JUICE: Updates on Delaney for Governor, Mooney for Congress, Dana Beyer vs. Sen. Madaleno, MoCo's Exec Race & Much More!

Below Maryland Juice provides a round-up of news items of interest to politicos:

JUICE #1: MORE SPECULATION THAT REP. JOHN DELANEY MAY RUN FOR GOVERNOR - In comments to the media, Congressman John Delaney has been suggesting he "expects" to remain in the U.S. House next year (see an example in the YouTube video below):


Nevertheless, Maryland Juice is convinced that Delaney entering the contested race for Governor is a very real possibility. Here's one piece of evidence: last week gubernatorial candidate Doug Gansler came out with the following position regarding Maryland's bungled Obamacare enrollment system (excerpt below):

DOUG GANSLER: Last week, Jolene and I called on the state of Maryland to allow Maryland consumers to use the federal exchange website to purchase Maryland health insurance plans....

The Affordable Care Act was a great accomplishment, and Maryland should have led the way in implementing President Obama’s legacy legislation. But in the nearly four months since the website launched, most Marylanders still are unable to use it to buy insurance....

But in response to Gansler's position, Delaney saw fit to issue the following press response:

PRESS RELEASE

Delaney Statement on Gansler call for healthcare.gov option

WASHINGTON – Today, Attorney General Doug Gansler called for allowing Marylanders the option to purchase health insurance using the Federal health exchange website in addition to the Maryland Health Exchange website.

Congressman Delaney releases the following statement:

"I compliment Attorney General Gansler for suggesting a sensible solution on the Maryland Exchange which is the same solution we have been proposing for months"

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I don't know about you, but this sounds to me like the type of short press response a rival candidate would send out!


JUICE #2: FORMER MD GOP CHAIR ALEX MOONEY LEADS MONEY RACE FOR WEST VIRGINIA CONGRESSIONAL SEAT - Maryland's former Republican Party Chair Alex Mooney moved to West Virginia last year to run for an open Congressional seat. Today the West Virginia Metro News reports that Mooney is leading the money race in his field (excerpt below):

WV METRO NEWS: Money, in and of itself, does not win elections. But then again, it’s awfully hard to win without it.  With that in mind, here are the latest campaign finance numbers for key candidates in the critical federal races in West Virginia for 2014....

The Republican field in the 2nd District continues to grow.  There are now seven candidates in the race: Alex Mooney, who was active in Maryland politics before moving to West Virginia a few years ago, has the most money of any GOP candidate in the race: $301,000.  Charlotte Lane has $255,000 in the bank after raising $215,000 in the 4th quarter.  Berkeley Springs pharmacist Ken Reed has $226,000 in his treasury, nearly all coming from a personal loan to his campaign.  Ron Walters, Jr., has $63,000 on hand....

JUICE #3: UPDATE ON RACE BETWEEN STATE SENATOR RICH MADALENO AND DANA BEYER - Two-time Delegate candidate Dana Beyer recently announced a Democratic Primary challenge to D18 State Senator Rich Madaleno. We have a few small updates to the race, starting with an endorsement for Madaleno from his colleague Sen. Jamie Raskin:

JAMIE RASKIN: Senator Madaleno is Montgomery County’s budgetary wizard who translates the progressive priorities of our delegation every day into the dollars and cents of the state budget.   I celebrate his service and treasure his remarkable contributions to our community.  I support his re-election.

The Washington Post's Frederick Kunkle also provided commentary from Sen. Madaleno about the primary challenge (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: ... Madaleno (D-Montgomery) shrugged off the challenge. “I’m proud of my rather lengthy list of accomplishments,” he said Thursday. Madaleno, who joined the state Senate in 2007, said that as a member of the Budget and Taxation committee and the chairman of its Education, Business and Administration subcommittee, he has played an important role in shaping legislative initiatives as varied as the Dream Act, marriage equality, and generous funding for public education.

“I think the last four years in particular have been the most progressive in Maryland history,” Madaleno said. He also boasted of having received the support of all the other senators in the county’s delegation.

Asked about the significance of the matchup between a transgender and openly gay candidate, Madaleno said, “I think it says that people who, in years past, would never have thought of running for office, now find the doors wide open. There’s tremendously more acceptance. It’s been a remarkable transformation in 12 years.” Madaleno said there are now eight openly gay members in the Maryland General Assembly, a number that he said he believes is more than any other in the country....

Judging by the early commentary from some media figures, the D18 Senate race may be one of the more colorful contests in MoCo. Here are some examples from Twitter:

JUICE #4: MONTGOMERY COUNTY POLICE ENDORSE DOUG DUNCAN FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE - Former MoCo Exec Doug Duncan recently received the endorsement of the County police union in his race for County Executive (excerpt below):

TORRIE COOKE, MOCO FOP: As President of Montgomery County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 35, I am pleased to announce that we are endorsing Doug Duncan for Montgomery County Executive. 

Having been a police officer for 20 years now, and having worked with different administrations and politicians, I know that Doug is equipped to provide Montgomery County with whatever it needs to get us back on track. When looking at all of the positive traits of the county executive candidates, Doug displays the traits of a leader we can trust and who will stand by his word. 

We took a hard look at all the candidates, and decided that Doug’s commitment to the safety of Montgomery County and his passionate service to make a better tomorrow tipped the scales in his favor to earn our endorsement....

JUICE #5: MOCO, PRINCE GEORGE'S & BALTIMORE COUNTY EXECUTIVES CALL ON GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES TO ENDORSE SCHOOL FUNDING PUSH - Maryland Juice received the following letter from MoCo Exec Ike Leggett, Prince George's Exec Rushern Baker, and Baltimore County Exec Kevin Kamenetz urging the Democratic gubernatorial candidates to get behind their efforts to secure school construction funds for the "Big 3" jurisdictions. Identical version of the letter below were sent to Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, Attorney General Doug Gansler, and Delegate Heather Mizeur:

Leggett, Kamenetz, Baker School Funding Letter to Gubernatorial Candidates

DOUG GANSLER RESPONDS: Gansler's campaign issued the following statement in response to the request from the three County Executives (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Gansler Supports County Executives' Effort to Seek Additional School Construction Funding

Sends Letter to County Executives Supporting Legislative Effort

Silver Spring, MARYLAND – Democratic gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Douglas Gansler today sent a letter  “strongly supporting” the efforts of Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III,  Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, and Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett to secure more funding for school construction.

Gansler also issued the following statement:

“Portable classrooms, leaky roofs, and inadequate bathrooms, most of them found at schools in communities with the greatest need, are not the hallmarks of the best education system in the nation. They are symbolic of an education system that serves some and not others. I strongly support the County Executives’ efforts to seek additional education funds for school construction. With the endless stream of gambling revenue that the administration promised will fund our schools, we should fully expect Lt. Governor Brown to submit this as one of the signature pieces of legislation for the administration this session....”

JUICE #6: LT. GOVERNOR CANDIDATES DEBATE IN BALTIMORE THIS FRIDAY - Baltimore's B.E.S.T. Democratic Club is hosting a candidates debate with the three Democratic candidates for Lt. Governor. The event is taking place this Friday:

B.E.S.T. Democratic Club is hosting a round table where we can meet and hear from the Democratic Lt. Governor candidates.

The running mates are Rev. Delman Coates, the senior pastor of a Baptist church in Clinton, Md., Delegate Jolene Ivey from Prince George’s County, and Ken Ulman, the County Executive from Howard County.

To find out more information about each candidate and to ask your own questions join us on:

Date: Friday, February 7, 2014
Location: 139 N. Belnord, Baltimore, MD 21224
Time: 6:30 p.m.

JUICE #7: LT. GOVERNOR ANTHONY BROWN'S FATHER PASSED AWAY LAST WEEK - Maryland Juice received the following press release from Lt. Governor Anthony Brown's campaign reporting that the candidate's father passed away last week (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

STATEMENT FROM LT. GOVERNOR BROWN ON THE PASSING OF HIS FATHER, DR. ROY H. BROWN

Huntington, N.Y. (January 30, 2014) - Today, it is with great sadness that we announce the news of the passing of Dr. Roy H. Brown at the age of 89. Lt. Governor Brown’s father, Dr. Roy Brown, was moved from the hospital to hospice late last week, and the Lt. Governor has taken the past few days to be with his family. Over the last four months, Dr. Brown has courageously battled cancer. This morning, he passed at home surrounded by his loving wife Lilly, his children and his family.

Below is the statement from Lt. Governor Brown on the passing of his father:

"My father was a man who led by example. He rose out of poverty in Kingston, Jamaica and overcame incredible odds to become a doctor. As a loving husband and father, he worked tirelessly to provide every opportunity for his children. As a family physician, he donated his services to countless people in need of care. He always put others first. That is the essence of who my father was and how he lived his life...."

