Sanders opposes marijuana legalization, accepts nearly $50,000 from industry leaders October 4, 2022 By Griffin Coop Arkansas Republican gubernatorial nominee Sarah Huckabee Sanders said publicly for the first time Monday that she opposes an amendment to legalize recreational marijuana in Arkansas, according to a report in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Tuesday. “I don’t think that with the drug epidemic we have across this state, frankly across the country, that adding and giving more access to that does anything to benefit Arkansans, so I certainly wouldn’t be supportive of that,” Sanders told the Democrat-Gazette. Arkansas Cannabiz has identified nearly $50,000 in contributions to Sanders from owners of the state’s cultivators and dispensaries and their families. Whether recreational marijuana is legalized or not, Sanders, if elected, could wield significant power over the regulation of the state cannabis industry. Democratic nominee Chris Jones and Libertarian nominee Ricky Dale Harrington Jr. have said they support the measure. We have asked them for their reaction but have not heard back. Eddie Armstrong, chair of Responsible Growth Arkansas, said his group disagreed with Sanders’ position on the issue. “Everyone has an opinion and we respectfully disagree with Mrs. Sanders,” Armstrong said via text message. “We strongly encourage Arkansans to get the facts on issue 4 and study the economic benefits, thousands of good paying jobs, additional police and drug courts funding and reforming our drug laws to focus our law enforcement on crimes that deserve their attention and resources.” Sanders also said she supports Issue 2, a measure that would require ballot measures to get 60% to pass. If passed, the measure would not impact the Arkansas Adult Use Cannabis Amendment at the ballot box this year but would impact future ballot measures. “The constitution is sacred and it should be hard to change it,” she told the Democrat-Gazette. “The voters should have a say in that, but I think increasing that percentage is something that we should be supportive of across the board.” Campaign cash Members of the Arkansas marijuana industry, including owners of cultivators and dispensaries, have donated generously to Sanders’ campaign, according to Open Secrets. Here’s a look at some of the contributions, according to Open Secrets: Donald Boysie Bollinger, $5,600 Donald Boysie Bollinger is the largest shareholder of Berner’s by Good Day Farm dispensary in Little Rock at 25.5%. A retired shipbuilder in Louisiana, Bollinger is a major Republican donor and was the co-chair of former President Donald Trump’s finance committee in Louisiana during his presidential runs in 2016 and 2020. Harriet Stephens, $5,600 Harriet Stephens, the wife of Little Rock billionaire Warren Stephens, owns less than 1% of Good Day Farm Arkansas cultivation in Pine Bluff. Warren Stephens also owns less than 1% of the cultivation business. The Stephens’ children – Miles, John and Laura – each own 3.8% of the business. All of the Stephens own the business through Stephens MM LLC, which has 22 members who hold shares in Good Day Farm cultivation. Mary Olive Stephens, $5,800 Stephens is the daughter-in-law of Warren and Harriet Stephens. Mary Olive Stephens does not own a share in a cultivation facility or dispensary, although her husband owns a 3.8% share of Good Day Farm cultivation. Alex Gray, $500 Gray is chief strategy officer at Good Day Farm Arkansas. Gray owns about 2% of Good Day Farm cultivation and he and his wife, Ann Marie Gray, each own less than 1% of Berner’s by Good Day Farm. James Barnes, $1,000 Barnes is the owner of Greenlight Little Rock dispensary. Barnes owns half of the business with Matt Summitt. Stephen and Wendy LaFrance, $11,200 Stephen LaFrance and his wife, Wendy LaFrance, are owners of Good Day Farm Cultivation with Wendy, the company’s largest shareholder, owning an 8.5004% stake and Stephen owning less than 1%. Wendy LaFrance also owns a 6.38% of Berner’s by Good Day Farm dispensary. Mark and Kim Brockinton, $11,200 Kim Brockinton is one of the largest shareholders of Good Day Farm cultivation with a stake of 2.8%. Kim Brockinton is also one of the largest shareholders of Berner’s by Good Day Farm dispensary with a stake of 6.38%. Phillip Tappan, $250 Tappan owns less than 1% of Good Day Farm cultivation. Tappan’s donation appears on Open Secrets but does not appear on Sanders’ primary or general election financial disclosure forms filed with the Arkansas Secretary of State. Charlotte Bradbury, $5,700 Charlotte Bradbury is the wife of Stephens executive Curt Bradbury who owns less than 1% of Good Day Farm cultivation. Robert deBin, $1,000 Robert deBin is the CEO of Natural State Medicinals, a cultivation facility in White Hall, and owns 6.5% of the business. Storm Nolan, $1,000 Storm Nolan owns 73.3% of River Valley Relief, a cultivation facility in Fort Smith. Jessica Trulove, $5,600 Jessica Trulove is an extraction technician at Osage Creek Cultivation in Berryville. The cultivation facility is owned by family members Mary Trulove, Jay Trulove, Matt Trulove and Bradley Trulove. Kelly Eichler, $2,800 Kelly Eichler, a former Republican nominee for state representative in Little Rock, owns a 5.1% stake in Berner’s by Good Day Farm and less than 1% of Good Day Farm cultivation.
