EVENTS: Central Baltimore Democratic Club Hosts Death Row Exoneree JAN 8 // Democratic Women's PAC Training JAN 12

BALTIMORE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC ACTIVISTS 

GEARING UP FOR DEATH PENALTY REPEAL

Below Maryland Juice highlights a few coming events that may be of interest to politicos, starting with a Towson event highlighting death penalty repeal in 2013:

EVENT #1: BALTIMORE COUNTY DEMOCRATS HOST DEATH ROW EXONEREE JANUARY 8 -  Baltimore County Democrats are turning up the heat on their elected officials to support a rare opportunity for death penalty repeal. Notably, Maryland NAACP leader Gerald Stansbury recently called out Baltimore County State Senators in a Baltimore Sun op. ed. (excerpt below):

GERALD STANSBURY/MD NAACP: Four of [the Senate Judiciary committee's] 11 members are from Baltimore County, a large, predominantly white area that borders a large, predominantly African-American urban jurisdiction. Baltimore County is also the jurisdiction that has produced the overwhelming majority of death penalty prosecutions in the state. It is no coincidence that that the four Baltimore County legislators are all "no" votes on allowing the death penalty repeal bill to go to a floor vote....

But unlike some of their elected officials, a core of Democratic Party members in Baltimore County appear to support death penalty repeal and are hosting an event with a Maryland death row survivor in Towson next Tuesday, January 8th. Morever, at least some of them are beginning to call out their elected officials on this social justice/human rights issue. Below you can check out one reader's Facebook post that recently appeared on the Facebook page of the Central Baltimore County Democratic Club (CBCDC). The message (below) urges people to contact State Senators Bobby Zirkin and Jim Brochin about the death penalty. You can also find details on the CBCDC death row exoneree event below:

JANUARY 8TH MEETING – 

IMPORTANT LEGISLATIVE ISSUES 2013

Our meetings will be held at the Democratic Party Headquarters at 301 Allegheny Ave. in Towson until further notice. (Entrance in the back.) Socializing begins at 6:30 and the meeting starts at 7 pm.

Please join us for roundtable discussions of important issues that will confront the Maryland Legislature in its upcoming session. 

1) REPEAL OF THE DEATH PENALTY Kirk Bloodsworth will join us to tell the story of his wrongful convictions for murder. For those of you who have not heard Mr. Bloodsworth's personal story of how he was convicted twice of a crime he did not commit, and sentenced to the death penalty, we can assure you it is a harrowing tale that will have a profound impact. 

2) HYBRID SCHOOL BOARD
Laurie Taylor-Mitchell and Julie Sugar, two founding members of ABC Schools: Citizens for an Accountable Baltimore County School Board will let us know about the developments in the effort to create a partially elected school board in the County. 

3) OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY
Tom Carlson, Maryland Campaign Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network will give an update on the status of the development of wind energy in Maryland. He will also be able to address other environmental concerns.

Maryland Juice has seen Kirk Bloodsworth speak before and suggests that this event would be a worthy use of time for readers in the Towson area.

EVENT #2: DEMOCRATIC WOMEN'S PAC HOSTS JAN 12 CANDIDATE TRAINING W/ REP. DONNA EDWARDS - The Democratic Women's PAC is hosting a candidates training at UMBC on January 12th. Rep. Donna Edwards will be presenting, along with several area political consultants and elected officials. Details below:

Please join us for a unique Women's Candidate, Campaign and Leadership Training hosted by the Young Democrats of Maryland Women's Caucus and the Democratic Women's PAC of Maryland on January 12th from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm at UMBC.

Our comprehensive campaign and leadership training will offer women candidates, campaign staff, current elected officials and young women looking to break in to politics an opportunity to learn the art and science of campaign strategy from some of the most successful women consultants in their respective fields.

We will also be featuring Keynote Speaker Congresswoman Donna Edwards and a panel discussion with Maryland's elected women leaders including: Senator Lisa Gladden, Delegate Susan Lee, Delegate Ariana Kelly, Delegate Mary Washington, Montgomery County Councilwoman Valerie Ervin, Howard County Councilwoman Courtney Watson, Cambridge Mayor Victoria Jackson-Stanley and others.

Click here for detailed listings of the training sessions and to register online

• Registration Fee: $60
• Young Dem Members: $35 (Use discount code: YOUNGDEM
• Students with ID: $25 (Use discount code STUDENT)

Co-Sponsors: American Federation of Teachers, Maryland State Education Association 

Partners: Speaker ProTem Adrienne Jones, Delegate Maggie McIntosh, Fontaine & Company

Scholarship Fund Sponsors: Montgomery County Young Democrats, Prince George's County Young Democrats, Baltimore City Young Democrats, Mr. Bill Romani 

Seating is limited, so REGISTER TODAY!

Sponsorships Available, email Mary Urban at mary@fontainecompany.com or call 410-366-3940 for more information.