JUICE #8: LIBERAL GROUPS CREATE WISH-LIST OF POLICIES FOR OBAMA, INCLUDING COMMENTARY FROM VALERIE ERVIN - Maryland Juice caught an interesting piece on Salon.com last week, with the following headline and explanation: "Send Arne Duncan to Mars!: A State of the Union wish list for liberals. We asked left-of-center groups what they hope to hear in the president's speech tonight. Here are the best replies." Notably, the round-up of commentary included remarks from former MoCo Councilmember Valerie Ervin. I flagged a few additional reform suggestions below:

SALON.COM: "In the State of the Union President Obama should take a stand against the lockup quota that requires Immigration and Customs Enforcement to imprison at minimum 34,000 immigrants at any given time." - Silky Shah, interim executive director, Detention Watch Network

"… the Citizens United decision has given wealthy interests a megaphone so big it drowns out the rest of our voices. President Obama should put the voters back in charge by announcing a plan for public financing of federal elections, to allow every voice to be heard.” – Valerie Ervin, executive director, Center for Working Families

“I hope that he vows to work with Congress to change the law with regard to the NSA bulk collection, and makes a spirited defense of civil liberties even as he attempts to keep our nation safe....  It would be important for his legacy for him to distinguish himself from the Big Brother policies of the Bush administration and to rein in the surveillance state.” – Laura Murphy, director, ACLU Washington Legislative Office

"The key thing that the president needs to do is articulate a vision of a future in which America is no longer ‘exceptional’ in its rates of incarceration but merely average …  As for drug policy specifically, the most important thing he could do would be to question the need to take away anyone’s freedom simply for possessing or using a drug." – Ethan Nadelmann, executive director, Drug Policy Alliance

"President Obama should start by apologizing for the recent comments of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan that parents who oppose the harsh overtesting regime that has afflicted our schools are just upset that their children aren’t smart enough.... He will announce the resumption of manned space flight, starting with a trip to Mars by Arne Duncan and Bill Gates, where they will try out their education experiments on any inhabitants they find there...." —  Leonie Haimson, executive director, Class Size Matters

JUICE #9: MONTGOMERY COUNTY EXECUTIVE & COUNCIL CANDIDATES TO SPEAK AT FORUM ON RENTERS ISSUES - Maryland Juice received the following event announcement from the MoCo Renters Alliance noting that all three County Exec candidates (Phil Andrews, Doug Duncan & Ike Leggett) will be speaking at a March 5th renters policy forum:

RENTERS ALLIANCE: In a sign of the growing influence of organized renters raising the volume of their voices on renter issues, all of the candidates have confirmed their participation at our next candidates forum. Join us Wednesday, March 5th at the Silver Spring Civic Center for the first-ever county candidates forum focused on rental housing issues. County Executive candidates Isiah Leggett, Doug Duncan, Phil Andrews and Jim Shallek have all confirmed as has each of the County Council candidates--incumbents and challengers. Seating is limited. Join us and sign up for this exciting and historic event and lend your voice to our movement to establish renters' rights and security in our communities....

Here are some details on the event:

Silver Spring Civic Center
1 Veterans Place
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Wednesday, March 5, 2014 from 6:30 PM to 10:00 PM

JUICE #10: US SENATOR BARBARA MIKULSKI IN MOCO SAT 2/15 FOR DISCUSSION OF GMO'S & FOOD POLICY - Maryland Juice received the following event announcement from the Takoma Park-Silver Spring Co-Op. U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski is expected to be in MoCo to talk about food policy and "genetically modified organisms" (aka GMO's). Indeed, GMO's are becoming an increasingly heated policy topic, as big corporations like Monsanto continue to try and sell expensive GMO seeds to farmers around the world and claim "patents" to own our global food supply:

Co-op’s Annual Food and Public Policy Series:
Historic Takoma Building 7328 Carroll Ave. Takoma Park MD 20912.

Saturday, Feb 15, 1-4 pm
GMOs, AND HOW LEGISLATION MIGHT IMPACT MARYLAND CONSUMERS

Invited Guest: Barbara Mikulski

JUICE: Mayor Bloomberg Endorses Frosh for AG, John Delaney Obamacare Idea, MD Closer to Wind Power, Valerie Ervin Video

Below Maryland Juice provides a round-up of recent news of interest to politicos:

JUICE #1: NYC MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG ENDORSES BRIAN FROSH FOR MD ATTORNEY GENERAL - The Washington Post's John Wagner reported this morning that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has endorsed State Senator Brian Frosh for Maryland Attorney General (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: In his bid for Maryland attorney general, Sen. Brian E. Frosh has picked up the endorsement of outgoing New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, a noted national gun-control proponent.

Frosh (D-Montgomery), chairman of the Judicial Proceedings Committee, shepherded legislation introduced by Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) through the Senate this year that subjects handgun purchasers to new fingerprinting and training requirements....

“Reducing gun violence in America is a moral and social imperative,” Bloomberg said in a statement. “No one has done more in Maryland than Brian Frosh to lead the fight against illegal guns and protect citizens from incidents of gun violence....”

JUICE #2: REP. JOHN DELANEY SUGGESTS MARYLAND JOIN FEDERAL HEALTH CARE EXCHANGE INSTEAD OF BUILDING ITS OWN - The Baltimore Sun in an editorial yesterday expressed interest in a proposal from Congressman John Delaney for Maryland to forget about building it's own health care exchange system, and instead adopt the federal Obamacare exchange (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: Since Gov. Martin O'Malley declared that the state's health insurance exchange website was functional for most users, anecdotal reports have been mixed. Some people report continued problems with frozen screens and other glitches that have bedeviled the site; others say they were finally able to enroll with relative ease.... That said, the pace of enrollments is still far too low....

Under those circumstances, the question raised by Rep. John Delaney, a Montgomery County Democrat, about whether it would be better for Maryland to scrap its effort to build its own exchange and instead join the federal one has merit. Indeed, Gov. Martin O'Malley acknowledged on Monday that the option — and all others — remain on the table.

That's a hard possibility for Governor O'Malley to acknowledge. Under his leadership, Maryland was one of the most aggressive states in the effort to build out its own exchange — a strategic decision that appears in retrospect to have involved no small amount of hubris and political ambition. Walking away now from all that effort and tens of millions in expenditures would be particularly embarrassing....

Both the governor and Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown indicated on Monday that they are open to all options. They need to be. We can't let pride or momentum get in the way of doing whatever it takes to make sure Maryland residents can sign up for health insurance as soon as possible. After all, despite the political overtones, that's what this is about.

JUICE #3: OBAMA HELPS ADVANCE WIND POWER IN MARYLAND - Maryland Juice received the following press release from Environment Maryland this week indicating that President Obama has helped the state move one step closer to harnessing wind energy:

PRESS RELEASE

Obama Administration Sets A Major Milestone for Offshore Wind in Maryland
Baltimore, Maryland -- Today, the Obama Administration joined state officials to announce another major milestone for clean, renewable energy in Maryland.  Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell and Governor Martin O’Malley announced the sale of an area off the coast of Maryland suitable for offshore wind development.

The announcement comes in the wake of a bill passed earlier this year that would help finance offshore wind in Maryland.  The bill was a signature issue for Governor O’Malley and strongly supported by a wide range of stakeholders; including environmental advocates and business groups; 

Three additional wind energy areas have been approved – two off the coast of Rhode Island and Massachusetts and one off the coast of Virginia.

The lease sales represent a key element of President Obama’s plan to expand clean renewable energy to meet our nation’s energy and carbon reduction goals. 

“There is tremendous potential for producing clean, pollution-free offshore wind energy off our coast,” concluded Environment Maryland’s Energy Program Director, Rob Sargent.  “Today’s announcement represents another important step forward on clean energy for Maryland and the nation.   It’s a great example of the collaboration between state and federal officials that is necessary for continued progress on reducing pollution.”

"Today’s announcement brings our state one step closer to harnessing the tremendous potential of offshore wind energy off our shores and realizing Maryland's clean energy future,” said Governor O’Malley. “The development of offshore wind will drive economic development in Maryland, create high-quality, family-supporting jobs for Maryland residents and play a major role in reducing emissions and protecting the environment.”

“Responsibly harnessing the power of the wind blowing off our coast is critical for cutting pollution, and repowering America with clean, renewable energy,” said Joanna Diamond, Environment Maryland Director.  “We are thrilled with this progress and look forward to continued action from our officials so that we can start reaping the benefits of offshore wind power.”

