Early Vote Turnout Analysis, Hillary Clinton in MD, Brown vs. Hogan Polls, Raskin vs. Zirkin for JPR Committee Chair & More!

Below Maryland Juice provides a roundup of news and analyses of key races of interest to politicos:

JUICE #1: DUELING POLLS IN THE RACE BETWEEN ANTHONY BROWN VS. LARRY HOGAN - Maryland's top race this cycle is undoubtedly the gubernatorial match-up between Lt. Governor Anthony Brown and former Ehrlich-administration official Larry Hogan. Here is a quick round-up of recent polls in the race. Note: the Gonzalez poll below was commissioned by supporters of Larry Hogan:

NEW YORK TIMES-CBS-YOUGOV (10/23/14) - BROWN +13

• Anthony Brown (D) - 51%
• Larry Hogan (R) - 38%

BALTIMORE SUN (10/11/14) - BROWN +7%

• Anthony Brown (D) - 49%
• Larry Hogan (R) - 42%

WASHINGTON POST (10/6/14) - BROWN +9%

• Anthony Brown (D) - 47%
• Larry Hogan (R) - 38%
• Shawn Quinn (L) - 4%

GONZALEZ RESEARCH (10/1/14) - BROWN +4%

• Anthony Brown (D) - 47%
• Larry Hogan (R) - 43%
• Shawn Quinn (L) - 1%

JUICE #2: MARYLAND JUICE EARLY VOTE TURNOUT ANALYSIS // WHO'S BEEN VOTING? - Below Maryland Juice takes a deep dive into early vote turnout data by party, gender, and county -- and we also give breakdowns in all Montgomery County state races, a few swing districts and in key Maryland counties. Early voting is currently underway in Maryland, as voters can cast early ballots until Thursday, October 30, 2014. Polls are open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm at early vote centers across the state. Who has been voting early in the Free State? Below you can see some of our findings from turnout data for the first three days of early voting (Thursday, Friday & Saturday).

EARLY VOTE TURNOUT BY COUNTY & PARTY: Below we take a look at early vote turnout by raw party advantage and by county turnout. Not surprisingly, Democrats are turning out at an almost 2-1 rate over Republicans, reflecting their statewide registration advantage. As a result, the top raw turnout counties are not surprising (Baltimore, Prince George's, Anne Arundel, Montgomery, etc). But in terms of the % of eligible voters casting ballots, Montgomery County is near the bottom of the state, along with Baltimore City. Though you cannot assume all Democrats will vote for Brown and all Republicans will vote for Hogan, the data reflect mixed news for Democrats. The party can try and coast on its registration advantage, but the low turnout %'s in heavy Democratic counties should be seen as a call to arms. Montgomery County is seriously lagging in % turnout (again, probably owing to the fact that the large numbers of new MoCo voters who registered over the last few years are not turning out at the polls):

2014 Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Democrats = 62,765
2. Republicans = 29,533
3. Independents = 8,275

2010 Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Democrats = 60,547
2. Republicans = 26,146
3. Independents = 7,508

2014 Early Vote Turnout - Top 8 Counties by Raw Turnout (First 3 Days):

1. Baltimore County = 16,893 (3.25%)
2. Prince George's = 14,004 (2.58%)
3. Anne Arundel = 12,930 (3.7%)
4. Montgomery = 11,271 (1.78%)
5. Baltimore City = 8,413 (2.25%)
6. Howard = 7,064 (3.62%)
7. Harford = 6,301 (3.83%)
8. Frederick = 3,712 (2.46%)

2014 Early Vote Turnout - All Counties Ranked by % Eligible Turnout (First 3 Days):

1. Talbot = 1,651 (6.43%)
2. Queen Anne's = 1,885 (5.68%)
3. Kent = 719 (5.65%)
4. Worcester = 1,415 (3.96%)
5. Harford = 6,301 (3.83%)
6. Somerset = 486 (3.74%)
7. Anne Arundel = 12,930 (3.7%)
8. Howard = 7,064 (3.62%)
9. Wicomico = 1,859 (3.28%)
10. Baltimore County = 16,893 (3.25%)
11. Caroline = 577 (3.14%)
12. Dorchester = 582 (2.84%)
13. Calvert = 1,672 (2.79%)
14. Prince George's = 14,004 (2.58%)
15. Frederick = 3,712 (2.46%)
16. Carroll = 2,751 (2.44%)
17. Cecil = 1,491 (2.41%)
18. Garrett = 460 (2.38%)
19. Saint Mary's = 1,466 (2.27%)
20. Baltimore City = 8,413 (2.25%)
21. Charles = 2,069 (2.06%)
22. Montgomery = 11,271 (1.78%)
23. Washington = 1,279 (1.42%)
24. Allegany = 587 (1.38%)

EARLY VOTE BY GENDER & PARTY: Below we take a look at the first three days of early vote turnout by gender and party. Statewide, women are turning out in larger numbers than men, a trend which clearly benefits Democrats. Women make up almost 60% of the Democrats early voting electorate, while men are a majority of Republican and Independent early vote turnout:

2014 Early Vote Turnout by Gender (First 3 Days):

1. Women = 54,759
2. Men = 46,778

2014 Early Vote Turnout - Democrats by Gender = 62,765:

1. Democrats Female = 36,787 (58.6%)
2. Democrats Male = 25,967 (41.1%)

2014 Early Vote Turnout - Republicans by Gender = 29,533 

1. Republicans Female = 14,078 (47.7%)
2. Republicans Male = 15,447 (52.3%)

2014 Early Vote Turnout - Independents by Gender = 8,275 

1. Independents Female = 3,522 (42.6%)
2. Independents Male = 4,747 (57.4%)

EARLY VOTE TURNOUT BY AGE AND PARTY: Below we take a look at the first three days of early vote turnout, sorted by age and party. The largest block of early voters is age 65+, with almost equal numbers of early voters from the large 45-64 demographic. In every age category, Democrats are turning out in larger numbers than Republicans. But again, you cannot assume that voters are going to vote party-line:

2014 Early Vote Turnout - Ages 18-24 = 2,363

1. Democrats 18-24 = 1,249
2. Republicans 18-24 = 736
3. Independents 18-24 = 349
4. Libertarians 18-24 = 15
5. Greens 18-24 = 4

2014 Early Vote Turnout - Ages 25-44 = 10,775 

1. Democrats 25-44 = 6,170
2. Republicans 25-44 = 2,992
3. Independents 25-44 = 1,459
4. Libertarians 25-44 = 64
5. Greens 25-44 = 23

2014 Early Vote Turnout - Ages 45-64 = 43,605

1. Democrats 45-64 = 26,465
2. Republicans 45-64 = 13,057
3. Independents 45-64 = 3,668
4. Libertarians 45-64 = 75
5. Greens 25-44 = 55

2014 Early Vote Turnout - Ages 65+ = 44,794 

1. Democrats 65+ = 28,881
2. Republicans 65+ = 12,748
3. Independents 65+ = 2,799
4. Libertarians 65+ = 36
5. Greens 65+ = 14

