Just when you thought a nation couldn’t be more divided on their political leaders, yet another story has broken to exacerbate the cannabis legalisation debate in America.
David Clarke, the controversial figure who is currently a Milwaukee County Sheriff has announced that he has accepted a job as an assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security.
This move has ignited fury among cannabis advocates, who believe that Clarke’s views on marijuana legalisation will destabilise any progress made so far.
Clarke has made a number of public statements condemning cannabis;
In 2015, the controversial figure tweeted, stating that he believes cannabis to be a gateway to heroin…
https://t.co/7sGmpB0hjt This while we debate legalizing marijuana which is a gateway drug to heroin use. I won't let them have it both ways.
— David A. Clarke, Jr. (@SheriffClarke) December 22, 2015
Last year, Clarke returned to social media to share his thoughts on a story regarding murders in Ohio connected to a cannabis grow operation…
https://t.co/KNwxEQ4hXp Just a little recreational marijuana. What's the harm right? Take the crime out of it we're told. Tax it.
— David A. Clarke, Jr. (@SheriffClarke) April 25, 2016
Despite being African-American, Clarke also condemned the “Black Lives Matter” movement in 2016 and was a ferociously opposed to the Obama presidency. Now, with Trump in the White House, Clarke has been given an executive position at the DHS.
In a recent interview, Clarke has stated that in his new role, he “will work as a liaison in the Office of Partnership and Engagement, coordinating with state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies.”.
