Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
Marijuana activists received an unexpectedly warm reception Monday from Sen. Jeff Sessions' staff after announcing a "#smokesessions" protest would happen at "high noon" in the office of the staunchly anti-marijuana Alabama Republican selected by President-elect Donald Trump to be attorney general.
The group responsible for several recent smoke-ins near the White House left Sessions' office saying that they felt heard before attempting - and failing - to score a meeting at the office of New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the new Democratic minority leader who could lead a filibuster to block Sessions' nomination.
At Sessions' office, nearly a dozen members of the D.C. Cannabis Campaign, which led a successful 2014 campaign to legalize marijuana in the nation's capital, were promptly told they would be given a meeting and were ushered into a conference room.
Adam Eidinger, the group's co-founder, fessed up that he had allowed the staff to assume there would be civil disobedience and presented a red t-shirt for the senator that says "great" Americans evolve their positions on cannabis policy.
"We had to pretend we might smoke marijuana in your office to get your attention," he said.
"We are terrified of your bosses' comments recently in the Senate. They make it sound like we're bad Americans," Eidinger added before gesturing to his red-shirt-wearing peers, saying it looked like a Trump rally.
"You're being legitimate. We appreciate that," said Sessions communications director Chris Jackson.
Although Trump has said he supports allowing states autonomy over marijuana policy, a position adopted by President Barack Obama, Sessions as attorney general would be in a position to upend laws passed by eight states and the nation's capital that allow recreational marijuana.
That's because federal law continues to make pot possession for any reason outside limited research a crime, meaning state-legal cannabis businesses are vulnerable. More than half of states allow medical marijuana, but those programs currently appear protected by a congressional budget rider.
A series of Sessions comments concern the activists. In April, he said at a hearing that "good people don't smoke marijuana." During a confirmation hearing for current Attorney General Loretta Lynch in 2015, he used his speaking time to extract a statement from Lynch that she does not advocate legalization.
"We need your boss to totally evolve on this issue," Eidinger said. "The statements that were made were like totally from 30 years ago."
Sessions staffers politely listened to stories from the group, two members of which had recently lived in or currently have family in Alabama.
"You guys have gotten some good press from coming and so he is going to know you all were here. This is something we are going to have to talk to him about whenever he does get back," Jackson said.
"Don't think we will not be having this conversation with him. You have made yourselves known, so this is something we are going to have to talk to him about," he said.
Drew Hudson, a counsel to Sessions on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Sessions' nomination to be attorney general constrained his ability to talk about the senator's positions.
"You guys have seen his public statements and we'll those speak for themselves at this point," he said. "We can't speculate on what he may or may not do as far as changing his position in the future, that's up to him. But we are happy to relay any information you want."
Participants left the meeting with mixed feelings, grateful for being heard out but uncertain that Sessions would change his position.
"We were a bit surprised that they were meeting with us," said Sondra Battle, a medical marijuana advocate. "I got the impression they were going to pass it on to him. I'm not extremely hopeful, but we're going to keep on it."
Eidinger said the group would return if necessary, before leading the procession of activists to Schumer's office, where he hoped to land another meeting.
While waiting for an unscheduled meeting to materialize, the diverse group passed time with stories about the effects of pot prohibition. Duke Dunn, a veteran who promotes legal cannabis access, offered a history lesson. Tyler Hopkins, a former Alabama resident, said he was arrested four times for marijuana, one of those resulting in loss of student aid.
"If you're arrested for something you don't feel is wrong, you definitely feel like a victim," Hopkins said.
After about 30 minutes, Eidinger grew frustrated.
Despite professing that nobody in the group had brought marijuana, he impatiently asked Schumer's two front-desk staffers: "Should we be doing a smoke-in here right now? Are the Democrats our allies?"
"This is going to escalate quickly because we're running out of time," he warned. "So typical that you are taking this less seriously than Republicans."
