Ex-Trump adviser Roger Stone: White House should scrap ‘draconian’ drug laws
Roger Stone, a longtime informal adviser to President Trump and staunch defender of Trump’s tumultuous tenure in the White House, castigated his Cabinet, and Attorney General Jeff Sessions in particular, for their support for “draconian” drug laws and vowed to continue to urge Trump to allow states to legalize marijuana use without enforcing federal drug laws.
Stone made the comments during a Friday speech at the Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition on the heels of a recently announced venture, the United States Cannabis Coalition, an “organization dedicated to persuading Federal decision makers, including the president to honor the rights of millions of citizens in in thousands of communities in scores of states who have exercised popular and local self-governance by reforming and modernizing marijuana laws over the last two decades.”
Stone, who was officially on the Trump campaign during its early stages, said some current Trump officials and allies harken back to the days of the “ignominious, expensive, racist, failed war on drugs.”
“Now, we have a bunch of drug warriors, like [Attorney General] Jeff Sessions, like [Secretary of Homeland Security] John Kelly, like [New Jersey Gov.] Chris Christie — who would like to be the drug czar, God forbid — they would like to reignite the war on drugs,” Stone said.
Despite the vow to target “federal decision makers,” Stone said there was one person he would not waste his time trying to influence: Sessions.
“I’m not focusing the campaign I have in mind on Jeff Sessions,” he said. “I think I might as well talk to this wall.”
The attorney general has made it clear he’s no fan of marijuana: Shortly after being sworn in he told reporters, “I don’t think America is going to be a better place when people of all ages, and particularly young people, are smoking pot.”
“I like Jeff Sessions, I must tell you,” said Stone. “He comes from a Southern, conservative tradition. I’d be willing to bet he’s never smelled marijuana in his life. He has no idea what it’s like.”
Despite frequently and publicly touting his ties to Trump, it’s unclear how frequently they talk. Stone suggested last month that they remain in contact.
“Having known him for 40 years, backing Donald Trump into a corner is a mistake,” Stone said.
“I’m not attacking him, and I’m not telling him what to do,” he insisted. “I’m urging him.”
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