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JUICE #4: VIDEO FOOTAGE FROM VALERIE ERVIN'S RETIREMENT PRESS CONFERENCE - Maryland Juice was unable to attend the press conference announcing MoCo Councilmember Valerie Ervin's retirement last week. But for those who are interested in what happened and what was said at the event, check out the video below:

JUICE: Annapolis Threatens MoCo & PG Wage Hikes, Brown for MoCo School Funds, Gansler Cries Foul & Delaney Flashback

Below Maryland Juice provides a round-up of recent news that may be of interest to politicos:

JUICE #1: RUMORS THAT ANNAPOLIS LAWMAKERS WILL TRY TO VETO THE MOCO & PRINCE GEORGE'S MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES - County Councilmembers in Montgomery and Prince George's recently voted to approve a minimum wage of $11.50 an hour, in order to create a regional wage standard with the District of Columbia. But Maryland Juice just caught an interesting item in today's AFL-CIO "Union City" newsletter indicating that efforts are afoot in Annapolis to veto the MoCo & Prince George's Councilmembers through state legislation (excerpt below):

AFL-CIO: A regional plan to raise the minimum wage in the metro Washington area may hit an unexpected roadblock: the Maryland legislature. That’s because Free State lawmakers are considering a two-part minimum wage law, according to Bob Ross, president of the Prince George’s County NAACP.  One section of the bill would raise Maryland’s minimum from $7.25 to $10.10 – less than the $11.50 approved in Montgomery, Prince George’s and DC – and the other section would revoke minimum wage hikes like those just approved in MontCo, PG and DC. Meanwhile, in DC, Mayor Vincent Gray, who in early December announced he’s running for re-election, says he prefers a $10 minimum wage. The DC City Council’s $11.50 minimum wage bill passed Tuesday with a veto-proof 13-0 preliminary vote, with a final vote scheduled for December 17....

JUICE #2: ANTHONY BROWN ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR INCREASE IN MOCO SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION FUNDING - Bethesda Now reported this weekend that gubernatorial candidate Anthony Brown has pledged to advocate for increased MoCo school construction dollars in the coming legislative session (excerpt below):

BETHESDA NOW:  The Brown campaign held the event — in which it announced endorsements from 18 elected officials in Montgomery — at the town hall of the Town of Chevy Chase, not far from where Gansler lives.... Brown talked about his military service, the state’s recent new laws on gun control and the death penalty repeal and private-public partnership legislation that the state hopes to use to finance and build the Purple Line light rail. He also pledged his support to Montgomery County’s planned push for state construction funding in the 2014 General Assembly....

Citing an "achievement gap" in student performance in Montgomery County, last October County leaders pledged to fight for expanded school construction dollars in Annapolis. The Washington Post reported on the effort several weeks ago (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Montgomery officials will gather Thursday to formally kick off what County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) regards as his top legislative priority for next year’s Maryland General Assembly: construction funding for a school system squeezed to the seams by surging enrollment.

Leggett and Montgomery’s school leadership are seeking a deal similar to one the city of Baltimore secured from lawmakers and Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) earlier this year....  Montgomery has 17 percent of Maryland’s student enrollment, but the county typically gets about 11 percent of state construction funding, officials said....

Montgomery would seek $20 million from the state to leverage its own $40 million outlay. These funds would supplement the county’s share of new state authorizations for school construction. The $60 million would support bonds of up to $750 million, to fund construction over the next five years, county officials said....

JUICE #3: DOUG GANSLER ALLEGES ANTHONY BROWN COVERING UP BUNGLED OBAMACARE ENROLLMENT IN MARYLAND - Maryland Juice received the following press release from Doug Gansler's gubernatorial campaign accusing Lt. Governor Anthony Brown of covering up the state's much-criticized roll-out for Obamacare enrollment:

PRESS RELEASE

Brown Hiding Behind Executive Privilege To Cover Up His Failure Implementing Health Care Exchange

…the office claimed "executive privilege” in not releasing Brown’s correspondence over Maryland’s Health Care Exchange.

“No E-Mails from Brown on Health Exchange ”
Baltimore Sun, 12/7/13

SILVER SPRING---The campaign of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Douglas Gansler today called on Lt. Governor Anthony Brown to stop hiding behind executive privilege and immediately disclose all email correspondence between Brown, Brown’s office, and members of the exchange or officials from the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene about the website or its lead contractor.

As reported in the Baltimore Sun on Friday, Brown’s office is refusing to turn over an undisclosed number of emails between his office and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene claiming “executive privilege.”

Doug Gansler and Jolene Ivey have been strong supporters of President Obama and his health care reform law and will work to ensure it is implemented effectively.

Bob Wheelock, Director of Communications for the Gansler Campaign, issued the following statement:

Lt. Governor Brown was given the task by the Governor to implement the creation of Maryland’s Health Insurance Exchange. Lt. Governor Brown failed and now is trying to hide behind executive privilege to avoid responsibility.

Governor O’Malley has taken over the job, but the least that Lt. Governor Brown can now do is to be straight with the people of Maryland regarding what he knew about problems with the Health Exchange. Lt. Governor Brown can start by disclosing his emails and correspondence with respect to his lack of stewardship of the Maryland Health Exchange, instead of hiding behind claims of executive privilege.

Instead of taking responsibility, Lt. Governor Brown has been ducking responsibility.

When the problems with the rollout of the Maryland Health Exchange immediately became apparent, Lt. Governor Brown said he was surprised by the problems with the website.

Then he admitted he knew there were roll out problems but did nothing to fix them.

Then it was revealed that under Brown's leadership, Maryland's Health Exchange underperformed other states.

Then the Washington Post called Brown’s leadership "an embarrassment" and Congressman Van Hollen on Meet the Press called the problems with implementation "a mess."

Then Brown sat quietly and did nothing while Governor O’Malley took over the task.

Then he ran away from the press and refused to answer questions about his failures.

Then he pointed fingers and blamed a staffer.

Now he refuses to release his email correspondence over health care, claiming executive privilege.

For a politician who STILL has this on his campaign website….

“As the leader of Maryland’s efforts to improve health care and Co-Chair of the Health Care Reform Coordinating Council, Lt. Governor Brown has positioned Maryland as the national leader in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.”

It’s sad that this is now what he’s saying:

 “…the office claimed executive privilege” in not releasing Brown’s correspondence over Maryland’s Health Care Exchange. Baltimore Sun, “No E-Mails from Brown on Health Exchange,” 12/7/13.

It’s time for Lt. Governor Brown to stop hiding behind executive privilege and fully disclose what he knew and when he knew about problems with the rollout of Maryland’s Health Insurance Exchange.

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JUICE #4: CONGRESSMAN JOHN DELANEY'S FORMER COMPANY CAPITAL SOURCE BACK ON THE RADAR - A couple readers noted that this week The Washington Post decided to rehash some of the minutiae from last year's heated Democratic Primary battle between John Delaney and Rob Garagiola. During the 2012 election contest, The Post highlighted the following item about Delaney's former company Capital Source, and its relationship to a business called Aeon Financial (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Before stepping onto the public stage as a candidate, Delaney made a name for himself in the financial arena as the founder of CapitalSource, a multibillion-dollar commercial finance firm. The Chevy Chase outfit provides loans of up to $100 million to small and mid-size businesses....

Because Delaney, 48, is new to the political world, Garagiola has focused his attacks almost exclusively on Delaney’s business record.... A portion of CapitalSource’s portfolio is comprised of asset-based, or secured, loans made to companies in the health-care and real estate sectors. One of those companies is Aeon Financial, a Chicago-based firm that purchases tax liens on residential properties from municipalities.

Garagiola has accused CapitalSource, in conjunction with Aeon, of foreclosing on homes throughout Maryland and Ohio in order to collect those liens. CapitalSource Bank FBO Aeon Financial LLC is listed as the plaintiff in hundreds of foreclosure proceedings....

In a bit of an unusual move, The Washington Post is now following up on their coverage of Aeon almost two years later (?). Yesterday, they released a lengthy article regarding Aeon's practices, and re-interviewed Delaney about the situation (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST:  The firm that threatened to foreclose on hundreds of struggling D.C. homeowners is a mystery: It lists no owners, no local office, no Web site.

Aeon Financial is incorporated in Delaware, operates from mail-drop boxes in Chicago and is represented by a law firm with an address at a 7,200-square-foot estate on a mountainside near Vail, Colo.

Yet no other tax lien purchaser in the District has been more aggressive in recent years, buying the liens placed on properties when owners fell behind on their taxes, then charging families thousands in fees to save their homes from foreclosure....

One of Aeon’s major lenders was CapitalSource Bank, founded in 2000 by John Delaney, who was elected to the U.S. House last year. The Maryland Democrat was the bank’s chief executive officer when CapitalSource loaned $30 million to Aeon in 2009.