EARLY VOTE BY PARTY IN THE TOP 8 TURNOUT COUNTIES: Below we take a look at early vote turnout in the top 8 highest turnout counties. In 7 of 8 of these counties, Democrats are turning out in much higher numbers than Republicans. In Harford County, Republicans have a slight edge of roughly 300 votes over the Democrats. Though you can't quite assume that all Democrats will vote for their County Executive candidates, the county-level turnout may be reassuring news for Democrats in some of the competitive County Exec races. Some of the turnout numbers are tight enough to warrant extra energy from Dems:

Anne Arundel Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Democrats = 6,169
2. Republicans = 5,282
3. Independents = 1,433

Baltimore City Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Democrats = 7,636
2. Republicans = 417
3. Independents = 326

Baltimore County Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Democrats = 11,259
2. Republicans = 4,334
3. Independents = 1,090

Frederick County Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Democrats = 1,698
2. Republicans = 1,538
3. Independents = 460

Harford County Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Republicans = 2,967
2. Democrats = 2,657
3. Independents = 602

Howard County Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Democrats = 4,167
2. Republicans = 2,035
3. Independents = 775

Montgomery County Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Democrats = 7,909
2. Republicans = 1,962
3. Independents = 1,295

Prince George's County Early Vote Turnout by Party (First 3 Days):

1. Democrats = 12,443
2. Republicans = 878
3. Independents = 507

EARLY VOTE TURNOUT IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY DELEGATE RACES: In all 8 of Montgomery County's House of Delegate Districts, Democrats are turning out in far greater numbers than Republicans. My home District 20 has the highest Democratic turnout in MoCo, and here Independents are tied with Republicans for turnout. Meanwhile District 14 has the highest overall turnout (counting all parties):

Maryland House District 14 Early Vote Turnout by Party = 1,953 Total Votes

1. Democrats = 1,258
2. Republicans = 472
3. Independents = 317
4. Libertarians = 3
5. Greens = 0

Maryland House District 15 Early Vote Turnout by Party = 1,161 Total Votes 

1. Democrats = 709
2. Republicans = 275
3. Independents = 163
4. Libertarians = 5
5. Greens = 1

Maryland House District 16 Early Vote Turnout by Party = 1,092 Total Votes 

1. Democrats = 796
2. Republicans = 171
3. Independents = 119
4. Libertarians = 2
5. Greens = 0

Maryland House District 17 Early Vote Turnout by Party = 1,242 Total Votes 

1. Democrats = 835
2. Republicans = 234
3. Independents = 161
4. Libertarians = 2
5. Greens = 2

Maryland House District 18 Early Vote Turnout by Party = 1,335 Total Votes 

1. Democrats = 999
2. Republicans = 182
3. Independents = 136
4. Greens = 6
5. Libertarians = 0

Maryland House District 19 Early Vote Turnout by Party = 1,676 Total Votes 

1. Democrats = 1,220
2. Republicans = 257
3. Independents = 183
4. Greens = 4
5. Libertarians = 3

Maryland House District 20 Early Vote Turnout by Party = 1,741 Total Votes 

1. Democrats = 1,425
2. Republicans = 148
3. Independents = 148
4. Greens = 7
5. Libertarians = 3

Maryland House District 39 Early Vote Turnout by Party = 1,070 Total Votes 

1. Democrats = 666
2. Republicans = 222
3. Independents = 170
4. Libertarians = 3
5. Greens = 1

EARLY VOTE TURNOUT IN A FEW SWING RACES: Below we provide early vote turnout figures and party breakdowns in a few key races on the November ballot. Democratic turnout from the first three days of early voting looks okay across the board, but there are a couple districts where the party needs to turn up the heat!

Senate District 3 Early Vote Turnout by Party (Ron Young vs. Corey Stottlemyer) 

1. Democrats = 1,091
2. Republicans = 719
3. Independents = 246

Senate District 42 Early Vote Turnout by Party (Jim Brochin vs. Tim Robinson)

1. Democrats = 1,062
2. Republicans = 683
3. Independents = 153

Delegate District 9B Early Vote Turnout by Party (Tom Coale vs. Bob Flanagan) 

1. Democrats = 742
2. Republicans = 506
3. Independents = 158

Delegate District 12 (Eric Ebersole/Terri Hill/Clarence Lam vs. Gordon Bull/Joe Hooe/Rick Martel)

1. Democrats = 1,773
2. Republicans = 566
3. Independents = 220

Delegate District 29B (John Bohanan vs. Deb Rey)

1. Democrats = 190
2. Republicans = 158
3. Independents = 40

Delegate District 30A Early Vote Turnout by Party (Mike Busch/Chuck Ferrar vs. Herb McMillan/Genevieve Lindner)

1. Democrats = 1,384
2. Republicans = 839
3. Independents = 257

Delegate District 38B Early Vote Turnout by Party (Norm Conway vs. Carl Anderton Jr) 

1. Democrats = 430
2. Republicans = 388
3. Independents = 85

JUICE #3: NATIONAL PARTIES NOW SPENDING IN MARYLAND // PLUS: OBAMA, CHRIS CHRISTIE & THE CLINTONS CAMPAIGN IN MD - As we head into the homestretch for Maryland's gubernatorial race, the national Democrats & Republicans are engaging in a proxy battle in the Free State. Here are a few signs of activity from national politicians:

HILLARY CLINTON TO RALLY FOR ANTHONY BROWN THIS THURSDAY: So far Lt. Governor Anthony Brown's campaign has brought President Obama and former President Bill Clinton onto the campaign trail in Maryland. This Thursday, they are continuing the proxy battle with a rally with Hillary Clinton (press release excerpt below). You can RSVP at: http://www.anthonybrown.com/Oct30

This event is free – supporters will be admitted on a first come, first served basis. Space is limited and supporters must RSVP at www.anthonybrown.com/Oct30, or pick up tickets at a Democratic office listed here: www.anthonybrown.com/offices.

Who: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, County Executive Ken Ulman, and the Maryland Democratic Team

What: Early Vote event – Final push before polls close at 8 p.m. (Nearest Early Vote location is the College Park Community Center at 5051 Pierce Avenue, College Park, MD)

When: Thursday, October 30th, Doors open to the public at 2:45 pm

Where: University of Maryland College Park, Ritchie Coliseum, 4533 Rossborough Lane, College 

Hillary Clinton's visit comes on the heels of an Anthony Brown rally with President Obama (see TV news coverage) and a fundraiser with President Bill Clinton (see TV ad w/ Bill Clinton). Meanwhile, Larry Hogan has enlisted New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (see TV coverage) to campaign for him in the Free State.

NATIONAL PARTY TV AD WARS: Meanwhile, the Democratic Governor's Association (aka DGA) has now spent at least $1.15 million in deep Blue Maryland to shore up the Brown campaign. The Washington Post reported on the ad buys (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: The DGA previously spent about $750,000 on three weeks of ads in the Baltimore market that attack Hogan’s record on social issues, including his past opposition to abortion rights.... The latest DGA outlay in the heavily Democratic state will keep ads on the air on Baltimore stations through mid-October. The purchase appears to be roughly $400,000, based on publicly available records and people familiar with the buy....

