Voters Confront Chris Van Hollen About NSA Mass Surveillance // PLUS: Rep. Dennis Kucinich Slams NSA at DC Film Screening

Privacy Advocates Criticize Chris Van Hollen at Town Hall

Maryland Juice previously reported that more than half of the Free State's Democratic members of the U.S. House voted to continue potentially illegal violations of our Internet and telephone privacy. Democratic Representatives John Delaney, Chris Van Hollen, Dutch Ruppersberger, and Steny Hoyer voted against ending constitutionally questionable surveillance of Americans, while Donna Edwards, John Sarbanes, Elijah Cummings and GOP Rep. Andy Harris voted to end the sketchy practice.

Below we provide a round-up of updates to the snowballing story, including responses from Congressmen John Delaney & Chris Van Hollen.

VOTERS SLAM VAN HOLLEN AND OTHER POLITICIANS OVER NSA SURVEILLANCE - In the wake of startling revelations that the NSA (our top spy agency) has been engaging in mass surveillance of innocent Americans, voters are beginning to confront members of Congress during their August recess Town Hall meetings. Politico reported on the development last week (excerpt below):

POLITICO: Activists with Demand Progress and similar groups raised their surveillance qualms at a town hall held Tuesday by Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.), a member of the House Intelligence Committee. And a small group of protestors appeared to disrupt [Rep. Chris] Van Hollen’s recent August gathering, an event focused on climate change in Silver Spring, Md. The tiny activist cohort carried signs emblazoned, “VAN HOLLEN WRONG ON NSA: Restore the 4th!” The Democratic congressman voted against the so-called Amash amendment because it wasn’t “the most comprehensive and effective” approach, according to a spokeswoman, who added Van Hollen does support “rewriting these laws....”

The foremost congressional supporters of the NSA long have been playing defense on Capitol Hill. At one point, though, agency allies invited the NSA’s leader, Gen. Keith Alexander, to brief lawmakers “in advance of the August district work period,” according to an invite sent to Democrats last month and obtained by POLITICO.

Maryland Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, the leading Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, hosted his party’s session. He stressed the meeting wasn’t focused on teaching members how to fend off angry voters. The point, Ruppersberger said, was to “get the facts from the source so that there’s not false information.”

OVERSIGHT FAILURE FROM CONGRESS - Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, whose district includes the NSA's headquarters in Ft. Meade, has abdicated his responsibility to conduct oversight of the agency's surveillance activities, and has instead served as a cheerleader for illegal spying on Americans. The reason why this is a serious problem, is because the NSA's Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has now admitted he perjured himself when asked by Congress about the unconstitutional surveillance. Salon.com writer David Sirota now reports that a new poll shows a strong majority of Americans want to see Clapper prosecuted for perjury (excerpt below):

SALON.COM: There is no longer any doubt that Director of National Intelligence James Clapper lied to Congress. Likewise, there is no doubt that his lie runs afoul of federal law. And, of course, there is no doubt that in terms of its implications for oversight, constitutional precepts and privacy for millions of Americans, his lies were far more serious than those that have gotten other people prosecuted for perjury. The question now is whether his brazen dishonesty will become a political issue — or whether it will simply disappear into the ether.

As evidenced by President Obama this week attempting to promote Clapper to head an “independent” NSA reform panel, the White House clearly believes it will be the latter. But a set of new polls out today suggests such a calculation may be wrong....

In the Democratic states of California and Hawaii, 54 percent and 58 percent of voters, respectively, want him prosecuted. In middle-of-the-road Iowa, it’s 65 percent. And in Republican Texas and Kentucky, it is 68 percent and 69 percent, respectively. These are particularly striking numbers because the “not sure” numbers are relatively small....

Indeed, outrage over the NSA's surveillance of innocent Americans has become a bipartisan issue, even impacting those who voted correctly to end the questionable snooping. The Huffington Post reported recently that Maryland's Tea Party Congressman Andy Harris was confronted by voters over the issue, even though he voted the right way (excerpt below):

HUFFINGTON POST: A Maryland town hall meeting grew heated Tuesday, when GOP Rep. Andy Harris faced disgruntled constituents angry over partisan politics fraying the country and the perceived lack of Republican action to fix problems.

At a packed gathering in Bel Air, voters voiced their discontent on topics ranging from the Benghazi attack to National Security Agency surveillance to health care reform. Some demanded that Republicans do more to pressure President Barack Obama and Democrats to change the direction of the country....

Harris tried to calm the crowd during the almost-two-hour meeting, emphasizing that he is "very, very worried about what the NSA is doing"....But Harris' constituents had grave concerns.

"When is this government going to come clean with the American people and tell us what this secret law says, how it's being secretly interpreted, how it's being secretly implemented, and what it means [to] every person in this room," one angered resident asked....

DENNIS KUCINICH SLAMS NSA & COMMENTS ON SNOWDEN AT DC FILM SCREENING - Last week, Maryland Juice invited readers to the DC film premiere of "Terms and Conditions May Apply," a new film about privacy and surveillance in the digital era. The screening was attended by numerous national civil liberties advocates, several Montgomery County residents and filmmaker Cullen Hoback. But former presidential candidate and U.S. House member Dennis Kucinich stopped by the premiere and offered his thoughts on the NSA scandal. Kucinich slammed the NSA and called for its dissolution, while stating that there should be ticker-tape parades for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. Maryland Juice captured his comments in the video below:



VAN HOLLEN & DELANEY (KIND OF) BACKING AWAY FROM SUPPORT FOR NSA SURVEILLANCE - After the outcry over the failure to end the NSA's mass surveillance program, two Maryland supporters of the spy agency, are quietly trying to "reform" the program. Politico reported that this morning Van Hollen claimed that we should fix the snooping program to make it better (excerpt below):

POLITICO: [Rep. Chris Van Hollen] voted against an amendment by Rep. Justin Amash to pull much of the funding for the NSA program, calling it the wrong approach....  The NSA was back in the news last week after recent with a report in The Washington Post that the agency has broken privacy rules “thousands” of times.... The NSA to needs to get “advanced approval” for its queries, Van Hollen said....

