(NewsNation) — Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott and President Joe Biden are at odds again over policy — this time over marijuana.
Biden announced he would officially give pardon to everyone in the US who has been convicted of a simple federal offense of marijuana possession and he asked that governors consider doing the same at the state level, where most marijuana offenders are convicted.
So far, we know of at least one who said no.
Abbott’s office said in a statement first reported by Austin-based Texas station NPR that the governor would take the president’s recommendation, and follow his lead in pardoning marijuana offenders.
The statement, attributed to Abbott spokeswoman Renae Eze, said, in part, “Texas is not used to receiving criminal justice advice from the leader of the defund police party and someone who has overseen a chaotic criminal justice system (sic) on cashless bail and a door. turn for ruthless criminals.”
The statement went on to explain that the governor could not simply pardon anyone. They need to be recommended for forgiveness by a third party, and there is a process.
This is not the first time Abbott and Biden have not faced each other. Biden recently criticized Abbott’s move to send migrant buses to Washington, New York and other places to assert about the border crisis.
The White House called the effort inhumane and an act.
And after more than one mass shooting in Texas, including the heartbreaking murder at Uvalde in which 19 children and two teachers were killed, the two leaders also disagreed about how to control guns.
As the president explained, he doesn’t have the authority to pardon every inmate locked up for marijuana possession, only those in federal custody, affecting only a few thousand people.
That’s why he recommended governors across the country to follow in his footsteps.