Roger Stone is becoming the greatest story that should have never been a story in the first place. The Trump surrogate and noted racist somehow found himself named as a featured speaker at the CWBexpo in Los Angeles. The supporter of Nixon has been out-spoken when it comes to defense of those in states who voted for cannabis, even calling out Jeff Sessions. Still, that was never a reason to me, to believe he was an ally of anyone in the cannabis industry.
His speaking engagement was cancelled after an up-roar created by the MCBA and Woman Abuv Ground. The CWCBexpo decided to cut ties with Stone, but that didn’t dead the situation. It’s hard to rid yourself of a problem that you didn’t see as a problem in the first place, especially when the problem feels like he has a legal argument.
Per LA WeeklyÂ
Former campaign adviser to President Trump Roger Stone has been dropped from the lineup of the Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition (CWCBExpo) scheduled for Sept. 13 through 15 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Stone told L.A. Weekly he plans to sue organizers.
“Sad day for the First Amendment,” he said via email. “The expo is in breach of contract. I will be suing them for $1 million. I will not be deterred from my efforts to persuade the president to preserve access to legal medicinal marijuana consistent with his pledge to the American people.”
The CWCBExpo said in a statement that Stone’s scheduled appearance had become a distraction.
Following collaborative discussions with numerous partners, participants, and interested parties who support the legalization of cannabis in an inclusive manner, Cannabis World Congress & Business Expositions is announcing that Roger Stone will no longer be featured as a keynote speaker at the upcoming CWCBExpo events in Los Angeles and Boston,” organizers announced today. “The forums created by CWCBExpo are crucial to the growth and legalization of the cannabis industry and they supersede the distractions that have surrounded the events.
A spokesman for the expo had no comment regarding Stone’s threat to sue.
Organizers of a boycott against the expo say they were in negotiations over the holiday weekend and this week to have Stone nixed from the event. Those lobbying for Stone’s ouster included the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA) and the L.A.-based group Women Abuv Ground, led by cannabis entrepreneur Bonita “Bo” Money.
“We feel the decision to cancel Roger Stone as a keynote speaker was a wise and sound decision,” Money said via email. “We cannot tolerate speakers that represent racism and sexism at any conference. Hopefully this experience will create change towards diversity and inclusion at all conferences moving forward.”
Jesce Horton, MCBA’s board chair, indicated that Stone’s absence would set things back to normal. He wouldn’t say, however, whether or not the expo boycott was officially over.
“This is a testament to the will of this industry to stand firmly on sound business principles,” Horton said via email. “Roger Stone’s deplorable rhetoric was just a piece of our inability to be involved. More importantly is his history of advocating for regulations that work directly against an industry inclusive to small businesses and minority entrepreneurs. I look forward to working with CWCBE and support their decision to stand with us.”
Stone, who also advised the campaigns of presidents Nixon and Reagan, yesterday denied that he was leaving the bill. “Not so,” he told L.A. Weekly via email. “Have never even considered doing so. The issue is too important. Millions counting on continued legal access to medicinal marijuana and counting on the president to keep his pledge — while [Homeland Security Secretary John F.] Kelly is urging a crackdown and reigniting of the failed war on drugs.”
The MCBA spearheaded a boycott that helped inspire a number of speakers and sponsors, including the Drug Policy Alliance, to drop out of the Los Angeles convention on the marijuana business. Despite private lobbying the Rev. Al Sharpton was still slated as another top speaker at the mid-September event.
The groups opposed to Stone said he had a racist past (he once used the word “Negro” to describe Sharpton) and that his connection to Nixon, an architect of the war on drugs, should preclude his participation. Stone apologized for his remarks and said that he’s long had a “libertarian streak” that holds drug laws should be a matter for states to decide. Stone has also been a proponent of marijuana legalization.
I’m sure this is not the last we’ve seen of Stone.
