Politics Archives - Page 3 of 8

Banking, Banking, Banking

June 5, 2019/in Banking, Legislation, Politics /by Admin

The federal banking bill could have implications beyond cannabis businesses, specifically in the trading game. Analysts see significant opportunities in the U.S. cannabis market if federal regulators here legalize the drug. That could be huge for exchange traded funds (ETFs).

But maybe don’t take it to the bank

A pair of Republican senators told Marijuana Moment that they believe cannabis banking legislation has a shot of getting a hearing in that chamber after House passage.

“He didn’t say ‘hell no,’” Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) said of a key Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID), whom he pressed on the bill. “I thought he was quite open-minded to it.”

Banks that serve lawful marijuana businesses would be protected from a crackdown by financial regulators such as the U.S. Department of Treasury under a provision in a draft congressional spending bill.

“None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to penalize a financial institution solely because the institution provides financial services to an entity that is a manufacturer, a producer, or a person that participates in any business or organized activity that involves handling marijuana, marijuana products, or marijuana proceeds, and engages in such activity pursuant to a law established by a State, political subdivision of a State, or Indian Tribe ….”

Ouch . . . Again

June 5, 2019/in People, Politics /by Admin

Presidential hopeful John Hickenlooper blasted for what some call cannabis revisionist history.

A fundraising appeal from the former two-term governor appeared as though he were taking credit for the state’s legalization of marijuana in 2014 as well as some of the incremental changes that preceded the full-on legalization.

“While I was Governor, Colorado became the first state to legalize marijuana. And we worked to address the social and racial inequities that plague marijuana sentencing,” one of the images from the post said.

“This seems like an egregious revision of history to claim you were at all progressive on social justice issues related to cannabis,” tweeted Jake Browne, a former marijuana critic for the Denver Post.

There’s a new czar in town . . .

May 22, 2019/in People, Polis, Politics /by Admin

Gov. Jared Polis recently hired Ean Seeb, a founding partner at a cannabis business consulting firm, to serve as his special adviser on cannabis. Seeb will serve as the governor’s adviser for marijuana bills going through the legislature and be a liaison with the department of revenue, which oversees marijuana enforcement, among other state agencies.

What a long, strange trip its been

May 22, 2019/in Media, People, Politics /by Admin

U.S. Sen./presidential hopeful Michael Bennet joked on Seth Meyers that Denver decriminalized psychedelic mushrooms, fearing that Colorado is running out of marijuana.

“And by the way, we’re not out of marijuana in Colorado,” Bennet said.

“That’s what it says on the state flag now, right?” Meyers said.

“Yeah, exactly,” Bennet replied.

From “I didn’t inhale” to “legalize it!”

May 22, 2019/in Legislation, Politics /by Admin

The majority of 2020 Dem candidates are making legalization and the cannabis industry a part of their platform to some degree.

And More »

Moving onto Congress…

May 8, 2019/in Legislation, People, Politics /by Admin

Colorado senators lead way on legalization of marijuana

U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet take the lead on the STATES Act and the SAFE Banking Act.

Colorado elected leaders say it’s not okay to build a moral wall keeping out cannabis workers

Four Colorado Congressional Members wrote to the heads of the Department of Justice and Homeland Security about the policy that punishes immigrants for allegedly not having “good moral character” as a result of working in the marijuana industry.

Also at the legislature . . .

April 24, 2019/in Crime, Legislation, Politics, Uncategorized /by Admin

The Colorado House passed a bill to reduce drug possession penalties, moving the bill to the Senate. The bill would lower the penalty for Schedule I or II drug possession to a level 1 drug misdemeanor instead of a level 4 drug felony. Level 4 drug felonies are punishable by six to 12 months in prison.

The bill allowing greater investment flexibility in marijuana businesses, HB-1090, cleared another hurdle Tuesday, when appropriations committee referred it unamended to the Senate. The Denver Business Journal gave a preview of what passage of the bill may mean to Colorado.

File under “People in glass houses”

April 24, 2019/in Politics, Trump, Uncategorized /by Admin

The Trump administration issued a memo saying immigrants working in legal marijuana industry lack “moral character” for citizenship.

“intolerable”

April 11, 2019/in Legislation, People, Politics, Uncategorized /by Admin

The federal government’s approach to states that have legalized marijuana is “intolerable.”

So said U.S. Attorney General William Barr Wednesday during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing that he would prefer the U.S. take an approach to marijuana similar to the one outlined in the states’ rights marijuana bill sponsored by Colorado’s U.S. senators over the current system.

In the News

April 11, 2019/in Banking, Local, Politics, Tax, Uncategorized /by Admin

Take it to the bank

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Manuchin told a federal lawmakers that there is no regulatory solution to existing banking access issues for the marijuana industry, and he encouraged Congress to resolve the problem with legislation “on a bipartisan basis.”

Cannabis helping kids stand up to bullies

Parkview Elementary School in Lamar uses more than $100,000 a year it receives from the state’s cannabis taxes for its anti-bullying program. The program has made a big difference in the lives of elementary school kids.

No legal immigrants need apply?

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and City Attorney Kristin Bronson are pressing the Trump administration to rethink its citizenship policies after legal immigrants in Denver have been denied the opportunity to become naturalized citizens because they work in the marijuana industry.