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* Bloomberg…
The legal marijuana business in Illinois is being controlled by a state-protected “Chicago cartel” that includes companies linked to the wealthy Pritzker, Wrigley and Kovler families, according to a lawsuit filed by a group called True Social Equity in Cannabis.
Marijuana companies Akerna Corp., Green Thumb Industries Inc., Verano Holdings and Surterra Holdings Inc. have successfully monopolized the Illinois-branded marijuana market, from cultivation to manufacturing to retail dispensaries, the plaintiffs said in a complaint filed Monday in Chicago federal court.
* Tribune…
The suit notes that some of the companies sell each other’s products. But Illinois law requires that cannabis dispensaries sell competitors’ products. The complaint also notes that GTI and Verano share a shell company that manages both a GTI Rise dispensary in Effingham and a Verano Zen Leaf store in Charleston.
The suit, filed by attorney Mark Lavery, seeks to stop all the companies from selling marijuana and divest them of all assets. […]
[Edie Moore, a founder and legislative co-chair of Chicago NORML and a cannabis business license applicant] acknowledged that the Illinois cannabis market is restricted by law to 21 licensed growers, but said the solution is for the state to issue pending licenses. Those licenses have been held up in court, primarily hurting Black and Latino “social equity” applicants.
“People who keep suing don’t do anything but slow it down,” she said. “It doesn’t help anyone.”
Akerna, which sells software to track data in the cannabis industry, issued the following statement: “The document has multiple inaccuracies, including but not limited to the fact that we are not a plant-touching operator. As a public company, our shareholders and board of directors are a matter of public record. Our legal team is preparing their response.”
* From the lawsuit…
The “Chicago Cartel” state-protected cannabis operation was started in 2014 as part of a partnership between Michael McClain of the “Madigan Racketeering Enterprise”, Terrance Gainer of the U.S. Capitol Police and heir to the Jim Beam bourbon fortune, Benjamin Kovler.
I did not make that up.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Apr 27, 22 @ 10:00 am
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They literally can’t start an argument without bringing up Madigan, who is no longer in office. SAD!
Comment by Frances Langum Wednesday, Apr 27, 22 @ 10:09 am
As an Attorney General candidate has demonstrated, having a license to practice law doesn’t necessarily preclude nutjobbery.
Comment by Springfieldish Wednesday, Apr 27, 22 @ 10:10 am
The firm in this case has a history of odd suits:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/marcedelman/2013/05/24/lawyer-who-sued-fanduel-brings-another-gambling-lawsuit-against-winner-of-draftday-contest/?sh=532104f98a13
Comment by ArchPundit Wednesday, Apr 27, 22 @ 10:11 am
I don’t know anything about how the marijuana laws were passed, but I have a passing familiarity with the plaintiff’s attorney. That experience does not lead me to have confidence regarding plaintiff’s likelihood of success.
Comment by Homebody Wednesday, Apr 27, 22 @ 10:20 am
==The “Chicago Cartel” state-protected cannabis operation was started in 2014 as part of a partnership between Michael McClain of the “Madigan Racketeering Enterprise”, Terrance Gainer of the U.S. Capitol Police and heir to the Jim Beam bourbon fortune, Benjamin Kovler.==
Man, someone needs to switch over to indica.
Comment by Roadrager Wednesday, Apr 27, 22 @ 10:22 am
Chris Langone is a smart and skilled lawyer but one who will press lawsuits that are more about advocacy than success. As for his colleagues, I would say that Mark Lavery is a licensed attorney.
Comment by Original Anon Wednesday, Apr 27, 22 @ 10:31 am
There are many valid complaints about the program here in Illinois. I still don’t understand why cannabis costs twice as much here as other states when it comes to buying it legally. And the overwhelming majority of dispensaries are owned by corporate entities that don’t seem to further the purported equity goals of the program.
You don’t need to bring the Madigan boogeyman into this.
Comment by Henry Francis Wednesday, Apr 27, 22 @ 10:56 am
I’ll hold my comments until the Attorney General Candidate Thomas DeVore has his Press Conference or Facebook Live in his world on this matter.
Comment by Club J Wednesday, Apr 27, 22 @ 11:06 am
Almost sounds like Proft wants to get into the weed business.
Comment by PublicServant Wednesday, Apr 27, 22 @ 12:06 pm
This suggest a federal court is being asked to equalize the opportunity to manufacture and distribute illegal goods. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Comment by H-W Wednesday, Apr 27, 22 @ 12:41 pm
It seems odd that this lawsuit is trying to apply federal antitrust laws to a product that federal law deems to be illegal. In a footnote, the suit claims that the federal Controlled Substances Act is unconstitutional. That footnote is carrying a pretty hefty payload.
Comment by duck duck goose Wednesday, Apr 27, 22 @ 1:48 pm