ALBANY — A combative Republican state assemblyman who voted against legalizing medical marijuana in 2011 was busted for pot possession, authorities said yesterday.
Steve Katz was stopped for driving 80 miles an hour in a 65-mph zone on the Thruway on his way to Albany at about 10 a.m. Thursday — and the state trooper smelled marijuana.
Katz, a 59-year-old veterinarian from Yorktown who runs the Bronx Veterinary Center, “was cooperative and handed the trooper a bag of marijuana,” said State Police spokeswoman Darcy Wells.
State Police said the bag contained less than 25 grams. Katz was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and released — a violation punishable by up to $285 in fines and surcharges — . and released on an appearance ticket
“I am confident that once the facts are presented that this will quickly be put to rest,” Katz said in a statement.
Gov. Cuomo and Democrats have pushed to decriminalize public possession of less than 25 grams of pot when cops force suspects to empty their pockets during stop-and-frisk apprehensions.