Marijuana Business Magazine - March 2018

District: Western District of Washington state, based in Seattle U.S. attorney: Annette Hayes Appointed by: Became acting U.S. attorney in October 2014. Remained in the position after the Obama administration declined to make an appointment. Statements on cannabis: Responding to the Cole Memo decision, Hayes said in a statement her office would continue to address crime-control problems “across all threats to public safety, including those relating to marijuana. As a result, we have investi- gated and prosecuted over many years cases involving organized crime, violent and gun threats, and finan- cial crimes related to marijuana.” – Kristen Nichols, Bart Schaneman, John Schroyer and Roger Fillion The New Normal District: Nevada U.S. attorney: Dayle Elieson Appointed by: Interim appointment by Trump administration Statements on cannabis: A former federal prosecutor in Texas, Elieson has kept mum on her plans to prosecute marijuana crimes under the new direction from Wash- ington. Her office declined to comment to Marijuana Business Magazine about her cannabis priorities, and she has no prominent marijuana prosecutions on her resume. In Texas, Elieson handled cases on fraud, money launder- ing and terrorism. Her temporary appointment expires in May, though it could be extended, or Elieson could be nominated to keep the job permanently. District: Oregon U.S. attorney: Billy Williams Appointed by: Trump administration Statements on cannabis : Williams has spoken against diversion from legal cannabis markets to the black market. In an op-ed he wrote for The Oregonian newspa- per, Williams said that recreational marijuana “carries ill- effects on public health and safety, as Colorado’s experience shows.” He also wrote that he has “significant concerns about the state’s current regulatory framework and the resources allocated to policing marijuana in Oregon.” Williams added that he will continue to decide whether to prosecute marijuana crimes on a case-by-case basis. District: Vermont U.S. attorney: Christina Nolan Appointed by: Trump administration Statements on cannabis: At 39, Nolan is the youngest U.S. attorney and hasn’t said much about marijuana, which her state legalized for recreational use after the Cole Memo announcement. But Nolan is no fan of states flout- ing federal drug law. She vowed last year to prosecute anyone operating a safe-injection site in Vermont, saying the areas “encourage and normalize heroin use.”Her warning came as Vermont state lawmakers prepared to hear debate on allow- ing safe-injection sites, a proposal still pending in the state Capitol. “It is a crime, not only to use illicit narcotics, but to manage and maintain sites on which such drugs are used and distributed,” she wrote at the time. District: Washington DC U.S. attorney: Jessie Liu Appointed by: Trump administration Statements on cannabis: Marijuana entrepreneurs consider Liu an unknown when it comes to marijuana prosecutions. She made a vague statement after the Cole Memo decision, saying her office would use “discretion” in choosing marijuana cases to prosecute. Liu said her office is “committed to reducing violent crime and dismantling criminal gangs and large-scale drug distribution networks that pose a threat to public safety.” On a biography shared with the U.S. Senate, Liu listed one drug prosecution, a 2003 case involving guns, cocaine and marijuana. District: Eastern District of Washington state, based in Spokane U.S. attorney: Joseph Harrington Appointed by: Interim appointment by Trump administration Statements on cannabis: Harrington hasn’t said much about the Sessions decision, instead directing questions to the U.S. Department of Justice. March 2018 • Marijuana Business Magazine • 75