Meanwhile, a few weeks ago Rep. John Delaney issued a press release asking for Congress to "examine" the NSA's mass surveillance activities:

JOHN DELANEY: Congressman John K. Delaney (MD-6) has joined 153 Members of Congress on a letter to President Obama regarding the NSA’s collection of bulk metadata. The letter states that, “Congress must examine the various national security collection programs and consider amendments to the law.”...

“My constituents have made it clear that they are troubled by the scope of our intelligence and counter-terrorism programs. I share their concerns. In the Washington region, we also know that we face an elevated risk of terrorism each day. Congress has a critical oversight role to perform and we should continue to examine the constitutional and national security implications of our policies,” said Congressman Delaney. “There was a heated debate last week on the Amash amendment, but that was not the final chapter. It’s important that we get this right: these programs are at the intersection of our security and protected liberties, the stakes are very high.” 

Indeed, Van Hollen and Delaney both signed a flimsy and meaningless letter to President Obama noting that there are "lingering questions" about NSA activities and that Congress should "examine" what's going on. It should be noted, however, that the letter lacks any credibility, given that it calls for no specific policy changes and was also signed by the same Democratic leaders who were whipping the NSA vote against privacy advocates. Indeed, many long-time rubber-stamps for the NSA and Pentagon signed the letter calling for more "examination" of the NSA's assault on the constitution. What have they been doing the last ten years? Apparently not "examining" what the NSA is doing.  #OversightFAIL

MORE ON THE GROWING NSA SURVEILLANCE SCANDAL SOON!

ROLL CALL: See How MD House Members Voted on NSA Mass Surveillance // HINT: Vote Edwards or Sarbanes for US Senate?

BACKGROUND: Yesterday Maryland Juice reported that in response to revelations that our government was engaging in constitutionally questionable mass surveillance of Americans, the U.S. House of Representatives would be voting on a proposal to end funding for the NSA's warehousing of your communications. For years Democrats berated President George W. Bush and his minions (Dick Cheney and John Ashcroft) over their post-9/11 war on civil liberties and the Constitution. But for years now, we've watched as the Democrats took power and used their status to continue and expand Bush's assault on our privacy and liberty.

Yesterday the nation got a chance to see who among the hundreds of members of the U.S. House would actually be willing to take a vote to restore due process. Unfortunately, the effort to protect civil liberties came breathtakingly close but fell short by a handful of votes in a 205 to 217 vote.

Maryland's eight U.S. House members split 50/50 on protecting due process and your privacy, and a switch of only seven votes would've changed the outcome in favor of the people. Below we highlight how the Free State's Congressional delegation voted on the effort to end the NSA's mass surveillance program, and we provide some political context for the pathetic anti-civil liberties votes from four of our U.S. House members. But first, The New York Times reported on the broad context of the anti-surveillance effort (excerpt below):

NEW YORK TIMES: A deeply divided House defeated legislation Wednesday that would have blocked the National Security Agency from collecting vast amounts of phone records, handing the Obama administration a hard-fought victory in the first Congressional showdown over the N.S.A.’s surveillance activities since Edward J. Snowden’s security breaches last month.

The 205-to-217 vote was far closer than expected and came after a brief but impassioned debate over citizens’ right to privacy and the steps the government must take to protect national security. It was a rare instance in which a classified intelligence program was openly discussed on the House floor, and disagreements over the  program led to some unusual coalitions....

The amendment to the annual Defense Department spending bill, written by Representatives Justin Amash, a libertarian Republican from Western Michigan, and John Conyers Jr., a veteran liberal Democrat from Detroit, turned Democrat against Democrat and Republican against Republican. It would have limited N.S.A. phone surveillance to specific targets of law enforcement investigations, not broad dragnets....

Mr. Amash framed his push as a defense of the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition against unreasonable search and seizure, and he found a surprising ally, Representative F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., Republican of Wisconsin and one of the principal authors of the Patriot Act. Mr. Sensenbrenner said his handiwork was never meant to create a program that allows the government to demand the phone records of every American. “The time has come to stop it,” Mr. Sensenbrenner said....

Ultimately, 94 House Republicans defied their leadership; 111 Democrats — a majority of the Democratic caucus — defied their president....

HOW DID MARYLAND'S U.S. HOUSE MEMBERS VOTE?- Though a majority of U.S. House Democrats voted to curb the NSA's sketchy mass surveillance program, a majority of Maryland's U.S. House Democrats voted to continue the erosion of their constituents' privacy rights and civil liberties. See the Maryland roll call below:

VOTED TO END SURVEILLANCE OF MARYLANDERS (GOOD VOTE)

• Rep. Elijah Cummings - CD7 Democrat
• Rep. Donna Edwards - CD4 Democrat
• Rep. Andy Harris - CD1 Republican
• Rep. John Sarbanes - CD3 Democrat

VOTED TO CONTINUE SURVEILLANCE OF MARYLANDERS (EVIL VOTE)

• Rep. John Delaney - CD6 Democrat
• Rep. Steny Hoyer - CD5 Democrat
• Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger - CD2 Democrat
• Rep. Chris Van Hollen - CD8 Democrat

SHADINESS FROM MARYLAND'S HOUSE DEMOCRATS WHO SUPPORT NSA SPYING - Four Maryland Democratic House members voted to continue funding the NSA's mass surveillance program, joining a majority of Republicans, including policymakers like Michele Bachmann, John Boehner, and Eric Cantor. Let's explore the anti-civil liberties votes (and some hypocrisy) from a few of Maryland's Democrats below:

#1 - REP. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER: Ruppersberger's vote to continue funding the NSA's mass surveillance program should not come as a surprise to anybody. The NSA, after all, is headquartered in his district, and Dutch co-authored the controversial CISPA cybersnooping proposal which failed earlier this year (ironically with the backdrop of a White House veto threat that cited the privacy rights of individuals). But it is worth noting the numerous reports that Rep. Ruppersberger is one of the top recipients of contributions from the same Pentagon contractors who are doing much of the spying. The Washington Times reiterated this point last month (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON TIMES: Six of the largest government contractors doing “Top Secret” work for the National Security Agency and other U.S. intelligence agencies have given more than $16 million to lawmakers since 2007, according to Maplight, a firm that tracks political donations.   

The biggest donors were Lockheed Martin, whose employees gave over $5 million; Boeing, Inc. whose workers chipped in more than $4.5 million; and Northrop Grumman, $3.3 million....

