…loading up on Commie, Marxist, Socialist behaviors that that would only bring down a nation and every hard working person in it? Gee, that would have easier to handle, huh?
Report Post »LOOKING_BOTH_WAYS
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:16pmooooppps. – I mean s** in the mud at Woodstock
what we need is more coke head Yuppy’s from the 80 ts…… Aqua Buda lives again :-)
Report Post »WestOfThePecos
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:15pmPlay Christie for me!
Report Post »ooooonooooo
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 5:56pmchristi/anyone 2012
Report Post »joseph Fawcett
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:14pmI don’t like Daniels and would recomend everyone NOT vote for him. He doesn’t listen to the people and what they want. I didn’t like it when he was our only GOP choice in Indiana and did not like it even more when he was elected. I don’t think he is much or any better than the former Governor before him. He is a very poor choice for Governor of any State and will make an even worse choice for President. I would vote for any democrat before voting for Daniels. To me he is a traitor to the people who got him elected and will do the same on a national scale!! I tell ya, DO NOT TRUST THIS GUY!
http://www.josephfawcettart.com Western artist
Report Post »TexOkie
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 4:23pmI’m convienced. Good argument for an Obama supporter.
Report Post »C. Schwehr
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 6:46pmInteresting point of view….you’d vote for a progressive before voting for a popular govenor who actually got things done for his state that have benefitted GREATLY for the people of that state? So what are YOU smokin’????
Report Post »PutMeInCharge
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:13pmAre you kidding? This might work out to be an advantage with some voters.
Report Post »Red Meat
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:13pmLet the MFM smear campaigns begin.
Report Post »Steve Martin
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:13pmNow he will be able to run for president
Report Post »NormanDeArmond
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:09pmNo no no When we voted a known user we got Obama NO to DANIELS!!!
Report Post »C. Schwehr
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 6:44pmSo you assume that use noted FOURTY YEARS AGO means he‘s still smokin’ the stuff…And your proof is?????????
Report Post »niwalter
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:01pmYawn…who cares. Let go of his past. As a resident of Indiana, I truly believe he has redeemed himself since college (like, 30 years ago?).
Report Post »REDPILLREADY
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:12pmRight, and if I did the math correctly, its more like 41 years.
Report Post »NickDeringer
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:19pmSo as a resident of Indiana, would you vote for him for POTUS?
Report Post »Is_Sense_Common
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 4:04pm@ Nick, I’m a resident of Indiana and would vote for him, although my first choice at this point is Herman Cain. With Herman’s charisma & Mitch’s political experience, that might be an amazing ticket. Mitch laid out a plan for Indiana and unlike any politician I’ve known, he actually has done what he set out to do. He’s not super dynamic in personality, but very task-oriented. I don‘t detect any smell of Mary Jane in the governor’s mansion :)
Report Post »Xcori8r
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 7:52pmIndiana is a conceal carry state, too.
Report Post »Doc_Slammin
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 10:14pm@NickDeringer
Report Post »I am an Indiana resident and I feel that Mitch, has done a wonderful job as governor of this State. We are fiscally sound, as a State, during an economic downturn. What used to be a hour wait at the BMV for a simple renewal is now 10-20 minutes, and that is fairly common state-wide. He leased a toll road [that lost money on a yearly basis] to a foreign business for a heckuvalota money… You can imagine the controversy… and he has been standing up to the entrenched public sector unions – yes, the teachers are whining again – since he was elected.
NickDeringer
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:00pmIt begins. The MSM already has it’s knives out. I think Mitch Daniels can handle this, but he better be ready to be dragged through the mud and accused of every crime know to man.
Report Post »Grasshopper42
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:31pmHey, it was a “joint investigation”.
Report Post »GeorgieJo
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 4:19pmCall Me Senator Barbara Boxer has an aide who was caught carrying pot into a Federal Building
Report Post »I believe he had previously worked on a “Joint Commission” regarding something Loonbat Liberals re-elected Babs……..Such hypocrites They all live in glass houses and stockpile their “rocks” to throw at anyone conservative
Billy Clinton didn’t inhale and MessNBC has a special on him being the “most whatever Prez of the Century” Wonder how much pot ChrissyM did? Obvious Olderdork did mushrooms LMAO
what4
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 4:42pmIts just like the MSM to bring Knives to a Bazoka fight! ******** are as stupid as those who vote for them!
Report Post »CanadianForGod
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 5:42pmI’d support him. When they attack someone you no they are afraid of them. He has real results to show not empty words.
