Who?
Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) — Judiciary, Agriculture & Homeland Security Committees
LISTEN: Laslo & Correa
Ask a Pol asks:
Have you heard the reports about Customs and Border Patrol seizing marijuana in New Mexico?
Key Correa:
“I have not, but I will tell you that I have heard reports of seizures of marijuana from federal agencies, and my only thought is: look, we have a priority of things that are important to our public safety in this country, cannabis, which is legal in the majority of the states now — in the majority of population states — should not be a priority,” Rep. Lou Correa exclusively tells Ask a Pol.
“Let's go after fentanyl. Let's go after the stuff that really hurts people,” Correa says. “Why do we keep doing something that is essentially legal? It's legal in Canada. Most of our states. I think that's questionable public policy at best.”
Caught our ear:
“I know some people here in Congress are making those phone calls to oppose the rescheduling of cannabis,” Correa tells us.
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Background:
Federal Officials Are Suddenly Seizing Marijuana From State-Licensed Businesses, Leaving Industry Perplexed, by Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment; April 9, 2024.
Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA), slightly edited for clarity.
TRANSCRIPT: Rep. Lou Correa
SCENE: After voting on the floor of the US House of Representatives, Rep. Correa is walking back to his office directly across the street from the Capitol.
Matt Laslo: “Hey, how are you doing, sir?”
Correa points as if he’s in a hurry.
ML: “I can walk with you.”
Lou Correa: “Let’s go for it.”
ML: “Have you heard these reports about, I think they're mostly in New Mexico, but with Customs and Border, like, seizing cannabis?”
LC: “I have not, but I will tell you that I have heard reports of seizures of marijuana from federal agencies, and my only thought is: look, we have a priority of things that are important to our public safety in this country, cannabis, which is legal in the majority of the states now — in the majority of population states — should not be a priority.”
ML: “Yeah?”
LC: “Should not be a priority. You know, let's go after fentanyl. Let's go after the stuff that really hurts people. Why do we keep doing something that is essentially legal? It's legal in Canada. Most of our states. I think that's questionable public policy at best.”
ML: “Have you heard anything? Do you think we might see decriminalization or rescheduling?”
LC: “I'm pushing for it, but, as you know, you have a lot of members of Congress opposed to it. And, frankly, I can't figure out what the political issue there is. I mean, you know, you're going to arrest people for smoking a joint?”
ML: “Have you — do you have contacts in the Biden White House? Like, who do you think's making these calls? Or…“
LC: “I haven't the faintest idea who's making the calls, but I know some people here in Congress are making those phone calls to oppose the rescheduling of cannabis. That horse is out of the barn, bro.”
ML: “Right?”
LC: “Genie's out of the bottle.”
ML: “What do you think of what happened in Oregon with them kinda crawling back? Remember they decriminalized everything, but then they devoted no money to...”
LC: “You know, conceptually, it's probably the right approach. I think implementation was probably horrific. And that's why you have this major backlash. And frankly, you know, you got taxpayers and citizens, they've got to live with the brunt of these questionable public policies in terms of its implementation. And this is what you get.”
ML: “Yeah?”
LC: “I don't blame people, you know, for pushing back when all of this stuff is going on. I mean, you go out in the street and…”
We reach the entrance to the destination he was hurrying to, the Longworth House Office Building, when we first ran into him.
LC: “Thank you, Matt. Thank you very much.”
ML: “Yep.”
LC: “Be well.”
ML: “Good to see ya!”
Matt Laslo’s a veteran congressional correspondent, new media prof. & founder of Ask a Pol — a new, people-powered press corps.
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Democrat criticizes Biden marijuana seizures: "let's go after fentanyl. Let's go after the stuff that really hurts people"