Pubdate: Sat, 21 Feb 2015 Source: Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL) Copyright: 2015 Sun-Sentinel Company Contact: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-letters-to-the-editor-htmlstory.html Website: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/159 Author: Anthony, Staff writer POLITICIAN DENIES FLIP-FLOP ON POT Lawyer Accuses Representative U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, in an interview Friday, emphatically rejected an allegation that she offered to change her position on medical marijuana in return for a prominent pot activist retracting statements critical of the congresswoman. Wasserman Schultz called the allegation "outrageous" and said the purported deal, reported by Politico, is false. "I wouldn't change my position in exchange for support under any circumstances - ever. I'm always very proud to stand in front of my constituents and explain when I have a difference of opinion with them," she told the Sun Sentinel. Her accuser, prominent Orlando-based trial lawyer John Morgan, responded later Friday that Wasserman Schultz's "offer" of a quid pro quo was "crystal clear." The controversy stems from moves made this week by supporters of medical marijuana who went into full attack mode against Wasserman Schultz, the Weston Democrat who is chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee. Wasserman Schultz dismayed supporters of medical marijuana - and angered Morgan, the state's best known proponent - with her opposition to the 2014 referendum that unsuccessfully sought to legalize medical marijuana in Florida. This week, medical marijuana advocates told Politico that Wasserman Schultz would suffer in future elections because of her opposition to the legalization referendum. They followed up with the explosive charge to Politico, claiming she offered to change her position if Morgan would retract nasty things he's said about her. Under the headline "Debbie's Damage Control," Politico reported it had emails showing her "office offered to change her position on medical marijuana if a major Florida donor [Morgan] recanted his withering criticism of her." Wasserman Schultz said there were no emails from her or her camp. Later in the Politico article, it reported the email exchange was between Morgan and Ben Pollara, the consultant who ran the Morgan-funded pro-referendum campaign last year. Friday afternoon, Politico reported that as well as emails, it had texts between Pollara and a Wasserman Schultz staffer to support its contention of a quid pro quo offer. Here's what Wasserman Schultz said actually happened: After the original Politico article, in which some pro-marijuana activists suggested they'd be open to a dialogue a Wasserman Schultz staffer reached out to Pollara with the message that she wanted to discuss the issue because she felt new, more restrictive language being crafted for a possible 2016 referendum seemed to address some of her concerns with the 2014 referendum. She thought the proposal that failed last year was too loosely drawn. "I was worried that it wasn't going to be covering only the people for whom it was intended," she said. "I've seen the language that they've proposed for the 2016 ballot," Wasserman Schultz said. "I was more comfortable with the way the language was going.... I wanted to see if, before battle lines were drawn again, we could start a conversation." She said that's the kind of thing she's done for years in Congress and the state Legislature. She said there was no suggestion from her or anyone working for her that she'd change positions in return for Morgan changing his tune - which has been sharply critical. "It was my attempt to make sure that we just don't go through the same playbook that happened last fall." Pollara declined comment. Morgan said by email that "What Debbie leaves out in her pushback was the crystal clear message that her potential support of the new amendment was predicated upon me withdrawing my comments to Politico. I don't know how to view that as anything but an offer of a quid pro quo." He wasn't available for an interview Friday. "I am in Maui. Aloha." In another email, he wrote "I'm in Hawaii jumping on a plane to visit another island and Pearl Harbor." Later Friday, Morgan sent out a mass email to medical marijuana supporters accusing Wasserman Schultz of playing "B.S. politics in order to rehabilitate the damage she's done to herself" - and seeking contributions to help pay for the 2016 referendum effort. His views of Wasserman Schultz have varied during the past year. He excoriated her when she said she didn't support the medical marijuana referendum. After the election, he was softer, saying she was beloved in her district and didn't deserve blame for the widespread Democratic loses in 2014. This week he castigated her. The attempts by pro-medical marijuana forces to undermine Wasserman Schultz come at a critical time, as she and other Democrats weigh whether to seek their party's nomination for U.S. Senate in 2016, a calculation that involves assessing potential primary opponents' strength and weaknesses and the general election landscape. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., hasn't said whether he'll run for president or seek re-election. Florida's election laws would allow him to run for the presidency and ultimately run for re-election if he doesn't perform well in primaries and caucuses. Wasserman Schultz said she has two priorities right now: Serving her constituents in her Broward/Miami-Dade County congressional district and getting a Democrat elected president in 2016. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom