"There's a lot of money in this business [marijuana]. I think we should follow the money as in many things in politics." "My sister lives in Colorado, and I've talked to people in Colorado who aren't so concerned about the use of medical marijuana. Although medical marijuana has been turned into, you know, you can come up with any reason to get a doctor to prescribe and a pharmacist to dispense medical marijuana. I think the big issue is dealing with readily avaliable edibles and things that have happened with children and energy and trying to regulate this process which s the reason Jeff Sessions spoke up. I'm more concerned about being a warrior for protecting people and getting them to work and being out there and getting them productive. Medical marijuana is something I supported. When you get into legalizing marijuana, Jeff Sessions does view this as an important issue and it has not been changed in the federal government. The question is that the libertarians say, 'Let the people do what they want.' But at the same time, we're paying for it. It's the cost to the taxpayers. The libertarians also feel that the taxpayers shouldn't be footing the bill for the millions of people who may view marijuana as, maybe, a gateway drug. There's a big debate on whether that's true or not. What's interesting about what Sessions is doing is that he's putting this discussion on the floor. At what point do we move in and rescue people who have gone down the path of addiction? Whether it's gambling. Whether it's drug addiction. And, is marijuana a gateway drug? All these issues have come up again. I think it's good that the conversation is happening. You know, I voted in favor of medical marijuana. And as long as it's in the way that it was framed in New York state: it's gotta be prescribed by a doctor and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. So, at that point, I worry aboout people being so worried about whether or not they can use marijuana versus whether they can get a job and support their family. We need to refocus what the issues are here. We have a major opioid addiction that is consuming our region and yet we're worried about another drug, whether you call it a drug or not. Maybe marijuana is not a gateway drug. I don't know; I'm not an expert on it. At what point are we gonna talk about people getting back to work so they can, you know, find some dignity and respect and work, take care of their families and have the oppurtunity for a productive life?"

On scheduling and re-scheduling efforts in congress, "I suppose. To be perfectly honest with you, I haven't see a lot on that right now. Everybody's talking about other issues. Changing [marijuana scheduling] would be, at least the honest way to do it, the legal way that is fined and let states deal with it. Again, this is Sessions moving in and saying on the federal level, 'We either have to enforce it', as he claims, 'and not put up with it on the state level.'" Or, as you say [to the radio DJ], 'Maybe we could chnge the law.' So, I think it is a valid debate. Right now, I'm not a huge fan of legalizing more drugs. I'm not trying to say that people should or shouldn't use marijuana, especially on the medical side. But, I traveled around this district for a year. I've met with dozens of businesses. Their biggest problem is getting people to work. Who either can pass a drug test, show up to work on time, be prepared, be productive and running machinery and get our manufacturing back on. You know marijuana is prohibited. And if you are someone who is taking marijuana and impaired in your job, you're not going to be productive in helping us bring manufacturing to this community" (1/10/18, 1/10/18)

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