Who?
Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) — Member, Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs
LISTEN: Laslo & Moreno
Ask a Pol asks:
Has the “war on drugs” worked?
Key Moreno:
“Well, we actually didn’t have a war on drugs until the operation that’s being done now [in Venezuela and the Caribbean],” Sen. Bernie Moreno exclusively tells Ask a Pol Drugs. “We had a conversation about drugs — but not a war on drugs. We’re actually conducting a war and that’s why you’re seeing the kind of seizures that we’re seeing.”
Moreno’s now lead Republican on SAFER Banking Act
President Donald Trump’s rescheduling of cannabis — how would that, maybe, affect your SAFER Banking Act?
“Well, it changes the big time, right?” Moreno says. “Obviously.”
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ICYMI — Sound familiar?
Ask a Pol founder Matt Laslo’s wire service, The LCB, sold this exclusive to Marijuana Moment.
Caught our ear:
“The least desirable job in the Americas is driving a drug boat,” Moreno says through a laugh.
TRANSCRIPT I — Sen. Bernie Moreno (12-16-2025)
SCENE: Sen. Bernie Moreno’s skirting through the basement of the US Capitol as Ask a Pol‘s Matt Laslo greets him before trailing him until he hops a Senators Only elevator up to the Senate floor so he could vote.
Matt Laslo: “Hey sir.”
Sen. Bernie Moreno: “What’s up man? How are you?”
Laslo: “Livin’ the dream.”
Moreno: “Ahhhh.”
Laslo: “Doing my annual poll of all 100 senators.”
Moreno: “Yes.”
Laslo: “Has the “war on drugs” worked?”
Moreno: “Uh, well, we actually didn’t have a war on drugs until the operation that’s being done now.”
Laslo: “Yeah?”
Moreno: “We had a conversation about drugs — but not a war on drugs. We’re actually conducting a war and that’s why you’re seeing the kind of, uh, seizures that we’re seeing.”
Senators Only levator arrives.
Laslo: “Can I come up?”
Moreno: “Yeah.”
Laslo: “Do you think we’ll see different outcomes?”
Moreno: “Oh, definitely — we’re already seeing it.”
Laslo: “Yeah?”
Moreno: “The least desirable job in America — I’m sorry, in the Americas is driving a drug boat.”
Laslo: “Fair.”
Moreno laughs.
Laslo: “Fair, fair, fair!”
Moreno: “Nobody says, ‘I’m doing that for a living.’ So that’s led to a dramatic decrease in shipments. And also, by the way, look at the price of the product itself has gotten way, way up. So it’s been very, very, very successful. We’re actually finally taking the kind of steps we need to take that’s been long, long, long overdue.”
Laslo: “Last time I talked to you about the SAFER Banking Act — this is a separate conversation — you said' ‘in the fall’ but that was pre-shutdown…”
Moreno: “Yeah, but that’s before shutdown and appropriations.”
Laslo: “Yeah?”
Moreno: “And we have to get, obviously deal with these healthcare subsidies. So the line is deep in terms of getting stuff done, so it’s something we’ll think about once we get through all this stuff.”
Laslo: “Have there even been any conversations about it?”
Moreno: “Naw, naw — no.”
Laslo: “Yeah? Thank you.”
Moreno rushes to vote.
NEXT DAY: Singing a different tune ahead of rescheduling
TRANSCRIPT II — Sen. Bernie Moreno (12-17-2025)
SCENE: Ask a Pol‘s Matt Laslo’s staking out a mostly empty Senate basement when Sen. Bernie Moreno hops off an underground tram and hustles to the Senate floor.
Matt Laslo: “Senator.”
Sen. Bernie Moreno: “What’s going on?”
Laslo: “Has the White House reached out to you on…?”
Moreno still a ways off…
Moreno: “What do you want to talk about?”
Moreno moves closer…
Laslo: “Have you had any talks with the White House about…?”
Moreno: “I thought you said 'the whales.’”
Laslo laughs.
Moreno: “The dolphins talk to me, but not the whales.”
Laslo: “…but [President Donald] Trump rescheduling cannabis, which is expected tomorrow?”
Moreno: “No. Have not reached out.”
Laslo: “How would that, maybe, affect SAFER Banking Act?”*
*Ask a Pol founder Matt Laslo interviewed all 100 US Senators in the 118th Congress about the perennially stalled SAFER Banking Act.
ICYMI — Don’t miss it…
Moreno: “Well, it changes it big time, right? Obviously.”
Reporter: “Can I ask you on healthcare talks?”
Laslo: “Thank you, sir.”
AI Disclosure:
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