Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) was reportedly photographed reviewing a document that appears to be a draft contract to provide services—including “administration-related guidance”—to a firm affiliated with the major marijuana company Trulieve. The visible portion of the document describes a lucrative bonus if a certain “matter resolves,” with an “additional ‘Super Success Fee'” for other “exclusive policy remedies.”
Gaetz was the first choice of President Donald Trump to be Attorney General before he resigned. He was an example of a Republican congressman who is pro-legalization. Although he resigned his seat in Congress due to unrelated controversy, he is still a Trump ally.
Details of the apparent agreement—first reported by The Daily Beast—are sparse, as the person who took a screenshot of Gaetz on his laptop during a flight was only able to capture a segment of it. It’s also unclear whether a firm hired by Trulieve sent him the proposed contract or if Gaetz himself was drafting it for consideration—and the company’s name is misspelled as “Truleive” in the available excerpt.
Trulieve Gaetz was contacted for comment by MEDCAN24, but the representatives weren’t available.
What the document seems to show, however, is a potential agreement where Gaetz would provide “legal representation,” “consulting” and “administration-related guidance” in lobbying efforts to a firm associated with Trulieve. The document indicates Gaetz will receive $250,000 in the event that a certain “MATTER” is resolved.
What “matter” the document is referring to is unclear. Trulieve, however, has been pushing for federal reforms like marijuana rescheduling as well as industry banking access. Trulieve also spent millions on a 2024 ballot legalization campaign in Florida, which ultimately failed.
The deal would also involve an additional “Super Success Fee” for “exclusive policy remedies,” but the exact dollar amount of that fee is cut off in the screenshot—with The Daily Beast reasoning that it is likely to read “$2,000,000″— and it’s not clear what those policies remedies entail.
Gaetz is seen in the video reading messages to his mother on foreign policy, personal finance and other topics.
@tidesofmarch Replying to @CυԃԃʅყDҽαԃKιƚƚყ ♬ original sound – 🤷🏽♀️💁🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️
Trump surprised many during his presidential campaign by endorsing the Florida bill Trulieve had backed. He also endorsed federal rescheduling as well as allowing cannabis-licensed businesses access to the banking system just like any other company. Since then, he has been quiet on the subject, at least in public.
Trump’s approval of the Florida Initiative followed his meeting with Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers. Kim Rivers did not answer a comment request.
Gaetz however did not endorse the Florida ballot question. Gaetz did not comment on the merits or the Florida ballot measure, but said that the reforms should be implemented statutorily to give the legislature more flexibility to amend the laws in the future.
Federal Election Commission Records show that Trulieve gave $750,000 after Trump’s election in November 2016 to the inaugural committee of Trump.
Combined with the $250,000 that another cannabis company, Curaleaf, donated to the inauguration via U.S. Cannabis Council (USCC), Trump’s team took in at least $1 million from the marijuana industry ahead of his swearing-in ceremony for a second term.
Gaetz has recently been vocal on cannabis-related policy issues.
Just this week, the former congressman reiterated his own support for rescheduling cannabis—suggesting in an interview with a Florida Republican lawmaker that the GOP could win more of the youth vote by embracing marijuana reform.
Gaetz also said last month that Trump’s endorsement of a Schedule III reclassification was essentially an attempt to shore up support among young voters rather than a sincere reflection of his personal views about cannabis.
A survey conducted by a GOP pollster affiliated with Trump that was released in April found that a majority of Republicans back a variety of cannabis reforms, including rescheduling. They’re also more in favor of states being able to legalize cannabis without interference from the federal government than average voters.
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Trump chose former Florida Attorney-General Pam Bondi to lead the DOJ and Senate approved this choice. During her confirmation hearings, Bondi declined to say how she planned to navigate key marijuana policy issues. As attorney general of Florida, Bondi opposed the legalization of medical marijuana.
Adding to the uncertainty around the fate of the rescheduling proposal, Trump’s nominee to lead DEA, Terrance Cole, has previously voiced concerns about the dangers of marijuana and linked its use to higher suicide risk among youth.
During an in-person hearing before the Judiciary Committee in April, Cole said examining the rescheduling proposal will be “one of my first priorities” if he was confirmed for the role, saying it’s “time to move forward” on the stalled process—but again without clarifying what end result he would like to see.
DEA recently notified an agency judge that the proceedings are still on hold—with no future actions currently scheduled. The matter sat without action before an acting administrator, Derek Maltz, who has called cannabis a “gateway drug” and linked its use to psychosis. Maltz left his position in the past.
Amid the stalled marijuana rescheduling process that’s carried over from the last presidential administration, congressional researchers recently reiterated that lawmakers could enact the reform themselves with “greater speed and flexibility” if they so choose, while potentially avoiding judicial challenges.
Meanwhile, a newly formed coalition of professional athletes and entertainers, led by retired boxer Mike Tyson, sent a letter to Trump on Friday—thanking him for past clemency actions while emphasizing the opportunity he has to best former President Joe Biden by rescheduling marijuana, expanding pardons and freeing up banking services for licensed cannabis businesses.
California Marijuana tax hike will take effect next week after lawmakers omit provisions to delay it from budget bill
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