Ask a Pol drugs
Ask a Pol drugs
New Cannabis Caucus Co-chair Omar: "The hope is to be a little bit louder than what we’ve been”
0:00
Current time: 0:00 / Total time: -2:34
-2:34

New Cannabis Caucus Co-chair Omar: "The hope is to be a little bit louder than what we’ve been”

Ep. 102 — Rep. Ilhan Omar (1-16-2024)

SCROLL DOWN TO LISTEN FOR FREE!

Rep. Ilhan Omar speaks with reporters on the Capitol steps. Photo: Matt Laslo

Who?

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) — Co-chair, Congressional Cannabis Caucus

LISTEN: Laslo & Omar

0:00
-2:34

Ask a Pol asks:

We heard that you're a new co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus. Have you started any talks on the marijuana policy here?

Key Omar:

“It's still preliminary. None of us have met yet,” Rep. Ilhan Omar exclusively tells Ask a Pol. “We're still very in the early stages of organizing ourselves here in Congress.”

ICYMI — Interview informed Marijuana Moment’s article

This interview was first used by Marijuana Moment, a client of Ask a Pol founder Matt Laslo’s regionally-focused, national wire service, The LCB.

Share

Caught our ear:

“The hope is to be a little bit louder than what we’ve been,” Omar tells us.

Leave a comment

Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), slightly edited for clarity.

TRANSCRIPT: Rep. Ilhan Omar

SCENE: As Rep. Ilhan Omar’s making her way to the House floor to vote, Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo runs into her in the tunnel connecting House Office Buildings to the US Capitol.

Matt Laslo: “I hear that you're a new co-chair of the cannabis caucus.”

Ilhan Omar: “I am. Yes, sir.”

ICYMI — 100 of 100 US senators on SAFER Banking Act

ML: “What do you see — like, it just doesn't seem it's gonna be a big priority for the new incoming administration. Or are you guys having talks?”

IO: “With the new — no, no. We had…”

ML: “Or bipartisan talks here?”

IO: “No, no, it's still preliminary. None of us have met yet. Actually, had my first conversation with my co-chair yesterday.”

ML: “Oh yeah? It went well?”

They enter an elevator in the basement of the Capitol.

IO: “We're still very in the early stages of organizing ourselves here in Congress, so…”

ML: “Cause even your party hasn't moved on of it — [Dem Senate Leader Chuck] Schumer never brought SAFER [Banking Act] to the floor.”

IO: “Yeah.”

ML: “So do you think you guys are gonna have an influence in your own party, as well as trying to reach across the aisle?”

They exit the elevator just off the House floor.

IO: “Yeah. The hope is to be a little bit louder than what we’ve been.”

ML: “Yeah?”

IO: “Yeah.”

ML: “Are you figuring out, like, how to affix it to the agenda?”

IO: “Yeah. I mean, I come from a state that it's legalized, that's done it really well and I think we bring a uniquer voice to the issue.”

ML: “And now, as to your colleagues, three-quarters of the nation it’s legal.”

IO: “Yeah.”

ML: “Like, do they get that in all these conservatives there?”

IO: “Well, that's our hope. At least, to speak to their libertarian senses.”

ML: “Yeah? It almost seems that psychedelics are now more en vogue and cannabis is now being passed over?”

IO: “Cause it should be a given at this point. And that's the point we're gonna try to make.”

ML: “Preciate ya.”

Andrey Beregovskiy contributed to this report.

Share Ask a Pol drugs

Content posted at AskaPolDrugs.com is copyrighted. Use our original content to move the story forward. And, please, link to us.

Discussion about this podcast

Ask a Pol drugs
Ask a Pol drugs
Asking your lawmakers your drug (medicine and criminal justice, etc.) questions at your US Capitol.