Maryland Politics

Now It's Your Turn: If not Bob, who?

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:42:58 -0500

As we wait to hear whether former governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) will run again in 2010, let's assume for the moment he doesn't. Who's the best Republican to take on Gov. Martin O'Malley (D)? Larry Hogan? Pat McDonough? Someone we haven't thought of? Share your thoughts by posting a comment below. On Friday, we asked you if you would convict Mayor Sheila Dixon based on the evidence you've seen. We heard a range of responses from fans on our Facebook page.

Unspun: Prince George's County Council Member Tony Knotts

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:48:32 -0500

The Washington Post Magazine's "Unspun" interviews take a look at the person behind the position in local government and politics. See excerpts of this Sunday's edition below or read the full article. Did you play any sports in high school? Ran track. Dashes, 100-yard dash. ... I wasn't a distance runner, unless I was being chased in the neighborhood. What's your guilty food indulgence? Apple pie, and if you put some ice cream on it, I'm in trouble. If you had all the money in the world, what would you buy? I would probably buy a good life for other people -- give it away. Because if I had all the money in the world, that means that no one else has any money. What music are you listening to right now? Really, I listen to a lot of gospel music. ... I'm getting into that. It's more easy

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Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:48:32 -0500

New U.S. civil rights chief pulled back into transgender staffer fight in Montgomery

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:00:04 -0500

Just a week after Tom Perez was formally installed as chief of the Justice Department's Civil Rights division, the former Maryland labor secretary and Montgomery Council member was given a little welcoming gift Friday by council member Duchy Trachtenberg: a letter seeking to bring him into a messy Montgomery dispute regarding ethics proceedings against a transgender council staffer. Dana Beyer, a doctor and top Trachtenberg aide, says claims she threatened or tried to intimidate opponents of a 2007 transgender rights law are baseless. Beyer helped craft the transgender law and is the first person to use it. Last week Beyer filed a discrimination complaint against Montgomery's ethics commission, which is moving forward with a rare hearing on the accusations against her. She said Trachtenberg's letter asks for Perez's "guidance" on the matter. Trachenberg's office declined to release the letter, but said they'll release his response when one comes. Trachtenberg on

First Click -- Maryland

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:55:00 -0500

Your daily download of Maryland's top political news and analysis Monday, Nov. 23, 2009: Spotlight on judge in Dixon trial As jurors on Monday morning are set to resume deliberations over whether Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon is guilty of stealing gift cards intended for the needy, many are watching Judge Dennis M. Sweeney, write Annie Linskey and Julie Bykowicz in The Baltimore Sun. "Sweeney, 64, is a retired Howard County judge who was selected in February to preside over the four cases stemming from State Prosecutor Robert A. Rohrbaugh's City Hall corruption probe. Sweeney is widely known in Maryland as a jury expert, teaching new judges how to manage trials ... and at this phase, the judge is 'like a coach,' said Federal Magistrate Judge Paul W. Grimm." Sweeney has already fielded multiple notes from the jury saying deliberations were "overheating on Thursday and Friday, and it remains to be

Now It's Your Turn

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:33:24 -0500

Well, technically, it's still the jury's turn. But they were dismissed until Monday, so let's debate this for the weekend: Would you convict Mayor Sheila Dixon? Her attorneys have argued the Baltimore mayor mistakenly used gift cards for the needy, thinking they were from her ex-boyfriend. Prosecutors say she knew better and robbed charities to use the cards for new clothes, seafood dinners and shopping sprees. Few of us have seen every twist and turn this week in the courtroom, but what do you think? Does this one smell right? Has the state prosecutor over reached? Should Baltimore kick out a crooked mayor? What's more, if she's guilty or innocent, what are the consequences for all the politicians close to her in Baltimore, Annapolis and Washington who are running for re-election next year? If she gets off, will she be politically untouchable? re-electable? always tainted? (And, btw, thanks to Charles

First Click -- Maryland

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:12:51 -0500

Your daily download of Maryland's top political news and analysis Friday, Nov. 20, 2009: O'Malley to tout new jobs in port deal Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) this morning is expected to announce the award of a long-term partnership with Ports America to operate an expanded, state-owned Seagirt Marine Terminal in southeast Baltimore. The deal will be touted as creating 5,700 jobs, something O'Malley (D) is likely to play up in his remarks, according to sources. That would be consistent with O'Malley's stepped-up emphasis on job creation in the wake of this month's Republican gubernatorial victories in New Jersey and Virginia. More money woes in Mongtomery County "Montgomery County officials are trying to digest a new batch of ugly budget figures from the state, particularly this one: $85 million," writes The Post's Michael Laris. "That's how much less the county is getting in income tax revenues in November, and it comes

Another $85 million down in Montgomery

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:40:54 -0500

Montgomery County officials are trying to digest a new batch of ugly budget figures from the state, particularly this one: $85 million. That's how much less the county is getting in income tax revenues in November, and it comes on top of budget gap Montgomery officials had been estimating at $364 million. "It's bad news," said Jennifer Barrett, Montgomery's director of finance. "It means the cuts will be deeper and broader," said County Executive Ike Leggett (D). Maryland collects the county's income tax, then hands it over. The county's November estimate was $305 million. The revenue turned out to be $220 million. County officials had been estimating that a large slice of the expected income tax pie would shrink by 60 percent. Instead, that portion, covering the 2008 tax year, was down 93 percent, Barrett said. "Overall we had an $85 million reduction from what we expected, and what we