Democratic Rep. C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger, whose Maryland district includes the Fort Meade headquarters of the NSA, and who is the ranking member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, received the second most in contributions, with just over $225,000....

#2 - REP. STENY HOYER: Steny Hoyer's vote to continue the mass surveillance of Americans is also not a shocker. Hoyer previously voted for the Patriot Act twice. Moreover, in past months, Hoyer was running around the country endorsing centrist/conservative Democrats in contested Democratic Primaries, presumably in the hope of finding allies in his quest to succeed Nancy Pelosi. But even more disturbing than Hoyer's positioning against progressives is his seeming use of the Patriot Act and government surveillance as political tools. For example, Maryland Juice located a 2005 press release from Mr. Hoyer where he hypocritically chastised Republicans over their use of the Patriot Act, before voting for it multiple times. Interestingly, the press release appears to have been removed from Hoyer's website, though I was able to track down a backed up copy (excerpt below):

STENY HOYER (CIRCA 2005):  House Republicans Abdicate Oversight on Patriot Act

Today, on this House floor, the American people will see no division in our willingness to do what is necessary to fight terrorism. What they will see today, however, is an absolute abuse of power by this Republican Majority – which has deliberately and purposely chosen to stifle a full debate on this important legislation, the Patriot Act.

This Republican rule is nothing less than a craven failure of our Congressional oversight responsibility on legislation that involves the government’s power to intrude on American lives. Every single year, Mr. Speaker, this Congress reauthorizes Department of Defense programs.  This reauthorization process allows us to assess, to re-examine and to re-calibrate our defense policies to the changing circumstances.

Today, however, we are being forced by this Republican Majority to permanently authorize 14 of 16 provisions of the Patriot Act.  And, we are being forced to extend the remaining two provisions – one that involves “roving” wiretaps; the other dealing with the FBI’s power to demand business records – for 10 years.

Democrats fought to sunset these provisions.  Why?  Because when it comes to the government’s power to intrude on the private lives of American citizens, the United States Congress should not be a participant in giving the government unchecked power to do so.  But our Republican friends seem to be afraid of a free, full debate on this issue.  Why are they so afraid of our democratic process?....

This Republican rule is an affront not only to Democrats – but to the American people and to our constitutional principles. And, history will record it as such.  Vote no on this rule.

#3 - REP. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN: Van Hollen is actually my own representative in Congress, so his vote to continue supporting the mass surveillance of Americans (including me) is very, very disappointing. Many of us expect a solid progressive voting record from Rep. Van Hollen, especially considering that his district is anchored in liberal Montgomery County. But the vote to continue eroding civil liberties and due process for Van Hollen's constituents appears to be the latest in a small string of support for the military industrial complex from someone who is often seen as Montgomery County's "golden boy."

In March of 2011, Van Hollen voted against winding down the war in Afghanistan (note that Rep. Donna Edwards was the only House member from Maryland to vote to end the war). Then in October of 2011, the Montgomery County Council introduced a completely symbolic resolution asking Congress to spend more money on social programs instead of war. The resolution had enough sponsors to pass, but strangely The Washington Post reported that it was withdrawn after lobbying by Lockheed Martin and Rep. Chris Van Hollen (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: A Montgomery County Council resolution asking Congress to spend less on wars and redirect the funds to social programs has drawn the scrutiny of one of the county’s largest employers and other lawmakers.... The nonbinding resolution, introduced by County Council President Valerie Ervin (D-Silver Spring), had gained a 5 to 4 majority on the council and was scheduled for a vote Tuesday.

But late last week, lawmakers and Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin, a defense contracting giant that employs more than 5,000 workers in Montgomery, urged county officials against the resolution. Ervin has withdrawn the measure, citing lack of support.

Council members and county officials were called by one of Lockheed Martin’s top lobbyists, a state delegate, and the offices of County Executive Isiah Leggett (D), Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) and Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D)....

Going back to the topic of the Patriot Act, it should be highlighted that like Steny Hoyer, Van Hollen sang a different tune in 2005. Check out his hilariously contradictory past statements about the Patriot Act (excerpt below):

CHRIS VAN HOLLEN (CIRCA 2005): Mr. Chairman, I rise to explain my decision to vote against the Conference Report on the Patriot Act.... It is very important that, in our effort to defend the liberties that Americans cherish, we not enact measures that erode the very freedoms we seek to protect. We can ensure that the government has the necessary surveillance powers without sacrificing the privacy rights of Americans....

Unlike the Senate bill, the Conference Report allows the government to obtain personal information on a mere showing of “relevance,” thereby striking the safeguard contained in the Senate passed bill that required a three-part test.  This allows the government to obtain this information without demonstrating that the information that they are seeking has some connection to a terrorist or a spy....

It is important that any policy that is advanced to enhance our nation’s security always maintains appropriate “sunshine” and checks and balances on those law enforcement and intelligence agencies that are empowered to promote national security.  History reminds us that these law enforcement tools can be overzealously used and may also be directed at innocent parties....

#4 - REP. JOHN DELANEY: There's not much to say about John Delaney's vote to support the mass surveillance of his constituents. As a freshman lawmaker with no legislative record, politicos had little information available to try and predict how Delaney might vote in Congress. But I guess we're beginning to get a sense of him, and if this vote is any indication, it does not appear that Delaney prioritizes civil liberties or due process. This morning, however, I did receive the following press statement from Delaney's office "explaining" his vote:

JOHN DELANEY: In considering the Amash amendment, I do not believe that it represents the best approach to this critical national security topic. Oversight and smart reform deserve full deliberation and consideration. Unfortunately, this was a hurried debate on truly sweeping changes, via an amendment to the defense appropriations bill. Such an approach does not do justice to the seriousness of the issue, for either side.

The surveillance programs administered by the NSA and other agencies raise serious and troubling constitutional questions that need to be resolved. With new technologies emerging each day, we need to continually revisit our government practices. Our system of government has checks in place and Congress has an important oversight role. We should continue to be vigilant, ensuring that our constitutional rights are protected and I hope we have a serious debate about the future of this program. 

