Some of the largest marijuana companies in the U.S. are funding a political group that is spending to reelect Republican lawmakers who have opposed easing federal cannabis laws, according to Federal Election Commission filings. America First Agriculture Action Inc., a super PAC that shares a treasurer with President Donald Trump's main super PAC, MAGA Inc., has spent nearly $1.8 million on ads supporting 11 House Republicans in competitive races, Marijuana Moment reported. Almost all of its money comes from the cannabis industry.
One of those Republicans is New York Representative Mike Lawler, who said during a televised debate last week that the state's legal marijuana law is "hurting" local communities. Newsweek reached out to America First Agriculture Action and Lawler's office for comment Monday. The spending comes weeks before the midterm elections, which will determine control of the House, as the cannabis industry pushes the Trump administration to complete the federal rescheduling of marijuana.
Trulieve, Curaleaf, Verano and Vision Management Services, a subsidiary of Green Thumb Industries, each gave $2.5 million to America First Agriculture Action in June, according to FEC records reviewed by Newsweek. Ascend Wellness Holdings gave $500,000, while Arboretum Bidco gave $1 million, bringing the total to $11.5 million. The contributions came weeks after the Justice Department announced it was moving forward with the federal rescheduling of marijuana.
The American Rights and Reform PAC, a cannabis-backed committee whose listed treasurer is Curaleaf executive Matt Harrell, gave America First Agriculture Action another $1.5 million last year. The group also gave $2.05 million to MAGA Inc. Including those contributions, cannabis-linked donations to Trump-aligned committees total at least $15.05 million.
Charles Gantt is listed as treasurer of both America First Agriculture Action and MAGA Inc. In September, the PAC began running ads for 11 Republican representatives: Tom Barrett of Michigan, Nick Begich of Alaska, Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania, Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, Gabe Evans of Colorado, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Jen Kiggans of Virginia, Mike Lawler of New York, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Bryan Steil of Wisconsin and Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin. Because the ads are independent expenditures, federal law bars the PAC from coordinating them with the candidates' campaigns.
But marijuana does not come up in any of them. Instead, the spots highlight the lawmakers' votes to ban stock trading by members of Congress and their support for tax cuts, including measures to end taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security. Puck first reported the spending.
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