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Pot Activists Get Jeff Sessions Staff Meeting After Insinuating They Would Stage Office Smoke-In
Author: Steven Nelson
Contact: U.S. News
Photo Credit: Steven Nelson
Website: U.S. News
The group responsible for several recent smoke-ins near the White House left Sessions' office saying that they felt heard before attempting - and failing - to score a meeting at the office of New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the new Democratic minority leader who could lead a filibuster to block Sessions' nomination.
At Sessions' office, nearly a dozen members of the D.C. Cannabis Campaign, which led a successful 2014 campaign to legalize marijuana in the nation's capital, were promptly told they would be given a meeting and were ushered into a conference room.
Adam Eidinger, the group's co-founder, fessed up that he had allowed the staff to assume there would be civil disobedience and presented a red t-shirt for the senator that says "great" Americans evolve their positions on cannabis policy.
"We had to pretend we might smoke marijuana in your office to get your attention," he said.
"We are terrified of your bosses' comments recently in the Senate. They make it sound like we're bad Americans," Eidinger added before gesturing to his red-shirt-wearing peers, saying it looked like a Trump rally.
"You're being legitimate. We appreciate that," said Sessions communications director Chris Jackson.
Although Trump has said he supports allowing states autonomy over marijuana policy, a position adopted by President Barack Obama, Sessions as attorney general would be in a position to upend laws passed by eight states and the nation's capital that allow recreational marijuana.
That's because federal law continues to make pot possession for any reason outside limited research a crime, meaning state-legal cannabis businesses are vulnerable. More than half of states allow medical marijuana, but those programs currently appear protected by a congressional budget rider.
A series of Sessions comments concern the activists. In April, he said at a hearing that "good people don't smoke marijuana." During a confirmation hearing for current Attorney General Loretta Lynch in 2015, he used his speaking time to extract a statement from Lynch that she does not advocate legalization.
"We need your boss to totally evolve on this issue," Eidinger said. "The statements that were made were like totally from 30 years ago."
Sessions staffers politely listened to stories from the group, two members of which had recently lived in or currently have family in Alabama.
"You guys have gotten some good press from coming and so he is going to know you all were here. This is something we are going to have to talk to him about whenever he does get back," Jackson said.
"Don't think we will not be having this conversation with him. You have made yourselves known, so this is something we are going to have to talk to him about," he said.
Drew Hudson, a counsel to Sessions on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Sessions' nomination to be attorney general constrained his ability to talk about the senator's positions.
"You guys have seen his public statements and we'll those speak for themselves at this point," he said. "We can't speculate on what he may or may not do as far as changing his position in the future, that's up to him. But we are happy to relay any information you want."
Participants left the meeting with mixed feelings, grateful for being heard out but uncertain that Sessions would change his position.
"We were a bit surprised that they were meeting with us," said Sondra Battle, a medical marijuana advocate. "I got the impression they were going to pass it on to him. I'm not extremely hopeful, but we're going to keep on it."
Eidinger said the group would return if necessary, before leading the procession of activists to Schumer's office, where he hoped to land another meeting.
While waiting for an unscheduled meeting to materialize, the diverse group passed time with stories about the effects of pot prohibition. Duke Dunn, a veteran who promotes legal cannabis access, offered a history lesson. Tyler Hopkins, a former Alabama resident, said he was arrested four times for marijuana, one of those resulting in loss of student aid.
"If you're arrested for something you don't feel is wrong, you definitely feel like a victim," Hopkins said.
After about 30 minutes, Eidinger grew frustrated.
Despite professing that nobody in the group had brought marijuana, he impatiently asked Schumer's two front-desk staffers: "Should we be doing a smoke-in here right now? Are the Democrats our allies?"
"This is going to escalate quickly because we're running out of time," he warned. "So typical that you are taking this less seriously than Republicans."
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Pot Activists Get Jeff Sessions Staff Meeting After Insinuating They Would Stage Office Smoke-In
Author: Steven Nelson
Contact: U.S. News
Photo Credit: Steven Nelson
Website: U.S. News