30 lawmakers appeal to Biden to reappoint workers fired for cannabis use

‘Those with the most power have always faced the fewest consequences’ for drug use, say Democrats

In a direct appeal to President Joe Biden on Thursday, 30 members of Congress called for recently fired White House staffers to be reinstated after they admitted to historic marijuana use.

The letter, led by progressive Democratic congressman Earl Baueman, calls on the US president to “stop legitimising unfair cannabis laws” for federal employees, and for the five individuals to be reinstated.

The members of Congress pointed to US Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as US transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg, both admitting to past marijuana use “without consequences”.

“Those in the upper ranks of your administration won’t face consequences for their cannabis use, and nor should they, but the same standard should be applied across the administration,” says the letter, as Marijuana Moment first reported.

“Repercussions for cannabis use have always been unequal and those with the most power have always faced the fewest consequences. We ask that you don’t allow that pattern to continue within your administration.”

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Thursday’s letter follows the firing of five junior staffers for admitting to marijuana use during their security clearance.

According to the Daily Beast, the firings came as a surprise to the individuals, who were told any former marijuana use would be overlooked, before being fired, while “dozens of others” were temporarily suspended.

The Biden administration had reportedly taken a flexible approach to the security clearance process, with drug use being reviewed on a “case-by-case” basis, instead of a blanket ban.

But according to White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, the five individuals were fired because of “other security issues”.

Mr Bauman and other members of Congress noted that Mr Biden appeared to be open to decriminalising use of marijuana while on the campaign trail — in part because of concerns for the stigma associated with it.

Mr Biden previously he regretted supporting the the so-called “war on drugs” in the 1980s and 1990s, and admitted that criminalising drugs disproportionately affected Black Americans.

Decriminalising marijuana is largely supported by opinion polling and congressional Democrats, and is already the case in a number of US states.