To counter the DGA, the Republican Governor's Association (aka the RGA) has bought airtime in Maryland. The Baltimore Sun reported on the news (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: The RGA's intervention in the race in deep-blue Maryland reflects a growing hope in GOP circles that Hogan can score an upset despite the state's 2-1 Democratic registration advantage. The RGA's chairman, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, campaigned and raised funds for Hogan this week on his second visit to Maryland on Hogan's behalf. lRelated Distortions fly in race for governor POLITICS Distortions fly in race for governor SEE ALL RELATED 8 According to filings with the Federal Communication Commission, the RGA will spend $166,515 to advertise on WJZ-TV. The ad the group released Thursday is a 30-second spot rattling off taxes, fares and other charges that have gone up under Brown and Gov. Martin O'Malley....

JUICE #4: SENATORS RASKIN & ZIRKIN BATTLING FOR CHAIR OF JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS COMMITTEE - One of the non-election stories politicos are currently following is the battle between State Senators Jamie Raskin & Bobby Zirkin for Chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee. After all, not all of the hot races this year are electoral battles -- some of them relate to the assignment of leadership posts. This November, State Senator Brian Frosh is all but certain to be elected Maryland's next Attorney General, but Frosh also chairs the Senate's Judicial Proceedings Committee (aka JPR). With his looming departure from that post, Senate President Mike Miller will soon have to choose a replacement. Center Maryland columnist Josh Kurtz recently highlighted the basics of the JPR battle (excerpt below):

JOSH KURTZ VIA CENTER MARYLAND: At first glance – and maybe even at second and third glance – it’s a no-brainer: A Harvard-educated constitutional scholar vs. a guy who advertises his ability to win dog bite cases prominently on his law firm website. Put another way, it’s a choice between a lawyer who wrote a best-selling book about the Supreme Court and a lawmaker who introduced a bill that would have prevented the wife of an Annapolis lobbyist from serving on the Baltimore County school board because the lawmaker didn’t like a natural gas pipeline project in his neighborhood that the lobbyist’s firm was promoting....

By all accounts, the battle is between Montgomery County Sen. Jamie Raskin (D), an American University law professor and constitutional scholar, and Baltimore County Sen. Bobby Zirkin (D), the trial lawyer and pipeline foe. But [Senate President Mike] Miller’s decision isn’t as easy as one might expect given the two contenders’ credentials, because this is not an academic exercise – and the chairmanship of JPR is anything but an academic position. In fact, it’s become a major dilemma for Miller, the longest-serving Senate president on Planet Earth who once held the JPR gavel himself....

WILL MOCO & LIBERALS HAVE A ROLE IN THE STATE SENATE? - But there is much more to the JPR battle than just the resumes of Senators Raskin & Zirkin. The decision has much to do with the trajectory of the chamber, and Montgomery County's role in the future of the State Senate. With the exit of Senator Brian Frosh and the retirement of former Majority Leader Rob Garagiola, Montgomery County may soon be without any Senator in a senior leadership position in the state's upper chamber.

Moreover, with the ever-increasing liberal bent to Maryland's Democratic electorate, the JPR battle foreshadows whether progressives in the State Senate will be given a correspondingly larger voice in the body. On this point, there are some similarities and some differences in voting record between Raskin & Zirkin. Most notably, Zirkin voted against the Dream Act while Raskin supported the bill. The two Senators also disagree on whether landlords should be able to discriminate against tenants based on the form of payment for rent (eg: housing vouchers for veterans and low income residents). Raskin opposes discrimination against form of payment, while Zirkin supports it.

That being said, both Senators voted for marriage equality and both support marijuana legalization. Both Senators also voted against corporate welfare for Lockheed Martin, and Zirkin ultimately joined Raskin in supporting death penalty repeal and transgender non-discrimination. In any case, we will likely not know how this story plays out until after the General Election is concluded.


JUICE #5: LOW PROFILE BALLOT QUESTIONS FACING VOTERS IN NOVEMBER // TRANSPORTATION LOCK BOX, COUNTY EXEC SPECIAL ELECTIONS & MORE - In addition to the state and county races on the ballot this year, there are some fairly interesting (albeit low-profile) ballot questions facing voters. We discuss the two statewide ballot questions and a Montgomery County-specific ballot question below:

QUESTION 1: SHOULD MARYLAND LOCK-BOX ITS TRANSPORTATION FUNDS? - This ballot question asks voters whether state lawmakers should be prohibited from spending transportation dollars on non-transportation budget items. The measure was placed on the ballot by the General Assembly as part of the gas tax negotiations during the last legislative session. The lockbox on the transportation trust fund dollars could be overturned through at 60% vote of the legislature during a fiscal emergency. A vote "for" Question 1, is a vote for the lockbox and is recommended by a diverse range of groups including the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee, Progressive Neighbors, The Baltimore Sun, The Gazette, various Chambers of Commerce, the carpenters union and supporters of the Red Line, Purple Line and CCT.

QUESTION 2: SHOULD MARYLAND ALLOW COUNTIES TO FILL COUNTY EXEC VACANCIES THROUGH SPECIAL ELECTIONS? - This ballot question asks voters whether Maryland should authorize counties to fill vacancies in the office of County Executive through special elections instead of appointments. In Montgomery County, for example, a County Exec vacancy would currently be filled through a vote of five members of the County Council. A vote "for" Question 2 is a vote to allow counties to use special elections and is recommended by the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee and Progressive Neighbors.

MOCO QUESTION A: SHOULD MOCO REQUIRE COUNCILMEMBERS TO LIVE IN THEIR DISTRICT AT THE TIME OF A PRIMARY, GENERAL & VACANCY? - This ballot question asks voters in Montgomery County whether candidates for District-based County Council seats must reside in their district at the time of a Primary Election and General Election or at the time a vacancy occurs. A vote "for" Question A is a vote to require residency and is recommended by the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee and Progressive Neighbors.

JUICE #6: MONTGOMERY COUNTY APPROVES PUBLIC FINANCING FOR COUNTY RACES STARTING IN THE 2018 CYCLE - One major game-changer to local politics is that Montgomery County Councilmembers recently voted unanimously to adopt a "clean elections" public financing system for county races. The County Council sent the following press release discussing how the new system works (excerpt below):

MONTGOMERY COUNTY COUNCIL: The Montgomery County Council today unanimously enacted Bill 16-14, which will allow candidates for County Council and County Executive to qualify for partial public financing for their campaigns. This is the first measure of its type for County elective offices in the Washington Region and in the State of Maryland.... The bill would establish a Public Election Fund. To qualify for public financing, a candidate would have to:

• File a Notice of Intent prior to collecting qualifying contributions
• Establish a publicly funded campaign account
• Only accept contributions from an individual of between $5 and $150
• Refuse to accept a contribution from any group or organization, including a political action committee, a corporation, a labor organization or a State or local central action committee of a political party
• Collect a qualifying number of contributions from County residents: 500 for County Executive candidates, 250 for at-large Council candidates and 125 for district Council candidates
• Meet qualifying dollar thresholds of $40,000 for County Executive, $20,000 for at-large Councilmember and $10,000 for district CouncilmemberLimits are indexed to inflation
• Only contributions from County residents are eligible for matching funds

The plan provides strong incentives for candidates to seek out many small individual contributors. Matching public dollars for County Executive candidates would be $6 for each dollar of the first $50 of a qualifying contribution received from a County resident, $4 for each dollar for the second $50 and $2 for each remaining dollar received up to the maximum contribution. Matching dollars for County Council candidates would be $4 for each dollar of the first $50 received from a County resident, $3 for each dollar for the second $50 and $2 for each remaining dollar received up to the maximum contribution.

