Presidential candidate admits to eating marijuana gummies before speech

Libertarian Party presidential candidate Michael Recktenwald acknowledged to reporters on Sunday that he had taken marijuana gummies before speaking at the party's national convention in Washington, DC.

On Sunday, the Libertarian Party will choose its presidential candidate for the upcoming election. Recktenwald, a former New York University professor, has campaigned on a platform that includes cutting government spending and taxes, abolishing agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), rejecting COVID-19 countermeasure orders, and ending US involvement in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

The Washington Post Reporter Merrill Cornfield wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday that Rectenwald acknowledged taking marijuana edibles before speaking at the press conference.

“This is not a huge political scandal. I wasn't found in bed with Stormy Daniels. I'm at the Libertarian Party convention. Someone offered me something,” Recktenwald told Cornfield.

Rectenwald was referring to the Manhattan criminal trial of former President Donald Trump. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee is accused of falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments he made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election, after she allegedly had an affair with Trump in 2006. Trump has denied the affair, pleaded not guilty to all charges and called the trial politically motivated.

Newsweek Rectenwald's campaign was contacted through an online form seeking comment.

Cornfield's post was a response to Semaphore political reporter David Weigel, who wrote on X on Sunday that Rectenwald had come under fire for “uncharacteristic public comments last night,” including “walking out of the press conference midway through,[ith] The other two candidates last night[ith] Qs [questions]”

Libertarian National Committee treasurer Todd Hagopian called the incident “#gummygate” in a Sunday X post.

According to Weigel, Rectenwald took the stage at the convention on Sunday and shouted, “I have a confession to make: I am crazy about freedom!”

He later told Weigel, “This is the Libertarian Party. We believe in freedom of expression, freedom of consumption.” But he acknowledged that the Libertarian presidential candidate's “timing was bad,” adding, “I didn't know I had to run again. I didn't find out until it was too late, and I was already… [sic] I ate this gummy bear.”

When asked if the marijuana gummy candy scandal would hurt his campaign, Rectenwald said, “The minute you get some good press you have to worry that you're heading in the wrong direction,” he said. “I'm a wild man, and that's what we need. We need people like Milley.”

Rectenwald was referring to Argentine President Javier Milley, a libertarian economist known for his colorful personality and extreme views.

In the second round of voting on Sunday, Recktenwald received 32 percent of the delegate support, ahead of opponents Chase Oliver (24 percent) and Mike Ter Mert (17 percent). Voting will continue until a candidate receives 50 percent plus one to win the Libertarian Party nomination.