The NJ Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on replacing NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) Commissioner Member Charles Barker with Amelia Mapp.
Mapp still needs to be confirmed by a full Senate vote to replace Barker.
“I am aware of the disparate treatment of people of color have received under our justice system, especially our Black men,” she claimed.
“(Also) I am acutely aware of the interest of civil rights and social justice organizations for Social Equity to be considered in the decisions made by the CRC,” Mapp said. “I am also aware of the need to look at every application and case that comes before the CRC commissioners through an objective lens.”
“If confirmed, I will work cooperatively and collaboratively with staff and colleagues to be an effective commissioner,” she argued.
Nick Scutari Backs Amelia Mapp
NJ Senate President Nick Scutari (D-22-Union) said he has known Mapp for decades.
“Without her husband (Plainfield Mayor Adrien Mapp)’s support, her support, I might not be here today,” he noted.
“She understands the ravages of the War on Drugs,” Scutari added.
“We have a burgeoning Black and Gray market we need to clamp down on. But also to help our legitimate business owners get open faster,” he claimed. “They’re bleeding money all the way through the process. I know that Amelia knows to help streamline these business applications. She’s given me her word to be consumer but business-friendly in this environment to try to help the folks.”
“It’s one of the things I’ve asked Amelia to do first is try to get this process fast tracked,” Scutari said.
“The board has improved in that area and I’m looking forward to Ms. Mapp being able to continue that process,” he added.
“We’re going to have a friend on that board,” Scutari declared.
Perceived Legal Weed Business Roadblocks
“We’ve had numerous conversations about what roadblocks people are experiencing specifically with the CRC,” Senator Joe Lagana Senator (D-38-Bergen) said.
He noted the town, land, and money problems are great.
“The winners are the people who have millions and millions of dollars to support something like this. The losers are people who thought they had an opportunity to get a license,” Lagana argued.
“Me and people in my office have been going crazy trying to get a liaison to get back to us,” he said.
Heady NJ has heard similar complaints. But also that the CRC has improved over time.
“I think the CRC has a long way to go. I’m glad you’re going to be joining the ranks there. I hope you can bring these comments back,” Lagan explained. “If we need to change things or tweak things, I know the Senate President is always looking to make this better.”
Knives Out and Complaints about the CRC
“I’ve become completely underwhelmed by the performance of the CRC,” Michael Testa (R-1-Cumblerand) said.
“I’m really happy to hear the reassurances I’ve been given from our Senate President, Senator Scutari, of your willingness to be an agent of change at the CRC. I’m really looking forward and happy to your tenure at the CRC to make sure you can change the culture over there,” Testa explained. “We just need people to pick up the telephone.”
He noted many are pouring their life savings into their businesses.
“A year ago, I called to eliminate the CRC. You wouldn’t be here if I was successful,” State Senator Vin Gopal (D-11-Monmouth) declared. “The Senate President made sure I wasn’t successful. He wanted to continue to see if this could work.”
“I can’t tell you how often I got inaccurate information,” he argued. “They would say it’s going to be on this agenda date, and it’s not.”
“I worked hard through my friends in the Governor’s office and found they were not getting accurate information all the time,” Gopal said.
He criticized the CRC “with the exception of the Commissioner from Perth Amboy (Sam Delgado), who has been pretty receptive.”
“We need to more to help those who have really suffered from the War on Drugs, especially in a lot of our urban communities,” he argued.
“The optics of a corporation who, um, I won’t name them. But it was well reported in the press that they were not on the agenda, and a week later, a special meeting was created so they can be put on the agenda,” Gopal said. These are the optics that are really, really troubling. I wish u lots of success.”
Mapp was approved by the Committee 11-0.
Problems with Amelia Mapp
Noted NJ cannabis advocate and businessman Leo Bridgewater has been unhappy with Mapp’s nomination since it was first announced.
As a Black man himself with Barker leaving, “I am offended I have no representation on the Commission,” he declared.
Bridgewater said a Black woman could not have the same perspective as a Black man.
“I believe somebody in the Governor’s office has failed him miserably,” he said of Barker.
“Obviously, they wasn’t here to remember the s**** storm when they first formed the CRC, and they didn’t have a Black man!** And you pull this during Black History Month?!” Bridgewater exclaimed.
He questioned her credentials.
“I want to know what combo of words did Amelia Mapp use to say she should be a commissioner,” Bridgewater said. “Does she even know the market value of a process of weed in New Jersey? H*** no!”
Amelia Mapp has no experience in cannabis, according to her LinkedIn page. Her husband, the Mayor of Plainfield, has been outspoken in support of cannabis.
Bridgewater said other noted Black social justice cannabis advocates have told him they are not familiar with Mapp either. He thought her best qualification seemed to be loyalty to Scutari.
Bridgewater thought Ed DeVeaux of the NJ CannaBusiness Association or Todd Edwards of the NAACP would have been better choices if it was necessary to replace Barker.
Defending the CRC’s Progress
“You asked these people to build a plane while flying, arm tied behind their back, and an eye patch on,” he said about the CRC.
The CRC probably needed a lot more money and staff than they were given.
“A lot of the problems we have has to do with legislation,” Bridgewater argued. “This bill gives a dangerous amount of power to municipalities. Municipalities don’t know what to do with this.”
Bridgewater thought the legislature was unconcerned about cannabis legalization in the past and is still indifferent to legal home grow of weed demands.
Mapp and Barker
Mapp was announced last fall to replace Barker. But he has continued in the role since then. Even after the announcement, Barker continued to be fiery at CRC meetings. He has advocated for competitive prices, diversity, social justice, and of course Social Equity. In addition, Barker has been very critical of large corporate Multi-State Operators (MSOs).
He is often the only one voting against many proposals.
Barker was not present at the last meeting of the CRC earlier this week.
