Who Really Owns the La Mota Weed Dispensary Chain?

“I’m still struggling to understand what their dynamic is.”

La Mota signage in Northwest Portland. (Chris Nesseth )
By Brianna Wheeler

This week’s WW cover story is a free-spirited photo essay on the Portland boater community. It’s fun and charming and a wonderful way to welcome summer.

But we’re not gonna boat chat. Instead, we’re unpacking another of this week’s big stories. We’re talking with Sophie Peel about her continuing coverage of the problematic rise and devastating fall of dispensary chain La Mota and how its association with former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan led to Fagan’s resignation from office.

Among the new discoveries packed in Sophie’s story are court depositions that raise questions about the partnership of La Mota co-founders Rosa Cazares and Aaron Mitchell. Sophie says, “I’m still struggling to understand what their dynamic is.”

What? There’s more to this story? Of course there’s more to the story. There’s always more to the story. What are we, new here?

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