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On the latest edition of the Green Rush, Lewis and Anne begin to take a look at the role cannabis will play in shaping the midterm elections across the United States and in particular New York state. Joining them this week is Scott Levenson, one of New York’s most influential public affairs specialists and the President and Founder of The Advance Group, which has helped elect hundreds of state officials from governors down to city council members. The Green Rush team explores with Scott the current cannabis landscape in New York and whether Democratic challenger, Cynthia Nixon, is truly influencing Governor Andrew Cuomo’s stance on the issue of cannabis. In addition, Scott offers an in-depth look at how the general assembly in New York is approaching the cannabis issue, why the lack of diversity and social responsibility in the industry is holding it back and what voters can do to make their voices heard.

Scott Levenson is an internationally recognized consultant and has built The Advance Group into one of the country’s leading strategic consulting firms. Scott created The Advance Group following a decade of community organizing and labor union organizing, which included serving as the lead advance person for Jesse Jackson’s Presidential Campaign in 1988 and as Director of Advance for David Dinkins’ mayoral campaign in 1989. Scott ran Mark Green’s successful 1993 race to become New York City’s first elected Public Advocate, and from 1994 through 1999, he served as Chief of Operations for the Office of the Public Advocate of the City of New York. Scott also served as the Campaign Director for both Mr. Green’s 1998 run for the U.S. Senate and Ruth Messinger’s 1997 campaign for Mayor of New York City. Scott is a national commentator on New York City and national Democratic politics. He can often be seen on television, radio and in print media. Scott is a trained organizer and campaign veteran with a national reputation. A Political Science major with a specialty in African Studies at Boston University, Scott has a son, Sebastian, and lives in Forest Hills, New York.

Links and Mentions:

• https://www.governor.ny.gov/
• http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Carl-E-Heastie
• http://nyassembly.gov/mem/John-T-McDonald-III
• http://nyassembly.gov/mem/Richard-N-Gottfried
• http://nyassembly.gov/mem/Walter-T-Mosley/
• http://nyassembly.gov/mem/Linda-B-Rosenthal

Links to the guest’s company and media accounts:

• http://www.theadvancegroup.com/
• Scott Levenson Twitter: https://twitter.com/levenson_scott?lang=en
• Scott Levenson Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-levenson

Show Credits:

This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications

Special thanks to Nick Opich, our Producer, and our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today

You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels:

Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true