Nov 19, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Biden clarifies stance on marijuana

Photo: David Becker/Getty Images

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the sole top 2020 Democrat to oppose the federal legalization of marijuana, clarified his stance on the drug Monday.

Driving the news: Biden was criticized over the weekend for saying he opposes the federal legalization of marijuana because "there's not nearly been enough evidence that has been acquired as to whether or not it is a gateway drug." He argued to leave it to the states, but he supports legalizing medical marijuana and does not believe possession of the drug should be a crime.

  • Marijuana legalization has been a near-universal "yes" among 2020 Democrats.
  • Many argue that criminalizing the drug has placed unfair penalties on communities of color and that its symptoms are not serious enough to justify its legal repercussions.

What he's saying: Biden outlined his stance on the issue in a tweet:

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Fadel Allassan
15 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Senate advances Amy Coney Barrett nomination, setting up final confirmation vote

Photo: Xinhua/Ting Shen via Getty Images

The Senate voted 51-48 on Sunday to advance the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett, setting up a final confirmation vote for Monday.

Why it matters: It's now virtually inevitable that the Senate will vote to confirm President Trump's third Supreme Court nominee before the election, which is just nine days away.

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Felix Salmon, author of Capital
2 hours ago - Economy & Business

Wall Street is living up to its bad reputation

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Recent headlines will have you convinced that Wall Street is hell-bent on living up to all of its stereotypes.

Driving the news: Goldman Sachs is the biggest and the boldest, paying more than $5 billion in fines in the wake of the 1MDB scandal, in which billions were stolen from the people of Malaysia.

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Axios
2 hours ago - Health

Ex-FDA chief: Pence campaigning after COVID exposure puts others at risk

Former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb said "the short answer is yes" when asked whether Vice President Mike Pence is putting others at risk by continuing to campaign after several aides tested positive for COVID-19, stressing that the White House needs to be "very explicit about the risks that they're taking."

Why it matters: The New York Times reports that at least five members of Pence's inner circle, including his chief of staff Marc Short and outside adviser Marty Obst, have tested positive for the virus. Pence tested negative on Sunday morning, according to the VP's office, and he'll continue to travel for the final stretch of the 2020 campaign.

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