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Who?

Senator-elect Elissa Slotkin (D-MI)

LISTEN: Laslo & Slotkin

Ask a Pol asks:

Do you know where you are on SAFER Banking Act?

Key Slotkin:

“I'm a fan. I believe in it,” Senator-elect Elissa Slotkin exclusively tells Ask a Pol. “I couldn't explain to you why people don't support it on either side of the aisle.”

Caught our ear:

“I want that industry — that's now worth billions of dollars and legal in the United States — to be able to bank,” Slotkin tells us.

Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Senator-elect Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), slightly edited for clarity.

ICYMI — 100 of 100 US senators on SAFER Banking Act

TRANSCRIPT: Senator-elect Elissa Slotkin

SCENE: Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo runs into Senator-elect Elissa Slotkin as she’s casting one of her last votes in the US House of Representatives in December 2024.

Matt Laslo: “Do you know where you are on SAFER Banking Act?”

Elissa Slotkin: “Pardon?”

ML: “SAFER Banking Act — it’s the cannabis…”

ES: “SAFE — I don't think it's SAFER, is it?”

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ML: “It used to be SAFE…”

ES: “Oh really. Oh, okay.”

ML: “…and then they added the ‘R'.’”

ES: “I am a co-sponsor.”

ML: “Yeah.”

ES: “I'm a fan. I believe in it, and I don't understand why we — I couldn't explain to you why people don't support it…”

Subscriber only sneak peak:

New list of all 100 senators on SAFER in 119th Congress

ML: “Yeah?”

ES: “…like, on either side of the aisle.”

ML: “Yeah? What do you make of the talking points. Like, being there in Michigan, like, the reality looks a lot different than the talking points on that issue.”

ES: “On that issue?”

ML: “Yeah.”

ES: “Oh, I don't know what the talking points are. I can just tell you that I want that industry — that's now worth billions of dollars and legal in the United States — to be able to bank.”

ML: “Yeah?”

ES: “That's it. That's it.”

Laslo laughs.

ES: “Period.”

Slotkin heads to the House floor to vote.

ML: “I'll be watchin. Thank you ma’am.”

LJ Dawson contributed to this reporting.

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Who?

Sen. John Thune (R-SD) — Incoming Senate Majority Leader

LISTEN: Laslo & Thune

Ask a Pol asks:

What are your thoughts on the SAFER Banking Act?

Key Thune:

“I’m not a fan,” Sen. John Thune exclusively tells Ask a Pol.

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Caught our ear:

Any thoughts on the DEA rescheduling marijuana?

“Ummm,” Thune replied, then kept on walking into the US Capitol.

Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Sen. John Thune (R-SD), slightly edited for clarity.

TRANSCRIPT: Sen. John Thune I

SCENE: Thune’s walking into the Capitol to cast an early evening vote when Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo asks him a quick question.

Matt Laslo: “Your thoughts on the DEA rescheduling marijuana?”

John Thune: “Ummm…”

The incoming majority leader said nothing and just kept walking.

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TRANSCRIPT: Sen. John Thune II

ML: “Sen. Thune, where are you…”

JT: “What’s that?”

ML: “Follow-up to my question last week. Where are you on SAFER Banking Act?”

JT: “I'm not a fan. I mean, I know we have people that — on our side that are for it, but I'm not.”

ML: “Yep. Thank you.”

Andrey Beregovskiy contributed to this report.

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Who?

Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK)

LISTEN: Laslo & Sullivan

Ask a Pol asks:

Are you still supportive of SAFER Banking Act?

Key Sullivan:

“SAFE Banking?” Sen. Sullivan exclusively told Ask a Pol.

It’s SAFER Banking Act now.

“I don’t know what that is,” Sullivan said.

Caught our ear:

“Yeah. I haven’t seen that one yet,” Sullivan told us of SAFER.

Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), slightly edited for clarity.

ICYMI — Ask a Pol’s End of Year BLOWOUT SALE!

TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Dan Sullivan

SCENE: Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo hops an elevator with Sen. Dan Sullivan after he leaves the Senate chamber and heads back to his office.

Matt Laslo: “Are you still supportive of SAFER Banking? Or are you kinda watching?”

Dan Sullivan: “SAFE Banking?”

ML: “SAFE Banking but not SAFER?”

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DS: “I don’t know what that is.”

ML: “That’s the new, that’s the new one.”

Staffer: “Who’s the — who’s on top of it?”

ML: “It’s the one that went through Banking [Housing and Urban Affairs] Committee, [Sen. Mike] Rounds and them.”

DS: “Yeah, I haven’t seen that one yet.”

ML: “Yeah. Preciate ya.”

Andrey Beregovskiy and Walken Whalen contributed to this report.