Md. lobbyist with 7 drunk driving convictions not alone, report shows

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:39:29 -0500

Several readers expressed outrage today at the sentence imposed on Maryland lobbyist David A. Jacobs for his seventh drunk driving conviction. After 36 days in jail, Jacobs--who has represented the Prince George's County Council and sheriff in Annapolis--was sent to an in-patient alcohol treatment program for 28 days. A prosecutor had asked the court to sentence Jacobs to 10 months in jail. Caroline Cash, executive director of MADD Maryland, put it this way: "How is it that there's any such thing as seven offenses? How are we allowing that?" A nationwide report by MADD, however, shows that Jacobs is hardly the only repeat offender. According to the group's State Progress Report released last year, Maryland had 25,120 people with three or more drunk driving convictions. 3,980 people had five or more convictions, and one person had 21. If you think 21 is bad, Marylanders, be thankful you don't live in

O'Malley to announce major port partnership, tout jobs

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:23:38 -0500

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley is expected to announce Friday the award of a long-term partnership with Ports America to operate an expanded, state-owned Seagirt Marine Terminal in southeast Baltimore. The deal will be touted as creating 5,700 jobs, something O'Malley (D) is likely to play up in his remarks, according to sources. That would be consistent with O'Malley's stepped-up emphasis on job creation in the wake of this month's Republican gubernatorial victories in New Jersey and Virginia. The port-related jobs include 3,000 one-time construction positions to build a new 50-foot berth to accommodate larger ships expected to utilize the port after the Panama Canal is widened in 2014. An additional 2,700 jobs are related to continuing operations at the expanded facility, a source said. -- John Wagner and Aaron C. Davis

Now It's Your Turn: Who should make the big cuts?

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:05:00 -0500

Maryland's governor can make budget cuts of up to 25 percent with the blessing of the three-member Board of Public Works. Should controversial decisions, such as Wednesday's closure of an Eastern Shore psychiatric hospital, be left to the legislature? What do you think? Share your thoughts by posting a comment below. On Tuesday, we asked whether you agree with the Montgomery County Council that proposed tolls for the Intercounty Connector are too expensive. We got a range of opinions on our Maryland Politics Web site and on our Facebook page.

First Click -- Maryland

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:45:00 -0500

Your daily download of Maryland's top political news and analysis Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009: Dixon case heading to jury Closing arguments are expected today in the trial of Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon, who's accused of using gift cards intended for the needy for personal shopping. On Wednesday, Dixon's defense rested after calling a total of four witnesses over two days, write Julie Bykowicz and Annie Linskey in The Baltimore Sun. Some lawmakers upset budget cuts not deferred to legislature The Board of Public Works approved $362 million in budget actions Wednesday despite protests from lawmakers that the governor and board should defer controversial decisions until January, when the legislature reconvenes, writes The Post's Aaron Davis. The article also looks at rumblings in the legislature over whether Gov. Martin O'Malley's cuts went too far. "In the days leading up to Wednesday's board meeting, lawyers for the General Assembly and governor's office

Delegate seeks to put Md. committee votes online

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:29:40 -0500

The Maryland General Assembly is pretty good about letting the public know how legislators vote on bills that reach the House or Senate floors. Citizens can go on the legislature's Web site and pull up a tally sheet, as long as they know what bill they're looking for. Committeee votes are another story. Vote sheets are available for public inspection, but reviewing them requires going to the relevant committee office in Annapolis during business hours. Legislation that a Montgomery County delegate is planning to introduce in the coming session would make the process more transparent from afar. The Legislative Voting Sunshine Act, drafted by Del. Saqib Ali (D-Montgomery), would require committee votes to be posted on the General Assembly site, as well as any other recorded votes on amendments and motions related to bills that are taken during committee meetings. "I'm a technofile, and I'm also someone who's very interested

Pr. Geo's County Exec: No relation between Johnson & Johnson

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:24:21 -0500

In case anyone was wondering -- and people were -- Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) is NOT related to one of his appointees, James E. Johnson, the county executive said Tuesday. In one of several bizarre moments to come out of the County Council's protracted final session of 2009, the county executive felt the need to make the assurance to a packed hearing room after James Johnson's nomination for head of housing and community development reignited speculation that the two were cousins. "James Johnson and I are not related by blood, at all," Johnson said, to laughter, during a public hearing on James Johnson's nomination. "I want to put that on the record. We don't want any confusion about that." The two Johnsons are far from strangers, however. The county exec said they have known each other "for many years," and the pair attended the same undergraduate

An odd path to victory for County Exec Johnson's nominees

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:33:40 -0500

(Nominee Mary Lou McDonough) Three officials nominated by Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) to be permanent agency heads are going to get their posts. Nothing unusual there--nominees sent down from the exec's office pretty much always get confirmed by the County Council. What was highly unusual, however, is the route the nominations took: The council held public hearings in its final session of the year Tuesday on all three, and then, without any explanation, adjourned without taking a vote. Under the county charter, that means the nominations will automatically go through, officials said. The three will be officially sworn in on Thursday. The process leading up to the unusual conclusion was loaded with political theater, backroom discussions and big-name power brokers including U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), whose spokeswoman confirmed that he personally made calls to council members in support of nominee Mary Lou

Now It's Your Turn: Are ICC tolls too high?

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:30:43 -0500

The Montgomery County Council thinks proposed tolls for the Intercounty Connector would be too expensive and leave the highway with too few users to justify its cost. The Maryland Transportation Authority is scheduled to vote on the toll plan next month. What do you think? Please let us know your views by posting a comment below.