Sen. Warren wants crypto guardrails in marijuana bank bill: “I’ll take it anywhere I can get it"

Ep. 22 — Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Ask a Pol's 22nd of 100 exclusive marijuana interview with each US senator

Who?

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) — Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs Committee

LISTEN: Laslo & Warren

Ask a Pol asks:

Do your thoughts on crypto come in with the black market around cannabis? Or is that a little separate from your big fears on crypto?

Key Warren:

“I haven't seen as much of that. The big place where crypto is a player is around fentanyl, and that's the chain from China to Mexico and then from the big-time drug traffickers in Mexico into the US,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren exclusively tells Ask a Pol. “And crypto is clearly facilitating the movement of the most dangerous drugs in the United States.”

Would you like that to be a part of SAFER?

“Yes,” Warren says. “I’ll take it anywhere I can get it.”

Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), slightly edited for clarity.

TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Elizabeth Warren

SCENE: Warren and two aides are rushing through the basement of the US Capitol when they run into Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo. Warren — who usually walks, so must have been in a hurry cause her staff waved for her to hop the tram underneath the Capitol — then invites us to ride along with them.

Matt Laslo: “I was curious your thoughts on — I think you were a part of that letter — pushing the administration to relax the scheduling on cannabis.”

Elizabeth Warren: “Oh yeah.”

ML: “What do you think about the DEA taking those steps?”

EW: “The DEA's move to take cannabis out of Schedule I and stop treating it like it’s…”

One of Warren’s aides waves her on the tram.

Aide: “Let’s get on this train.”

EW: “Oh we’re gonna try to get on this one?”

EW: “…as dangerous as heroin, is a great first step in changing…”

Warren waves Ask a Pol on the tram.

EW: “Come in with me.”

Warren apologizes to the tram passengers for her impromptu entourage.

EW: “Excuse me.”

EW: “…in changing our cannabis policy. There's more to be done, but this is the Biden administration moving in the right direction.”

ML: “I mean, how does your party get clemency to be a part of it — how do you guys get clemency to be a part of the debate when it's going through the administration? Do you guys need to…”

EW: “For that, we need legislation.”

ML: “Yeah?”

EW: “And that means we need a Democratic House and a Democratic Senate.”

ML: “Really?”

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EW: “The Republicans are just hard over on blocking changes that would begin to address the decades-long failed drug policies that have destroyed lives and families. President Biden has shown real leadership in this area by commuting the sentences of those who have federal marijuana convictions, and he has encouraged governors to do the same. Our governor back in Massachusetts…”

The train abruptly jerks and Warren, her aides and Laslo all lurch.

EW: “Sorry.”

EW: “…our governor back in Massachusetts has done that, but obviously, others haven't. It's state by state, but the problem is national and that means Congress needs to weigh in.”

Warren turns to an aide.

EW: “I used the word ‘clemency’ — I don’t think ‘clemency’ is the right word.”

ML: “I believe it might be. But he did pardons…”

EW: “Double check.”

ML: “I think it is both.”

Biden’s granted both clemency and pardons.

EW: “I think he gave pardons. Did he use pardons or clemency?”

ML: “I’ll look it up.”

EW: “Look it up. And just give me the right word. Give me ‘pardons’ or ‘clemency.’”

ML: “You are smart — nuance matters.”

EW: “Yeah, exactly. Because I think it’s pardons.”

ML: “I’m curious, Republicans do get at the table when it comes to the banks, like with SAFER Banking [Act].”

EW: “Oh yeah, Republicans will show up to help the banks. They just won't show up to help the families that have been devastated by a failed drug policy.”

ML: “Is there a way — do you see SAFER moving with clemency as a part of it? Cause a lot of Republicans say that’s too far for them.”

EW: “Give us a Democratic majority.”

ML: “Yeah?”

EW: “That’s the answer.”

ML: “Do your thoughts on crypto come in with the black market around cannabis? Do you — or is that a little separate from your big fears on crypto?”

EW: “I haven't seen as much of that. The big place where crypto is a player is around fentanyl. And that's the chain from China to Mexico and then from the big-time drug traffickers in Mexico into the US. And crypto is clearly facilitating the movement of the most dangerous drugs in the United States.”

ML: “Would you like that to be a part of SAFER?”

EW: “Yes. I’ll take it anywhere I can get it.”

Warren and her aides rush to an elevator, and we stay on the tram, now heading back to the Capitol.

ML: “Thank you, ma’am. Have a good one.”

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