December 28, 2015 1:40 PM

Rep. Stickland under fire for seeking marijuana-growing advice and a "smoke buddy"

Stickland acknowledges past drug use but denies ever growing it in his home; he says “by the Grace of God my past sins are forgiven”

The Republican primary challenger to Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, on Monday called on the incumbent to explain the fact that he has sought advice online about how to grow marijuana at home and also looked for someone with whom to “smoke da green.”

Stickland’s campaign was quick to answer that he has indeed smoked marijuana in the past and in doing so “wasted much of life, said and did things I wish I hadn't.”

But Stickland denied ever growing marijuana at home, despite admitting he is the author of internet postings in which such advice was sought.

The campaign of Scott Fisher, a Republican pastor from North Texas, released to Quorum Report internet posts from 2001 and 2002 in which Stickland “was wondering if anyone lived in the Dallas Fort Worth area and loved to smoke da green.”

By Scott Braddock