Calif. Republican attacks Sessions over marijuana policy

Rep. Dana RohrabacherDana Tyrone RohrabacherMueller grand jury to question Flynn associate: report GOP lawmaker says FBI seeking interview about Assange meeting Pelosi blasts California Republicans for supporting tax bill MORE (R-Calif.) is sharply criticizing Attorney General Jeff SessionsJefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsGOP strategist donates to Alabama Democrat House passes concealed carry gun bill Rosenstein to testify before House Judiciary Committee next week MORE's decision to allow federal prosecutors to target marijuana users in states where use of the drug is legal.

In the Thursday statement on his website, Rohrabacher ripped Sessions for the decision, which the lawmaker warns will only hurt GOP chances at the ballot box during November's midterm elections.

"The attorney general of the United States has just delivered an extravagant holiday gift to the drug cartels. By attacking the will of the American people, who overwhelmingly favor marijuana legalization, Jeff Sessions has shown a preference for allowing all commerce in marijuana to take place in the black market, which will inevitably bring the spike in violence he mistakenly attributes to marijuana itself," Rohrabacher said in his statement.

"By taking this benighted minority position, he actually places Republicans’ electoral fortunes in jeopardy," he added.

The California lawmaker's statement came after Sessions earlier Thursday rescinded orders that directed federal prosecutors to deprioritize prosecution of marijuana-related cases in states where the drug is legal. Recreational marijuana, already a booming industry, became legal in Rohrabacher's home state earlier this week.

Republicans including Sens. Lisa MurkowskiLisa Ann MurkowskiMcConnell names Senate GOP tax conferees Week ahead: Trump expected to shrink two national monuments GOP on verge of opening Arctic refuge to drilling MORE (Alaska) and Cory GardnerCory Scott GardnerDems look to use Moore against GOP McConnell: 'No change of heart' on Roy Moore US trade deficit rises on record imports from China MORE (Colo.) have joined Democrats in denouncing Sessions's move.

Rohrabacher also noted that Sessions's decision appeared to contradict President TrumpDonald John TrumpHouse Democrat slams Donald Trump Jr. for ‘serious case of amnesia’ after testimony Skier Lindsey Vonn: I don’t want to represent Trump at Olympics Poll: 4 in 10 Republicans think senior Trump advisers had improper dealings with Russia MORE's campaign pledge to allow states to determine their own marijuana policy.

Trump told a local news station in July of 2016 that he wouldn't support using the federal government to "shut down" recreational marijuana at the state level in places where it is legal.

"I wouldn’t do that … I think it’s up to the states, yeah. I’m a states person. I think it should be up to the states, absolutely," Trump said at the time.

"By attacking the clear will of the American people, the attorney general contradicts President Trump’s campaign pledges to leave medical and recreational marijuana questions for the states to decide," Rohrabacher said Thursday.

Sessions's announcement Thursday threw the recreational marijuana industry into chaos and prompted a wave of backlash from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.