The maximum limit on public funds per candidate for either the primary election or the general election will be $750,000 for a County Executive candidate, $250,000 for a Council at-large candidate and $125,000 for a district Council candidate. Matching dollars would not be distributed for self/spouse contributions or to candidates running unopposed.

Advocates are hopeful that the "clean elections" push will soon spread to other states and hopefully be adopted for state elections in coming years.

That's it until next time!

Democratic Senators Lisa Gladden & Bobby Zirkin Endorse Allan Kittleman, GOP Candidate for Howard County Executive

UPDATE: The commentary below appeared in this month's issue of Business Monthly, but it turns out the piece was written by Maryland Reporter's Len Lazarick, who has mirrored the full article on his own website (additional excerpt below):

MARYLAND REPORTER: It’s no secret that Sen. Allan Kittleman will need lots of Democrats to vote for a Republican for Howard County executive for him to accomplish what the GOP did 23 years ago — take over the county government.

“If Allan Kittleman can’t have a chance in Howard County, no one has a chance,” said attorney Michael Davis, who was campaign chairman for Republican Chuck Ecker when Ecker defeated Democrat Liz Bobo during her re-election bid for executive in 1990. Four years later, Republicans controlled the County Council, the courthouse offices and a majority of legislative seats.

Davis was involved in a poll taken last year that he said showed Kittleman “has good name recognition; he’s got high trust factors and likability factors.” But he’s still got “a tough fight”....

Maryland Juice previously noted that GOP State Senator Allan Kittleman was running for Howard County Executive in 2014, and that he would likely be facing off against Democratic HoCo Councilmember Courtney Watson. But we highlighted a report in Patch.com that Democratic State Senator Bobby Zirkin had crossed party lines to endorse Kittleman for Executive. There were rumors that another Democratic State Senator Lisa Gladden would be supporting the Republican candidate for HoCo Exec, but we never saw confirmation of that story until today. In fact, I only heard that Gladden was supporting Kittleman through an unverified report on Twitter about a month ago:

Last night a Maryland Juice reader forwarded us a scanned copy of an interesting article that appeared in the July 2013 edition of Business Monthly, which features interviews with Senators Zirkin and Gladden highlighting their endorsements for Allan Kittleman. The article, titled "Kittleman's Uphill Fight" does not yet appear in the online edition of Business Monthly, but we provide some excerpts from the newsprint below:

BUSINESS MONTHLY: "It's the content of your character, it's not a 'D' or 'R' behind your name that makes a difference, said Zirkin.... Zirkin said he also asked Kittleman whether he could bring up same-sex marraige. Kittleman was only one of the dozen Republicans in the state Senate that supported the measure...."

Sure enough, Gladden, with a more liberal voting record than Zirkin's is a Kittleman fan. "Allan is a whole different breed of Republican," Gladden said in an interview.... Gladden recognizes there's a whole range of issues on which she and Kittleman disagree, but he supported her position on an issue she's passionate about, abolition of the death penalty....

Notably, Zirkin highlights Kittleman's support for marriage equality, while Gladden highlights his support for death penalty repeal. But one Democratic commenter in the article below highlights other issues where Kittleman conflicts with mainstream Democratic politics. In the article, Howard County Democratic Party Chair Michael McPherson called Kittleman a "flaming Tea Party zealot" who opposes gun control and works to restrict women's access to health care.

More on the HoCo Exec battle soon!

JUICE: MoCo Exec Ike Leggett Wants 3rd Term, Sen. Zirkin Wants GOP HoCo Exec & Is Del. Feldman Next Sen. Garagiola?

Below Maryland Juice provides a few updates to percolating stories of interest to politicos:

JUICE #1: MONTGOMERY COUNTY EXECUTIVE IKE LEGGETT TO SEEK THIRD TERM - Several insiders began telling Maryland Juice yesterday that MoCo Exec Ike Leggett was preparing to make an announcement about his future. No surprise here - he's running for re-election to seek a third term as County Executive. Check out the following Tweet from MoCo Councilmember Hans Riemer and a report from WTOP's Kate Ryan:

WTOP: Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett is expected to announce he's running for re-election, WTOP has learned. The official announcement is expected online Tuesday night....

JUICE #2: DEMOCRATIC SEN. BOBBY ZIRKIN ENDORSES GOP SEN. ALLAN KITTLEMAN FOR HOWARD COUNTY EXECUTIVE // IS SEN. LISA GLADDEN NEXT? - The Owings Mill Patch.com's Bryan Sears reported today that State Senator Bobby Zirkin (a Democrat) is endorsing Republican State Senator Allan Kittleman for Howard County Executive -- before HoCo Democrats have even had a chance to choose their nominee:

PATCH.COM: Howard County Republican State Sen. Allan Kittleman is getting an unusual endorsement at his campaign event Tuesday afternoon for a run for Howard County executive. Baltimore County Democratic State Sen. Bobby Zirkin said he is supporting Kittleman's run for his new role at an event at Lake Kittamaqundi. "Yeah, I'm supporting him," Zirkin said by phone on his way to the afternoon announcement....

A Twitter user responded that Democratic State Senator Lisa Gladden was apparently also endorsing GOP State Senator Allan Kittleman for Howard County Executive. Maryland Juice has not confirmed the report below:

What's going on here? As I understand it, should Kittleman win the 2014 GOP primary, he's likely to face off against Democratic HoCo Councilmember Courtney Watson for County Executive. I know some folks will say there's nothing wrong with breaking ranks on party, but even they must admit this is a very unusual circumstance. The cynic in me thinks that someone might be a bit paranoid about losing a General Election next year. On the other hand, maybe these State Senators are all best pals or something. Then again, Maryland Juice did name State Senator Allan Kittleman our 2012 Marylander of the Year for breaking ranks with his own party to support marriage equality. I don't feel too bad about it either since he even took the spirit of the award to heart by supporting death penalty repeal the following session. Win or lose, perhaps some of Kittleman's GOP colleagues could steal a page from his playbook.... But I'm still rooting for the Dems, of course. My party is (in my opinion) still the better vehicle for attempting to advance progressive politics & civil liberties (*cough*) and challenge corporate power (*cough cough*)  -- notwithstanding the betrayal of many, many elected Democrats on these issues.


