A Democratic senator is holding back nearly 90 of President Donald Trump’s administration nominees, including the president’s pick for White House drug czar He says he is among many “unqualified” candidates who threaten to “undermine the rule of law and our national security.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee in October advanced the nomination of Sara Carter Bailey to join the administration as director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). But when he was included in an en bloc confirmation package of 88 nominees, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) raised a procedural question that led Republicans to stall the vote.

“I’ve just blocked 88 of Trump’s nominees for confirmation, including Sara Carter Bailey, the former Fox News contributor nominated to be our country’s drug czar,” Bennet said Thursday. “Bailey was nominated by Trump, who recently pardoned the former president of Honduras, who served 45 years in prison for conspiring to distribute more than 400 tons of cocaine.”

“I will not allow those without a candidate, this White House or the president to undermine the rule of law and our national security,” he said. he said.

The procedural complaint raised by Bennet relates to the ONDCP director being a “Tier I” executive officer.

Therefore, unlike the other candidates in the package, Bailey could not be included in the group vote – the body that was chaired by the Republican senator on Thursday. recognize.

Bailey, for his part, yes expressed his support for medical cannabis, while stating that he has “no problem” with legalizationeven if you may not personally agree with the policy.

A former journalist known for his coverage of drug cartels, Bailey also recently informed senators that the administration. keeping “all options” on the table as it continues to consider a proposal to reorganize marijuanawhile describing cannabis reform as a “bipartisan issue.”

Bennet isn’t the only senator questioning the nominee’s abilities. Before the committee’s vote in October, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the panel’s ranking member, called Bailey a Trump “loyalist” who was “appointed to a position that he is completely, utterly unqualified for.”

“He’s not a doctor or an addiction specialist,” she said. “He’s never been a prosecutor or a law enforcement officer.”

Given the ONDCP director’s role in setting and carrying out the administration’s agenda on drug policy issues, Bailey’s enthusiastic endorsement of medical cannabis in the past is welcome to advocates.

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) raised the issue of cannabis rescheduling one-on-one with the candidate in September, stating that the proposal to move marijuana from Schedule I to III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) would be a “step in the right direction.”

“It would open the door to more scientific research, so if you were to be confirmed, how would you advise the American president on the reprogramming process going on?” he asked.

Bailey said she shares Booker’s passion for the issue, which she described as “bipartisan.”

“If confirmed as director, I will comply with all federal laws and meet all legal responsibilities of ONDCP,” he said. “However, we will continue to work in depth with research and data. We will continue to do so and explore all options.”

Trump endorsed the redistricting on the campaign trail before his second term — as well as bank access to the marijuana industry and a ballot initiative to legalize Florida. But his latest comments in late August about the timing of the reorganization decision gave a more ambiguous impression of his stance on the matter.

While Bailey has spoken often on a variety of marijuana policy issues (focusing on illegal trafficking and illegal growing operations on US soil, for example), his public comments have been limited on how he personally feels about the issue. Last year, she said in an episode of her podcast, The Sara Carter Show, that she makes a distinction between legally regulated and illegally supplied marijuana.

“I don’t have a problem if it’s legalized and controlled,” he said. “I mean, maybe I have my own issues with how I feel about it, but I think it’s a wonderful way to handle cannabis for medicine and medical reasons — especially for people with cancer and other diseases, you know — to manage the disease and the side effects of those drugs and diseases. So I’m not saying we should make it illegal.”

If Bailey is ultimately confirmed by the Senate, he will be the second drug czar to come out in favor of medical marijuana. Former President Joe Biden’s ONDCP Director Rahul Guptaworked as a consultant to cannabis businesses and oversaw the implementation of West Virginia’s medical marijuana program.

On his social media, Bailey has previously shared links (without comment) to news on various marijuana-related topics. In addition to his increased focus on illegal billboards, he has also published on congressional and state legalization votes, Biden administration staffers fired for cannabis use, Democratic presidential candidates’ support for legalization, progress on cannabis banking legislation in Congress, and state policy developments such as the legalization of cannabis cafes in Alaska.

the federal statute The drug czar is prohibited from agreeing to the legalization of Schedule I drugs in the CSA, including marijuana.

“The Director . . . shall ensure that federal funds appropriated to the Office of National Drug Control Policy shall not be expended for any study or contract related to the legalization (for medical use or any other use) of a substance listed in section I of section 812 of this title and shall take such measures as may be necessary to oppose any attempt to legalize the use (in any form) of a substance not listed in subparagraph (I)(B) of section 8 of section (I). The purpose of the Food and Drug Administration approved for medical use.

In April, on the other hand, the democratic members of Congress announced the introduction of a bill that would remove this restriction. It has yet to advance in the GOP-controlled Congress.

Bailey has separately sounded the alarm about the risk of pesticides and other contaminants in marijuana grown and sold by Chinese cartels…recently a House committee took up the matter.

—
It’s Marijuana Time tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25/month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracking and become a Patreon supporter to gain access
—

Last year, the candidate discussed the issue with Derek Maltz, a now-retired Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) official who is serving as the agency’s interim administrator before his confirmation. Trump’s perennial pick, Terrance Cole.

In an X post about the interview with Maltz, Bailey said how “Chinese marijuana growing operations are using dangerous chemicals as pesticides.”

In 2022, U.S. Representative Mike Garcia (R-CA) praised Bailey for working with his office to bring attention to illegal grow operations in his district, leading to an investigation by local law enforcement.

Bailey credited congress, saying, “The work you’ve done to get rid of illegal marijuana seeds has prevented the cartels from exploiting your community, the people forced to work in it, and (your money).”

In a 2021 interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, he also talked about his work with Garcia, including accompanying him on a helicopter, “a lot of sophisticated illegal farms worth billions of dollars.”

The posters “have become much bolder. They are not afraid to hide,” he said. “They don’t hide it because they don’t feel like they’ll ever be held accountable for it.”

In a sense, Bailey seems to be implicitly suggesting that he supports regulated access to cannabis as a means to promote public safety and health. Whether that implied position would influence federal policy and whether the role of ONDCP director is confirmed and assumed remains to be seen.

On his social media, he has previously shared links (without comment) to news on various marijuana-related topics. In addition to his increased focus on illegal billboards, he has also published on congressional and state legalization votes, Biden administration staffers fired for cannabis use, Democratic presidential candidates’ support for legalization, progress on cannabis banking legislation in Congress, and state policy developments such as the legalization of cannabis cafes in Alaska.

Photo by Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.