Biden pardons all previous federal marijuana possession convictions, to review scheduling – National & International News – THU 6Oct2022

Biden pardons all prior federal marijuana possession convictions, also to review scheduling. 4 kidnapped family members found dead in CA; suspect in custody. Dems propose bill to withdraw all US military aid from Saudi Arabia after OPEC cuts.

NATIONAL NEWS

Biden issues pardon for prior federal marijuana possession convictions, also to review scheduling

President Biden has announced a pardon for all previous federal convictions for simple possession of marijuana. Currently, there are no prisoners in any federal prison solely for marijuana possession. But, as Biden says in his statement, “There are thousands of people who have prior Federal convictions for marijuana possession, who may be denied employment, housing, or educational opportunities as a result. My action will help relieve the collateral consequences arising from these convictions”. 

Biden also acknowledged the racial disparities in marijuana prosecutions and urged state leaders to pardon those convicted on state marijuana possession charges. “As I often said during my campaign for president, no one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana. Sending people to prison for possessing marijuana has upended too many lives and incarcerated people for conduct that many states no longer prohibit. Criminal records for marijuana possession have also imposed needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities. And while white and black and brown people use marijuana at similar rates, black and brown people have been arrested, prosecuted, and convicted at disproportionate rates”.

HHS and AG to review marijuana scheduling

Biden directed the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General to review the scheduling of marijuana under federal law.

Marijuana is currently a Schedule 1 narcotic under federal law. A Schedule 1 designation means that a drug cannot be prescribed for any medical use and also restricts medical experimentation. Schedule 1 is normally reserved for the most dangerous substances. “This is the same schedule as for heroin and LSD,” Biden says, “and even higher than the classification of fentanyl and methamphetamine – the drugs that are driving our overdose epidemic”. While Biden seems to now be advocating a more open and less punitive approach to marijuana he emphasized that “even as federal and state regulation of marijuana changes, important limitations on trafficking, marketing, and under-age sales should stay in place”.

While Biden stopped short of fully legalizing marijuana, this will be a welcome move for advocates of legalization and criminal justice reform. Biden’s order should also appeal to many Americans both on the left and right who have long been calling for a more common sense approach to marijuana. A recent poll shows that 60% of voters support legalization of marijuana at the federal level. Polls from last year showed it closer to 70%.

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Four kidnapped family members found dead in California; suspect in custody

On Monday, four family members were kidnapped from their family business, a trucking company, at gunpoint in Merced County, CA. Yesterday evening, police announced that their bodies had been found on a remote farm property. The victims, members of the Sikh community, were 8-month-old Aroohi Dheri, her mother, Jasleen Kaur, 27, her father, Jasdeep Singh, 36, and her uncle, Amandeep Singh, 39. Police have not yet announced a cause of death, but said the four family members were found “relatively close together”.

The first anyone knew that something was amiss was later on Monday when authorities found Amandeep’s truck abandoned and on fire. This led them back to the trucking company and the Singh family. When relatives failed to make contact, they reported them missing. Surveillance video from the trucking company was found showing a masked man leading Jasdeep and Amandeep Singh to Amandeep’s truck, with their hands apparently ziptied. The suspect then returns to the building and brings out Jasleen, carrying baby Aroohi, who join the others in the truck.

Suspect attempts suicide

Police have identified one suspect in the case, Jesus Manuel Salgado, 48. Salgado has a conviction for robbery from 2005 and received parole in 2015. Since then, police say Salgado has not had any major contact with law enforcement.

Salgado first entered the frame in this case when his family members contacted authorities and said Salgado had admitted involvement in the kidnappings. Investigators at first said Salgado matched the description of a person caught on camera using one of the victim’s bank cards. However, there is now some dispute about whether it was Salgado in the ATM footage or a different person. Before police could take him into custody, Salgado attempted suicide. He’s now in critical condition, but has apparently been talking to police. 

Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke said that investigators were asking Salgado whether he acted alone. Whatever information he has given, Warnke said, “We are going to keep that close to our chest at this point”. Police have previously said they believe a second person was involved.

Many aspects of the case remain unclear. Salgado is at present the only person police have who can shed any light on the sequence of events between the initial kidnapping and the murders.

As yet, no clear motive in the kidnappings and murders has emerged. “We have a whole family wiped out and for what? We don’t know yet,” Warnke said. 

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Dems propose bill to withdraw all US military aid from Saudi Arabia after OPEC cuts

Three House Democrats, Tom Malinowski (NJ), Sean Casten (IL), and Susan Wild (PA) have proposed a bill that would withdraw all US soldiers and weapons, including sophisticated missile defense systems, from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The proposal came after OPEC+ decided yesterday to decrease oil production by between 1 and 2 million barrels per day.

The huge cut stunned global markets. Some analysts believe that the move is designed to boost oil revenue for Russia to continue funding its military actions in Ukraine. The three House members call this out specifically in a statement. “Both [Saudi Arabia and the UAE] have long relied on an American military presence in the Gulf to protect their security and oil fields. We see no reason why American troops and contractors should continue to provide this service to countries that are actively working against us. If Saudi Arabia and the UAE want to help Putin, they should look to him for their defense”.

Biden reportedly considering oil export limits, normalizing relations with Venezuela

Citing anonymous sources, Bloomberg reports that the White House has asked the Department of Energy for an impact analysis of a potential ban or limits on exports of US gasoline and diesel. The US is the world’s largest oil producer, but most of it is exported to countries where oil companies can demand higher prices for it. Over the past several months, Biden has repeatedly criticized the US oil sector for failing to use production licenses they hold and for taking advantage of Russia’s war in Ukraine by price gouging American customers. Despite protestations from Big Oil firms, the Department of Energy directive indicates the idea of imposing restrictions on fossil fuel exports may be gaining traction in the White House.

It was also reported yesterday that Biden may be reexamining efforts to normalize relations with Venezuela. Venezuela was once one of the world’s top oil producers, but years of crushing US sanctions on its elected leftist leader Nicolas Maduro has reduced Venezuela’s production capacity and its access to oil markets abroad. US and Venezuelan negotiators took some baby steps towards reversing years of animosity earlier this year following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Just days ago, a prisoner swap between the US and Venezuela sparked discussions of closer ties. However, the White House has denied any change in US policy towards Venezuela.

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