JUICE #3: DEL. BRIAN FELDMAN EARNS ENDORSEMENT OF D15 CAUCUS IN QUEST TO BE APPOINTED TO REPLACE STATE SEN. ROB GARAGIOLA - Maryland Juice previously wrote about the District 15 State Senate vacancy being caused by the resignation of Rob Garagiola. We also noted that Del. Brian Feldman wanted to be chosen by the MoCo Democratic Central Committee to replace Garagiola. I guess that makes sense since they both sponsored and voted for legislation forcing Montgomery County taxpayers to give weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin $4.5 million every decade. Oh, but I kid the good Democrats of Montgomery County; nobody remembers the great lobbyist-driven Lockheed giveaway of 2013, right?....

In any case, today we received the following announcement from the District 15 Democratic Caucus (a political club in D15), noting that they endorsed Del. Feldman to replace Garagiola. The news was sent via a copied message from the D15 caucus leaders addressed to MCDCC Chair Gabe Albornoz:

June 10, 2013

The Honorable Gabriel Albornoz
Chair, Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee
3720 Farragut Ave.
Kensington, MD 20895

Re: Unanimous Support for Appointment of Delegate Brian J. Feldman to Maryland Senate Seat Being Vacated by Hon. Rob Garagiola

Dear Chairman Albornoz and Members of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee:

Please receive this letter from the District 15 Democratic Caucus announcing our unanimous support and unconditional recommendation for Delegate Brian Feldman to be appointed by the Central Committee to succeed Sen. Rob Garagiola in the Maryland Senate. While we are saddened by Sen. Garagiola’s resignation after his many years of outstanding service to District 15, the board of directors of the District 15 Democratic Caucus unanimously voted for and recommends Brian to the Central Committee. We proudly urge the Committee to submit his name at the appropriate time to Governor O’Malley in accordance with the Maryland Constitution.

Delegate Feldman, an attorney, was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2002 and was reelected by substantial margins in 2006 and 2010. Prior to his election, Brian served as President of the District 15 Democratic Club. Before 2002, Republicans occupied three of the four legislative seats in District 15. With the assistance of a strong Democratic precinct organization, Brian worked with his District colleagues over the next decade to transform a legislative district that had leaned Republican into what is now a district represented entirely by Democrats. The nature of District 15’s demographics does not allow us to assume a Democratic victory in every election. As a result, Brian’s reputation and his broad voter support will enhance the likelihood that the Senate seat will remain Democratic. Brian has been a member of the MCDCC Democratic Forum for many years and he was an Obama Delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2008.

Brian has risen to leadership positions in the House of Delegates and received the respect of the House leadership and from his peers. After being re-elected in 2006, he was selected by the Speaker of the House to serve as Chair of the House Subcommittee on Banking, Economic Development, Science and Technology. In 2007, he was elected unanimously by his colleagues in the 24-member Montgomery County House Delegation to serve as its Chair and served in that capacity for 5 consecutive years. After the 2010 election, the Speaker appointed Brian to the leadership position of House Parliamentarian where he is responsible for making parliamentary rulings on the House Floor, often during contentious debates involving the General Assembly’s most controversial proposals, including involving special legislative sessions called by the Governor. In each position he held, Brian distinguished himself and received the admiration of his colleagues for his performance.

In the House of Delegates, Brian has been a remarkably effective legislator having sponsored and gained passage of numerous key bills that have enhanced the quality of life in Montgomery County and benefited Maryland’s economy in many ways. Brian is well known for being a pioneering legislator for the state’s emerging biotechnology sector, an industry which has become a leading economic engine in Montgomery County and which is critical to the county’s future. In 2005, the Biotechnology Industry Organization named Brian as its “State Legislator of the Year” for the entire nation. Brian has also sponsored legislation and navigated it through the General Assembly process including the landmark law which required for the first time that reliability standards be established for Maryland electric companies, including PEPCO; providing service disabled veteran owned small businesses enhanced opportunities; and supporting economic development programs which create new jobs.

Brian is part of House Speaker Mike Busch’s senior leadership team. Working collaboratively with other Democratic leaders of the General Assembly and with Governor O’Malley, he most recently helped pass an agenda that received national attention. It included the Marriage Equality Act, Death Penalty Repeal, Gun Control, and Off-Shore Wind projects. We believe Brian’s success as a senior House of Delegate’s leader, his proven ability to collaborate with colleagues from across the state, his knowledge of the nuances of the legislative process, and his dedicated work ethic would make him an outstanding Senator.

Brian’s background and extensive experience, both in the General Assembly and as an experienced attorney, are valuable assets for our County and District 15 in the State Senate. His proven electoral success in District 15 is also critically important as we seek to successfully defend the Senate seat in this legislative district that was the most recent District in the county to elect a Republican. Finally, we understand that the other three current District 15 state legislators - Delegates Kathleen Dumais and Aruna Miller and Senator Garagiola - support Brian’s appointment to the Senate. Their voices should be seriously considered as they are committed to continuing to achieve success for District 15 and Montgomery County in the General Assembly.

For all of these reasons, the District 15 Democratic Caucus unanimously recommends and respectfully requests that the Central Committee support Delegate Brian J. Feldman for the soon to be vacated Senate seat. If you have any questions, please contact Chairman Jeff Williams at jwilliams@xxxxxx.xxx or at (301) XXX-XXXX.

Very truly yours,

Jeffrey Ross Williams Tim Whitehouse
Chairman Vice Chairman 

WHOA: Sen. Rob Garagiola to Resign from Office // PLUS: The Coming Battle for Majority Leader & An Open D15 Delegate Seat

Maryland Juice's Internet terminal started buzzing this evening with news that State Senator Rob Garagiola is resigning from his District 15 Seat and job as Majority Leader! The Washington Post's John Wagner has the scoop (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Maryland Senate Majority Leader Robert A. Garagiola (D-Montgomery), once among the state’s brightest young political stars, said Wednesday he plans to resign his seat this fall and has no plans to seek elected office....

Garagiola said he planned to leave the Senate when his term expires in January 2015 and more recently began thinking about stepping down sooner. His resignation will take effect Sept. 1.

The Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee will be tasked with recommending a replacement for Garagiola to Gov. Martin O’Malley (D). Several lawmakers and legislative aides suggested Del. Brian J. Feldman (D-Montgomery) would be the leading contender....

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? //  A SENATE BATTLE AND OPEN DELEGATE SEAT IN 2014 - The Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC) will nominate a replacement for the District 15 State Senate seat, subject to approval by Gov. O'Malley. Note that there is still one legislation session remaining in Garagiola's term, so his successor will need to be able to hit the ground running. The question then raised is whether the MCDCC will appoint a caretaker who promises not to run in 2014, or whether they appoint a sitting elected who then has a leg up on competition in 2014.

Another interesting dynamic here is that people of color, women and immigrant-based communities have been clamoring for greater representation in Democratic politics, and so that may be a factor in the appointment process. At some points in the past, the MCDCC has faced scrutiny for not recommending the appointment of women and racial/ethnic minorities for past high-profile vacancies. Either way, it is near certain that one of the sitting Delegates will either be appointed to the D15 Senate seat or will seek the office in 2014. That means we will not only have a Senate battle on our hands, but we can likely look forward to an open Delegate seat in District 15.


