Last week, longtime ally of President Trump and Republican strategist Roger Stone announced the formation of the United States Cannabis Coalition (USCC).
In a speech at the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo in New York City, Stone said, “I am going to be working with a coalition of Republicans and Democrats, progressives and libertarians, liberals, and conservatives to persuade the president to keep his campaign pledge and to remind the president that he took a strong and forthright position on this issue in the election. In all honesty it’s time for [Trump] to tell Attorney General Jeff Sessions to cut the s**t.”
Strong words from someone close to Trump who is also apparently not afraid to speak truth to power. Stone has been vocal about his hopes in regards to marijuana laws when it comes to The Trump Administration, tweeting back in February that any kind of crackdown would be a “huge mistake.”
For his part, Attorney General Jeff Sessions seems to have no intention of cutting the s**t. Last week it was revealed that he had written a letter to lawmakers in May, asking them to give him the power to go after medical marijuana in states where it was legal.
According to reports, former Minnesota Governor and vocal marijuana legalization advocate Jesse Ventura will be among members of the group.
Although he and Trump have been at odds at times, Stone brings two things to the fight for marijuana reform that could prove to be quite advantageous: 1) Stone was once close to the President, serving as an adviser in the early days of an ultimately successful Presidential campaign, and 2) he has a proven ability to garner press and knows how to play the political game thanks to decades of experience as a strategist.
Often controversial and incendiary, Stone is known as a backroom operator, a henchman, a “dirty trickster”; well, the adjectives go on and on. But there can be no doubt that he stands out from the host of others calling on President Trump and AG Sessions to back off of state marijuana laws. At one time he had the President’s ear. ”Roger’s a good guy,” Trump said in December of 2015. “He’s been so loyal and so wonderful.”
What all of this means remains to be seen, but having another voice calling on President Trump to keep his campaign promise about medical marijuana and leave the states alone can’t be a bad thing, especially if that voice is one the President has listened to in the past.
