In a letter sent to the White House, more than 20 prominent athletes and musicians are calling for clemency for nonviolent marijuana offenders, support for rescheduling and an end to discriminatory banking practices.
The group calls itself Coalition of Athletes and Entertainers Supporting President Trump’s Policy Objectives.
The signees, from A-Z, include:
Champ Bailey
Antonio Brown
Dez Bryant
Kevin Durant
Al Harrington
Allen Iverson
Stephen Jackson
Roy Jones Jr.
Lil Pump
Jim McMahon
Boyd Melson
Ralo
Tony Richardson
Adin Ross
John Salley
JR Smith
Keith Thurmon
Kyle Turley
Mike Tyson
Marvin Washington
Chris Webber
Rick Williams
Paul Willias
Wyclef Jean
The letter criticizes former Pres. Joe Biden for failing "to deliver on his pledge to address marijuana-related injustices. Not only did he leave office without commuting the sentences of those incarcerated for marijuana, but in one of his final acts, he denied nearly every pending marijuana-related clemency application. This betrayal only underscores the urgent need for bold leadership, we believe, and represents an opportunity to correct glaring disparities as part of your Administration’s ongoing push for criminal justice reform."
In 2022, Biden pardoned 6,500 people convicted federally of "simple posession of marijuana" and encouraged states to follow his lead. Earlier that year, BIden pardoned 78 people, nine with marijuana offenses. The move from Schedule I to Schedule III was proposed by HHS under Biden, but blocked by the DEA.
"Rescheduling marijuana would harmonize federal law with state policies, promote innovation, encourage research and drive economic growth," the letter states.
Regarding banking, the letter points out: "State-legal cannabis operators, including many of us, have also been unjustly denied banking services despite full compliance with state law."
As of 2022, Black ownership of cannabis businesses in the U.S. was just 2%. Several of the signees have business interests in cannabis, including Harrington, Tyson and Williams.
So far in his second term, Pres. Donald Trump has shown little interest in making such reforms.
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