Orr lends assist to marijuana anti-legalization drive

Printed from: https://newbostonpost.com/2016/09/12/orr-lends-assist-to-marijuana-anti-legalization-drive/

BOSTON — Campaign finance records show that opponents of the November ballot initiative that seeks to legalize marijuana recently received an assist from arguably the most legendary player in Hub hockey history.

Retired Boston Bruin and National Hockey League Hall-of-Famer Bobby Orr, records show, donated $1,000 this summer to the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts.

The latest round of campaign finance disclosure forms, submitted to the state Friday, show that the campaign fighting the ballot question has raised $363,202 and has spent approximately $42,832.79.

Meanwhile, Friday’s filing shows that the group YES on Four, the initiative’s chief organizing force, has raised more than $2.46 million and has already almost spent the entire haul, with records showing the group has $22,500 left.

Orr’s helper was a drop in the bucket however compared to what one Washington, DC, group has donated to the pro-initiative side.

Out of Yes on Four’s $2.46 million sum, nearly $2.2 million arrived via a single source — the New Approach PAC, based out of Washington, D.C. Filings show that New Approach contributed $75,000 in April and in May, along with $40,000 in July and a whopping $2 million in August.

Records show that Orr’s last political donation came in June 2015 when he donated $1,000 to Gov. Charlie Baker.

Another notable donor to the anti-legalization cause is the Beacon Hill-based Beer Distributor of Massachusetts PAC, which donated $25,000 in July.