Finance
Trump-Linked PAC Deploys $1.8 Million in Cannabis Company Donations to Boost GOP Lawmakers, Including Legalization Opponents
America First Agriculture Action Inc. is using funds from major marijuana businesses to run ads for 11 vulnerable Republican House members, several of whom have voted against federal cannabis reform.
A political action committee sharing a treasurer with President Trump's super PAC is spending nearly $1.8 million from cannabis industry donations on ads supporting 11 GOP lawmakers in tough reelection fights. The ads avoid mentioning marijuana, while some of the lawmakers featured have opposed legalization and rescheduling.
America First Agriculture Action Inc., a PAC that shares treasurer Charles Gantt with President Donald Trump's MAGA Inc., is spending nearly $1.8 million from marijuana business donations on ads for 11 vulnerable Republican House members, according to Federal Election Commission filings reviewed by Marijuana Moment.
The ad campaign supports Reps. Tom Barrett, Nick Begich, Rob Bresnahan, Juan Ciscomani, Gabe Evans, Brian Fitzpatrick, Jen Kiggans, Mike Lawler, Scott Perry, Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden. The spots tout votes on insider trading bans and tax cuts but do not mention cannabis.
Major cannabis companies including Trulieve Inc., Curaleaf Inc., Verano Holdings LLC and Ascend Wellness Holdings Inc., along with entities tied to Green Thumb Industries and AYR Wellness Inc., contributed a collective $11.5 million to the PAC in June. Total cannabis-linked donations to Trump-affiliated PACs now exceed $15.05 million.
Several of the lawmakers receiving ad support have records opposing cannabis reform. Fitzpatrick, Perry and Steil voted against Democratic-led federal legalization bills in 2020 and 2022. Kiggans voted against legalization as a Virginia state senator, while Ciscomani reportedly celebrated the defeat of Arizona's 2016 legalization ballot initiative.
Lawler has called marijuana a 'gateway drug,' argued against rescheduling, and cosponsored a bill to keep IRS code 280E tax deductions blocked for marijuana businesses even under rescheduling. Perry backed protecting state medical cannabis programs in 2015 but later voted against similar broad amendments in 2019 and 2020.
The ad expenditures were first reported by Puck News, which characterized them as a reward for votes on spending legislation that included a hemp THC recriminalization delay. Marijuana Moment notes that some state-licensed cannabis businesses see hemp products as competition and support reining in that industry, and that no standalone vote on the hemp provision occurred.
The spending comes as the Trump administration moves forward with federal marijuana rescheduling, while Republican congressional leadership remains hostile to cannabis reform. The GOP-controlled House Appropriations Committee voted this year to block further rescheduling steps.
The American Rights and Reform PAC, a cannabis industry-backed committee with Curaleaf executive Matt Harrell as treasurer, has separately given $2.05 million to MAGA Inc. and $1.5 million to the agriculture PAC. Trulieve and Curaleaf also contributed $1 million to Trump's inaugural committee following the 2024 election.