Basically it sounds like Delaney did not have enough time to think about whether the gutting of the 4th amendment and mass surveillance of his constituents was kosher. Um, okay. It was also reported this week that he stands to earn $69 million from the sale of his company, so maybe he's banking on being able to vote however he wants.


A HYPOTHETICAL OPEN SEAT PRIMARY FOR U.S. SENATE? -  So there you have it folks -- only four of Maryland's eight U.S. House members voted to curb the mass surveillance of their constituents, and one of the four "good" votes even came from Tea Party Rep. Andy Harris. Where does that leave progressives in the event that a U.S. Senate seat opens up down the road? At this point in time it seems like most of Maryland's congressional delegation would be interested in a promotion to the U.S. Senate, but there seem to be dwindling choices for those of us who are tired of the "inside" game when it comes to issues of justice and liberty. If the election were held today, based on the trajectory of these voting records, Maryland Juice would be forced to take a close look at Rep. Donna Edwards and Rep. John Sarbanes. I hate to say it, but a lot of other folks in our delegation are looking kind of suspect right now.... You can attribute this partly to their ambition, partly to their unwillingness to buck leadership, and partly to their feelings of invincibility in their current positions (*eye roll*).  But as one of my friends used to enjoy stating, "nobody's irreplaceable." And you can bet that if a U.S. Senate seat eventually emerges, Maryland's progressive primary electorate will be able to quickly rule out some of the potential options. But there's still time for these wayward lawmakers to make it right!


ANGRY TWEETS AGAINST THE FOUR MARYLAND DEMOCRATS WHO SUPPORTED MASS SURVEILLANCE - Maryland Juice is not the only one who is extremely irate about the assault on civil liberties from Congress. After the NSA vote, we saw a number of angry Tweets being directed at Rep. Chris Van Hollen, Rep. Steny Hoyer, Rep. John Delaney and Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (samples below):

BACK TO SCHOOL FOR A CIVICS LESSON? - Amazingly, a wide range of telephone and Internet companies decided to give the NSA access to your user data (eg: Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, Skype, YouTube, etc). That is a situation that will need to be addressed by consumers very soon. But even more disturbing than the corporate misbehavior is that a large chunk of Congress (aka our representatives) apparently need a civics refresher course. After all, Maryland Juice would argue that this NSA surveillance vote was no ordinary vote. Whether the U.S. government can snoop without justification on the communications of millions of innocent Americans raises fundamental questions about due process, civil liberties, and abuse of power -- and more importantly, the issue begs the question of where these lawmakers draw the line when acting in the name of our safety. The slippery slope we all feared when Bush implemented the Patriot Act has become all too real, and Congress continues to let it happen. Enough already!

2013 ENVIRONMENTAL RANKINGS: League of Conservation Voters Rates MD Senators & Delegates // PLUS: Fracking Update

UPDATE: Maryland Juice recently noticed a fascinating map on the LCV website showing the geographic distribution of environmentalist legislators in the Free State (Hat tip: Maryland Reporter). The green dots on the image below show lawmakers with 100% environmental ratings, while the red dots represent officials with a 0% rating:

Maryland environmental advocacy organization the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) just released its 2013 ratings for State Senators & Delegates. They rated Annapolis officials on a few highlighted environmental bills (a perfect score = 100%). Below you can see how LCV rated your state legislators on environmental issues, and we also highlight how Montgomery lawmakers and statewide candidates fared. The press release that accompanies the scorecard notes:

MARYLAND LCV: “This year’s environmental scorecard lets Marylanders know which legislators took action to protect future generations from the ravages of climate change, the health impacts of pesticides, and pollution from industrial agriculture,” said Maryland LCV Board Chair, Tony Caligiuri. “Maryland LCV’s scorecard lets citizens know which Senators and Delegates vote for what is politically convenient and who are the real environmental champions.”

“Marylanders should thank our visionary legislators who voted for Offshore Wind Energy Bill and the Transportation Funding bill to move our state’s economy into the future,” said Maryland LCV’s Executive Director Karla Raettig. “Similarly, if they are concerned about the historic impacts of extreme weather, they should hold legislators accountable who didn’t vote to take several other opportunities to curb climate change. Why should just one bold clean energy bill pass in a session? We shouldn’t have an environmental quota.”

Note that the average rating for Democrats in 2013 was 70%, while the average for Republicans was 13%. Senate President Mike Miller was rated 60% and House Speaker Mike Busch was rated 75%. The highest rated Republicans were Senator Allan Kittleman of District 9 with 33% and Delegate Cathy Vitale of District 33B with 60%. After our summary lists, we also post an update on fracking, as well as the full LCV ratings for all State Senators and Delegates.

Here is how a few elected officials seeking higher office in 2014 fared:

• Senator Allan Kittleman - Republican for Howard County Executive: 33%
• Senator Brian Frosh - Democrat for Attorney General: 100%
• Delegate Aisha Braveboy - Democrat for Attorney General: 57%
• Delegate Jon Cardin - Democrat for Attorney General: 100%
• Delegate Bill Frick - Democrat for Attorney General: 100%
• Delegate Heather Mizeur - Democrat for Governor: 100%
• Delegate John Olszewski - Democrat for D6 State Senate: 71%
• Delegate Guy Guzzone - Democrat for D13 State Senate: 75%
• Delegate Brian Feldman - Democrat for D15 State Senate: 86%
• Delegate Susan Lee - Democrat for D16 State Senate: 100%
• Delegate Jim Gilchrist - Democrat for D17 State Senate: 86%
• Delegate Luiz Simmons - Democrat for D17 State Senate: 100%

* Note: Some of these candidates have not yet announced for these offices, but we have listed them as candidates for offices they are rumored to be considering.


