Law & Politics

Wasserman Schultz: Cannabis Two-Face, Source: http://i.huffpost.com/gen/2084722/thumbs/o-DEBBIE-WASSERMANSCHULTZ-facebook.jpgFlorida Congresswoman and Chair of the Democratic National Committee, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, has found herself in a bit of political discomfort after she allegedly offered her support for a medical cannabis initiative that she has long been against.

Why did she offer this support after such a determined counter-stance? Supposedly, it was to get one of her critics to recant some damning comments made about her.

That critic is trial lawyer John Morgan, a man who pumped $4 million of personal money into 2014’s narrowly defeated medical cannabis bill. The Morgan-backed, pro-MMJ initiative had 58% voter support but still failed due to Florida’s questionable law that states constitutional amendments need at least 60% of the vote. There is something wrong with a system that ignores the will of more than half of its constituents.

Morgan and Schultz have a history of combative interaction dating back to the summer of 2014. Schultz, who has a lengthy history of voting against drug decriminalization, issued a statement saying that she feared the pro-MMJ bill would create a “pill mill” culture and make it easier for kids to get their hands on cannabis.

Morgan, a co-author of the bill, naturally took offense at such idiotic claims and called Schultz “despised” and “irrelevant.” Schultz retaliated by trying to garner support for her anti-MMJ stance from other Democrats. It’s not clear how successful Schultz was in these efforts.

More recently, thanks to Schultz’s reported interest in a Senate seat, her office was sent an email from Politico reporters seeking a statement about the growing criticism she is getting for her anti-cannabis stance. Minutes later, Schultz’s office replied to the email that Schultz had no comment.

Meanwhile, below the surface, Schultz’s aides frantically reached out to the MMJ-bill’s campaign manager (a close ally of Morgan’s) asking that Morgan retract his comments in return for Schultz’s support of the bill.

Morgan, for his part replied, “No. She’s a bully. I beat up bullies for a living.”  Morgan later expanded by saying, “We don’t negotiate with prohibitionists. Or bullies. Everything else is B.S. politics in order to rehabilitate the damage she’s done to herself by being on the wrong side of the issue. It’s not support — it’s a quid pro quo and I won’t do it.”

If nothing else, this should truly show just how little politicians like Schultz actually care about cannabis’ legality. Far from the major public health and safety issues these politicians claim cannabis creates, it is little more than an opportunistic chess piece, played when it can be beneficial.

Schultz, of course, is denying that she ever did anything underhanded (despite clear email strings and text message to the contrary). Ordinarily it’s hard to choose a “good” side in a war between a trial lawyer and a career politician. In this case, however, I’m backing the dude who backs cannabis. Standing in the way of the advancement of cannabis is quickly becoming career suicide for politicians.