Report Post »123gone
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 6:08pmWhy would he waste his time and money to run against others that obeyed the law and avoided the temptation to experiment with or use drugs in college?
Report Post »I oppose excusing or rewarding bad behavior by anyone in public office.
C. Schwehr
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 6:43pmIt’s pretty apparent that Daniels can handle himself when it comes to past indiscretions if this was already well known in Indiana. I can’t chastise a person for doing what most in our age group have done in the past. No big deal to me!
Report Post »It will be used against him, but so what? The sitting, defacto president was (and maybe still is) a coke head, and is addicted to tobacco. Daniels has concrete answers to the problems we have right now and the defacto president is ONE of those problems…I’ll take Daniels.
sissykatz
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 9:13amDid anyone else notice in the article that it was a “Joint” investigation!!!!! I thought that was very appropriate. As someone already wrote, if he didn‘t smoke pot in the ’70s he couldn’t be trusted.lol
Report Post »TruthTalker
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 2:57pmOf course they want him to run, duh
Report Post »cnsrvtvj
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:02pmHere is the liberal mindset in full view. Our current President wrote in his book that he had an extensive past when it comes to drug use. He stated that he snorted cocaine when he could afford it, When he couldn’t, he just smoked pot. How many stories did the liberal media run on that? I didn’t see a single one. The hypocrisy of the clowns will never cease to amaze me.
http://www.donsmithshow.com – see the liberal mindset video
Report Post »Sinista Mace
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:02pmTsk Tsk.
Panama Red gotcha, Mitch.
Don’t worry, if you do win, you’ll join a long list of potheads.
Welcome to Bohemian Grove!
Report Post »Steverino
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:05pmCan anyone say…
Report Post »That was 40 freakin’ years ago!!!
We have a President who has admitted to using both marijuana and cocaine.
Youthful indiscretion at best. Stupidity ( for getting busted ) at worst.
Steve
missionarydad
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:14pmI am no Mitch Daniels fan, but that was a youthful indiscretion and everyone deserves forgiveness if they change their ways.
Report Post »booger71
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:22pmBarry had some fun dealing a little coke and weed
Report Post »JIM TINOMININ
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:23pm2 shoe boxes full of ganja, mega prescription meds, hashish, LSD
Report Post »If that were me, I’d still be married to a large inmate named Chip.
Xcori8r
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:26pmIt’s not as if it was cocaine, like certain Kenyans-Americans we know.
Report Post »LSX
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:30pmBammy had fun ridin’ that train with Casey Jones…
Cocaine Commie ol’ Barry Obammy.
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:32pmSHouldn’t the lefties love him now ?
Report Post »mcfinch
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:36pmHope he doesn’t run.
http://politicalbowl.com – Political Video Website
Report Post »thepatriotdave
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:47pmThis unfortunately would be great fodder for the Dems. The Democrats will have big “take down Mitch” parties where they throw around ideas on how to beat him in a general election while at the same time passing around a bowl of pot and drugs.
Report Post »walkwithme1966
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:49pmPerhaps it is better to come clean with information such as this, instead of waiting for the media to report it. http://wp.me/sYLB7-outfoxed
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:50pmXcori8r
It’s not as if it was cocaine, like certain Kenyans-Americans we know.
Report Post »—————–
Its not like he was growing pot in his basement with his boyfriend while running a gay brothel from his house, like the Banking Queen !
Oahujack
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 4:56pmGet the whole story. He was not convicted of possession or sale of drugs. He paid a $350.00 fine for being a disordely person because he smoked pot in his dorm room. Even his lib room mate, the one convicted, stated that Daniels had nothing to do with sale or distribution of drugs.
Report Post »nothingbuthetruth
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 5:16pmHmmm… picture this Odumbo snorting cocaine in college. Smokes cigarettes now and his doctor tells him to cut back on his drinking booz, just last year.. Who sounds more like he has an addictive personality. dont know much about Mitch here, but they should never throw stones from their glass houses
Report Post »exdem
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 5:36pm@CHEESEWIZ
Report Post »Who?? Tim Geitner? Fill me in.
CowboyExpat
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 5:36pmCallin’ BS on this one…. Your POTUS is an admitted coke head…tried it and liked it, sure….This is not news.
Report Post »Highland
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 5:45pmThe left reserves its harshest attacks for those they fear most. Yesterday Sarah Palin, today Mitch Daniels.
