A California cannabis company wants to know if New York state officials had improper contact with its rival in a contentious legal battle.
MedMen last year agreed to sell a majority stake in its New York medical operations to Boston-based Ascend Wellness.
But the matter grew much more complicated — and lucrative — as New York legalized recreational cannabis.
MedMen last month sought to terminate the agreement, while Ascend countered that New York regulators had signed off by a year-end deadline.
MedMen subsequently alleged that the state’s cannabis regulators fast-tracked the deal under “undue influence” from Ascend.
The company claimed that Ascend officials attended a fundraiser for Gov. Kathy Hochul in early December, then met with top administration officials.
MedMen filed a notice that it intends to subpoena records from Hochul’s office, her campaign, and state cannabis regulators, the Albany Times Union reports.
Hochul’s office and Ascend have denied the allegations.
