Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to serve as the next U.S. attorney general—a selection that would put one of the only GOP members of Congress who actively supports and voted for marijuana legalization into the nation’s top law enforcement position.
As Trump works to put together his cabinet, the choice of Gaetz stands out as one of the most positive signals that the state-level cannabis marketplace will not be impeded under his administration. And it also bodes well for the ongoing Biden administration-led marijuana rescheduling effort that Trump has endorsed. That’s assuming, however, that Gaetz is confirmed by the Senate to assume the position.
Gaetz was one of three Republican members of the House to approve a Democratic-led bill to federally legalize marijuana, titled the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act in 2022. He also supported a prior version of the legislation despite his concerns with equity-focused provisions.
The congressman also said last year that he’s concerned that if the federal government doesn’t “go further” than simply moving marijuana to a lower drug schedule, large pharmaceutical companies might be able to overtake the cannabis industry.
While Gaetz voted in favor of a federal legalization bill, he actually departed from Trump on a state-level measure to legalize adult-use cannabis in Florida that failed at the ballot this month. He said in August that the reform should be enacted statutorily so that there’s more flexibility for the legislature to adjust the law in the future.
“Regardless of how someone feels about abortion or marijuana, I don’t believe that those issues should be resolved in the state Constitution,” he said.
The congressman pointed out that a limited medical cannabis bill—which he sponsored during his time in the Florida legislature—“had lots of flaws” that required fixes that would have been more difficult to address if the policy change had been written into the state Constitution.
Gaetz also joined Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and lawyer John Morgan in 2019 to advocate for expanding the medical marijuana bill he helped usher into law by making it so patients had access to smokable products.
In Congress, Gaetz has on two occasions voted in favor of a bipartisan marijuana banking bill to ensure that financial institutions are protected from being penalized by federal regulators simply for working with state-legal cannabis businesses.
He further sponsored amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would have eliminated language preventing military branches for testing recruits for cannabis for enlistment or commission.
David Culver, senior vice president for public affairs, at the U.S. Cannabis Council (USCC) said in a press release on Wednesday that Gaetz “is one of the most pro-cannabis Republicans on Capitol Hill.”
“By tapping him to serve as the nation’s top law enforcement officer, President-elect Trump is signaling his commitment to make good on his campaign promises around cannabis reform,” he said.
“We’ve said from the outset that the cannabis community has good reason to be optimistic about a second Trump Administration. Today’s Attorney General announcement, along with other recent staffing moves, give us hope for the next phase of federal cannabis reform, including passing the SAFE Banking Act and finalizing the reclassification of cannabis to Schedule III.”
Trump’s choice of Gaetz for the role stands is stark contrast to Trump’s first attorney general during his prior administration, Jeff Sessions, who faced widespread criticism for rescinding Obama-era guidance on prosecutorial discretion for federal cannabis enforcement.
Photo courtesy of Meredith Geddings.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to serve as the next U.S. attorney general—a selection that would put one of the only GOP members of Congress who actively supports and voted for marijuana legalization into the nation’s top law enforcement position. As Trump works to put together his cabinet, the choice of Read More
