Type of Content
Approved Story
1
Format
Region
News Item Format
Standard
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and President Joe Biden are once again butting heads on policy — this time over marijuana.
Biden announced he’ll formally grant pardons to everyone in the U.S. who’s been convicted of federal offenses of simple possession of marijuana and he asked that governors consider doing the same at the state level, where the vast majority of pot offenders are convicted.
So far, we know of at least one who said no.
Abbott’s office said in a statement first reported by the Texas NPR station based in Austin that the governor will take the president’s recommendation, and follow his lead in pardoning marijuana offenders.
The statement, attributed to Abbott spokesperson Renae Eze, says, in part, “Texas is not in the habit of taking criminal justice advice from the leader of the defund police party and someone who has overseen a criminal justice system run amuck (sic) with cashless bail and a revolving door for violent criminals.”