Cory Booker Pushes To Spread Benefits Of Pot Legalization Nationwide | Rachel Maddow

>>> JEFF SESSIONS MADE A FEW THINGS CRYSTAL CLEAR.
HE DOES NOT LIKE MARIJUANA. HE DOES NOT LIKE PEOPLE WHO
SMOKE MARIJUANA. HE'S SUSPICIOUS OF ALL THE POTS
HE'S GOT IN THE KITCHEN. >> WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE
MARIJUANA USE, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE GOOD.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE OTHER DRUG USE, ILLEGAL DRUG USE ALSO,
WHICH IS DAMAGING. I MEAN, WE NEED GROWN-UPS IN
CHARGE IN WASHINGTON TO DECIDE MARIJUANA IS NOT THE KIND OF
THING THAT OUGHT TO BE LEGALIZED, IT OUGHT NOT TO BE
MINIMIZED, THAT IT'S IN FACT A VERY REAL DANGER TO CREATING OF
KNOWLEDGE THAT THESE DRUG IS DANGEROUS.
YOU CANNOT PLAY WITH IT. IT'S NOT FUNNY.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING TO LAUGH ABOUT.
AND TRYING TO SEND THAT MESSAGE WITH CLARITY THAT GOOD PEOPLE
DON'T SMOKE MARIJUANA. >> IT IS NOT FUNNY.
JEFF SESSIONS HAS BEEN MILITANTLY, ALMOST OBSESSIVELY
ANTI-MARIJUANA SINCE HIS EARLY DAYS OF A POLITICIAN.
HE JOKED THAT HE THOUGHT THE KU KLUX KLAN HE THOUGHT WAS OKAY
UNTIL HE LEARNED THEY SMOKED POT.
NOW THAT JEFF SESSIONS IS THE TOP LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL IN
THE UNITED STATES, NOW THAT HE'S THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, HE'S
GOTTEN TO WORK FAST ON CRACKING DOWN ON NOT ONLY THE ILLEGAL USE
OF MARIJUANA, BUT ALSO ON THE LEGAL USE OF IT, TOO.
HE'S REINSTATED HARSH MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES FOR DRUG
OFFENDERS, RE-UPPED CONTRACTS WITH PRISONS TO PUT THE DRUG
KIMS IN, AND ASKED CONGRESS TO GO AFTER MEDICAL MARIJUANA
SUPPLIERS. JEFF SESSIONS IS TO MARIJUANA
LIKE FRANFRANKENSTEIN'S MONSTER FIRE.
AS FAR AS HE'S CONCERNED MARIJUANA IS A RAGING EPIDEMIC
THAT'S DESTROYING AMERICA. >> WE'RE GOING TO TO BE GOOD.
>> IT IS NOT GOING TO BE GOOD. JEFF SESSIONS IS UNWAVERING AND
BY THE WAY UNPOPULAR OPPOSITION TO LEGALIZING MARIJUANA IS ONE
OF A WHOLE LITANY OF CONTROVERSIAL BULLET POINTS ON
HIS RESUME. BUT THE SENATE IS A FAMOUSLY
COLLEGIAL CLUB AND WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR THE SENATE TO VOTE FOR
JEFF SESSIONS TO BE ATTORNEY GENERAL, IT REALLY WAS AN OPEN
QUESTION AS TO WHETHER HIS COLLEAGUES IN THE SENATE WOULD
HAVE THE GUTS TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST HIM.
AND THEN SENATOR CORY BOOKER DID THIS.
>> IF CONFIRMED, SENATOR SESSIONS WILL BE REQUIRED TO
PURSUE JUSTICE FOR WOMEN, BUT HIS RECORD INDICATES THAT HE
WON'T. HE WILL BE EXPECTED TO DEFEND
THE EQUAL RIGHTS OF GAY AND LESBIAN AND TRANSGENDER
AMERICANS, BUT HIS RECORD INDICATES HE WON'T.
HE WILL BE EXPECTED TO DEFEND VOTING RIGHTS, BUT HIS RECORD
INDICATES THAT HE WON'T. HE WILL BE EXPECTED TO DEFEND
THE RIGHTS OF IMMIGRANTS AND AFFIRM THEIR HUMAN DIGNITY, BUT
THE RECORD INDICATES THAT HE WON'T.
AMERICA NEEDS AN ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO IS RESOLUTE AND
DETERMINED TO BEND THE ARC. SENATOR SESSIONS' RECORD DOES
NOT SPEAK TO THAT DESIRE, INTENTION, OR WILL.