A NEW SENATE MAJORITY LEADER IS COMING SOON - The resignation of State Senator Garagiola also means that his post as Majority Leader will now be vacant. This too could lead to a showdown, as a large amount of pent up ambition in the Senate now has a rung on the ladder to fight for. Maryland Juice will be keeping his eyes on the coming showdown!


MEANWHILE IN BALTIMORE COUNTY //  SEN. BOBBY ZIRKIN RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION - This is old news by now, but since the make-up of the Senate Democratic Caucus will be changing, I thought it was worth printing that State Senator Bobby Zirkin is running for re-election. We previously printed rumors that he was thinking of retiring at the end of his term, but Catonsville Patch.com reported that he decided to stay put (excerpt below):

PATCH: Democratic State Sen. Bobby Zirkin is running for re-election in 2014 after all. Zirkin, in a text message to a reporter late Friday, write that he "officially filed for Senate today." The decision to run for a third term in the Maryland Senate comes a month after an interview in which he said he was considering leaving public office....

MORE ON THE D15 & SENATE MAJORITY LEADER BATTLES SOON!

JUICE: Sen. Robey, Del. Deboy & Del. Malone Retiring (Zirkin Too?) // PLUS: Don Dwyer Raffles AK-47 & 2014 AG Forum

Below Maryland Juice presents a round-up of recent tidbits relating to the 2014 election cycle, including several retirement announcements that promise to re-align politics in the Howard County area:

JUICE #1: DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR JIM ROBEY NOT RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION - District 13 State Senator Jim Robey has announced he will not be running for re-election in 2014. The Baltimore Sun's Blair Ames reported on the development (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: The end of the 2014 General Assembly session in Annapolis will mark the end of 48 years in public service for Howard County Sen. Jim Robey. Robey, an Elkridge Democrat, confirmed Tuesday, April 16, that he will retire next year after eight years in the Maryland Senate.... "I just feel it's time to step aside and let someone else step in."

Robey, 72, has served in the Senate since 2007 representing District 13, which covers much of southern Howard County. He previously served two terms as Howard County Executive from 1998 to 2006.... Robey said he "thoroughly enjoyed" his time in Annapolis, but acknowledged the legislature has made some tough decisions over the past two years....

Maryland Juice first caught wind of Sen. Robey's retirement when a reader pointed us in the direction of the following remark on Howard County Executive Ken Ulman's Facebook page:

KEN ULMAN: Senator Jim Robey is a solid public servant who does what he thinks is right on behalf of others. That's the legacy he'll leave behind. Wishing him lots of luck on his retirement! Thank you for your service to Howard County!

JUICE #2: DELEGATES STEVE DEBOY & JIM MALONE ALSO RETIRING // 3 OPEN SEATS IN MARYLAND HOUSE DISTRICT 12 - State Senator Jim Robey's retirement is piled on top of multiple retirements from politicians representing parts of Howard County. Indeed, all three House of Delegates seats in Maryland's District 12 will be vacant in 2014. Last September, Delegate Liz Bobo announced she would not seek re-election, and this week Bryan Sears from Catonsville Patch reported that the other two District 12 Delegates Steve DeBoy and Jim Malone are also not running for re-election (excerpt below):

CATONSVILLE PATCH: Dels. Steve DeBoy and Jim Malone say this term in the House of Delegates will be their last. In separate interviews, the two Democrats who represent the Catonsville and Arbutus areas said they have decided not run for a fourth and fifth term respectively....

DeBoy, who is finishing his third term, said redistricting and political changes in the House of Delegates were two factors in his decision..... Some of the issues that concerned DeBoy was the recent passage of the repeal of the death penalty and the recent gun control law....

Indeed, Steve DeBoy attributes his retirement decision to his disagreement with death penalty repeal and Maryland's new gun regulations. But Deboy's colleague James Malone was a bit more muted in his response. Shortly after the Patch article came out, Del. Malone emailed the following public announcement to his supporters:

DEL. JAMES MALONE: First and foremost, I want to thank you--my family, my friends and my supporters for your kindness and friendship over almost two decades of public service in the Maryland House of Delegates.  I feel that I have proudly served with distinction the area where I grew up, live and continue to raise my children. 

After serious and careful consideration, I have decided not to seek re-election to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2014.  As a result, I am canceling my fundraiser scheduled on May 16th, 2013.  I look forward to spending more time with my daughter Danica and my son Little Jimmy.

Over my and my family's lifetime in politics, my Dad, Mom and I have met so many wonderful people.  Thank you for sharing with me your time, your stories, your support and your friendship.

I look forward to continuing to serve the rest of my term and promise to always be a positive influence in our community,

May God Bless each and every one of you!

James E. Malone, Jr.
Delegate, District 12A 
Baltimore & Howard counties 

REASONS FOR THE RETIREMENT: Maryland Juice contacted some Annapolis sources for reaction to the news, and the consensus seems to be that District 12 is likely to elect three progressive Democrats to the House of Delegates in 2014. But one source explained some of the backstory to the retirements:

ANONYMOUS SOURCE: I can't tell you how bizarre this is. DeBoy and Malone were redistricted into a more Democratic district to give them easy elections and keep them around. But they were so used to voting conservative that they literally couldn't become liberal enough for their new districts.

Redistricting was designed to help these two, but they couldn't have it both ways. They couldn't have both the easy elections they wanted, AND vote the conservative way they wanted to. They voted their old districts perfectly but couldn't seem to make the transition to their new district. Well, that likely means two more progressive Dems from the Columbia-area.

Indeed Delegates DeBoy and Malone are both Democrats but over time have built relatively conservative voting records for Maryland Democrats. Notably, their current district includes parts of Baltimore and Howard counties, but starting in the 2014 election cycle their two seats will be merged with the far more liberal District 12B to create a new three-member House of Delegates District 12. Most importantly, the new D12 is projected to be dominated by the liberal Democrats in Columbia, Maryland. A second anonymous source remarked to Maryland Juice: "I think they saw the writing on the wall."

CONSERVATIVE VOTING RECORDS ENDANGER INCUMBENT DEMOCRATS: The writing on the wall in this instance was that DeBoy and Malone's voting records were clearly out-of-step with the new District 12. Delegate Steve DeBoy voted against the Dream Act, marriage equality, death penalty repeal, the gas tax, gun regulations, and drivers licenses for undocumented residents. Similarly, Delegate James Malone voted against the Dream Act, death penalty repeal, gun regulations, and the gas tax.

Given these voting records, the potential challenges facing DeBoy and Malone were becoming more real every day. After all, when Del. Bobo announced her retirement last September, almost a dozen candidates' names emerged as possible challengers for the single open District 12 seat. And in recent weeks, one 2014 candidate even began making an issue out of the incumbents' votes on death penalty repeal. Even still, the two conservative Democrats did themselves no favor with their new voters by continuing to vote against progressive issues in the face of these challengers. The race is now on to see what becomes of the new District 12, but one thing is certain: we are likely to see a stampede of HoCo Democrats running for the three open seats in 2014!


