Podcast host and comedian Joe Rogan recently criticized the Biden administration for not fulfilling its campaign promise to decriminalize marijuana on the federal level.
During an episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience," which featured Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Rogan cited Vice President Kamala Harris for lamenting Brittney Griner's jail sentence in Russia even though she has put “thousands” of people in jail for the same crime during her tenure as California state attorney general.
Harris' record on cannabis and law enforcement is often discussed among both left- and right-leaning observers, but rarely put into context. Read on to learn more.
What Happened
Olympian and NBA champion Brittney Griner was found guilty on drug charges in Russia. Her defense centered on the fact that she is a registered medical marijuana patient in her home state, who packed in a hurry and accidentally brought medical cannabis to Russia.
After the verdict was read, President Joe Biden said that the nine-year sentence was “unacceptable.”
Harris tweeted the following post, “With today’s sentencing, Russia continues its wrongful detention of Brittney Griner. She should be released immediately. @POTUS and I, and our entire Administration, are working every day to reunite Brittney, as well as Paul Whelan, with loved ones who miss each of them dearly."
But Rogan, and others on Twitter, took Harris to task for the comment.
“The hypocrisy about the Griner situation was so egregious in this country where Kamala Harris is talking about how horrible it is that Brittney Griner is in jail. You put people in jail. Yeah, you did. Thousands of people in jail for marijuana,” Rogan said on his show.
Rogan also contrasted the issue with Biden's recent executive decision to forgive student loan debt.
"That’s great!" Rogan said. "But how come you guys didn’t exonerate people that were in jail for marijuana when you said you were going to? They said that they were going to make marijuana federally legal. They said they were going to exonerate prisoners who are in jail for nonviolent drug offenses. That’s what they said. None of that has happened."
“You mean a politician said something they ran on and didn’t actually enact that said policy?” Rodgers replied.
See Also: Fetterman Calls On Biden To Decriminalize Cannabis, But White House Defers To States
Harris In California
Recall the Vice President's back-and-forth with Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard during a 2019 Democratic presidential debate.
“[Harris] put over 1,500 people in jail for marijuana violations and then laughed about it when she was asked if she ever smoked marijuana,” Gabbard said.
The 1,500 figure stems from a conservative publication that cited data from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).
But in 2011, new legislation in California meant most newly-sentenced and non-violent criminals, including most drug offenders, were sent to county jails rather than state prisons. This led to a drop in admissions figures between 2011 and 2012 (h/t AFP Fact Check).
Mercury News later listed the number of marijuana convictions at about 1,900 but reported that most defendants were never locked up.
See Also: Kamala Harris Pledges To Decriminalize Marijuana, Expunge Records At VP Debate
Also, while Harris was in the San Francisco District Attorney's office, she launched the "Back On Track" program, a reentry initiative aimed at reducing recidivism among low-level drug-trafficking defendants.
First-time nonviolent offenders could complete a community service program as an alternative to incarceration. In addition to getting the case dismissed, participants receive counseling, educational services, and job preparation. Less than 10 percent of those who complete the program were said to re-offend.
Still, Gabbard isn't swayed. Earlier this month, she appeared on Fox News and blasted Harris again regarding the Griner case.
And about a week ago, Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk joined the fray by sharing his thoughts on Twitter.
“Maybe free some people in jail for weed here too?” Musk tweeted.
Maybe free some people in jail for weed here too? pic.twitter.com/AYo0ZC79lZ
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 31, 2022
The pressure on the Biden administration came from politicians as well. A bipartisan resolution calling for Griner's immediate release was introduced in the United States Senate in July.
See Also: Joe Rogan Calls Brittney Griner's Russian Imprisonment Horrific
Photo: Benzinga Edit; Sources: Shutterstock, Youtube, and Wikimedia Commons