>> SENATOR CORY BOOKER TESTIFYING AGAINST JEFF SESSIONS
AT HIS CONFIRMATION HEARING SAYING IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS
THAT HE WAS NOT FIT TO BE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
CORY BOOKER WAS THE FIRST SITTING SENATOR TO EVER TESTIFY
AGAINST ONE OF HIS COLLEAGUES, AND NOW CORY BOOKER IS BACK WITH
A BILL THAT JEFF SESSIONS IS BOUND TO HATE.
SENATOR BOOKER PROPOSED LEGISLATION TODAY TO LEGALIZE
MARIJUANA AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND TO PUNISH INDIVIDUAL STATE
WHO'S DO NOT PASS THEIR OWN LAWS TO MAKE IT LEGAL.
IT'S A SHOT ACROSS THE BOW TO AN ADMINISTRATION THAT HAS RAMPED
UP THE WAR ON DRUGS AND SPECIFICALLY THE WAR ON
MARIJUANA RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE. YOUR MOVE, JEFF SESSIONS.
JOINING US NOW IS SENATOR CORY BOOKER OF NEW JERSEY, WHO
PROPOSED THIS RACIAL JUSTICE BILL TO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, END
THE FEDERAL PROHIBITION ON MARIJUANA.
SENATOR BOOKER, GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US.
>> THANK YOU. IT'S GREAT TO BE ON.
I WANT TO SAY TO EVERYBODY WHO IS WATCHING RIGHT NOW, YOU HAVE
ONE OF THE BEST TWITTER FEEDS IN ALL OF AMERICA.
I HAVE BEEN A FAN OF YOUR TWEETS AND THE INFORMATION YOU PUT OUT,
INSPIRATION AND THE KNOWLEDGE. >> THANK YOU.
YOU'RE A GOOD TWEETER YOURSELF, SIR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS BILL
BECAUSE OF COURSE LEGALIZING MARIJUANA HAS BECOME MORE AND
MORE POPULAR IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLLS.
BUT IT'S STILL WILDLY UNPOPULAR WITH PEOPLE ELECTED TO CONGRESS.
DO YOU HAVE SUBSTANTIAL SUPPORT FOR THIS IDEA OF TAKING IT OFF
WHAT'S CALLED, I GUESS SCHEDULE C?
>> FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S A RANK HYPOCRISY IF YOU LOOK AT THE
PEOPLE HERE THAT HAVE TRIED MARIJUANA, WHO HAVE SMOKED
MARIJUANA, AND THEY'RE THE VERY PEOPLE SITTING ON THE BARRIERS
FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO DO SO LEGALLY.
BUT MORE THAN THAT, WHEN YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE TWO OF
THE LAST THREE PRESIDENTS HAVE DONE MUCH MORE SEVERE DRUGS,
ADMITTED TO T WHAT WE SEE UNFORTUNATELY MARIJUANA
ENFORCEMENT IS PARTICULARLY TARGETED AGAINST POOR
COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY TARGETED AGAINST MINORITY
COMMUNITIES. IT IS CLOGGING OUR JAILS AND OUR
PRISONS. IT IS ACTUALLY REINFORCING
RACIAL DISPARITIES IN THIS COUNTRY.
IT'S A POVERTY TRAP BECAUSE FOLKS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES,
THEY'RE NOT WORRIED. THEY JOKE AND FLOUT THE LAW WITH
LITTLE WORRY ABOUT REPERCUSSIONS.
BUT YOU SEE TEENAGERS GETTING FELONY CONVICTIONS IN POOR
COMMUNITIES OR MINORITY COMMUNITIES FOR DOING THINGS
THAT PEOPLE IN CONGRESS THEMSELVES HAVE DONE.