JUICE #3: IS STATE SENATOR BOBBY ZIRKIN CONSIDERING RETIRING? - Take the following bit of juice with a grain or two of salt, but several Maryland Juice sources are indicating that State Senator Bobby Zirkin is also weighing a potential retirement in 2014. I'll believe it when I see it, but a few sources swear that the District 11 Democrat sounds like he's serious. To be sure, Zirkin is fairly young for someone rumored to be weighing retirement, but after two terms in the House and two terms in the Senate, he will have been in office for 16 years when his current term ends.

If Zirkin does retire, there could be some interesting dynamics in the race for his seat. District 11 is currently represented by three Democratic members in the House of Delegates: Jon Cardin, Dan Morhaim and Dana Stein. An open Senate seat could provide Delegate Cardin a fall-back plan for his 2014 Attorney General run -- but sources seem to think that is an unlikely path for Cardin. Maryland Juice will be keeping an eye on a possible Zirkin retirement!


JUICE #4: TEA PARTY DELEGATE DON DWYER RAFFLING AK-47 AND AR-15 RIFLES FOR 2014 FUNDRAISER - Tea Party Delegate Don Dwyer faces a difficult re-election in 2014. First, redistricting drew him into an inhospitable new district, and then he was involved in a drunk boating accident that left several children injured. At last check Dwyer was embarking on a quixotic bid to switch parties and try and retain his seat as a Democrat. But Dwyer's latest move might be his strangest stunt yet.

To fundraise for the 2014 cycle, Dwyer is now raffling the now notorious AK-47 and AR-15 rifles that were recently banned in Maryland. He is hosting the event before the state's new gun regulations take effect, so for $10 Dwyer's supporters have a chance to take him assault weapons. ABC News reported on the development (excerpt below):

ABC NEWS: Maryland Delegate Don Dwyer has announced a fundraising event in support of guns rights and his re-election campaign. As part of the event he is selling raffle tickets for an AR-15 and AK-47. Tickets for the assault riffles are available for $10 and can even be purchased online.

 Check out the following screencap from Don Dwyer's fundraising website:

JUICE #5: BALTIMORE'S BEST DEMOCRATIC CLUB HOSTS 2014 ATTORNEY GENERAL CANDIDATES FORUM - Baltimore's "B.E.S.T. Democratic Club is hosting a forum with candidates for 2014 Attorney General on June 6, 2013. See the event announcement below:

BEST DEMOCRATIC CLUB: We hope to see everyone at the next general meeting which will be June 6, 2013 from 6:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. The location is 4709 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21214. The theme for this meeting is “The Attorney General Round Table” where we have invited all those that are running for the Maryland Attorney General seat to have a discussion with Baltimore.

Invited Guest

Delegate Aisha Braveboy
Delegate Jon Cardin - Confirmed
Delegate Bill Frick - Confirmed
Senator Brian Frosh

MORE ON THE 2014 BATTLE SOON!

Maryland Senate Votes to Decriminalize Pot Possession While House Approves Medical Marijuana // ROLL CALL ANALYSIS

UPDATE: Maryland Juice just received the following legislative tidbit from a reader on Facebook encouraging Marylanders to contact Delegate Joe Vallario and urge him to stop holding up marijuana decriminalization:  joseph.vallario@house.state.md.us or (410) 841-3488.

READER: Students for Sensible Drug Policy sent out an email blast calling on its MD members to "Urge Chairman Vallario to pass marijuana decriminalization in Maryland" etc. with some indication that he as the committee chairman "has been the main obstacle to passing positive marijuana legislation in Maryland." Let's hope this common sense reform makes it through!

Reforms to Maryland's draconian laws regarding marijuana are finally advancing in the State Senate and House of Delegates. After years of severe lag-time, Maryland Democrats have finally caught on that the world is moving on after blindly experimenting with the last generation's failed "War on Drugs."

Maryland currently spends roughly $226 million a year on marijuana enforcement -- with little meaningful impact on the public's use of recreational drugs.  Meanwhile, young Marylanders and people of color are arbitrarily and disproportionately welcomed into the criminal justice system, subjecting them to potential ineligibility for student loans and persistent problems finding employment.

MARYLAND SENATE APPROVES MARIJUANA DECRIMINALIZATION - Last week the Maryland Senate approved a bill to eliminate the possibility of jail terms for "de minimis" marijuana possession (aka a few joints or less). A bill sponsored by Senator Bobby Zirkin proposes to reduce the penalty for minor pot possession to no more than a $100 fine with no jail time at all. The bill was approved by a vote of 30-16 in a surprisingly smooth vote, and The Washington Post editorial board recently encouraged the House of Delegates to join the Senate in decriminalizing pot (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: The Maryland Senate’s vote to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana would not, as some critics warn, make it okay to use the drug. Such use would still be illegal, but it would be a civil offense, punishable by fines rather than imprisonment. Not only would this save law enforcement valuable resources but also prevent the lives of many young people from being ruined. We hope the House of Delegates follows the Senate’s lead and that Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) signs this sensible measure into law....

Currently Maryland law allows for up to a shocking 90 days in prison and a $500 fine for possession of minor amounts of pot. But despite the common-sense nature of this "decriminalization" law, the vote to start ending the War on Drugs in Maryland revealed interesting divisions between lawmakers. You can see the full roll call online, but below Maryland Juice highlights a few notable tidbits.

NINE SENATE DEMOCRATS VOTED TO MAINTAIN 90 DAY JAIL TERMS FOR MARIJUANA - The vast majority of Senate Democrats voted to eliminate the possibility of 90 day jail terms for residents caught with small amounts of marijuana.  Democratic leaders --  including Senate President Mike Miller -- voted for marijuana decriminalization, and only nine of Maryland's thirty-five Democratic Senators voted to support continued incarceration of people caught with pot. But surprisingly, two of the "no" votes came from Senators Nancy King and Roger Manno, who represent liberal Montgomery County. Below you can see the nine Democratic Senators who voted against peeling back the War on Drugs in Maryland:

1. John Astle (Anne Arundel County)
2. Ed Degrange (Anne Arundel County)
3. Roy Dyson (Calvert, Charles & St. Mary's Counties)
4. Nancy King (Montgomery County)
5. Katherine Klausmeier (Baltimore County)
6. Roger Manno (Montgomery County)
7. Jim Mathias (Somerset, Wicomico & Worcester Counties)
8. Jim Robey (Howard County)
9. Norm Stone (Baltimore County)

SENATOR ROGER MANNO EXPLAINS VOTE TO MAINTAIN POSSIBILITY OF JAIL FOR POT POSSESSION - Interestingly, shortly after the historic marijuana reform vote, Senator Roger Manno explained to Maryland Juice why he voted to maintain possible 90 day jail terms for minor pot possession. Manno stated that he thought the War on Drugs was a failure but that it was arbitrary to only roll back penalties on marijuana. I'm still a little confused by this argument, but if drug reform advocates take Senator Manno at his word, that means he should be approached to sponsor an even larger unraveling of the War on Drugs in Maryland  -- perhaps a bill that comprehensively audits and revisits jail terms assigned to all cases of simple possession?


