Who?
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) — Co-chair, Congressional Cannabis Caucus
LISTEN: Laslo & Blumenauer
Ask a Pol asks:
With marijuana, do you think the Biden administration gets your argument for decriminalization, expungement and normalization?
Key Blumenauer:
“They're getting it. That message is being delivered,” Rep. Earl Blumenauer exclusively tells Ask a Pol. “They are very interested in generating support from young people. They're notching a win. If I wanted to motivate young people, if I want to bring people together — this is supported by 70% of the American public, by a majority of the Republicans, particularly young people and people of color. This is not low hanging fruit. This is picking the fruit up off the ground.”
Caught our ear:
Have you given up on legislatively solving this?
“I have not given up on anything,” Blumenauer tells us. “And I think that what you're going to see, as people appreciate what's going on — I hear this from unusual people every day — that light is shining. Those young people [who spoke at the presser] were eloquent. Those stories are powerful. The industry has, as you know, has nearly a half million people. We're talking billions of dollars. 97% of the American public have access to something in very unlikely states. I mean, this is under the radar, but it's there and it's powerful.”
Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), slightly edited for clarity.
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TRANSCRIPT: Laslo & Rep. Earl Blumenauer
SCENE: Rep. Earl Blumenauer just left this week’s cannabis press conference at the US Capitol ahead of 420.
Matt Laslo: “How you doing, sir?”
Earl Blumenauer: “Okay.”
Laslo whispers: “Coming up on your right.”
ML: “What do you see as the path forward?”
EB: “We talked about it. In terms of, you know, the movement is swelling, the administration has started to move. These are very powerful messages.”
ICYMI — Ask a Pol’s exclusive w/ Sen. Steve Daines
ML: “Yeah?”
EB: “And they just have to be — what I said, every day is 420. And you can just sense it, in terms of this is not a collateral issue. This is mainstream, and the messages get stronger and sharper and broader. I have been in three states in the last couple weeks. The last one was Arizona. It was — you know, this is swelling. This is the — sort of the sleeper issue of this election. And I think it's just the time to get it across the finish line.”
ML: “Do you think the administration gets that?”
EB: “They're getting it. That message is being delivered. They are very interested in generating support from young people. They're notching a win. If I wanted to motivate young people, if I want to bring people together — this is supported by 70% of the American public, by a majority of the Republicans, particularly young people and people of color. This is not low hanging fruit. This is picking the fruit up off the ground.”
ML: “Have you given up on legislatively solving this?”
EB: “I have not given up on anything. And I think that what you're going to see, as people appreciate what's going on — I hear this from unusual people every day — that light is shining. Those young people [who spoke at the presser] were eloquent. Those stories are powerful. The industry has, as you know, has nearly a half million people. We're talking billions of dollars. 97% of the American public have access to something in very unlikely states. I mean, this is under the radar, but it's there and it's powerful.”
ML: “Does the public safety message…”
Someone greets Blumenauer. Interview over.
ML: “Preciate you.”
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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Rep. Blumenauer says marijuana "is sort of the sleeper issue of this election"