SO THIS IS AN OUTRAGEOUS SITUATION WE HAVE IN OUR
COUNTRY. IT IS A PROHIBITION THAT'S
CAUSING THE PROBLEM AS WE SAW WITH ALCOHOL PROHIBITION, THE
VIE LAENS THAT THAT CAUSED, THE CRIMINALIZATION THAT THAT
CAUSED. IT'S FAR PAST TIME THAT WE
LEGALIZE THIS. THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE PEOPLE
THAT DESPERATELY NEED THIS FOR THEIR -- WHETHER IT'S VETERANS,
WHETHER IT'S PEOPLE WITH PTSD, WHETHER IT'S PEOPLE WITH THINGS
LIKE SEIZURES. SO I'M CONFIDENT THAT THE LOGIC
OF THIS BILL, THE MOVES THAT EIGHT STATES HAVE ALREADY MADE,
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, THE EVIDENCE THAT'S COMING BACK IN
VIOLENT CRIME DROPS AS WELL AS ACTUALLY REVENUE COMING INTO THE
STATE, EVEN THE EVIDENCE WITH SEVERE PROBLEMS LIKE OPIOID
OVERDOSES, WE'RE ALREADY SEEING PRELIMINARY EFFORT IN SHOWING
THOSE RATES OF DEATH ARE DROPPING IN AREAS WHERE THERE'S
LEGAL ACCESS TO MARIJUANA. I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE ON THE
RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY. I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A
LONG BATTLE, BUT THIS, AS YOU CALLED IT A SHOT ACROSS THE BOW,
I CALL IT A FIRST STEP ON A LONGER PATHWAY TOWARDS ECONOMIC
JUSTICE, RACIAL JUSTICE, MORE PUBLIC SAFETY, AND REALLY MORE
COMMON SENSE. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THIS ISSUE WHO SAY, YOU KNOW, THE REASON TO
KEEP MARIJUANA ILLEGAL, THE REASON NOT TO ALLOW IT TO BE A
LEGALLY SOLD SUBSTANCE, IS THAT IT IS SORT OF THE FIRST STEP FOR
A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO THEN GET INTO HARDER DRUGS?
>> WELL, AGAIN, I LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE, AND THAT'S JUST NOT
THE CASE. AND FRANKLY AS A GUY WHO WAS A
MAYOR, WHO HELPED OVERSEE A POLICE DEPARTMENT, MY POLICE
DEPARTMENT HAD FAR MORE CHALLENGES WITH ALCOHOL-RELATED
VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL-RELATED CHALLENGES THAN WE DID WITH
MARIJUANA. THE EVIDENCE THAT IT'S A GATEWAY
DRUG JUST IS NOT COMPELLING, AND THE REALITY IS, AS I SAID WITH
THE CHALLENGES OF OPIOID ADDICTION, THERE'S SOME GREAT
MEDICAL STUDIES THAT HAVE COME OUT THAT HAVE SHOWN THAT
ACTUALLY HAVING THE AVAILABILITY OF MARIJUANA ACTUALLY LESSENS
THE CHANCE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE OVERDOSE DEATHS.
BUT MOST FOLKS DON'T UNDERSTAND THE REALITY WHEN IT COMES TO THE
RACIAL INJUSTICES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN OUR WAR ON DRUGS.
THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BLACKS AND WHITES, FOR EXAMPLE,
FOR USING MARIJUANA WHATSOEVER. BUT THE ARREST RATES FOR
AFRICAN-AMERICANS IS ALMOST FOUR TIMES AS HIGH.
WONDERFUL LEADERS BRIAN STEVENSON SAID THAT WE HAVE A
NATION THAT TREATS YOU BETTER IF YOU'RE RICH AND GUILTY THAN POOR
AND INNOCENT. IN THIS CASE, AGAIN, IF YOU ARE
POOR, IF YOU'RE A MINORITY, YOU ARE THE ONES THAT ARE
OVERWHELMINGLY SEEING THE ENFORCEMENT OF MARIJUANA LAWS,
NOT PEOPLE WHO ARE RICH, NOT PEOPLE WHO ARE ELECTED AND
CONNECTED. THOSE FOLKS ARE NOT SEEING THE
KIND OF ENFORCEMENT THAT DEVASTATES LIVES.
YOU'RE A KID THAT GETS -- A TEENICER THAT GETS A MARIJUANA
FELONY CHARGE, YOU CAN'T GET A PELL GRANT, YOU CAN'T GET A JOB,
BUSINESS LICENSES AND MORE. >> WE ARE OUT OF TIME BUT SINCE
I HAVE YOU HERE, ARE YOU RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT IN 2020?
>> I JOKE OFTEN THAT I'M RUNNING FROM THE PRESIDENT RIGHT NOW.
THE REALITY IS, IS LOLOOK, WE'V GOT A REAL JOB AHEAD OF US HERE
IN WASHINGTON THROUGHOUT THIS NATION WITH DONALD TRUMP AT THE
HELM, COMING AFTER CIVIL RIGHTS, VOTING RIGHTS, UNDERMINING OUR
HEALTH CARE. THIS IS A FULL-TIME JOB.
THIS IS MY FOCUS RIGHT NOW. LET'S LEAVE THREE YEARS FROM NOW
TO THEN. RIGHT NOW MY JOB IS BEING NEW
JERSEY'S SENATOR. >> WE'LL ASK YOU AGAIN IN THREE
YEARS. SENA

Cory Booker Pushes To Spread Benefits Of Pot Legalization Nationwide | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

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