Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said he won’t consider pardons for low-level marijuana offenders after President Joe Biden asked governors across the country to consider pardons.
“Texas is unaccustomed to criminal justice advice from the leader of the defunding police party, and someone who has overseen a criminal justice system is doing poorly with cashless bail and a revolving door for violent criminals,” he said. say Abbott’s spokesman. Renae Eze said in a statement Thursday.
“Just as no one should be in a federal prison just for possessing marijuana, no one should be in a local or state prison for that reason, either,” Biden. he tweeted.
Abbott spokeswoman Eze explained the process for issuing pardons in Texas in her statement, saying Abbott would not consider pardons.
“The governor of Texas can only pardon people who have gone through the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles system with a recommendation for clemency,” he said.
Meanwhile, Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’ Rourke has pledged to legalize weed in the state if elected.
“When I’m governor, we will legalize marijuana and eliminate marijuana possession records, and use the nearly $1 billion in new state revenue and reduced criminal justice costs to invest in public schools and lower taxes on property.” says O’Rourke’s campaign website.
