During her first day of confirmation hearings for attorney general, nominee Loretta Lynch gave answers that seemed in line with President Obama. But then she was asked about marijuana, and whether she supports legalizing it. “Senator, I do not,” Lynch said. NPR reports that the moment stood in contrast to other exchanges between Lynch and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, as she defended Obama’s right to take executive action on immigration rules and aligned herself with the president’s view on U.S. interrogation programs, saying, “Waterboarding is torture.”
When Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) asked Lynch if she agreed with President Obama’s assessment that pot is no more dangerous than alcohol, she said, “Well senator, I certainly don’t hold that view, and don’t agree with that view of marijuana as a substance. I certainly think that the president was speaking from his personal experience and personal opinion – neither of which I am able to share.” On DOJ’s relationship with states that have legalized marijuana, which is still criminalized under federal law, Lynch said she would focus drug-prohibition enforcement on money laundering and organized crime, the National Law Journal reports. Lynch’s confirmation hearings continue today.