With much of the nation transfixed by the drama in our nation’s capital over efforts to overturn the results of the presidential election, Republican leaders at the state level also have a target in the bid to block the will of the people: marijuana legalization initiatives. Voters in five states approved ballot measures to legalize cannabis in November, all […]
GOP
GOP Fears 2018 Backlash After Sessions Cannabis Crackdown
The Justice Department’s decision to free federal prosecutors to enforce marijuana laws in states that have legalized the drug adds to the political burdens of congressional Republicans trying to hold their House and Senate majorities in an already challenging election year. An early indication of the issue’s potency was the fierce reaction of Republican Senator […]
Despite Pushback from DOJ, GOP Wants More Medical Marijuana Research
Some Utah residents are working overtime to get medical marijuana on the state’s ballot next year. They seem to have just gotten a surprising new Republican ally in their effort – Senator Orrin Hatch. The state’s senior senator – an octogenarian who is third in line for the presidency – publicly broke ranks with Attorney […]
House GOP Blocks Vote for State Medical Marijuana Protections
The U.S. House Committee on Rules has blocked a number of marijuana-related amendments from a federal appropriations bill, including the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment. The GOP-led committee’s moves late Wednesday mean multiple amendments protecting existing and future state marijuana laws won’t be getting a vote on the House floor. The most notable measure cast out of the must-pass appropriations […]