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Toronto CBD Firm Taps Ex-Acting U.S. Attorney General Whitaker For New Legal Advisor Role

Toronto-based CBD company Alternate Health Corp has hired Matthew Whitaker, former acting U.S. Attorney General, and his law firm Graves Garrett to serve as outside counsel. Best known for his brief tenure as U.S. Acting Attorney General after President Trump’s firing of firebrand cannabis foe Jeff Sessions, Whitaker generated controversy for his alleged ties to Trump and his comments about the Robert Mueller probe of Russian interference into the 2016 U.S. presidential election. In February 2019, Whitaker left his position after serving for only three months.

His appointment comes at a critical moment for Alternate Health, which recently stated that it was pivoting away from marijuana to focus more on hemp-derived CBD. Commenting on the high-profile hire, Alternate Health President Dr. Robert Blaine noted in a public statement how Whitaker is coming on board during a key inflection point for his company, currently divesting its cannabis assets.

“The legal environment surrounding CBD is rapidly evolving and it is essential that Alternate Health stays at the forefront of new government and FDA regulations,” he said. “We believe his experience in government and the Department of Justice is a significant asset as we move forward.”

Whitaker, who also served as Chief of Staff to then Attorney General Sessions from September 2017 to November 2018, is looking forward to his new role as a key legal advisor to Alternate Health. “I think there is serious potential in the CBD industry,” he said in a statement, “and everyone at Alternate Health will work hard to be a leader in the industry.”

According to Alternate Health, Whitaker will “tackle key issues” for the company. Foremost among them is “an investigation into certain actions in Canada by a California-based competitor.” When not conducting portentous probes into the misdeeds of unnamed rival companies, Whitaker’s other duties will include coordinating legal matters and developing Alternate Health’s “legal strategy as the company expands into new markets.”

Whitaker bears the distinction of being the latest high-ranking Republican to take his knowledge and juridical prowess to the cannabis/CBD/hemp market. John Boehner, former Speaker of the House, has become a very vocal champion of the space, even sitting on the board of Acreage Holdings, a New York-based multistate cannabis operator.

Whitaker’s skills working (or haggling) with D.C. lawmakers may be put to good use in his new position. Said Howard Mann, Alternate Health CEO, in a statement: “His knowledge and experience open doors at many of the most important institutions concerning our industry. I am also impressed with his toughness and tenacity he developed as a prosecutor, enforcing state and federal laws, examining alleged legal violations and setting a standard of fairness and justice.”

In addition to his serving as Acting U.S. Attorney General, Whitaker has donned other hats in the legal realm. This includes working as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa. In addition to his affiliation with the Graves Garrett law firm, Whitaker is also the managing director for Axiom Strategies/Clout Public Affairs.

Original Article Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/irisdorbian/2019/08/28/toronto-cbd-firm-taps-ex-acting-u-s-attorney-general-whitaker-for-new-legal-advisor-role/

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