Delaney spokesman Will McDonald said the congressman didn’t know about the company’s problems in Ohio or the District’s lawsuit against Aeon.... “During Congressman Delaney’s time as CEO, CapitalSource made over 5,000 business loans, loans probably totaling over $20 billion,” McDonald said. “The CEO of a bank does not track the ongoing business operations of all outstanding loans because doing so would be impossible.” Delaney took a leave of absence from his position at the bank last year and resigned after being elected to Congress....

In any case, former State Senator Rob Garagiola has moved on to greener pastures, and Delaney's comments about Aeon are just a small part of The Washington Post coverage. But this story is a couple years old now, so I guess it took a long time to research? Though the article does note that, "The Post spent three months examining Aeon’s corporate history, traveling to Chicago, Cleveland and three counties in Maryland and reviewing hundreds of business and land records, to find out who is behind the company that has affected thousands of homeowners across the country."

JUICE: Gansler Loses Endorsements, Mizeur's Financing & FOP Support, Brown Under Fire, Simmons vs. Kagan, Ervin & D18

Below Maryland Juice provides a round-up of news that may be of interest to politicos (sorry for the brief hiatus during the recent holiday period):

JUICE #1: DOUG GANSLER LOSING A COUPLE MOCO ENDORSEMENTS? - The last few months of mayhem in Maryland's gubernatorial race may be beginning to have some impact. First, Maryland Juice just caught the following Center Maryland interview of Somerset Mayor Jeffrey Slavin announcing that he's switched his support in the race from Doug Gansler to Anthony Brown. I cut a video excerpting Slavin's comments below:


Maryland Juice had also been hearing murmurs that Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown was due to announce endorsements from Montgomery County officials this Saturday. Today we received the following press release confirming the news (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Montgomery County Endorsement Event

What: Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown and County Executive Ken Ulman to unveil Montgomery County endorsers

When: Saturday, December 7th at 1:30 p.m.

Where: Jane E. Lawton Community Center
4301 Willow Ln., Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Click here for a Google Map

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But interestingly, Delegate Kirill Reznik appears to be one of the MoCo endorsers for Anthony Brown this Saturday. He sent the following email to his state legislative colleagues this week:

KIRILL REZNIK: Dear Friends and Colleagues, This coming Saturday, I will formally announce my endorsement and support of Anthony Brown and Ken Ulman to be our next Governor and Lt. Governor of Maryland.

I'm writing this email to make a personal appeal to my fellow elected officials in Montgomery County to ask you to join me in that announcement.

Over the last 7 years, we've all witnessed Anthony's leadership, commitment to our State, and dedication to progressive politics and policies.  For those of you who served with him in the House of Delegate, prior to his time as Lt. Governor, you've likely seen it earlier.

I have personally done a lot of soul-searching to come to this point, and though I have great respect for Anthony's competitors in this race, and count them amongst my friends, I believe that the best choice for both the people of Maryland and the people of Montgomery County is to have the Brown/Ulman team elected as our State's top executives.

It is my hope that we can come together as elected officials in Montgomery County and support Anthony and Ken for both the Primary and General election in 2014.  I hope to hear from you and look forward to you joining me this coming Saturday.

Reznik's endorsement is interesting, because a couple Maryland Juice sources told us they were under the impression that was going to be supporting Doug Gansler in the Governor's race. We asked Delegate Reznik for background on his endorsement, and he provided the following commentary:

KIRILL REZNIK: Yes, I am endorsing Anthony Brown. I wouldn't characterize myself as switching, at least not officially.  I had previously expected to endorse Gansler, but hadn't actually done it.  My choice is based primarily on who I believe I am more compatible with policy-wise.  Gansler has taken a position on a number of issues that run counter to my votes in the Legislature.  Things like gas tax, death penalty, etc, just made me realize that from my perspective Anthony is the better choice. I actually made this decision personally before any of Doug's issues arose, but that also didn't help. I am supporting Brown not just opposing Gansler.  I think Anthony is the best candidate.

JUICE #2: HEATHER MIZUER OPTS FOR PUBLIC FINANCING IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE AND ALSO EARNS THE MOCO FOP ENDORSEMENT - Two months ago, Maryland Juice predicted that Delegate Heather Mizeur would opt into Maryland's public financing system for gubernatorial campaigns. Though the decision would limit her campaign expenditures to about $2.5 million, it would also allow her to receive public matching funds from contributions she has already raised. This week Mizeur released the following press release announcing that our prediction was correct (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Mizeur proposes sweeping campaign finance reform;
will accept public funding

SILVER SPRING, Maryland – This morning, Heather Mizeur, Democratic candidate for governor, will walk interested members of the press through several proposals for campaign finance reform that she would enact as Governor.

Mizeur will also answer questions about her plans to participate in public financing and limit some other contributions to her campaign....

Details on plan

Mizeur’s public funding plan creates a voluntary matching fund system for all legislative and statewide candidates. Under the proposal, the state would provide one-to-one matching funds for participating candidates on all contributions of $250 or below. Candidates who opt into the system would be limited to maximum public match levels and prohibited from accepting contributions over $250.

“A voluntary public financing option will encourage more diverse candidates and serious options for voters,” Mizeur said. “Our elections should focus on issues, not purse strings.”

Mizeur will also propose several additional reforms aimed at limiting special interest influence and increasing transparency. The reforms include a ban on corporation and state contractor contributions, a stop to the lobbyist “revolving door,” and a requirement that municipal candidates abide by state finance reporting laws.

“I want to be Governor to ensure that all Marylanders have a voice in Annapolis. I can’t think of a better way to do that than by eradicating special interest control over campaign finance.”

Mizeur will participate in the current gubernatorial public financing system.

“I believe in leading by example so I will be accepting the current model of public financing. It’s time for politicians to start walking the walk. If we want to take the money out of politics, we need to prove that it can be done.” 

Key Facts about Maryland’s Current Public Financing System:

Campaigns participating in public financing receive eligible and ineligible funds. Eligible funds are those that qualify for matching--contributions up to $250 from individuals--and ineligible are all other contributions compliant with regular Maryland state law.

Participating campaigns must abide by a spending cap determined by the State Board of Elections using a calculation based on the state's population and adjusted for inflation. The exact number won't be available until early 2014. The estimate from the board is approximately $2.5 million.

Publicly financed campaigns are able to accept eligible funds during legislative session.

Every time a campaign opting for public financing raises $250,000 in eligible funds, the campaign can apply to the Maryland State Board of Elections to have those funds matched.

The fund is regulated by the State Board of Elections and controlled by the Comptroller's office.

Public financing is currently only available to candidates running for Governor.

To read Heather’s full campaign finance reform plan, please visit: www.heathermizeur.com/cleancampaigns

###

Meanwhile, this week Mizeur also announced the endorsement of MoCo's police union (FOP Lodge 35):

PRESS RELEASE

Mizeur-Coates Campaign Endorsed by Montgomery County Police Union

SILVER SPRING, Maryland – This morning, Heather Mizeur, Democratic candidate for Governor, earned the endorsement of the Montgomery County Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge 35.

“I am honored to have the support of the brave men and women from Lodge 35,” said Mizeur. “Together, we will change the status quo in Annapolis and get to work to on sensible reforms to our criminal justice system that improve public safety and protect our officers in the line of duty.

Leaders of Lodge 35 were impressed by Mizeur’s governing vision and her commitment to improving Maryland’s communities.

“After hearing Heather speak, her selection was a no-brainer for us,” said member and County Detective Jim Peacock. “Maryland has had enough politics-as-usual. Heather is a breath of fresh air, and she far outshined her competition with her knowledge of the issues, passion for public service, and commitment to making a difference.”

“Heather is a capable leader and will bring fresh ideas rather than maintaining the status quo,” said Torrie Cooke, Lodge 35 President.

FOP Lodge 35 represents approximately 1,200 police officers in Montgomery County. This is the first local FOP endorsement and the first Montgomery County local endorsement in the Maryland Democratic gubernatorial primary election.

FOP Lodge 35 joins Progressive Neighbors, Women’s Campaign Fund, and Blue America in endorsing Mizeur’s candidacy for governor. She has also earned the backing of more than three-dozen current and former elected officials, including former Congressman Wayne Gilchrest, Baltimore City Councilmember Mary Pat Clarke, and Montgomery County Delegate Shane Robinson (D-39). 

For additional comment from FOP Lodge 35, please contact Jim Peacock – (301) 948-4286.

