Colorado Dems To AG Sessions: Focus On ‘Corruption’ And ‘Crime’, Not ‘A Drug That’s Safer Than Alcohol’

Colorado Democrats ripped Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s order rescinding an Obama-era directive that banned federal prosecutors from enforcing federal marijuana laws in states that had legalized the substance, telling him to use taxpayer money on fighting “corruption” and “crime” instead of wasting it on “a drug that’s safer than alcohol.”

“We’ll give Jeff Sessions our legal pot when he pries it from our warm, extremely interesting to look at hands,” they tweeted Thursday.

We’ll give Jeff Sessions our legal pot when he pries it from our warm, extremely interesting to look at hands. https://t.co/LF0RpdCiHG

— Colorado Senate Dems (@COSenDem) January 4, 2018

“Instead of using taxpayer resources to go after a drug that’s safer than alcohol, Jeff Sessions should focus on political corruption and white collar crime,” they continued.

“If only there was some way we could mellow him out.”

Instead of using taxpayer resources to go after a drug that’s safer than alcohol, Jeff Sessions should focus on political corruption and white collar crime. Seems like there’s plenty of that to go around in DC.

If only there was some way we could mellow him out

— Colorado Senate Dems (@COSenDem) January 4, 2018

The Colorado Democrats also highlighted the positive effects of marijuana legalization in the state, e.g. infrastructure projects partially funded by the state’s marijuana tax.

Sessions earlier Thursday moved to roll back the so-called Cole memo, which discouraged U.S. attorneys from prosecuting marijuana-related cases in states that have legalized recreational marijuana use.

The Hill added:

It was not immediately clear when Sessions will formally revoke the agreement, authored in 2013 by then-Deputy Attorney General James Cole.

The new policy sets up a battle between the federal government and states that have legalized the drug for recreational use.

The announcement garnered criticism from both Colorado’s Republican and Democratic senators.

Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) criticized the decision, exposing Trump’s and Sessions’s hypocrisy on states’ rights.

.@SenCoryGardner on AG Sessions’ memo on marijuana policy: “We were told that states rights would be protected—and not just by the Attorney General…we were told that by then-candidate Donald Trump.” https://t.co/CFdzczE0fE pic.twitter.com/QCbqhaUQnn

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) January 4, 2018

Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) also criticized Sessions, saying he “failed to listen to Colorado, and will create unnecessary chaos and confusion.”

In rescinding the Cole memo, the Attorney General failed to listen to Colorado, and will create unnecessary chaos and confusion. https://t.co/vSQuhlkv4D

— Michael F. Bennet (@SenBennetCO) January 4, 2018

Colorado is one of six states that has legalized the production, distribution, and sale of recreational marijuana.