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Ask a Pol drugs
Sen. Ashley Moody noncommittal on banking protections for marijuana companies
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Sen. Ashley Moody noncommittal on banking protections for marijuana companies

Ep. 112 — Sen. Ashley Moody (4-10-2025)
Springtime in the nation’s capital. Photo: Matt Laslo

Who?

Sen. Ashley Moody (R-FL)*

*Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s replacement in the United States Senate.

ICYMI — don’t expect much ‘drug’ diplomacy…

LISTEN: Laslo & Moody

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-2:02

Ask a Pol asks:

Do you know where ypou are on the SAFER Banking Act?

Key Moody:

“Something being proposed currently?” Sen. Ashley Moody replies.

Yeah. It's the banking protections for cannabis firms.

“Right,” Moody says. “But there are numerous versions floating around.”

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Caught our ear:

“I'm very intrigued by your tactics, it's like behind the line type strategy,” Moody tells Laslo.

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

TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Ashley Moody

SCENE: After voting on the Senate floor, Sen. Ashley Moody’s surprised to find Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo on the elevator she enters…

Ashley Moody: “You just hang out? And I'm very intrigued by your tactics, it's like behind the line type strategy.”

Matt Laslo: “Right?”

AM: “Just ride the elevators all day and see who gets in.”

ML: “It actually does work.”

AM: “What ya got?”

ML: “19 years, I learned some things.”

AM: “What's your name?”

ML: “Matt Laslo.”

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AM: “Yes we met. We met that's right.”

ML: “I used to be the correspondent for WFSU in Tallahasse, WLRN in Miami.”

AM: “That’s right, yes, you told me that.”

ML: “I’m curious — actually, VICE News Tonight flew me down for a sitdown with Nikki Dried on cannabis when she was [Florida] Ag. secretary. Where are you — do you know where ypou are on the SAFER Banking Act?”

AM: “Something being proposed currently?”

ML: “Yeah, it's the marijuana protections — or banking, it allows cannabis firms into the…”

AM: “Right but there are numerous versions floating around.”

ML: “Yeah.”

AM: “So if you want to email which one you're talking about to my office, I'll look at it.”

ML: “Cool. But like, generally do you know where — like, are you supportive or…? It’s just interesting this Congress it hasn’t really come up much at all.”

AM: “If you want to email it to them I’ll take a look at it.”

ML: “Will do. Thank you, ma’am.”

Train doors closing warning goes off as Moody boards the underground tram.

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