Following the Money: Is Cuomo Softening His Stance on Marijuana?
*By Amanda Weston*
A report released this week claiming that New York gubernatorial incumbent Andrew Cuomo accepted more donations from the cannabis industry than his re-election campaign disclosed has raised some eyebrows about the Democrat's views on marijuana.
"Cuomo's not coming out in full force of endorsing legalization," said Alyson Martin, co-founder of CannabisWire, the publication that released the report. "But he is accepting money from the cannabis industry and from big players in the cannabis industry."
Cuomo has been [notoriously inconsistent](https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/politics/albany/2018/05/25/andrew-cuomo-marijuana-timeline/632312002/) about his position on pot. He once called it a "gateway drug," but has also said that medicinal marijuana may be [acceptable](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/13/nyregion/marijuana-new-york-cuomo-legalization.html) in some cases.
But CannabisWire will continue to follow Cuomo's money, Martin said.
"Part of the reason that CannabisWire is looking into the flow of money from the Cannabis industry to political candidates is because, as we all know, elected officials may say one thing but the money tells another story."
[The site reported](https://cannabiswire.com/2018/08/29/cannabis-in-the-ny-governors-race-big-donations-and-a-big-debate/) that Cuomo accepted about $150,000 from large cannabis companies. CannabisWire found a $50,000 donation linked to a non-profit Christian mission actually came from MedMen, a cannabis company, meaning the sum wasn't properly attributed to its real source in Cuomo's disclosure. The company later claimed the incorrect listing was a clerical error.
Whether the news will actually sway Cuomo's chances against political newcomer Cynthia Nixon, though, is unclear.
The actress and activist has been a strong advocate of legalizing marijuana. She, like many other liberals, considers it a racial justice issue, since [more people of color](https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/city-hall/story/2018/02/13/racial-disparities-continue-in-new-york-city-marijuana-arrests-248896) are arrested for marijuana offenses than Caucasians.
Cuomo admitted during the televised gubernatorial debate on Wednesday that he believes the benefits of legalization outweigh the risks but was not as forceful as Nixon.
But Martin thinks his donors are hoping he'll eventually become a proponent for cannabis legalization .
"I certainly think that it's a strong shove in that direction," Martin said. "These are not the mom-and-pop companies that are supporting candidates. These are bigger companies."
Cuomo's campaign did not respond to CannabisWire's request for comment. Martin doesn't think the Governor has violated campaign finance laws, but her outlet is continuing its investigation.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/cannabis-disclosures-play-into-new-york-governor-race).
Catching you up with what you need to know on Apr 1, 2022, with Ukrainians hoping to flee the besieged city of Mariupol with a ceasefire is in place, President Biden orders the release of oil from U.S.reserves, LGBT activists suing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over the "Don't Say Gay" Law, U.S. passports offering an "x" option for gender, and more.
America’s employers extended a streak of robust hiring in March, adding 431,000 jobs in a sign of the economy’s resilience in the face of a still-destructive pandemic and the highest inflation in 40 years.
Progress for the LGBTQ community was made last week when Andi Mudryk, a long-time disability advocate, became the first openly transgender person appointed to the bench in California. Chris Johnson, White House reporter for the Washington Blade, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
President Biden proposed a new billionaire’s tax, that would subject the richest Americans to a minimum tax rate of 20 percent. The White House says billionaires pay an average tax rate of just eight percent, much lower than the national average of 22 percent. Cheddar News speaks with ProPublica’s Paul Kiel who explains how the regulation would work.
The most popular and most valuable cryptocurrency is also the least eco-friendly - data shows that Bitcoin mining generates the same amount of carbon emissions as the entire country of Thailand. According to nonprofit Fair Planet, 96 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions come from Bitcoin mining every year. Now, a consortium of climate activist groups is calling on the Bitcoin industry to cut its energy use by making changes to its software code. Michael Brune, former executive director of the Sierra Club, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Imani Gandy, senior editor for law and policy at Rewire News Group, and co-host of the podcast Boom! Lawyered, joins Cheddar Politics to discuss Ketanji Brown Jackson's upcoming confirmation hearings, and the politics surrounding several Republican attack lines against her in the lead-up.
Susannah Wellford, founder and CEO of Running Start, joins Cheddar News to discuss getting more women involved in politics. Running Start helps provide women and girls the tools they need to get involved in politics, and to see a future where they can become political leaders.
Congressional candidate Melanie D'Arrigo came on Cheddar Politics to talk about her campaign for the Democratic nomination in New York's Third Congressional district. The progressive activist ran in the 2020 primary against incumbent Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi. The seat is open this time, as Suozzi seeks the New York Governorship.
Reecie Colbert, founder of Black Women Views Media, breaks down the roles of race and partisanship in the Senate hearings for Supreme Court Nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. She also discusses the importance of standing up for Black women in the public sphere.
