Firms bumped as finalists for pot licenses fight for answers

(AP) – Attorneys for two companies suing the state of Maryland after being bumped off a list of 15 finalists for licenses to grow medical marijuana say the state is blocking their efforts to find out why they were shuffled out.

Attorneys in a lawsuit have asked a Baltimore judge to decide whether the state is wrongly using rules protecting private deliberations between members of a state commission.

More than 80 objections were made by the state during the deposition of a former commission member who voted against reshuffling the rankings of companies during a subcommittee vote.

Vanessa Lyon, a commission spokeswoman, says it can't comment on ongoing litigation. But Lyon noted the full commission voted unanimously for the top 15 rankings in August.