###

JUICE #3: ANTHONY BROWN UNDER FIRE FOR MARYLAND OBAMACARE ROLL-OUT - In our last item about the Maryland Governor's race, Anthony Brown is facing fire for the state's bungled Obamacare roll-out. The Gansler campaign sent out the following press release calling for a response from Brown and highlighting recent press coverage over the issue:

PRESS RELEASE

Statement by Lt. Governor candidate Jolene Ivey on Maryland Health Exchange problems and accountability failure

"The Washington Post recently called Maryland's Health Exchange an 'embarrassment' and Congressman Chris Van Hollen has called it a 'mess' yet Lieutenant Governor Brown, responsible for overseeing it, continues to dodge the press and the public when asked to explain the problems with the health exchange, including how he spent close to $170 million of taxpayers money. The people of Maryland, and all of us who supported the Affordable Care Act, deserve a full accounting, not a Lt. Governor who touts his title in rolling out the health exchange on his campaign website but ducks responsibility in his job. It's no wonder Governor O'Malley has taken this back under his control."

WBALTV11: Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown target of mounting criticism over healthcare

Washington Post: Maryland's Health Exchange needs a doctor

###

JUICE #4: D17 SENATE RACE HEATS UP: LUIZ SIMMONS ANNOUNCES TEAMSTERS ENDORSEMENTS, WHILE CHERYL KAGAN HIGHLIGHTS SIMMONS' RECORD - The race for the District 17 State Senate seat currently held by Jennie Forehand is heating up. Delegate Luiz Simmons and former Delegate Cheryl Kagan are vying for the seat, and this week, both campaigns released interesting statements. Simmons announced the endorsement of the Teamsters, while Kagan highlighted a new column from Center Maryland's Josh Kurtz pointing out items in Simmons' voting record. See both statements below:

PRESS RELEASE

Del. Luiz Simmons Endorsed by Teamsters for State Senate

Rockville, MD – Today, Del. Luiz Simmons received the endorsement of Teamsters Local 730 in his bid to be District 17’s next State Senator.

Teamsters Local 730 has many members who reside in Montgomery County.  Richie Brooks, President of Local 730 said in a letter received by the campaign, “It is with great pleasure that I inform you that Teamsters Local 730 will proudly endorse you for the office of State Senate in Montgomery County in next years election.”

“I am honored to have the support of the Teamsters. I admire these hardworking men and women who often perform the tough and dangerous jobs that make our community a better and safer place to live and raise children,” said Del. Luiz Simmons. “I will continue to support our shared values when I am elected to the State Senate.”

The endorsement of the Teamsters follows Congressman John Delaney’s backing of Simmons and a poll showing Simmons with a 70% approval rating in district 17, while leading his opponent Cheryl Kagan by 16%.

To learn more about Del. Luiz Simmons and his campaign visit www.LuizSimmons.com

###

Today, Cheryl Kagan's State Senate campaign also launched the following email blast highlighting criticism of Delegate Simmons' record that appeared in Center Maryland:

CHERYL KAGAN: Dear Juice, I wanted to make sure you saw this breaking news.  One of Maryland's most respected journalists just published an in-depth profile of my opponent for State Senate.  The article's conclusions are troubling:

"[Luiz Simmons'] candidacy...may raise all kinds of red flags for women's groups and organizations that work with victims of domestic violence, for gun control advocates, for people concerned about clean government..."

And that's not all!

"Questions can be raised about Simmons' legislative record, about the fact that he seems to be using government property for political purposes, and about whether Simmons is temperamentally suited to work in a collegial environment."

As a Montgomery County native, former legislator, and lifelong advocate, I am deeply concerned that this kind of representation would hurt our community-- and hurt the causes we all care about so much.

I'm running for State Senate because we need a more positive vision of leadership for Rockville and Gaithersburg.  I've dedicated my career in public service to bringing people together and building coalitions to get things done on issues like strong protections for victims of domestic violence, tough gun control laws, and improving our quality of life.

I hope you'll agree with me that we deserve a progressive, independent-minded Democrat in the State Senate who will stand up for our shared interests and values.  So many of you have already demonstrated your support for my candidacy, and for that I am grateful.  If you haven't had a chance, please consider making a contribution today to keep the momentum going.

Eight years as a member of the legislature taught me the importance of working well with others without abandoning one's principles.  With your help, I'm confident that we can make a real difference for Maryland's future.

Best,

Cheryl  

 
JUICE #5: MOCO COUNCILMEMBER VALERIE ERVIN TO ANNOUNCE "FUTURE PLANS" ON TUESDAY - Montgomery County Councilmember Valerie Ervin released a press statement today announcing that she would be announcing her "future plans" next Tuesday. You can read her press release below:

PRESS RELEASE

Montgomery County Councilmember Valerie Ervin to Announce Future Plans At Announcement on Tuesday, Dec. 10

She Will Be Joined by Council President Craig Rice, Councilmember Nancy Navarro

ROCKVILLE, Md., December 6, 2013—Montgomery County Councilmember Valerie Ervin will announce her future plans at a news conference at 12 noon on Tuesday, Dec. 10, in the Third Floor Conference Room of the County Council Office Building in Rockville. After nearly a decade as an elected leader in Montgomery County and much speculation about her political future, Councilmember Ervin—who is in her second term on the Council—will be joined by Council President Craig Rice and Councilmember Nancy Navarro to share some exciting news.

Councilmember Ervin, who was first elected to the Council in 2006 and was re-elected in 2010, is best known for her work on issues including establishing a County minimum wage; increasing child care subsidies for working parents; ensuring that prevailing wages are paid on construction projects; providing contract protections for service workers; expanding summer food and universal breakfast programs for children; and creating the first County-wide food recovery network in the nation.

Councilmember Ervin, who served as Council president from 2010-11, is chair of the Council’s Education Committee and also serves on its Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee. She is a former member of the Montgomery County Board of Education (elected in 2004) and has been committed to major initiatives to close the achievement gap.  Ervin has also been a strong advocate for marriage equality.

# # #

JUICE #6: DISTRICT 18 TEA LEAVES // SIERRA CLUB ENDORSES D18 DELEGATES ANA SOL GUTIERREZ, JEFF WALDSTREICHER & AL CARR FOR RE-ELECTION - Numerous potential challengers are lining up for District 18's 2014 Delegate race, in the event one of the three incumbents, Ana Sol Gutierrez might retire. While she has not yet announced her plans, Maryland Juice received the following press release from the District 18 team this week indicating that the incumbents have been endorsed for re-election by the Sierra Club. Is the press release below a clue about Delegate Ana Sol Gutierrez's future plans?

PRESS RELEASE

Senator Madaleno, Delegates Carr, Gutiérrez, & Waldstreicher Endorsed by Sierra Club
(Kensington, MD) The District 18 Democratic Team announced today that each member—Senator Rich Madaleno and Delegates Al Carr, Ana Sol Gutiérrez, and Jeff Waldstreicher—was endorsed by the Sierra Club for the 2014 election.

The Sierra Club is one of Maryland’s leading environmental organizations.  Their endorsements cited each member’s “strong support for the environment and proven track record on environmental issues.”

Although the Sierra Club endorsed each member of the District 18 Democrats, the Sierra Club endorses individual environmental champions, not slates.

“I am proud to serve with fierce environmental advocates on my team,” Senator Madaleno stated.  “Delegates Carr, Gutiérrez, Waldstreicher, and I work day-in and day-out to ensure Marylanders have clear air, clean water, and a green future for our children.  The Sierra Club’s endorsement reflects the progress we’ve made together curbing global warming, preserving open space, and protecting the Chesapeake Bay.”

An official announcement regarding each member’s 2014 plans will be forthcoming.  To learn more about the District 18 Democratic Team, please visit facebook.com/distric18democrats.

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JUICE: Kagan vs. Simmons for D17 Senate, Gansler's Attack Ad, MoCo Council Hopefuls for Wage Hike, Duncan on Purple Line

PLUS:  A PUSH AGAINST USING COPS FOR IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IN MARYLAND

Below Maryland Juice provides a round-up of news that may be of interest to Free State politicos:

JUICE #1: FORMER DELEGATE CHERYL KAGAN ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN FOR D17 STATE SENATE // MEANWHILE: DEL. LUIZ SIMMONS RELEASES D17 SENATE POLL -  This week, former Delegate Cheryl Kagan announced her campaign for the District 17 State Senate seat currently held by Jennie Forehand. Notably, D17 Delegate Luiz Simmons recently announced his intention to run for the same Senate seat. Below you can see Kagan's press release announcing her Senate campaign, followed by a polling memo released by Delegate Simmons:

PRESS RELEASE

Former Delegate Cheryl Kagan Announces Plans to Run for State Senate
(Rockville, MD) Former state legislator and longtime Democratic activist Cheryl Kagan announced today that she plans to run for the District 17 State Senate seat in 2014.