Montgomery County's State Senators (from highest to lowest):

• Senator Karen Montgomery (D14): 100%
• Senator Brian Frosh (D16): 100%
• Senator Rich Madaleno (D18): 100%
• Senator Roger Manno (D19): 100%
• Senator Jamie Raskin (D20): 100%
• Senator Nancy King (D39): 100%

----------------------------- Senators Under 100% ----------------------------------------

• Senator Jennie Forehand (D17): 80%
• Senator Rob Garagiola (D15): 67%

Montgomery County's Delegates (from highest to lowest):

• Delegate Kathleen Dumais (D15): 100%
• Delegate Aruna Miller (D15): 100%
• Delegate Bill Frick (D16): 100%
• Delegate Ariana Kelly (D16): 100%
• Delegate Susan Lee (D16): 100%
• Delegate Luiz Simmons (D17): 100%
• Delegate Al Carr (D18): 100%
• Delegate Ana Sol Gutierrez (D18): 100%
• Delegate Jeff Waldstreicher (D18): 100%
• Delegate Sam Arora (D19): 100%
• Delegate Bonnie Cullison (D19): 100%
• Delegate Ben Kramer (D19): 100%
• Delegate Tom Hucker (D20): 100%
• Delegate Heather Mizeur (D20): 100%
• Delegate Kirill Reznik (D39): 100%
• Delegate Shane Robinson (D39): 100% 

----------------------------- Delegates Under 100% ----------------------------------------

• Delegate Charles Barkley (D39): 86%
• Delegate Jim Gilchrist (D17): 86%
• Delegate Brian Feldman (D15): 86%
• Delegate Kumar Barve (D17): 80%
• Delegate Sheila Hixson (D20): 80%
• Delegate Anne Kaiser (D14): 80%
• Delegate Eric Luedtke (D14): 80%
• Delegate Craig Zucker (D14): 75%

FRACKING UPDATE: NEW HBO DOCUMENTARY HIGHLIGHTS REP. ANDY HARRIS - Since we are on the topic of environmental issues in Maryland, we thought this would be a good time to provide a quick update on the issue of hydraulic fracturing (aka "fracking"). There has been much attention drawn to potential groundwater contamination, flammable water supplies, earthquakes and more -- that many attribute to fracking. As a result, plans to allow fracking in Maryland have proved controversial, and GOP Congressman Andy Harris was recently highlighted for his support of the practice in a new HBO documentary Gasland 2 (trailer below):



GUEST COMMENTARY ON FRACKING FROM PAUL ROBERTS - Maryland Juice also received some guest commentary about fracking in Maryland from Paul Roberts, a member of Governor O'Malley's commission on fracking and a co-owner of a Garrett County winery. Roberts is urging the Free State to adopt a cap on drilling activity. Check out Paul Roberts' commentary on fracking below:

PAUL ROBERTS: The state is at a critical juncture in its three-year consideration of whether shale gas drilling should be permitted in Garrett and Allegany counties in western Maryland. Gov. Martin O'Malley established a state commission with an August 2014 deadline for a final report, and populated it with notables such as Del. Heather Mizeur, who has worked tirelessly with non-governmental associations and allies in western Maryland on the issue. I am among them, serving as well on the Governor's commission, as the "Citizen Representative."

"Fracking" has been linked to water contamination in western states, and more recently in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The work of New York film-maker Josh Fox focused national attention, and his Gasland 2 premiered July 8. Gasland 2: A film by Josh Fox - NOW on HBO And here is an article and a short film by a Baltimore woman in which a gas company executive admits on tape to destroying one family's water supply.

Many predict fracking will be among the top domestic issues during the 2016 presidential race, and the states which have not rushed into allowing production — Maryland and New York — are run by governors likely to end up as primary opponents. Activist organizations in New York have developed a more aggressive "ban" approach, while in Maryland, largely behind the leadership of two Takoma Park residents — Mizeur and Mike Tidwell of Chesapeake Climate Action Network — activists have tried to steer the debate, for the moment, toward erecting strong protections, should fracking be permitted.

Earlier this month, the state released its proposed "Best Management Practices," from which a long-awaited modernization of regulations will occur. Public comments on the draft report can be submitted by email to Marcellus.Advisory@maryland.gov.

A capacity crowd turned out on July 8 in Garrett County to offer comments and criticisms. And, at the urging of activists, a second hearing will be held in the Baltimore area: Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 2 pm at the Maryland Department of the Environment, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21230. (Persons attending should park in the Blue Lot.)

The state's draft fracking report is a weighty, technical document. Among the principal concerns raised so far are that drilling would be allowed within 1,000 feet of a private water well, while the proposed setback from a municipal supply is 2,000 feet. Regulators explain that's because so many more people depend on a single municipal supply, but this logic was met with cat-calls in Garrett County, since most rural residents there use private water wells. They called for an equal buffer. Drilling would also be allowed within 300 feet of many of the region's pristine mountain streams; this provision shocks wilderness and white-water enthusiasts.

As a member of the Governor's Commission, I am urging the state to adopt a cap on drilling activity county-wide, though it appears that changes in county zoning laws would also be needed. Citing evidence produced by experts who prepared the study on which the draft BMP report is based, I have asked the state to explore a 2-percent maximum on disturbed acreage. "Without limits," I told my fellow Commissioners in June, "the careful planning the state wisely decided to require only ensures a methodical pace to the industrialization process of our mostly forested, rural area."

SEE THE FULL LCV RATINGS BELOW THE FOLD:

League of Conservation Voters Rates Maryland U.S. House Members // Rep. Sarbanes & Edwards #1 for Environment

The environmental advocates at the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) have released their annual scorecard for members of Congress on the environment. Below we show how Maryland's U.S. House delegation stacks up, including information on what bills led to their ratings. We didn't bother to write about Senators Ben Cardin & Barbara Mikulski, given that both had a 100% LCV rating in 2012. Here's a quick snapshot of Maryland's U.S. House members:

2012 LCV Rankings

1. Rep. Donna Edwards & Rep. John Sarbanes - 97%
2. Rep. Steny Hoyer & Chris Van Hollen - 91%
3. Rep. Elijah Cummings - 89% 
4. Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger - 71% 
5. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett - 26%
6. Rep. Andy Harris - 16%   

Lifetime LCV Rankings 

1. Rep. Chris Van Hollen - 98%
2. Rep. Donna Edwards - 97%
3. Rep. John Sarbanes - 96%
4. Rep. Elijah Cummings - 94%
5. Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger - 83%
6. Rep. Steny Hoyer - 80% 
7. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett - 20%
8. Rep. Andy Harris - 7% 

To come up with these ratings, LCV monitored votes on a range of issues. You can read the full LCV issue summaries below. But first, Maryland Juice highlights the environmental bills that our Congressional Democrats did not support. The numbers next to each issue correspond to the explanations in LCV document below.

