"Let’s tax it" — unlike most in GOP, Sen. Cassidy says its "good" the DEA's rescheduling marijuana

Ep. 44 — Sen. Bill Cassidy: Ask a Pol's 44th of 100 exclusive marijuana interview with each US senator

A marijuana plant. Photo: Matt Laslo

Who?

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA)

LISTEN: Laslo & Cassidy

Ask a Pol asks:

Do you have any thoughts on the DEA — Drug Enforcement Administration — moving to reschedule marijuana?

Key Cassidy: 

“That’s a good thing,” Sen. Bill Cassidy exclusively told Ask a Pol.

SAFER Banking?

“I’ve supported that in the past, because just I think it’s better not to have millions of dollars beneath the mattress,” Cassidy told us. “Let’s tax it.”

Clemency?

“Well, I’m not sure I want to be out there, and my only pause on that is that sometimes — I’m not a prosecutor — I gather sometimes there was a suite of things they could get you on, but they chose this one as part of the plea deal,” Cassidy told us. “And so, we go on to say, are we gonna judge somebody without the context of perhaps a plea deal? So I’m a little bit nervous about it.”

ICYMI — Cassidy brings up the Aspen Ideas Fest Laslo moderated on CBD

Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), slightly edited for clarity.

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TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Bill Cassidy

SCENE: As he makes his way through the US Capitol, Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo catches up with Cassidy.

Matt Laslo: “Do you have thoughts on the DEA moving to reschedule marijuana?”

Bill Cassidy: “What about it?”

ML: “The DEA’s taking moves to reschedule marijuana, bring it from Schedule I to Schedule II or III to go through more studies and stuff like that.”

BC: “Yeah.”

ML: “Yeah?”

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BC: “That’s a good thing.”

ML: “Where are you on SAFER Banking Act?”

BC: “I’ve supported that in the past, cause just I think it’s better not to have millions of dollars beneath the mattress. Let’s tax it.”

ML: “Yeah?”

BC: “Yeah.”

ML: “And where are you on clemency for past marijuana convictions?”

BC: “Well, I’m not sure I want to be out there, and my only pause on that is that sometimes — I’m not a prosecutor…”