Orlando Sentinel

John Morgan

Slams governor via tweet about ban of smokable product

- By Gray Rohrer

has taken to calling out Gov. Rick Scott on Twitter over the state’s continued opposition to allowing smokable medical marijuana.

TALLAHASSE­E — As Orlando trial lawyer John Morgan continues his push for smokable medical marijuana in the courts, he’s taking the fight to a new battlefiel­d: Twitter. He’s been hounding Gov. Rick Scott on the social-media platform for the last week, bashing his decision to appeal a judge’s ruling to allow smokable medical pot.

“It could be ended TODAY if #SlickRick stops wasting the state’s money and hurting veterans, cops, firefighte­rs and really sick people of Florida,” the attorney tweeted Wednesday. “We’ll remember in November! #NoSmokeIsA­Joke.”

In another tweet, Morgan even offered to give to Scott’s political committee if he agreed to a debate on the issue.

“I would like to debate @FLGovScott on this issue so all of Florida can see his position and see the position of those who need it. If he’ll do this I’ll donate $100,000 to his @ScottforFl­orida campaign for US Senate that night on air!” Morgan wrote.

Scott is in the middle of a heated and expensive campaign for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson, but a debate with Morgan isn’t going to happen. A Scott campaign aide told the Sentinel in an email they’re declining his offer.

After considerin­g running for governor as a Democrat, Morgan opted out of the race, and even became an independen­t. But his persistent pestering of Scott shows he’ll continue to be a presence in the political arena.

“I don’t really have a quarrel with him in other things,” Morgan said. “But when he says ‘I’m following the law’ — that’s just flat out bull[expletive]. So somebody has got to hold him — on my issue — somebody’s got to hold him accountabl­e and that’s me.”

A Leon County Circuit Court judge ruled June 1 that smokable forms of medical marijuana should be legal and the Scott administra­tion was ordered to implement it. But the state is challengin­g the ruling in the 1st District Court of Appeal.

Morgan, though, wants to skip that step and go straight to

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