Democratic Votes Against LCV Environmental Position:

Rep. Elijah Cummings (Good on 31/35 Issues):

• Bad Votes: (5) Freeway in St. Croix, (18) Fossil Fuel Corporate Welfare 
  
• Absent: (15) Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline, (21) Broad Assault on Federal Land & Wildlife

Rep. Donna Edwards (Good on 34/35 Issues):  

• Bad Votes: (18) Fossil Fuel Corporate Welfare

Rep. Steny Hoyer (Good on 32/35 Issues):

• Bad Votes: (5) Freeway in St. Croix, (18) Fossil Fuel Corporate Welfare, (19) Nuclear Energy Corporate Welfare

 
Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (Good on 25/35 Issues):

• Bad Votes: (1) Oil Shale Exploration on Public Land, (5) Freeway in St. Croix, (18) Fossil Fuel Corporate Welfare, (19) Nuclear Energy Corporate Welfare
• Absent: (32) Climate Science Denial, (33) Clean Water Safeguards, (34) Smog & Air Pollution, (35) Broad Environmental Assault

Rep. John Sarbanes (Good on 34/35 Issues):  

• Bad Votes: (18) Fossil Fuel Corporate Welfare 

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Good on 32/35 Issues):  

• Bad Votes: (5) Freeway in St. Croix, (18) Fossil Fuel Corporate Welfare, (19) Nuclear Energy Corporate Welfare

Last year, Maryland's two Republican Congressmen (Roscoe Bartlett & Andy Harris) voted against most of the environmental protection bills in Congress. As a result, rather than highlight their bad votes, below we flag the good votes that the two GOP officials made. Again, the numbers next to each issue correspond to the explanations in LCV document below.
 

Republican Votes FOR LCV Environmental Position:

Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (Good on 9/35 Issues):  

• Good Votes: (2) Offshore Drilling Corporate Welfare, (13) Climate Change Education, (14) Flood Insurance Reform, (17) Renewable Energy Funding, (21) Broad Assault on Federal Land & Wildlife, (23) Clean Air Standards, (25) Migratory Bird Protections, (30) Land Conservation Funding, (31) Minnesota Land Swap

Rep. Andy Harris (Good on 2/35 Issues):  

• Good Votes: (14) Flood Insurance Reform, (30) Land Conservation Funding

LCV House Ratings - Issue Summaries 2012

CD1 VIDEO: Sen. Ben Cardin Endorses Democrat John LaFerla's Write-In Campaign Against Tea Party Rep. Andy Harris

Maryland's 1st Congressional District race was recently upended when Democratic nominee Wendy Rosen dropped out of the race this month over voter fraud allegations. Democrats, for what its worth, are rallying behind Dr. John LaFerla -- the runner-up in last April's CD1 Democratic Primary. The Chestertown Spy yesterday reported that Senator Ben Cardin was recently on the campaign trail for Dr. LaFerla. You can read a quick excerpt from their coverage and watch a video of Cardin's endorsement below:

CHESTERTOWN SPY: Cardin wasted no time pouncing on Republican incumbent, Dr. Andy Harris, for rejecting a farm bill that would help the Shore’s drought stricken farmers. He read off seven letters that he said would move the bill towards passage after the November election.

“Let me just spell his name, L-A-F-E-R-L-A,” Cardin said—reminding voters that LaFerla is a write-in candidate. “The Farm Bill passed the Senate with strong bi-partisan support, but we just can’t seem to get it out of the House of Representatives....”

More on the CD1 race soon!

REMATCH?: Former Rep. Wayne Gilchrest Weighs Challenge to Rep. Andy Harris // LaFerla Still Wants to Replace Wendy Rosen

former CD1 Rep. Wayne Gilchrest

DOUBLE-UPDATE: The Baltimore Sun is reporting that 1st Congressional District Democrats have voted to back John LaFerla to challenge GOP Rep. Andy Harris this November (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: LaFerla said the 12 Democratic central committees in the 1st District, which includes the Eastern Shore and parts of Baltimore, Harford, Carroll and Cecil counties, had voted to support him....

UPDATE: A Twitter user has informed us that Gilchrest is now denying the rumors and claiming he is not going to wage a write-in campaign. Others, however, raise the possibility that this means Gilchrest may switch sides and seek the CD1 Democratic nomination in 2014.

Former Congressman Wayne Gilchrest is reportedly interested in challenging incumbent Rep. Andy Harris in a re-match in this November's Presidential Election. Harris defeated Gilchrest in the 2008 Republican Primary in Maryland's 1st Congressional District. But Gilchrest is apparently thinking of capitalizing on the fact that Democrats are forced to wage a write-in campaign after last week's epic fail. Maryland Juice recently discussed the collapse of Rosen's campaign, after it was discovered that she had been voting in two states. The discovery led to swift condemnation from the Maryland Democrats.

As we noted, Rosen has now dropped out of the Congressional race, but Democrats are unable to replace her on the ballot. Instead, they've indicated they are going to wage a write-in campaign against Tea Party incumbent Rep. Andy Harris. Delmarva Now reports that former CD1 Congressman Wayne Gilchrest is interested in the race, but it is unclear if he is thinking of trying to get the Democratic Party's backing or going it alone. The Democrats, for what it's worth, are in a really tough position right now, because write-in campaigns are rarely successful (DC Mayor Tony Williams being a notable exception). Moreover, the last round of redistricting also made the district more Republican. Read this excerpt from the Delmarva Now report:

CD1 OMG: Rep. Andy Harris' Opponent Drops Out After Voting in 2 States // Dems to Write-In Replacement for Wendy Rosen

PLUS: Democratic runner-up John LaFerla is up for the challenge of waging a write-in campaign against Tea Party Rep. Andy Harris

Wendy Rosen: "Did I Do That?"

Wendy Rosen is causing chaos today, after abruptly resigning as the Democrats' 1st Congressional District nominee. Rosen, a former Republican, won the right to take on Tea Party Rep. Andy Harris for his Eastern Shore-anchored U.S. House seat after winning last April's Democratic Primary. But Delmarva Now reported on her resignation from the race earlier today, due to "personal issues:"

DELMARVA NOW: Wendy Rosen, the Democratic candidate challenging Andy Harris for the Eastern Shore’s congressional seat, has resigned from the race.

