From The Hill:
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) announced on Thursday he has pardoned 1,351 people for minor marijuana possession crimes.
Polis signed an executive order granting individuals pardons for their drug charges, also lifting three commutations and fifteen other individual pardons for prisoners, according to a statement.
Earlier this year, Polis signed into law a bill that allows state residents over the age of 21 to legally possess up to two ounces of marijuana.
This is something that more governors ought to be doing.Report
I think you are a Colorado guy too, correct?
Definitely a good move by Polis.Report
Oh yeah. He’s also smart on the whole covid policies thing.
I could see him running in 2024.Report
If JRB isn’t well enough to do it himself, of course. Harris ought to get a challenge and not just from Buttigieg: as we saw in 2016, if the candidate has a clear field, she may miss out on some opportunities to sharpen her game. (And Harris’ game needs sharpening, as we saw in 2020.) The pundits do love them some western-state Democratic Governors!Report
The pundits do love them some western-state Democratic Governors!
Yeah, that worked out real well for Inslee, who got zero traction. Granted he was an admitted single-issue candidate, and it was an issue that the party leadership in DC and the people who did the debate questions wanted nothing to do with.Report
I would like to see that, but I think he’s too out of step with where the national party is now. Like Hickenlooper, I don’t think he can compete in the primaries. But I’m not sure what else he would do unless one of the Senate seats opens up.Report
This would be ideal if the convictions were for the sorts of things that used to be criminalized but now aren’t after the change in the law.
If true, that means there were 1,351 people in Colorado prisons whose only offense was having weed to smoke. No reason to think Colorado was particularly unusual in that respect.Report
“What do you call a stoner with an eighth?”
“Almost out of weed.”
I’m sure that possession of an ounce was “intent to distribute” not so long ago.Report
Does it?
You are hereby pardoned for this minor crime which is now legal. Your sentence for murder still stands. Your length of incarceration has been changed from 40 years to 39.
There’s no need to thank me. I will be claiming credit for this reform and it will make a great headline.Report