Kagan, who represented District 17 (primarily Rockville and Gaithersburg) in the House of Delegates for eight years, has been a leader on issues such as civil liberties, public safety and gun control, transportation, and the budget.

In the State Senate, Kagan pledged to get results on issues that matter.

"We need an effective advocate who will work tirelessly to protect our values," Kagan said.  "In the Senate, I will speak up for our interests and for improving the quality of life in Rockville, Gaithersburg, and all of Montgomery County."

Cheryl Kagan, a Montgomery County native, represented the 17th legislative district from 1995 to 2003, when she chose not to run again.  While in office, she earned a reputation as a hard-working, effective, and independent-minded leader who asked tough questions on behalf of her constituents.

In addition to her service in elective office, Cheryl Kagan has done legislative, political, and nonprofit work at the federal, state, and local levels.  She has lobbied to strengthen our federal gun control laws; defended women's reproductive rights; supported the election of progressive, pro-choice Democrats; and, as a foundation executive, distributed more than $1,000,000 per year to local nonprofit organizations.  Kagan currently works as the Director of Community Engagement for BBYO, an international nonprofit organization helping to nurture and support Jewish teen leaders.

"My experience in the nonprofit sector has given me a deep understanding of how state policies in Annapolis affect our neighbors here in Montgomery County," Kagan said.  "By listening to the community and building coalitions, I'm confident that we can overcome our state's challenges."

Committed to giving back to the community, Kagan is a dedicated volunteer leader as well.  She has served with civic organizations including the Maryland State Arts Council, the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County, the Charter Review Commission, and Leadership Montgomery.

In 2010, Kagan's energetic and competitive campaign for State Senate was called the "#1 Race to Watch" in all of Maryland.  She finished with 48% of the vote.

"Over the past several months, I've been humbled by the tremendous number of people who have encouraged me to run for the State Senate.  I am excited to continue these conversations on the campaign trail," said former Delegate Kagan.

An official announcement of Kagan's candidacy will be forthcoming.  To learn more about Cheryl Kagan and her campaign, please visit www.CherylKagan.org, www.facebook.com/CherylCKagan, and http://www.twitter.com/CherylKagan.

###

Shortly after Cheryl Kagan announced for the D17 State Senate race, rival candidate Delegate Luiz Simmons released a polling memo claiming a 16 point lead in the race. It is worth noting, however, that the poll results below came from a fairly small sample of 219 voters:

Delegate Luiz Simmons NOV 2013 District 17 Polling Memo

Meanwhile, Cheryl Kagan points to a different metric in her race against Simmons - namely, social media followers. Bethesda Magazine's Lou Peck recently highlighted some numbers in the race for online support in District 17:

BETHESDA MAGAZINE: Just days after Delegate Luiz Simmons formally announced he would seek the District 17 Senate seat in next June’s Democratic primary, the jockeying is intensifying for what may turn out to be the only competitive 2014 contest among Montgomery County’s eight Senate districts....

The Kagan camp was boasting that, in just over three hours after its launch, her Facebook page had accumulated as many “likes” – 135 -- as a counterpart fan page launched by Simmons six months ago, in May. “The social media primary was won in less than 3.5 hours. Thank you, @facebook friends,” Kagan declared Friday night via Twitter.

As of Sunday evening, the Kagan page had slightly more than 400 likes, as compared to just under 175 for the Simmons page....

If you're interested in the social media contest, you can check out Cheryl Kagan and Luiz Simmons' campaign profiles on Facebook.


JUICE #2: DOUG GANSLER RELEASES VIDEO ATTACKING ANTHONY BROWN ON HANDLING OF OBAMACARE - The gubernatorial campaign of Attorney General Doug Gansler released the following video this week attacking rival Anthony Brown on his handling of Maryland's Obamacare roll-out:



JUICE #3: NEW MOCO COUNCIL CANDIDATES LAUNCH CAMPAIGNS WITH SUPPORT FOR MINIMUM WAGE HIKE: BETH DALY AT-LARGE & NEDA BOLOURIAN IN DISTRICT 2 - Two candidates this week announced campaigns for the Montgomery County Council: Beth Daly for an at-large seat and Neda Bolourian for the District 2 seat. All four at-large incumbents (Marc Elrich, Nancy Floreen, George Leventhal & Hans Riemer) are seeking re-election next year, as is the District 2 incumbent Craig Rice. Below you can see a press release and social media roll-out from the candidates, as well as statements in support of the proposed MoCo minimum wage increase:

PRESS RELEASE

Beth Daly Declares Candidacy for Montgomery County At-Large Council Seat   Daly is a Critic of Unchecked Growth
Montgomery County, MD – Beth Daly, a civic activist and member of the Montgomery County Upcounty Citizens Advisory Board and the Sugarloaf Citizens Association, announced her candidacy for one of the county’s four at-large county council seats. Daly will be running as a Democrat in the June 24 primary.

Daly, a critic of unchecked growth who has been active in advocating for public transit and more accurate traffic management systems, would be the council’s only at-large council member from Montgomery’s fast-growing upcounty region. Currently, all four of the at-large council members live south of White Flint Mall.

“We need to put the smart back in smart growth,” Daly said in her campaign video, which appears on her website www.bethdaly.org. “I do not want to hear that the Montgomery County Council is powerless to fix the problems it created or allowed to fester under its watch,” Daly said.

While working as an advertising consultant, Daly, 51, raised two children, Jack and Joe, with husband Steve Seeger, living first in Bethesda and later in Dickerson. Daly now works for the Spanish language broadcaster Telemundo. 

A first-time candidate for elected office, Daly is no stranger to Democratic politics or public policy. She began her career in the mid 1980’s on the staff of the late Howard Metzenbaum (D-OH); she directed the Clinton/Gore presidential campaign’s media buying efforts in the 1990’s; and in 2012 was selected by EMERGE Maryland, for a program designed to recruit and develop accomplished women seeking elected office throughout the state of Maryland.

 “I love Montgomery County and I’ve loved my life here as an apartment dweller, as a suburban homeowner and as someone who now lives in the Agricultural Reserve,” said Daly. “This county has much to offer. The challenge now is to keep pace with transportation, education, recreation and other needs. I am tired of seeing our school grounds littered with portable classrooms. I am tired of spending more time in traffic and less time at home with my loved ones. We either do it right, now, and right now, or we feel the pain for decades to come.”

The Daly campaign held its first campaign kickoff on November 16th to a jam-packed crowd at the Poolesville home of Tom Gutierrez and Ann Stevens. A second event is scheduled for November 21st in the Chevy Chase home of George and Monica Baker.

# # #

In the District 2 Council race, former candidate Neda Bolourian announced her intentions to run for the seat through a couple of messages on Facebook:

NEDA BOLOURIAN: Pleased to announce that we have filed the appropriate paperwork and are officially in the running for Montgomery County Council! Thank you for the outpouring of support!....

The new website will be up by next week! I look forward to hearing from all of you and would love to get the youth involved in our great county!! Message me if you would like to volunteer or take part in our informal panel discussion. This campaign is about ALL of us! Let's get this started!

On the week of their campaign announcements, Daly and Bolourian both came out for the proposed Montgomery County minimum wage increase:

PRESS RELEASE

Statement by Beth Daly Montgomery County, MD At-Large Council Candidate on Increasing Montgomery County’s Minimum Wage

I fully support Bill 27-13 - to raise the minimum wage in Montgomery County to $11.50 over a three-year span.  We live in one of the ten wealthiest counties in the nation. We also have a very high cost of living, as compared to other areas of Maryland and the U.S.  Hourly workers deserve a living wage, and the federal minimum of $7.25 is simply not enough to allow low-wage workers to pay for rent, food, and transportation in Montgomery County.

In real terms, the minimum wage has decreased. According to the Economic Policy Institute, “Legislated increases in the federal minimum wage in both 2007 and 2008 boosted it from $5.15 in 2006 to $7.25 in 2009, its highest level in real terms since 1981. But even after this nearly 41 percent increase, the minimum wage in 2009 was still 7.8 percent less than its value in 1967 (in 2011 dollars).”
http://www.epi.org/publication/declining-federal-minimum-wage-inequality/

I want to thank Councilmember Marc Elrich for introducing this important legislation, along with Council President Nancy Navarro, and Councilmember Valerie Ervin  for co-sponsoring it. I urge the remaining five councilmembers to sign on to this bill.

# # #

Neda Bolourian announced her support for a minimum wage increase on Facebook and Twitter:

NEDA BOLOURIAN: Every citizen deserves a #livingwage. I support raising the minimum wage in our county immediately. There is no time to waste.