In an email sent to Yvette Lewis, chairwoman of the Maryland Democratic Party, Monday, Rosen said she regrets the decision to withdraw from the race, but believes Maryland’s 1st Congressional District still deserves a candidate to challenge incumbent Republican Congressman Andy Harris in November.

MARYLAND DEMS ASK WENDY ROSEN TO WITHDRAW FROM CD1 RACE AFTER DISCOVERING HER VOTER FRAUD (?!?) HISTORY: In a follow-up report to the story, The Associated Press divulged that Wendy Rosen's "personal issues" were that she has committed voter fraud. OMG! Talk about "off message" -- this is truly astonishing.

Maryland Republicans on Verge of Subjecting Congressional Districts to November Voter Repeal Effort // WHAT NOW?

STATUS: 53,566 VALID SIGNATURES // 55,736 NEEDED (5,456 LEFT TO VERIFY)

Maryland's Republican activists are on the verge of validating enough signatures to subject the state's new Congressional districts to a repeal referendum. This is a strange twist in the formation of our new political boundaries, as we may see yet another GOP-led referendum on the ballot this November. The Dream Act and marriage equality repeal efforts both earned enough petition signers to make it onto the ballot, and it appears the redistricting challenge may be following close behind.

Rep. Steny Hoyer May Face Leadership Challenge from Jim Clyburn // PLUS: MD Dems Divide on Ending Afghanistan War

PLUS: THE RETURN OF THE MOCO ANTI-WAR RESOLUTION & ROLL CALL VOTES ON ENDING THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN & INDEFINITE DETENTION (SEE BELOW)

POTENTIAL PELOSI RETIREMENT BREEDS ACTION FROM AMBITIOUS DEMS: Last February, Maryland Juice was very disappointed to see that Rep. Steny Hoyer (a Marylander and the #2 Democrat in the U.S. House) was endorsing centrist/corporate Democrats over progressives in out-of-state Congressional primaries. We speculated that he was trying to build a coalition of centrist Democrats to vie for a leadership post in the U.S. House.

The evidence of leadership jockeying among ambitious Democrats grows every day. Below, we print news that Rep. Jim Clyburn, a long-serving African American Congressman from South Carolina is publicly talking about challenging Mr. Hoyer for a leadership post. Mr. Clyburn is the #3 Democrat in the U.S. House and previously tried to challenge Mr. Hoyer for the #2 spot.

The trigger for the leadership shuffle is growing speculation that U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will retire from her post after this legislative session. Additionally, observant politicos will note the issue divisions that are beginning to underlie many of these leadership dynamics.

Maryland Juice is warning folks today, that the outcome of the Democratic leadership fight may have huge ramifications on policy going forward. Speak now or forever hold your peace. See a few items below:


JUICE #1: REP. STENY HOYER TO FACE LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE? - Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina is publicly discussing challenging Maryland's Rep. Steny Hoyer in a future leadership battle. The Hill recently reported on the story (excerpt below):

THE HILL: Rep. James Clyburn (S.C.) is considering a bid to be Speaker of the House or majority leader if the Democrats win the November election.

He would almost certainly not run against Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) if she decided to stay, but he hints strongly that he is ready for a showdown with Rep. Steny Hoyer (Md.).

Asked whether he will seek a higher leadership post following the 2012 election, Clyburn told The Hill, “I might — sure. I’m not closing the door on anything.”

The highest-ranking African-American in Congress then detailed what could be his argument for a promotion: He has paid his dues, both literally and figuratively....

Hoyer, for his part, is not ceding any ground.

“Mr. Hoyer is focused on taking back the House and being the majority leader,” spokeswoman Katie Grant said Wednesday in an email.

Clyburn is not expected to challenge Pelosi, who has a firm grip on her caucus.

Yet there is widespread speculation that this Congress will be Pelosi’s last....

JUICE #2: CONGRESSMAN CLYBURN & HOYER SUDDENLY EVOLVE ON MARRIAGE EQUALITY - In the lead-up to the House Democratic leadership contest, Clyburn, Hoyer and several other Democrats are beginning to re-calibrate their positions on issues of importance to the Democratic base. Last Thursday, President Barack Obama endorsed marriage equality. The next day, Maryland Juice reported that Rep. Steny Hoyer's position changed to match President Obama's support for LGBT civil rights. The following Monday, Rep. Clyburn's position "evolved" to also support marriage equality. That leaves Maryland Senate President Mike Miller as one of the only Democratic leaders in Maryland (and now nationally) who are still opposed to marriage equality. In any case, see The Washington Post's coverage of the Democratic leadership "evolution" on marriage (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: House Assistant Minority Leader James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said Monday that he believes same-sex marriage should be legal — and the No. 3 House Democrat appeared to go further than President Obama in suggesting that a national policy, rather than a state-by-state one, is needed on the issue.

“I, like the president, have evolved to a point of marriage equality,” Clyburn said in an interview on MSNBC. “I have not always been there. I grew up in a parsonage, a fundamentalist Christian parsonage, and I grew up with that indoctrination. And I have grown to the point that I believe that we have evolved to marriage equality....”

The move makes Clyburn the latest member of Democratic leadership to come out in support of same-sex marriage in the wake of Obama’s announcement last week. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has been a longtime backer of gay marriage, and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) last week announced for the first time that he, too, supports allowing same-sex couples to wed....

JUICE #3: DEMOCRATIC LEADERS DIVIDE OVER WAR IN AFGHANISTAN - Even though Democrats are now moving in lock-step to endorse marriage equality, many officials remain shockingly corrupt or naive about defense spending, foreign adventures and saber-rattling. The progressive bloggers at Down With Tyranny often highlight funky votes from Democrats, and today they too are noticing the new leadership dynamics emerging in the Party:

DOWN WITH TYRANNY: For those who keep track of this sort of detail, Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced an amendment yesterday to end the occupation of Afghanistan.... 

