On Sept. 22, MAPS signed a contract with The Raben Group, a Washington, D.C., lobbying group. The Raben Group will analyze the political situation related to the Craker case and then provide MAPS with recommendations for next steps. The Raben Group will develop supporting materials; assist with outreach to other organizations or people willing to support MAPS’ efforts; schedule and staff meetings with the Department of Justice; and provide any necessary follow-up to Department of Justice staff as well as strategic counsel to MAPS. According to IRS rules, technically none of this work counts as lobbying since we are not trying to change any laws. Instead, we are working with a regulatory and enforcement agency, the DEA, to encourage it to follow the recommendations of DEA Administrative Law Judge Bittner. The judge determined that it would be in the public interest for DEA to issue a license to Prof. Craker to grow marijuana for MAPS for federally-regulated research.