Pleased to hear that the committee has voted to raise the #livingwage in our community. Hope that the full council follows suit. #MDpolitics

JUICE #4: MARYLAND BOARD OF ELECTIONS TAKES ISSUE WITH GANSLER'S PROPOSAL FOR AN OUTSIDE SPENDING BAN IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE - Maryland Juice previously reported that Doug Gansler was calling on Anthony Brown and Heather Mizeur to join him in a pledge to voluntarily reject outside spending from groups in the 2014 Governor's race.  But The Washington Post reported this week that the Board of Elections has issues with the pledge (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: As Maryland gubernatorial hopeful Douglas F. Gansler presented it last week, his plan to “keep outside money out of Maryland” would require him and his Democratic rivals to sign a pledge discouraging third-party spending on the race.

If an organization other than a campaign spent money on radio or television ads, the candidate who benefited would have to pay a penalty by donating campaign money to charity....

This week, however, a state election official said there was a hitch: Maryland election law bans most charitable contributions by active campaigns.

“However noble it may be, it’s not allowed,” said Jared DeMarinis, director of the state election board’s candidacy and campaign finance division....

“This can be worked out,” [Gansler spokesman Bob Wheelock] said. “The first step is getting the other campaigns to agree to do it.”

Brown’s campaign manager, Justin Schall, wasn’t biting. He said Gansler’s proposed pledge was “well intentioned,” but he added, “We have been advised that it fails to comply with Maryland law....”

JUICE #5: DOUG DUNCAN'S COMMENTS ON THE PURPLE LINE AT MARYLAND JUICE'S "MILLION VIEWS" PARTY UNDER SCRUTINY - The Washington Post's Bill Turque earlier this week wrote a review of commentary from rival MoCo executive candidates Ike Leggett and Doug Duncan. But Turque followed up on his piece with a second article digging into some remarks Doug Duncan made during Q&A about the Purple Line (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: While answering questions from Democratic activists at a Rockville restaurant Monday night, Doug Duncan — the former Montgomery County executive who is running to regain that office — said he’d “always” been a steadfast supporter of the Purple Line. But that depends on your definition of “always....”

During his first campaign for county executive in 1994, Duncan signed a pledge to oppose light rail from Bethesda to Silver Spring, especially if it happened to cross the fairways of the Columbia Country Club or pass through land behind expensive Chevy Chase homes. A copy of the agreement is on the Action Committee for Transit Web site, under the “Purple Line History” tab....

[Action Committee for Transit's Ben] Ross, who attended the Monday night event and asked Duncan about his position on the Purple Line, tweeted attention to Duncan’s revision of history the next day....

Duncan said Wednesday he didn’t think he misled the audience Monday night. “I’ve always supported the Purple Line. It was a question of alignment,” he said.... “But, we had a good debate on it, and the decision was made to put it somewhere else, and I support that decision,” he said. “We’re not going to revisit that. We need to get it built.”

JUICE #6: NEW MARYLAND ACLU REPORT DETAILS HOW USING LOCAL POLICE AS IMMIGRATION AGENTS UNDERMINES PUBLIC SAFETY - Maryland Juice has for a long time been calling for the Free State and its counties to stop participating in the Department of Homeland Security's so-called "Secure Communities" program. Other states have fought participation in the program, which forces local police to serve as immigration enforcement agents. This week the ACLU of Maryland, along with CASA and SEIU, highlighted a new report indicating that these "immigration detainers" by local law enforcement undermine public safety. You can read the press release and the ACLU's report below:

PRESS RELEASE

ACLU Report Details How Immigration Detainers in Maryland Undermine Public Safety Through Unnecessary Enforcement

Group Will Support “Maryland TRUST Act”Legislation in the 2014 Session

TAKOMA PARK, MD – Amid a deportation frenzy in the U.S. even while immigration reform is being considered in Congress, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Maryland today released a report on how state and local law enforcement are undermining public safety and wasting resources by enforcing immigration detainer requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Compliance with these detainers is not mandatory, yet the report details the startling rate at which many counties detain immigrants with no greater offense than a traffic violation – effectively transforming their local law enforcement officials into proxy immigration agents.

The ACLU report was launched at a press conference featuring State Sen. Victor Ramirez (D-Prince George’s) and representatives from CASA de Maryland (CASA) and Service Employees International United (SEIU). Sen. Ramirez will be the lead Senate sponsor of the Maryland TRUST Act, a bill to restore community trust in local law enforcement by eliminating their entanglement in civil immigration enforcement efforts.

“More and more jurisdictions across the country are refusing to act as surrogates in the current deportation frenzy,” said Sirine Shebaya, attorney directing the ACLU of Maryland’s immigrants’ rights advocacy. “The ACLU is calling on Maryland to join other states in deciding that complying with these requests is an inefficient use of our limited law enforcement resources and results only in ripping apart our communities.”

The report, Restoring Trust: How Immigration Detainers in Maryland Undermine Public Safety Through Unnecessary Enforcement, describes how immigrants in Maryland are detained after they are eligible for release, in state and local facilities and at state and local expense, for the sole purpose of transferring them to federal immigration authorities even when they are picked up solely on traffic violations and even when they are not even charged with a civil immigration violation.

Key findings in the ACLU report:

• Most individuals held on an immigration detainer in Maryland are charged only with traffic violations or minor misdemeanor offenses.
• The overwhelming majority of people targeted by immigration detainers in Maryland are Latino.
• Immigration detainers undermine public safety and community trust in local law enforcement by entangling local authorities in federal immigration enforcement.
• Immigration detainers are purely voluntary requests that impose costs on local jurisdictions, and those costs are not reimbursed by the federal government.
• Several states, counties, and cities across the United States have taken steps to stop detaining individuals based solely on immigration detainer requests.

The report calls for statewide reform that would take back control of Maryland’s entanglement in a broken immigration enforcement system and that would provide safeguards that address the significant due process and other constitutional concerns raised by immigration detainers. These safeguards would restore and help build community trust in law enforcement. And they would ensure that local jurisdictions are fully reimbursed for any costs associated with responding to immigration detainer requests.

Recently, the Maryland Attorney General’s Office issued a letter of advice joining a number of other state and county attorneys in recognizing that compliance with immigration detainer requests is discretionary.

###

ACLU Maryland Report: How Immigration Detainers In Maryland Undermine Public Safety

JUICE: Mizeur Calls for Marijuana Legalization, Gansler Disses Brown on Obamacare, Duncan vs. Leggett at Our Reader Party

Below Maryland Juice provides a few news items that may be of interest to politicos, including a summary of what happened during the sometimes feisty Q&A at our "Million Views Party" Monday night:

JUICE #1: GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE HEATHER MIZEUR CALLS FOR MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION // PLUS: GANSLER & BROWN RESPOND - This week Delegate Heather Mizeur unveiled a plan to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol in Maryland. The Washington Post received an advanced copy of the plan and published responses from the rival gubernatorial campaigns of Doug Gansler and Anthony Brown (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Maryland Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Heather R. Mizeur on Tuesday will propose legalizing marijuana and using the tax revenue it generates to fund pre-kindergarten education, according to an advance copy of her plan.... She estimates that taxing the drug could yield up to $157.5 million in new revenue for the state each year....

Mizeur’s two better-known Democratic opponents reacted cautiously to word of her plan.

“The attorney general recognizes that public sentiment is slowly shifting toward limited, prescribed medicinal use of marijuana and, in some states, even toward decriminalization of marijuana,” said Gansler campaign spokesman Bob Wheelock. “There does not appear to be a groundswell toward full scale legalization here in Maryland, nor does the attorney general feel that unrestrained legalization would be appropriate.”

Justin Schall, Brown’s campaign manager, said Brown “welcomes a continued discussion and analysis on how decriminalizing negligible amounts of marijuana would impact the ability of our law enforcement agencies to focus on more violent crimes and criminals....”

SUMMARY OF GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES' VIEWS THUS FAR ON MARIJUANA - Based on the candidates' commentary in The Washington Post, it appears that while Mizeur supports full-on pot legalization, Gansler opposes the proposal and is silent on decriminalization (aka the proposal to simply change the penalty for possession from jail time to a fine). Meanwhile, Anthony Brown's campaign appears to be silent on legalization but may be keeping the door open to supporting decriminalization.  You can read Mizeur's press release announcing her proposal below:

PRESS RELEASE

Mizeur Proposes Marijuana Legalization in Maryland
SILVER SPRING, Maryland – This morning, Heather Mizeur, Democratic candidate for governor, released her plan to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana in Maryland.

“A majority of Marylanders and Americans support the legalization of marijuana because of its impact on public safety and its ability to generate badly needed revenue for critical state priorities,” said Mizeur. “Legalizing, regulating, and taxing marijuana similar to the way we regulate alcohol will provide our state with increased revenue, enhance public safety, and improve environmental and economic outcomes.”