It failed 113-303. Most Democrats-- 101 of them-- voted YES, to end the pointless occupation. They were joined by 12 Republicans. But 79 Democrats crossed the aisle to voted with Boehner and Cantor. Any interest in knowing which side your congresscritter was on? All the names are listed on the link above. A few highlights though: generally speaking Blue Dogs were pro-war and members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus were anti-war. And the Democratic House leaders... mostly pro-war. Let's look at some names worth remembering-- first candidates for higher office:

Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) are running for Senate and they voted to end the occupation. New Dems Shelley Berkley (NV) and Martin Heinrich (NM) and Blue Dog Joe Donnelly (IN) voted for more war.

Karen Bass (D-CA), Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Bruce Braley (D-IA), Donna Edwards (D-MD), John Larson (D-CT) and Jared Polis (D-CO) are either being groomed for Democratic leadership or are already junior leaders and they all voted to end the occupation. The top House leaders though, Clyburn, Hoyer, Israel, and even Pelosi, all voted for more war, as did wannabes Ron Kind (WI), Allyson Schwartz (PA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL) "wisely" avoided voting at all.

JUICE #4: ROLL CALL // MD U.S. HOUSE MEMBERS VOTE ON WAR IN AFGHANISTAN - Below Maryland Juice lists the votes of Maryland's U.S. House members on whether or not to end the War in Afghanistan. The vote took place last Thursday, and notably, only two of Maryland's Democrats voted to end the war. What's up with that?

YES TO ENDING WAR: 

1. Elijah Cummings (Democrat)
2. Donna Edwards (Democrat)

NO TO ENDING WAR: 

1. Roscoe Bartlett (Republican)
2. Andy Harris (Republican)
3. Steny Hoyer (Democrat)
4. Dutch Ruppersberger (Democrat)
5. John Sarbanes (Democrat)
6. Chris Van Hollen (Democrat)

ANALYSIS: Maryland Juice has to imagine that these types of votes and issues may re-emerge in Maryland's future Democratic Primaries (ie: for U.S. Senate). The Free State has one of the most liberal electorates in the nation, and not a single Democratic House incumbent from Maryland is in danger of losing their primary or general election. So why the war-mongering? It is electorally unnecessary, and a potential liability in the future. The Internet (and oppo researchers) have a long memory. You've been warned!


JUICE #5: REP. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER & ANDY HARRIS VOTE FOR INDEFINITE DETENTION WITHOUT TRIAL (IE: NDAA) - Maryland Juice has been persistently dismayed that Democrats around the nation who claimed to believe in civil liberties during the Bush-era have continued the Republican assault on civil liberties, due process and privacy. Last December, Rep. Chris Van Hollen (who voted to continue the war in Afghanistan - *cough*) explained one of the more troubling problems, involving the idea that the Government can detain people within the United States, and hold them indefinitely without trail:

CHRIS VAN HOLLEN: It is with great regret that I rise to oppose this Defense Authorization Conference Report.  This is the first Defense Authorization Conference Report I have opposed since I was first elected in 2002. 

...certain provisions leave open the possibility that innocent U.S. citizens could be wrongfully and indefinitely detained at the direction of the president without appropriate access to civilian courts....    

If Congress is going to spell out the rules of arrest and detention, it should have made clear that American citizens may not be indefinitely detained without due process of law.  

How U.S. citizens are to be treated when detained as terror suspects and the question of jurisdictional leadership during terror-related arrests are matters of such supreme national consequence that they should not have been expeditiously appended to a National Defense Authorization Conference Report.

TEA PARTY REP. ANDY HARRIS BACKSTABS VOTERS ON NDAA, DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER JOINS:  Last February, Maryland Juice applauded the return of civil liberties when Rep. Chris Van Hollen and Tea Party Rep. Andy Harris introduced legislation to eliminate the horrifying prospect of indefinite detention without due process in the United States. Last week the U.S. House voted once again to try and eliminate the power of indefinite detention in America -- but amazingly, Rep. Andy Harris voted against the amendment, and Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger was one of only nineteen Democrats to join him! Not even, Roscoe Bartlett supported indefinite detention. See our summary of the fairly close Roll Call Vote (182-238):

YES TO ELIMINATING DETENTION WITHOUT TRIAL:

1. Roscoe Bartlett (Republican)
2. Elijah Cummings (Democrat)
3. Donna Edwards (Democrat)
4. Steny Hoyer (Democrat)
5. John Sarbanes (Democrat)
6. Chris Van Hollen (Democrat)

NO TO ELIMINATING DETENTION WITHOUT TRIAL:

1. Andy Harris (Republican)
2. Dutch Ruppersberger (Democrat)

The unfortunate aspect to Mr. Harris' refusal to support the elimination of the indefinite detention problem in the United States is that the effort was broadly supported by Tea Party members. In fact, this is one of the few issues where the Tea Party and Democrats could work together. The New York Times reported:

NEW YORK TIMES: The Defense Authorization Act is required each year to set Pentagon policy and spending levels, but House Republicans have turned it into a showcase for their opposition to Obama administration policies. This year, Democratic leaders had some surprise support. Representative Justin Amash of Michigan, a Tea Party-backed freshman Republican, teamed up with Representative Adam Smith, Democrat of Washington, to declare that terrorism suspects apprehended on United States soil should no longer be detained indefinitely without charge or trial.

But the left-right coalition fizzled in the face of charges that the two lawmakers were coddling terrorists. On the 238-to-182 vote against the amendment, as many Democrats — 19 — voted against it as Republicans voted for it.

“We’ve got a ways to go still, but there are a lot of Republicans who are listening now,” Mr. Amash said. “I’m confident that most of them are going to go back to their districts, and they are going to get hammered on this issue.”

JUICE #6: THE RETURN OF THE MOCO ANTI-WAR RESOLUTION - With the ridiculous voting behavior coming from Maryland's members of Congress, including those representing Montgomery County, it is no wonder that the anti-war group Montgomery County Peace Action continues to ramp up its activities. Maryland Juice attended their annual luncheon this weekend, and noted that Peace Action appears ready to make another push to persuade the MoCo County Council to pass a resolution asking our Congressional delegation to steer dollars toward services instead of military spending. The effort previously stalled after lobbying from MoCo-based Lockheed Martin. See some documents I picked up at the Peace Action event below:

MONTGOMERY COUNTY PEACE ACTION LUNCHEON - SAT 5/19/2012

Montgomery County Council Map (Peace Action Montgomery)