Gov. McAuliffe: Pot charge no reason to remove Councilman Court Rosen

Court G. Rosen Council Member (Copyright by WSLS - All rights reserved)

LYNCHBURG - Gov. Terry McAuliffe says smoking marijuana is not sufficient reason to remove a member of a state board or commission.

The governor commented Monday after a Roanoke city councilman was charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Councilman Court Rosen was appointed by the fellow Democrat to the Commonwealth Transportation Board in 2014.

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The 36-year-old Rosen was charged last week after police responded to a report of drug use in a parking lot next to a store. Police issued Rosen a summons.

Rosen issued a statement to WSLS 10 Friday:

"I want to tell the people of the City of Roanoke before they hear it from some other source that I made a terrible mistake and as a result I was issued a summons for possession of marijuana in the City of Roanoke. I will accept full responsibility for my actions, and I want to assure everyone that this has not and will not affect my public service. It is a personal matter that I, along with my family, will address in a direct, immediate, and positive way.I deeply and sincerely regret any embarrassment I have caused my family, colleagues, and the citizens of Roanoke and I humbly apologize.

At this time I will not make any further statements concerning this matter and will completely respect the process as it moves forward."

Rosen's current term of office is from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2016. He is a member of the Commonwealth Transportation Board, the Downtown Roanoke Kiwanis Club, the New River Valley Homebuilders Association, and the Board of Directors, Business Seed Capital, Inc.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.