Who?
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) — Judiciary and Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committees
LISTEN: Laslo & Hawley
Ask a Pol asks:
What do you make of the DEA moving to reschedule marijuana?
Key Hawley:
“Let’s see what they do,” Sen. Hawley exclusively tells Ask a Pol. “I’m not in favor of it, but let’s see where they get to on that.”
SAFER?
Where are you on the SAFER Banking Act?
“I’m opposed to it. I’m an old-head, yeah,” Hawley told us. “Until they change the underlying schedule.”
*In 2018, Missouri legalized medicinal marijuana. In 2022, Missourians amended their state Constitution and became the 21st state to legalize recreational marijuana.
Open invitation from Prof. Laslo:
“You’re a younger guy, you ever toked?” Laslo asks.
“No,” Hawley replies. “No.”
“Never?” Laslo asks. “Hey, if you ever wanna come try it, I grow it just down the street.”
They laugh. Listen yourself. Audio attached.
Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), slightly edited for clarity.
TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Josh Hawley
SCENE: Sen. Hawley’s just wrapped up a brief impromptu interview — his daily routine — with another congressional reporter on an elevator taking him to the 2nd floor of the US Capitol when he turns to Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo.
Matt Laslo: “Pardon me.”
Josh Hawley: “No, you’re fine.”
ML: “Two M’s: MTG and marijuana.”
Hawley cracks up.
ML: “But not at once!”
They laugh.
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ML: “MTG. Motion to vacate next week. Is it bad for the [party] going into November?”
JH: “I don’t know…”
ML: “Bad for the party.”
JH: “The House is a — the House is a mystery to me. I don’t know…”
ML: “Fair. The House is a mystery to a lot of House members.”
JH: “Let’s do the marijuana thing.”
ML: “Yeah?”
JH: “I’ll (inaudible).”
ML: “What do you make of the DEA moving on it’s scheduling?”
JH: “Well, yeah, let’s see what they do. I don’t — I mean, I’m not in favor of it — but let’s see where they get to on that.”
ML: “Do you feel like there’s still — because it’s like public comment or whatever — do you feel like this can still be changed?”
JH: “It could, but I’m…”
ML: “But it feels political?”
JH: “Yeah. I think they probably made their mind up, y’know, but we’ll see.”
ML: “Where are you on SAFER Banking?”
JH: “I’m opposed to it.”
ML: “Oh really?”
ICYMI — Ask a Pol’s exclusive w/ Rep. Earl Blumenauer
JH: “I’m an old-head, yeah.”
ML: “Interesting.”
JH: “Yeah, just cause I’m — until they change the underlying statute, y’know, the underlying schedule. But, anyway, we’ll see.”
ML: “You’re a younger guy, you ever toked?”
JH: “No.”
ML: “Never?”
JH: “No.”
ML: “Hey, if you ever wanna come try it, I grow it just down the street.”
Hawley laughs as he enters a Republican Conference lunch just of the Senate floor.
ML: “Have a good one.”
Laslo laughs when he sees a Senate attendant cracking up.
Matt Laslo’s a veteran congressional correspondent, new media prof. & founder of Ask a Pol — a new, people-powered press corps.
Ask a Pol — asking your lawmakers your questions at your US Capitol.
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Hawley giving DEA space on rescheduling, but says "I'm opposed" to SAFER Banking