Politics
Legalization Supporters Slam Kamala Harris Endorsement From Marijuana Reform Champion Barbara Lee
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) is facing backlash from marijuana legalization advocates over her early endorsement of Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) in the 2020 presidential race.
The congresswoman, who last month became the first woman and first person of color to co-chair the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, and who has long been one of Capitol Hill’s most dedicated marijuana reform supporters, said in a statement that Harris has exhibited a “deep passion for justice and opportunity” throughout her career as a prosecutor.
But others have been critical of the senator’s time in the criminal justice system and particularly her role in enforcing harsh drug laws as a prosecutor. That sentiment was on full display after Lee tweeted about how marijuana criminalization has fueled mass incarceration on Saturday—two days after her endorsement of Harris.
More people are arrested for marijuana than for all other violent crimes combined. Marijuana has long been a driving force for mass incarceration in this country and I’m fighting to end it.
— Barbara Lee (@BLeeForCongress) February 17, 2019
“More people are arrested for marijuana than for all other violent crimes combined,” Lee wrote. “Marijuana has long been a driving force for mass incarceration in this country and I’m fighting to end it.”
Hundreds of Twitter users replied that the statement and her endorsement of Harris don’t line up.
Since this is true, why would you endorse someone who made sure that more than 9000 years of prison time was inflicted on marijuana-only offenders in California? https://t.co/ZxoreGbt8n
— Jeanette Sandernista (@JeanetteJing) February 17, 2019
See, when you support @KamalaHarris and her record of standing against marijuana legalization and promoting mass incarceration, you lose credibility on this and any other social justice subject. It's sad. Fortunately we have @RoKhanna and @AOC to stand up for progressive values.
— San Leandro Talk (@SanLeandroTalk) February 17, 2019
How can you reconcile this with your early endorsement of Harris? Baffling.
— Underrated Tweets (@Soligarity) February 17, 2019
That Candidate for 2020 you’re endorsing has been a driving enforcement for exactly this.
— Spaghetti (@SpaghettiSauce5) February 17, 2019
“That candidate for 2020 you’re endorsing has been a driving enforcement for exactly this,” one user said in a tweet that generated more than 300 likes.
Your words don't align with the actions of who you're supporting.
— Tiffany Y (@StarrySkies_7) February 17, 2019
Hey, you're a champ, I'm a huge fan of your work. I'm really not trying to tell you how to do your job, but backing Top Cop Kamala for president seems like a weird way to push for marijuana reform.
— Trapped with Kenny G in a rose prison (@Hawful) February 17, 2019
Marijuana arrests increased ten fold under Kamala Harris in a state where it is Legal in the state. Was hoping you wouldn't contribute to the DNC rigging the process before people in your state vote.
— K (@rabbighiniVW) February 17, 2019
Everyone else has pointed out the obvious hypocrisy with you so I'll just quietly add to the ratio
— bizzless (@kindofcody) February 17, 2019
Harris has tried to rectify her image as a tough-on-crime prosecutor, going so far as to cosponsor wide-ranging legislation to end federal cannabis prohibition. She even admitted to using marijuana during college in a recent interview.
Still, her former offices’ involvement in punitive action against low-level drug offenders during her time as a San Francisco prosecutor and California state attorney general has created a lingering perception among many reform advocates who question her motivations. And for some, the memory of Harris laughing off a reporter’s question about marijuana legalization in 2014 burns bright.
The replies to Lee’s tweet didn’t quite rise to the level of a “ratio” (a Twitter phenomenon in which a post gets more angry replies than retweets or likes), but the overwhelming pushback against her endorsement makes clear that the Democratic presidential candidate will likely continue to face skepticism from marijuana legalization supporters and the broader criminal justice reform crowd as her campaign expands and the presidential race heats up.
Lee’s office did not respond to Marijuana Moment’s request for comment on this story.
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