Wyden Blasts Sessions' Cole Memo Rescission Decision

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden on Thursday issued a statement in response to the Department of Justice announcement that Attorney General Jeff Sessions plans to rescind the Cole Memo.

Drafted in 2013 by former U.S. Attorney General James M. Cole, the memo essentially prevents the federal government from interfering with an individual state's decision to legalize recreational cannabis use and businesses. Sessions' decision to rescind the memo could send into disarray Oregon's blossoming cannabis industry.

"Trump promised to let states set their own marijuana policies. Now he's breaking that promise so Jeff Sessions can pursue his extremist anti-marijuana crusade," Wyden said in the statement. "Once again the Trump administration is doubling down on protecting states' rights only when they believe the state is right."

Wyden's role as top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee has centered him as a bulwark between the federal government and Oregon's legal cannabis industry, ensuring consumers and businesses alike are protected and treated fairly.

The state reportedly took in more than $54 million in cannabis sales taxes in 2016, and some state officials reportedly project an estimated $210 million windfall through 2019. And while many cities and counties across the state are still learning how much they'll receive, for many school districts and law enforcement agencies — the primary beneficiaries of cannabis tax revenue — anything is helpful at this point.

"Opening the door to go after legal marijuana businesses ignores the will of the majority of Americans and marks yet another socially unjust and economically backward scheme from this administration," Wyden said. "Any budget deal Congress considers in the coming days must build on current law to prevent the federal government from intruding in state-legal, voter-supported decisions."

Oregon voters approved recreational cannabis sales through 2014's Measure 91.

This past March, Wyden reportedly introduced a package of three bills meant to "pave the way for responsible federal regulation of the legal marijuana industry." The package, formally referred to as the Path to Marijuana Reform, includes the bipartisan Small Business Tax Equity Act that ensures fair tax bills for legal cannabis businesses and "measures to shrink the gap between federal and state marijuana policies and responsibly de-schedule, tax, and regulate marijuana."

Backing Wyden, Oregon Senate Majority Leader Ginny Burdick, D-Portland, also spoke out Thursday:

"It's outrageous that Jeff Sessions is undermining the efforts of states like Oregon to enact safe and reasonable marijuana legislation. This is the time for Congress to step forward to de-schedule and remove marijuana from the dangerous drug list."

As for Sessions' announcement, the Attorney General directs all U.S. Attorneys to resume previously established control over prosecuting federally guided cannabis laws, specifically to "most effectively to reduce violent crime, stem the tide of the drug crisis, and dismantle criminal gangs."

"It is the mission of the Department of Justice to enforce the laws of the United States, and the previous issuance of guidance undermines the rule of law and the ability of our local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners to carry out this mission," Sessions said in a DOJ statement released Thursday. "Therefore, today's memo on federal marijuana enforcement simply directs all U.S. Attorneys to use previously established prosecutorial principles that provide them all the necessary tools to disrupt criminal organizations, tackle the growing drug crisis, and thwart violent crime across our country."

Image via Travis Loose, Patch News