California is the golden leaf of marijuana legalization efforts.
Sheldon Adelson has not had the effect on the 2016 US presidential election that many assumed he would. After years of speculation that Adelson, the Koch Brothers, and Paul Singer would donate mountains of cash to the Republic Party in the 2016 US presidential election, megadonors have not been one of the main storylines of this election year.
Adelson’s campaign to ban online gambling appears to be stalled at present, though a new version of Restore America’s Wire Act seems to have new champions in the US Congress. Depending on the makeup of the next Congress, the bill could spell trouble for online gambling proponents. For now, RAWA seems to be a dead letter.
Major Donor to the Anti-Legalization Cause
That does not mean Sheldon Adelson is not having an impact in the 2016 elections. In fact, the Las Vegas gaming magnate is making a big impact on an issue in the 2016 election cycle: marijuana legalization.
The Washington Post noted this week that 2016 is a pivotal year for marijuana legalization.
Advocates in several states (Oregon, California) are seeking legalization, with interest groups, individuals, and businesses spending money as proponents or opponents of legalized marijuana. In all, $40 million combined has been spent by the two sides, trying to shape public opinion.
The famous Washington D.C. newspaper reports that Sheldon Adelson has spent about one-third of the money on the side of those seeking to keep marijuana a banned substance. Adelson has spent about $3.5 million on the effort. Anti-legalization groups have spent about $11 million on the effort.
Legalization Movement for Marijuana
The remaining $29 million has been spent by the pro-legalization forces, according to the Washington Post’s analysis, which included financial records from 5 battleground states and Ballotopedia. Thus, Sheldon Adelson’s expenditures are a key bulwark for the anti-marijuana coalition, which is otherwise being outspent almost 4-to-1.
Anti-Legalization Forces
Despite that expenditure, it is the corporations which have received the most criticism for their donations to the anti-legalization cause. Advocates for marijuana have complained that pharma and alcohol companies have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the anti-legalization cause. They believe that those organizations donated because they want to keep a potential rival industry from being legalized.
In truth, no single interest dominates the anti-legalization effort. The same can be said for the pro-legalization movement, which consists of a broad coalition of advocates for medicinal marijuana, weed activists, and companies which want to get in on the groundfloor of a new industry. For its part, the anti-legalization groups include significant contributions from drug policy advocacy groups and law enforcement.
Legal Marijuana in California?
Most of the effort is focused on California, which is the key source for both set of donors. California is the most populous state in the Union and, if it were its own country, California would have the 6th-largest economy in the world — ahead of France, India, or Russia. As such, California has been the source of more than half of political donations for the marijuana issue, and it is the key focus of legalization efforts.
California is home to some of the biggest contributors. Napster founder Sean Parker has given millions to pro-legalization groups. The Sacramento Bee believes the biggest donation to either side came from liberal billionaire and philanthropist, George Soros, through the Drug Policy Alliance’s advocacy arm, Drug Policy Action. Smart Approaches to Marijuana also has made significant contributions.
Brian Padget’s Role
The Law Offices of Brian Padgett donated $150,000 to support legalization. Padgett is an investor in CW Nevada, a dispensary of marijuana-based treatments for epilepsy patients. If marijuana was legalized in California and Oregon, CW Nevada likely would be able to expand its business operations.
At least 5% of the anti-legalization donations come from small donors in law enforcement, including associations and individual officers. Law enforcement groups traditionally have been among the most outspoken opponents of marijuana legalization.
Julie Schauer’s Cause
Wealthy art professor Julie Schauer has donated over a million dollars to the anti-legalization cause, because she believes marijuana is linked to violent behavior.
It is unknown why Sheldon Adelson is against marijuana legalization, though his opponents spin their theories on the subject.
Mason Tvert’s Opinion on Marijuana Funding
Mason Tvert, director of communications for Marijuana Policy Project (pro-legalization), speculates that Sheldon Adelson’s opposition to marijuana comes from business interests.
The pro-pot advocate said in an email to supporters, “If you like drinking alcohol and playing blackjack at the casino, Mr. Adelson wants you to be his guest. If you prefer to consume marijuana while playing video games in the privacy of your home, Mr. Adelson wants you to be in jail.”
While pro-online gambling advocates have never exactly framed the debate the same way, they have expressed similar opinions on the genesis of the anti-online gambling campaign.