Report Post »riseandshine
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 5:54pmXcori8r
Report Post »Posted on February 13, 2011 at 3:26pm
It’s not as if it was cocaine, like certain Kenyans-Americans we know
………….oh did he get his american citizenship?
ooooonooooo
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 5:55pmif he did not do weed in the 70′s i would not trust him
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 6:01pm@ exdem
Report Post »The Banking Queen :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChShICWCim8&feature=related
middledge
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 6:07pmthey don’t care if he runs. they’re still praying for palin
and to cnsrvtvj…..
Report Post »if there wasn’t any coverage of Obama pot use, HOW DID YOU KNOW ABOUT IT….
sorry, but i can’t stand idiotcracy on left or right……
indy1
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 6:17pmOnly libs can do coke and gonja like Bubba, Al Bore and Hussein.
Report Post »cnsrvtvj
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 7:22pm@middledge – If you would have read (and comprehended) the post, you would know that it was because the messiah wrote about it in his book. Pay attention when people are talking to you. Typical lib.
Report Post »Xcori8r
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 7:30pmCheezwhiz
-
It’s not as if it was cocaine, like certain Kenyan-Americans we know.
—————–
Its not like he was growing pot in his basement with his boyfriend while running a gay brothel from his house, like the Banking Queen !
___________
Neither is it anything like a certain DNA depositor that didn’t have sex with that woman, didn’t inhale, pardoned his brother from a cocaine conviction and jail term and according to said brother “has a nose like a vacuum cleaner”.
Report Post »Redd
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:01pmobama and the choir director…
Report Post »http://newsflavor.com/
CatB
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:05pmThe old double standard of the left .. doesn’t seem to get old with them …
Report Post »Thatsitivehadenough
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:19pmGood. It should make him more attractive to liberals.
Report Post »STICK2URGUNS
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:50pmI’ll bet he is least man enough to admit that he inhaled.
Report Post »Sinista Mace
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:11pmBush didn’t admit he inhaled, Obama said “That was the point.”
Report Post »smallstuff7
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 11:09pmDaniels will be an embarrassment. The lame stream media will utterly distort it and attempt to ruin his life. Forgive him but don’t let him run.
Report Post »TheBMT
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 11:17pmSteveRINO I agree. 40 freaking years ago? Man it‘s like kids can’t make mistakes.
Report Post »Mil Mom
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 12:38amCatB
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:05pm
The old double standard of the left .. doesn’t seem to get old with them …
*********
Report Post »No double standard here, they‘re just upset he’s not running on their ticket!
*** Party Time, Anyone! ***
bobodu
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 5:28am“But…but…but Obama snorted coke!!”
Report Post »Is that your copybook heading for today? What you people lack in originality..you make up for in rote learning.
In order for you to appreciate a true leader like Daniels, you would have to drop your fantasy of Palin.
Libertyluvnmomma
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 9:23amBut it is Ok for Babs Boxer to hire sexual predators.
Report Post »I am suspect of the prohibition of marijuana- I have never heard a good argument. It’s prohibition has sure caused a dangerous black market- that kills people. I wonder what would be worse?
dabbo
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 9:58amThis is old news….My man Mitch has been thoroughly vetted….Unlike other very high ranking politicians. (i.e. Barry Soetoro aka Barack Obama).
I think Mitch’s successful record of governing can easily trump more pie in sky hype and change…..(which is what we’re going to get from the Dear Leader)…..after all BO certainly can’t run on his record.
Report Post »RdsknsFtbll
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 10:01amyeah this is ridiculous… We have had a former Democrat President that “didnt” inhale nor did he have “sexual relations” we now have a Democrat President that in an open setting during at a High School in front of hundreds of teens.. admitted to not only snorting coke and smoke pot but selling pot as well… and of course he was still elected. AND it doesnt matter if the MSM did do stories on it they just simply justified it as a youthful indiscretion… of course a Republican candidate cant possibly have a youthful past…
Look at all the sh*t that was raised about Bush drinking and at the same time no comparisons were being made in the MSM of anything done by Clinton or even by Kennedy like Chappiquidick (?)
Report Post »Chris G
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 2:16pmWho cares what Daniels did way back 40 yrs ago. Drugs shouldn’t be illegal in the 1st place.
Report Post »Conservative Hippy
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 4:07pmWho cares what he did as a kid back in school… If any of you can find a democrat in elected office that hasn’t done the same… or is that the liberal double standard again…
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