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President Trump has promised Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado that he will support states that choose to legalize cannabis, despite rescinding the Cole Memo earlier in the year. In exchange, Gardner will stop holding up the confirmation of Trump's Department of Justice nominees:
"Since the campaign, President Trump has consistently supported states' rights to decide for themselves how best to approach marijuana," Gardner said in a statement. "Late Wednesday, I received a commitment from the President that the Department of Justice's rescission of the Cole memo will not impact Colorado's legal marijuana industry. Because of these commitments, I have informed the Administration that I will be lifting my remaining holds on Department of Justice nominees," Gardner added.
The Washington Post first reported the development, and the White House confirmed on Friday Gardner's statement was accurate.
In January, Attorney General Jeff Sessions revoked the Cole Memo, Obama-era guidance designed to discourage prosecutors from targeting states that have legalized marijuana. The move provoked an outcry from marijuana friendly states, including Gardner's Colorado, in which the marijuana industry has flourished since 2000. Angry that Sessions had reneged on his pledge to leave marijuana states alone, Gardner promised to block all DOJ nominations, pending a resolution. Since then, he has held up about 20 Justice nominations, the Washington Post reported.
The news caused a surge in the stocks of some cannabis companies.
Meanwhile, former Speaker of the House John Boehner, who was "unalterably opposed" to legalization of cannabis back in 2011, has now evolved and is seeing green. Boehner announced that he has joined a board of advisers for Acreage Holdings, a cannabis corporation operating in 11 states. Is it a "watershed moment" for the industry?
(Score: 2) by Pslytely Psycho on Sunday April 15 2018, @11:29AM
"Politics smolitics that is BLACKMAIL."
In other words, business as usual?
Joking aside, this does not qualify as blackmail.. Number 5 is close, but to consider this applicable, you would have to consider any compromise to be blackmail. As there is no forcing here, just a refusal to make life easier for the opposition party, this is not blackmail. They can always choose to tell him to fuck off and it changes nothing. There is no coercion for the same reason. No consequence for telling him no.
BLACKMAIL
noun
1.
any payment extorted by intimidation, as by threats of injurious revelations or accusations.
2.
the extortion of such payment:
He confessed rather than suffer the dishonor of blackmail.
3.
a tribute formerly exacted in the north of England and in Scotland by freebooting chiefs for protection from pillage.
verb (used with object)
4.
to extort money from (a person) by the use of threats.
5.
to force or coerce into a particular action, statement, etc.:
The strikers claimed they were blackmailed into signing the new contract.
Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.