Under Mizeur’s proposal, taxation of marijuana would generate $157.5 million annually to be spent on early childhood education.

“Legalizing, regulating, and taxing marijuana will provide Maryland with a dedicated revenue stream to make overdue and critical investments in early childhood education. Our plan will help ensure that prekindergarten is available to all children in our state.”

“Finally, a Maryland gubernatorial candidate who understands the linkage between drug policy, crime and human rights,” said Neill Franklin, a retired Maryland State Police Officer who served for 33 years in law enforcement. We now have a chance to focus our limited police resources on violent crime and to end mass incarceration.”

To read Mizeur’s entire plan to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana, visit www.heathermizeur.com/marijuana. 

###

JUICE #2: DOUG GANSLER DISSES ANTHONY BROWN ON OBAMACARE, SAYING THE LT. GOVERNOR IS "DROPPING THE BALL" - Maryland Juice received the following press release from the gubernatorial campaign of Doug Gansler stating that Lt. Governor Anthony Brown is "dropping the ball" on Obamacare enrollment in Maryland:

PRESS RELEASE

DROPPING THE BALL: Lt. Governor Anthony Brown Mismanages Maryland Health Exchange Rollout, Calls Insurance Company Cancellations "Renewal Notices”
Silver Spring, MARYLAND - Lieutenant Governor Brown said Sunday that the 73,000 Marylanders who have had their health insurance cancelled by insurance companies should know “It’s not really a cancellation,” and that “they are renewal notices.” This blatant, factual inaccuracy is part of an emerging pattern: Brown mismanaged the rollout of the Maryland Health Exchange and has yet to be clear about his failure to oversee the program or what he is doing to fix it.

“Attorney General Gansler and I strongly support Obamacare. Some states managed this process well and are succeeding. Unfortunately, Lieutenant Governor Brown, given the job of managing the rollout, mismanaged it, and has given Obamacare critics ammunition to attack it.,” said Delegate Jolene Ivey, Gansler’s Lt. Governor running mate. “Hopefully the Governor has taken this over,” she added.

Bob Wheelock, Gansler’s Communications Director added, “Today Lt. Gov. Brown is appearing with local athletes to highlight efforts to get people to enroll.  We support that.  But he dropped the ball when it came to actually getting the rollout right and I think the voters of Maryland would prefer he fix it instead of posing for photo opportunities.”

Wheelock also noted that in a recent WBAL interview, Brown admitted to knowing that pre-rollout testing of Maryland’s health care exchange had technical challenges. “Why didn’t Brown stand up and do something to protect Obamacare, fixing the problem here in Maryland before it happened?” Wheelock asked. Brown’s statement on WBAL also contradicts what he said previously when he claimed not to know of any problems with the system until the opening day of the rollout.

“He has constantly ducked responsibility and has refused to be straight about the problems and what he’s doing to fix them,” added Ivey.

Wheelock added that unlike Brown, who is making excuses for insurance companies, Democratic candidate for Governor Doug Gansler is taking them on.  His office yesterday called on eight Maryland health insurance companies to comply with the letter of the law under the Affordable Care Act and spelled out the information that every Maryland consumer should receive if their insurance carrier opts to cancel their policy.

In that letter, Attorney General Gansler noted that "Our office will not stand for the abuses and fear-mongering that has been documented in other states."

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Notably, today Anthony Brown's campaign issued a press release indicating that the Lt. Governor would be promoting health care in Prince George's County (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Lt. Governor Brown to Promote Health Care and Education in Prince George's County

Brown to Participate in Health Care Outreach Announcement and Tour Local Elementary School

CAPITOL HEIGHTS & UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (November 19, 2013) – TODAY, Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown will participate in two events in Prince George’s County, where he’ll continue his efforts to expand access to quality, affordable health care for all Marylanders. He will also tour a local elementary school as part of American Education Week, as he continues his efforts to provide every child in Maryland with a world-class education.

JUICE #3: SPARKS FLY BETWEEN MOCO EXEC IKE LEGGETT, DOUG DUNCAN & COUNCILMEMBER GEORGE LEVENTHAL AT MARYLAND JUICE'S READER PARTY - On Monday night Maryland Juice hosted a "million views" party for readers in Rockville, Maryland. Dozens of Free State politicos and candidates joined us for some informal conversations about state and local issues, and attendees had the opportunity to ask questions of Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett and rival candidate Doug Duncan (former Montgomery County Executive). Congressman John Delaney also dropped by and answered questions from readers. A special thanks again to Delaney and Progressive Maryland for sponsoring food at the event!

The Washington Post's Bill Turque attended our celebration and published a good summary of the remarks from the rival County Executive candidates Doug Duncan and incumbent Ike Leggett, which includes candidates' commentary on the Silver Spring Transit Center delays, marijuana decriminalization, and a proposal for a minimum wage hike in Montgomery County. Turque's write-up of the Maryland Juice party also includes coverage of an unexpected exchange of words involving Doug Duncan and Councilmembers George Leventhal and Roger Berliner that occurred during our Q&A (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: “Who’s accountable for this fiasco?” asked [Doug] Duncan, decrying the construction flaws and delays that have placed the [Silver Spring Transit Center] project more than two years behind schedule and tens of millions of dollars over budget.... “We need to hold someone accountable for this....”

Leggett, who appeared first, was not asked about the transit center. But he ended his stint by quizzing himself....  “I accept responsibility,” he said, contending that the delay was a product not of lax oversight....  I had a full-scale investigation into what some deemed to be a minor problem,” Leggett said. It was a not-so-subtle slap at general contractor Foulger-Pratt....

Questions from the audience drew a few nuggets. Talking about incarceration rates among young African Americans, Leggett said the state should long ago have decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana. He also said that while the state needed to step up and finance new construction to address public school overcrowding, MCPS leadership could have done more on its own to mitigate the impact of unprecedented enrollment growth....

Duncan said the county needed to be more assertive in securing money from Annapolis and “quit being the county that takes the leftovers....” He cautioned against the county going on its own to raise the minimum wage because it was “not an economic island....” Duncan said he wanted to change a sluggish political culture of “paralysis by analysis” that had taken hold in the Leggett years....

One bit of drama toward the end of Duncan’s Q-and-A was triggered by a pointed query from Council member George Leventhal (D-At-Large). Leventhal ... noted reports that Duncan was seeking a new slate of candidates to oust all council opponents. Leventhal asked how that was going.

“George has misquoted me,” Duncan replied, saying that he never said he wanted to oust all incumbents.... “I do think we need new faces on the council,” Duncan added. “This county council is known for their bickering, their fighting. We need a change.

But Duncan then recognized Council member Roger Berliner (D-District 1) as someone he would be happy to see continue. But when asked about Leventhal, Duncan said he had no comment..... “I thought we were on good terms,” Leventhal said, adding: “He doesn’t take criticism well.”

Several officials and candidates for office dropped by the event and/or made brief remarks, including: MoCo Councilmember Roger Berliner, MoCo Councilmember George Leventhal, newly appointed D15 Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo, Liz Matory (D18 Delegate candidate), Shelly Hettleman (D11 Delegate candidate), Charlotte Crutchfield (D19 Delegate candidate), Clarence Lam (D12 Delegate candidate), Marc Korman (D16 Delegate candidate), Cheryl Kagan (D17 Senate candidate), Almina Khorakiwala (D16 MCDCC member), Hamza Khan (D15 MCDCC candidate) and more. Maryland Reporter's Len Lazarick, The Washington Post's Bill Turque, and a rep from Congressman Chris Van Hollen's office also joined us for the shenanigans.

Below we provide more commentary and photos from the event:

Commentary from Congressman John Delaney

• Delaney laid out a series of policy priorities including seeking to incentivize infrastructure investment in America and to mitigate risks in various areas
• Delaney predicted that if U.S. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi were to leave tomorrow, Rep. Steny Hoyer would likely be chosen as her replacement -- but if the leadership contest were held in a year, he declined to comment on what might happen
• Delaney noted a tough political climate for immigration reform and stated that a desire to get something passed leads him to support the U.S. Senate bill on the topic: "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good"
• Delaney provided a nuanced response on whether to change social security policies, noting that raising the retirement age would negatively impact poor people

Below you can see some live Tweets from readers at the event, along with some photos that were posted to social media:

MoCo politico Kevin Gillogly posted the following photo of new candidates for Delegate in 2014 who did a quick round of Q&A:

Liz Matory (D18), Shelly Hettleman (D11), Charlotte Crutchfield (D19), Clarence Lam (D12), David Fraser-Hidalgo (D15)

Prolific MoCo political photographer Ed Kimmel also has an album of shots from the event up on Facebook: