A non-profit group affiliated with the Drug Enforcement Administration apologized on Monday after sending out a tweet commemorating the arrest of a Harlem drug dealer in recognition of Black History Month.
Leroy Butler, a significant heroin trafficker in New York City, was arrested in 1980
— DEA Ed. Foundation (@DEAEdFoundation)
After receiving in response to the original tweet, the DEA Educational Foundation today that the “focus of original tweet was to be invaluable hard work of African American DEA agents, not the target of the investigation,” and .
Focus of original tweet was to be invaluable hard work of African American DEA agents, not the target of the investigation
— DEA Ed. Foundation (@DEAEdFoundation)
We apologize for any confusion we caused with our poor wording of the original tweet.
— DEA Ed. Foundation (@DEAEdFoundation)
The original message struck a nerve that the DEA’s prosecution of the drug war, particularly in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, has had a disproportionate impact on black families and communities.
(ACLU)
With and politicians from taking active steps to reduce racial disparities in drug sentencing, and many states taking steps to reduce penalties for drug possession or legalize the use of some drugs altogether, in recent years.
The is a non-profit organization that provides financial support to the Drug Enforcement Administration Museum here in Washington. Its Board of Directors is comprised mainly of former high-ranking DEA officials and special agents.
The post appeared first on .
