Maine Office of Cannabis Policy is being scrutinized by a legislative committee at Augusta state Capitol in Maine.
State Representative David Boyer provided confirmation that an investigation by the Committee on Government Oversight would begin at his request this week to WGME and all its members voted unanimously in his favor to begin that probe.
Boyer requested on Friday that the committee investigate three concerns with regard to the OCP: months-long delays for mandatory annual reports, possible conflicts of interests with OCP Director John Hudak and possible illicit actors obtaining cannabis business permits.
Boyer indicated to WGME on Friday that Anya Trundy, deputy commissioner at the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, intentionally delayed providing her Annual Operational Cost Plan report covering 2023 calendar year operations to legislators last year – prompting Boyer’s request for investigation. Trundy previously explained she didn’t release it quickly because it “throw another log on the fire” during “tense negotiations over proposed cannabis laws”, according to Boyer’s testimony on Friday before an investigating committee.
Boyer also voiced concerns that Hudak had truly been impartial when renegotiating a state contract for seed-to-sale tracking firm Metrc worth $890,000. Boyer claimed Hudak should have recused himself during these negotiations due to previously founding a consulting firm alongside Metrc Chief Strategy Officer Lewis Koski as regulators in Colorado cannabis regulation.
“How can anyone claim impartiality and objectivity when former business partners like Director Hudak are sitting across from them negotiating?” asked Boyer rhetorically to the committee.
Boyer also suggested that, according to previous statements made by Hudak, OCP business permits have been issued to bad actors who violate state marijuana rules by diverting product onto illegal markets.
Maine Cannabis Agency Is Under Investigation by State Oversight Committee | MEDCAN24
