Two years ago today I made history by pardoning 175,000 misdemeanor cannabis convictions – the largest mass pardon for cannabis possession in U.S. history.
But making history wasn’t the point. Justice was. You cannot celebrate legalization without reckoning with the consequences of criminalization.
I’ve met people whose lives were derailed because of a minor charge for something that is now completely legal in our state. They lost jobs. Lost opportunities. Had a permanent scarlet letter they didn’t deserve.
We cleared those charges. It was one of the most moving days I’ve had as governor. But no matter how important that moment was for the people of our state, I can’t shake a deep feeling that the consequences of misused pardons might outweigh the benefits.
The ability for an elected official to wipe clean someone’s criminal record is powerful.
I look at Donald Trump, who has pardoned the people who attempted a coup on January 6th, 2021. He has pardoned high-profile business magnates who have a stake in his family’s financial interests. He has pardoned allies and associates, often doling out clemency based on who is most loyal.
It’s disgusting. It’s a grift.
This contrast is what our fight is all about. Maybe instead of the pardon power, what we need to do is to fight for a more just system.
That’s part of what we’re fighting for in our re-election effort. Now that we’re back in the game after our fundraising freeze, we have a lot of ground to make up.
Thanks for being part of this team.
Elevate,
Wes
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