WASHINGTON — Colorado’s Republican U.S. senator said Thursday he will stop blocking nominees for some Justice Department jobs, saying he is encouraged by recent conversations with federal officials about the treatment of the state’s marijuana industry, despite the tougher stance by the Trump administration. It was a dramatic move by the Republican senator against his own party’s attorney general and came after Gardner said Sessions had promised him there wouldn’t be a crackdown. Gardner said he was placing holds on nominees until Sessions changed his approach. He’s also working with a bipartisan group of members of Congress to pursue legislation protecting states that have legalized marijuana. “I applaud Senator Gardner for fighting for states’ rights, and support his decision to lift a number of DOJ holds on certain nominees while negotiations continue,” said Neal Levine, chairman of the pro-legalization New Federalism Fund.

Source: National Post February 15, 2018 17:26 UTC