Welcome to Friday, November 22nd, cash and checks...

We may be getting closer to decriminalizing marijuana.

The House Judiciary Committee has passed a bill to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level and create a process for expunging convictions for cannabis crimes.

The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act is one of the broadest marijuana reform bills introduced in Congress in recent years.

If passed, the MORE Act would decriminalize pot at the federal level by removing it from the Controlled Substances Act and assess a 5% sales tax on marijuana with revenue allocated to an Opportunity Trust Fund (OTF).

House Democratic leaders haven’t indicated if, or when, the MORE Act will reach the House floor, but it could be considered as soon as early December when lawmakers return from the Thanksgiving recess. 

Do you support the MORE Act?

On the Radar

"Fictional Narrative" on Ukraine

Fiona Hill, former senior director for Europe and Russia at the NSC, criticized Republican lawmakers on Thursday for spreading a "fictional narrative" that it was Ukraine, not Russia, that meddled in the 2016 presidential elections.

"Based on questions and statements I have heard, some of you on this committee appear to believe that Russia and its security services did not conduct a campaign against our country — and that perhaps, somehow, for some reason, Ukraine did," Fiona said in her opening statement.

"This is a fictional narrative that has been perpetrated and propagated by the Russian security services themselves."

Ahead of the hearings, Trump tweeted about the "human scum" leading the investigations:

"Keep fighting tough, Republicans, you are dealing with human scum who have taken Due Process and all of the Republican Party’s rights away from us during the most unfair hearings in American History......"

Are the public hearings changing your mind about impeachment?

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Under the Radar

Alleged Surveillance Abuses Against Trump Campaign 

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) announced Thursday that Inspector General Michael Horowitz's report will be released on Monday, December 9th in advance of the IG's testimony on December 11th.

The IG is investigating the process used by the DOJ & FBI to obtain Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants for surveillance of a “certain U.S. person” which is reportedly a reference to former Trump campaign aide Carter Page.

The counterintelligence operation involving Page’s surveillance led to the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller and his investigation into alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, which the special counsel found no evidence of in his report.

Do you want to hear testimony on alleged 2016 surveillance abuses?

What You've Accomplished This Week

Are you Gordon Sondland? Because you sang to Congress this week...

How do you feel your work week on The Hill?

What You're Saying

Here's how you're answering Should the Federal Gov’t Set & Enforce a Workplace Violence Safety Standard?