Rob Kampia is a co-founder of the Marijuana Policy Project. He served as MPP's executive director until November 2017, when he stepped down amid increasing public scrutiny of men accused of sexual assault and harassment. Kampia briefly took the new position of director of strategic development, until a few weeks later, when MPP's board unanimously voted to remove him. Kampia subsequently started an organization called Marijuana Leadership Campaign. In February 2018, "NCIA’s Board of Directors voted to remove Rob Kampia in accordance with our bylaws after an ethics committee review surfaced a pattern of behavior unbecoming of a board member." Kampia labeled his ouster as a "coup" in an attempt to save face and spin some sort of public sympathy. This occurred soon after prominent NCIA board member Kayvan Khalatbari had resigned, in part, because the organization hadn't moved to reject Kampia sooner.
Rob Kampia co-founded MPP in 1995. MPP has a lobbying branch, an educational branch, and a political action committee and is based in Washington, D.C. MPP employs approximately 40 staffers, as well as consultants to pass statewide ballot initiatives and lobbyists to pass legislation through state legislatures. Kampia has been quoted in almost every major newspaper in the U.S., discussed the cannabis issue dozens of times on local and national radio, appeared on national TV more than a dozen times, and has testified before Congress on two occasions.
Sexual misconduct allegations (2009)
In August 2009, seven MPP staffers quit over an alleged incident of sexual misconduct by Kampia involving a female subordinate after an office happy hour. According to former employees, department heads at the organization unanimously asked Kampia to move into a different position than executive director over the incident. Following his statement that he was "hypersexualized," Kampia was "encouraged" by the MPP board of directors to take a three-month leave of absence and his return is subject to "convincing the board he has dealt with his issues." This reportedly resulted in a cancellation of the MPP's annual fundraiser at the Playboy Mansion, with MPP's acting director indicating that "the PR ramifications of holding the event right now are probably obvious." Kampia likened the incident to the Monica Lewinsky scandal, saying he could remain in charge just as Bill Clinton did.
Arizona controversy
In March 2015, Rob Kampia threatened Gina Berman, an emergency room doctor and operator of The Giving Tree Wellness Center, a licensed medical marijuana dispensary in Phoenix. A leaked email stated that he would spend $10,000 to pay people for 1,000 hours of time to distribute literature outside of her front door that would not portray her favorably. This was triggered by philosophical differences regarding the 2016 legalization campaign between Kampia's organization and marijuana dispensary operators in Arizona. Berman issued a public response stating that if Kampia pursues the threat, "it is very likely that both MPP as an organization and you as an individual will be liable for tortuously interfering with business expectancies."
Notable appearances
In March 2001, Kampia testified before a subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives on the medical cannabis case that was pending before the U.S. Supreme Court at the time. As the only witness to advocate for the removal of criminal penalties for cannabis-using patients, Kampia was questioned intensely by all Republican subcommittee members in attendance, including Chairman Mark Souder, who told Kampia, "You're an articulate advocate for an evil position." " The hostile exchange between Kampia, Souder, and other members of Congress made national news. Again in April 2004, Rob Kampia testified before the U.S. House subcommittee on drug policy, attacking the federal government's medical cannabis policies, as well as subcommittee chairman Mark Souder — one of the House's most vehement opponents of medical cannabis. Kampia was the only anti-prohibitionist to testify at the hearing. Kampia has debated the cannabis issue on national TV against then White House Deputy Drug Czar Andrea Barthwell, then-Congressman Bob Barr , then DEA administrator Asa Hutchinson, then California Attorney GeneralDan Lungren, and other prohibitionists. Kampia has also discussed the cannabis issue on National Public Radio's Justice Talking with Margot Adler and—more recently in January 2006—on NPR's All Things Considered.
Electoral politics
Kampia ran for Washington D.C.'s congressional seat in 2000, as a member of the Libertarian Party. He was defeated by Eleanor Holmes Norton. He supported former Congressman Bob Barr in the 2008 presidential election, saying that Barr was "the only presidential candidate who is in favor of reducing the size of the federal government while also supporting civil liberties."
