Marijuana Industry Political Committee Gave Another $1.05 Million To Trump’s Super PAC...

A political committee funded by major marijuana businesses has contributed
an additional $1.05 million to President Donald Trump’s MAGA Inc. super PAC
in the months leading up to his rescheduling order, FEC filings show.

The American Rights and Reform PAC—which initially launched in 2023 under a
different name, Legalize America, and lists an executive at the marijuana
company Curaleaf as its treasurer—gave $1 million to the president’s
political committee in July and then another $50,000 in November.

That raises the PAC’s total contributions to MAGA Inc. to $2.05 million, after
cannabis businesses helped to contribute an initial $1 million in the first
half of the year.

The latest donation came about a month before Trump signed an executive
order directing the attorney general to expeditiously complete the process
of moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled
Substances Act (CSA). The FEC reports don’t indicate a purpose for the
contributions, but the American Rights and Reform PAC has been active in
its push for the incremental reform.

For example, the committee released ads in March attacking former President
Joe Biden’s cannabis policy record as well as the nation of Canada,
promoting sometimes misleading claims about the last administration while
making the case that Trump can deliver on reform.

“This is an America first fight,” one ad said. “President Trump had the
courage to sign Right to Try, healing American patients. Let’s do it again.
Reschedule cannabis and put American first.”

It seemed apparent that ads were intended to appeal directly to Trump, who
has historically been driven by a desire to overshadow his political
opponents and present himself as the champion for American enterprise.

Marijuana Moment reached out to the PAC for comment about the latest
contributions, but a representative was not immediately available.

Curaleaf, whose vice president of government affairs Matt Harrell is listed
as treasurer of the American Rights and Reform PAC, has also previously
sought to gain Trump’s favor by donating $250,000 to his inaugural
committee with a contribution filtered through a leading cannabis industry
association.

Meanwhile, an agriculture-focused conservative nonprofit connected to a PAC
linked to the president is applauding his rescheduling order, arguing that
it will “destroy” the illicit market and support seniors and military
veterans who could benefit from cannabis.

America First Agriculture Inc.—a group affiliated with a PAC of a similar
name that previously urged Trump to follow through on a campaign pledge to
reschedule marijuana—said in a new ad that the president “promised to put
America first, and his word is as good as gold.”

The Justice Department has not given a timeline for when a rescheduling
decision might happen, and congressional researchers recently pointed out
that it’s possible the agency could start the process over again, or
decline to move forward all together.

Notably, the organization behind the ad is associated with the similarly
named America First Agriculture Action Inc., a PAC that lists Charles Gantt
as its treasurer. Gantt is also the treasurer of MAGA Inc.


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Meanwhile, a coalition of Republican state attorneys general are
criticizing Trump’s decision to federally reschedule marijuana, saying
cannabis is “properly” classified as a Schedule I drug with no accepted
medical use and a high potential for abuse.

Last month, groups of House and Senate Republican lawmakers also sent
letters urging Trump not to reschedule cannabis. Trump, however, dismissed
those concerns—pointing out that an overwhelming majority of Americans
support the reform and that cannabis can help people who are suffering from
serious health issues, including his personal friends.

The post Marijuana Industry Political Committee Gave Another $1.05 Million
To Trump’s Super PAC Ahead Of Rescheduling Order, FEC Filings Show appeared
first on Marijuana Moment.