Who?
Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT)
LISTEN: Laslo & Daines
Ask a Pol asks:
Do you think whichever way that goes could be the dominoes when it comes to SAFER Banking Act and stuff like that? Like if he green lights cannabis would that wake up a lot of people in your party?
Key Daines:
“I’m not sure, actually,” Sen. Steve Daines exclusively tells Ask a Pol. “Many Senators hold strong opinions, and they keep those opinions separate from SAFE Banking, you know, like me. I’m not a fan of recreational marijuana.”
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Caught our ear:
“I definitely support SAFE Banking and taking that cash off the streets and put it into banks,” Daines tells us. “It’s the right thing to do.”
Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), slightly edited for clarity.
TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Steve Daines (10-16-2025)
SCENE: After voting on the Senate floor, Sen. Steve Daines — one of the quicker walkers on Capitol Hill — is exiting the Capitol on the first floor when Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo catches up with him and proceeds to walk with him until he gets in a staffer’s waiting car.
Matt Laslo: “Are you following potential rescheduling of cannabis at all?”
Steve Daines: “I am not.”
ML: “I guess a few weeks ago we were supposed to maybe hear in a few weeks.”
SD: “No. I have not.”
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ML: “Since with Biden, DEA’s been kicking the can.”
SD: “Yeah, no, I have not. What are you hearing?”
Laslo shrugs.
ML: “Any day?”
SD: “Ahh.”
ML: “Do you think whichever way that goes could be the dominoes when it comes to SAFER [Banking Act] and stuff like that? Like if he green lights cannabis would that wake up a lot of people in your party?”
SD: “Well, I don’t — I’m not sure, actually.”
ML: “Interesting.”
SD: “I think many senators hold strong opinions.”
ML: “Yeah?”
SD: “And they keep those opinions separate from SAFE Banking, you know, like me. I’m not a fan of recreational marijuana. As you know, I voted against it in Montana, but it passed.”
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ML: “Yeah.”
SD: “But I definitely support SAFE Banking and taking that cash off the streets and put it into banks. I mean, it’s the right thing to do.”
ML: “And so rescheduling would kind of allow that? Because we have cannabis legal across the US now.”
SD: “Yeah.”
ML: “Do we need it like as a safety issue?”
SD: “Well, I’m going to stay out of it. I’m giving you my own opinion.”
ML: “Yeah?”
SD: “But I’m still solidly behind SAFE Banking alright.”
ML: “There you go. Thank you.”
