Presidential hopeful admits eating weed gummy before remarks

Libertarian presidential candidate Michael Rectenwald admitted to reporters on Sunday that he consumed a weed gummy before speaking at his party’s national convention in Washington, D.C.

On Sunday, the Libertarian Party will pick their presidential nominee for the upcoming election. Rectenwald is a former New York University (NYU) professor whose campaign promises include slashing government spending and taxes; abolishing agencies like the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); refusing COVID-19 mandates and ending the United States’ involvement in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Washington Post reporter Meryl Kornfield wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday that Rectenwald admitted to eating an edible before he spoke at a press conference.

“This was not some sort of a major political scandal, okay. I wasn’t found in bed with Stormy Daniels. I’m at a Libertarian Party convention. Somebody offered me something,” Rectenwald told Kornfield.

Rectenwald was referring to former President Donald Trump‘s Manhattan criminal trial. Trump, who is the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, stands accused of falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign. Daniels alleged that she had an affair with Trump in 2006. Trump has denied the affair ever took place and pleaded not guilty to all charges, claiming the case is politically motivated against him.

Newsweek reached out to Rectenwald’s campaign via online form for comment.

Libertarian presidential candidate Michael Rectenwald confirmed to me he ate an edible pre-presser, saying “This was not some sort of a major political scandal, okay. I wasn’t found in bed with Stormy Daniels. I’m at a Libertarian Party convention. Somebody offered me something.” https://t.co/0TdsglTLPv

— Meryl Kornfield (@MerylKornfield) May 26, 2024

Kornfield’s post was in reply to David Weigel, a politics reporter at Semafor, who wrote on X on Sunday that Rectenwald drew criticism after being “unusually off in his public remarks last night. Bailed halfway through a press conference w[ith] two other candidates last night, saying he was bored w[ith] the Qs [questions].”

Todd Hagopian, Libertarian National Committee treasurer, referred to the incident as “#gummygate” in an X post on Sunday.

On Sunday, Rectenwald took the convention stage and yelled, “I have a confession to make. I’m high…on liberty!” according to Weigel.

Afterward, he told Weigel, “This is the Libertarian party. We believe in freedom of expression, freedom of ingestion.” However, the Libertarian presidential candidate did admit that “it was bad timing,” adding, “I didn’t know I had to go back on again. I wasn’t informed of that until it was too late, and I already already [sic] consumed this gummy.”

Caught up w Rectenwald. “This is the Libertarian party. We believe in freedom of expression, freedom of ingestion.”

But: “It was bad timing. I didn’t know I had to go back on again. I wasn’t informed of that until it was too late, and I already already consumed this gummy.”

— David Weigel (@daveweigel) May 26, 2024

When asked if the weed gummy incident will hurt his campaign, Rectenwald said, “The minute we get good press, that’s the minute we have to worry we’re going in the wrong direction,” adding, “I’m a wild man. That’s what we need. We need a Milei.”

Rectenwald was referring to Argentine President Javier Milei, a Libertarian economist known for his flamboyant personality and polarizing views.

During the second round of voting on Sunday, Rectenwald got 32 percent of delegate support, leading his opponents Chase Oliver (24 percent) and Mike ter Maat (17 percent). Rounds of voting will continue until a candidate gets 50 percent plus one vote, winning the Libertarian nomination.