U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder says he's had what he calls "good communication" with the governors of Washington and Colorado about their states' new marijuana legalization laws. But in testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday, Holder declined to say how his agency will resolve the conflict with federal law.
"We are in the administration at this point considering what the federal government's response to those new statutes will be. I expect that we will have an ability to announce what our policy will be relatively soon."
The chair of the committee, Vermont Democrat Patrick Leahy, had some advice for Holder.
"This is simply an editorial comment. But if you're going to have be, because of budget cuts, prioritizing matters I would suggest that there are more serious things than minor possession of marijuana. But that's a personal view.”
Earlier this week, a United Nations-based drug agency and nine former DEA chiefs pushed for the feds to block the state pot laws.
On the Web:
Video: Senate Judiciary Committee hearing - C-SPAN
Text: Attorney General Holder's prepared testimony - US Senate