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Who?

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)

LISTEN: Laslo & Shaheen

Ask a Pol asks:

What are your thoughts on the DEA — Drug Enforcement Administration — moving to reschedule marijuana?

Key Shaheen:

“I have some concerns about it,” Sen. Jeanne Shaheen exclusively told Ask a Pol.

Shaheen on SAFER

Undecided.

Caught our ear:

“I’m not a supporter of legalizing marijuana,” Shaheen told us.

Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), slightly edited for clarity.

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TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Jeanne Shaheen

SCENE: Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s walking through the basement of the US Capitol when Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo catches up with her as she rides an elevator up to the Senate chamber, along with Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).

Matt Laslo: “Ma’am, I was curious, what are your thoughts on the DEA moving to reschedule marijuana?”

Jeanne Shaheen: “I have some concerns about it.”

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ML: “Yeah?”

JS: “I haven’t had the chance to see the details, but I’m not a supporter of legalizing marijuana.”

ML: “Yeah. And you — your apprehension to — I guess, you haven’t seen it yet?”

JS: “I haven’t.”

ML: “But it looks like…”

JS: “So I’m not gonna speak to details.”

ML: “You’re wise, she’s wise.”

Laslo laughs.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin: “She is wise. She is wise…”

Andrey Beregovskiy and Walken Whalen contributed to this report.

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Who?

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS)

LISTEN: Laslo & Wicker

Ask a Pol asks:

Have you looked at the SAFER Banking Act?

Key Wicker:

“No,” Sen. Roger Wicker exclusively told Ask a Pol. “I'm not commenting on-the-record about the SAFER Banking Act.”

Caught our ear:

Have you been to the University of Mississippi cannabis test facilities?

“I guess so,” Wicker told us. “I guess so.”

Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), slightly edited for clarity.

TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Roger Wicker

SCENE: After voting on the Senate floor, Sen. Roger Wicker’s making his way back to his office via the Capitol’s underground tram system when Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo proceeds to hop a ride with the veteran lawmaker.

Matt Laslo: “Morning, senator. Do you have thoughts on the DEA moving to reschedule marijuana?

Wicker shakes head no.

ML: “Have you looked at the SAFER Banking Act?”

Roger Wicker: “No.”

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ML: “No?”

RW: “Oh, the DEA?”

ML: “Yeah.”

“Mind if I?,” Laslo’s asking the senator if he can join him on the tram. The tram announces, “the doors are closing.”

RW: “I'm not commenting on-the-record about the SAFER Banking Act.”

ML: “About SAFER Banking?”

RW: “Mm-hm”

ML: “Let me ask you about clemency. What do you think about talking about clemency for past marijuana convictions?”

Both laugh.

RW: “I'm not commenting on that.”

ML: “Yeah? Are you upset with the DEA for rescheduling or examining it? Cause University of Mississippi, you...”

RW: “Well, the University of Mississippi has been doing marijuana research for over 50 years.“

ML: “Oh yeah. And you’ve been there, to their test facilities?”

RW: “I guess so. I guess so.”

ML: “But you're still on the fence on SAFER Banking? He's not commenting.”

RW: “I'm not commenting.”

ML: “You're a wise man.”

RW: “I would be glad to speak with you off the record.”

ML: “Yeah. I can turn her off.”

Andrey Beregovskiy and Walken Whalen contributed to this report.

Content posted at AskaPol.com is copyrighted. Use our original content to move the story forward. And, please, link to us.

Who?

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) — Senate Minority Leader

LISTEN: Laslo & McConnell

Ask a Pol asks:

Do you oppose SAFER Banking Act?

McConnell:

Silence.

Play the Tape:

“Unrelated nonsense, like easier financing for illegal drugs, was kept out,” McConnell quietly exclaimed from the Senate floor in 2022 when he blocked the then-SAFE Banking Act from being tacked onto the National Defense Authorization Act — or NDAA.

ICYMI — McConnell quietly killed SAFER again this year

Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), slightly edited for clarity.

TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Mitch McConnell

SCENE: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and his large entourage of security and aides are walking through the US Capitol when Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo tries to get McConnell to speak in the marble halls, which he rarely does, especially these days.

Matt Laslo: “How you doing, sir?”

McConnell makes eye contact with Laslo — who covered him for years for Kentucky Public Radio — but says nothing.

ML: “You have any thoughts on the DEA moving to reschedule cannabis?”

McConnell looks away from Laslo and says nothing.

ML: “Are you opposed to SAFER Banking?”

McConnell didn’t flinch or say a thing.

ML: “Have a good one, sir.”

Laslo smirked and then cracked up to himself…

Andrey Beregovskiy contributed to this report.

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