NEARLY 50% OF REPUBLICAN SENATORS VOTED AGAINST 90 DAY JAIL TERMS FOR POT - While some Democrats struggled to stay on top of shifting public sentiment on marijuana, the Republicans are beginning to catch on. Notably, five out of twelve Republican Senators (or nearly 50%) voted to eliminate the threat of 90 day jail terms for minor pot possession:

1. David Brinkley (Carroll & Frederick Counties)
2. Richard Colburn (Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot & Wicomico Counties)
3. Nancy Jacobs (Cecil & Harford Counties)
4. Alan Kittleman (Carroll & Howard Counties)
5. Ed Reilly (Anne Arundel County)

MEANWHILE, MD SENATE VOTES TO MAKE POSSESSION OF SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA PUNISHABLE BY FOUR YEARS IN JAIL - In one of the signs of how dysfunctional and irrational drug policy is in America, only days after the Maryland Senate voted overwhelmingly to decriminalize pot possession -- Senators also voted unanimously to make possession of synthetic marijuana punishable by up to four years in prison. Last week, Maryland Senators voted to add synthetic marijuana to the state's list of "Schedule I" substances -- making simple possession a crime that could land you in jail for years. This may have been a pro-forma step to conform Maryland's criminal code with the Federal Schedule I, but we are already beginning to move away from compliance with Barack Obama's broken campaign promises on drug reform. One step forward, two steps back on ending the failed War on Drugs in Maryland? Oy!


MARYLAND HOUSE FINALLY APPROVES MODEST MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAW - While the Maryland Senate was busy decriminalizing possession of minor amounts of pot, the House of Delegates was debating whether to allow medical marijuana in Maryland. But today they finally voted to approve a modest program to allow distribution of marijuana for medical purposes. The medical marijuana bill passed by a whopping margin in a 108 to 28 vote. The Capital Gazette reported on the break in the logjam (excerpt below):

CAPITAL GAZETTE: The House of Delegates passed a bill Monday to allow a small number of academic medical centers to distribute marijuana to patients beginning in 2016. Delegates voted 108-28 to pass House Bill 1101, introduced by Del. Dan K. Morhaim, D-Baltimore County. The bill would create a commission through which academic medical research centers could apply to operate medical marijuana programs. The bill now heads to the Senate, where it could get a hearing as soon as this week....

With just 15 days left in the General Assembly's 90-day session, marijuana will be an important issue in both chambers. On Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee is expected to take up Senate Bill 297, which would decriminalize possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana. The Senate passed that bill on March 19....

THERE'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING IN THE AIR - Most Americans consider the War on Drugs a policy failure, and Maryland Juice has been pointing out for months that a super-majority of Democrats and liberals nationally now support full-on taxation and regulation of pot (even Senate President Mike Miller). Indeed, a 2012 Huffington Post/YouGov opinion survey confirmed the clear shift in attitudes:

HUFFINGTON POST: A solid majority of Americans support legalizing marijuana, either with or without taxes and regulations similar to those imposed on alcoholic beverages, according to a new survey conducted by YouGov for The Huffington Post.

The poll found that 51 percent of adults support legalizing, taxing and regulating marijuana like alcohol.... Only 26 percent of respondents said that marijuana should not be legalized.... Those under age 29 and between ages 45 and 64 were most likely to support legalization pure and simple...

The poll found more variation among people of different political parties. Sixty-four percent of Democrats ...  said they supported legalization with taxes and regulations. Overall, opposition was highest among Republicans, but even so, more Republicans favored one of the two legalization options (47 percent) than opposed legalization entirely (44 percent).

A 2011 Gallup poll also verified new majority support for marijuana reform and noted that a whopping 69% of liberals support the legalization effort. Check out a few summary tables below:

Are Maryland politicians figuring out that public sentiment has changed? More on the War on Drugs soon!

JuiceBlender: Maryland Democrats Warming Up to Marijuana, Death Penalty Ban Passes House Judiciary, Senate Passes Wind

PLUS: SENATE PRESIDENT MIKE MILLER ENDORSES MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

Below Maryland Juice provides a few updates on Annapolis news items of interest to politicos, starting with a wave of updates regarding marijuana policy in Maryland. The issue has been moving quickly in recent weeks, giving me that sense that there's definitely something in the air:

JUICE #1: O'MALLEY ADMINISTRATION GIVES CAUTIOUS SUPPORT FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL - The Baltimore Sun today reported that Governor Martin O'Malley's administration is cautiously getting behind medical marijuana after threatening to veto the measure last year (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration withdrew its opposition to legislation allowing doctors and nurses to dispense medical marijuana to patients through academic medical centers, raising prospects for passage this year.

Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, the state secretary of health and mental hygiene, said Friday that the administration could support the bill but only if it gave the governor the "flexibility" to suspend the program if the federal government threatened legal action over what it still classifies as an illegal drug.... Under what Sharfstein called a "yellow-light approach" to medical marijuana, the bill would allow dispensing the drug to patients with cancer, intractable pain and other conditions.

O'Malley had threatened to veto medical marijuana legislation last year.... Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler also expressed concerns....

SEN. BOBBY ZIRKIN PUSHING BILL TO SHIFT PENALTY FOR POT POSSESSION FROM JAIL TIME TO FINE  - Maryland Juice is glad to see that Gov. O'Malley is finally coming around on this issue, but I must also admit that I see his tip-toeing toward medical marijuana as a very small "victory." After all, while medical marijuana for cancer patients is a common-sense goal, I remain far more concerned about the mass incarceration of Americans -- especially for things like non-violent drug offenses. No amount of prescription dope is going to solve that bigger social problem -- and I feel that it is perhaps one of the largest unaddressed social justice issues of our time. Indeed, our continued grandfathering of the War on Drugs into Maryland policy leads to cycles of poverty, joblessness, recidivism, student loan ineligibility and more -- disproportionately affecting people of color, and subjecting young people to harassment by law enforcement.

MARYLAND SPENDS $236 MILLION ANNUALLY ON POT ENFORCEMENT - State Senator Bobby Zirkin has a bill to address these concerns by "decriminalizing"' possession of minor amounts of marijuana, and shifting the penalties from jail time to a simple fine. Amazingly, decriminalization has already passed in fifteen other states, making it a common-sense and now mainstream policy change for those who want to get serious about ending their state's participation in the failed War on Drugs. Check out this report from The Fix website (excerpt below):

THE FIX: Could Maryland be the next state to end marijuana prohibition? Yes, according to LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition).... The bill — sponsored by Democratic Senator Bobby Zirkin — seeks to decriminalize small-scale possession in the Free State....

Pot prohibition doesn’t just generate stacks of illicit cash — it also costs a great deal, according to Harvard University economist Jeffrey Miron, who says that Maryland spends over $236 million per annum on marijuana enforcement. In the current era, many are asking whether that's worth the price tag. SB 297 — which  can be viewed in its entirety here — would reduce penalties for possession to a mere $100 dollar fine.

Neill Franklin carried out narcotics work for the Maryland State Police during his 34-year career.... “The current laws force police officers in Maryland to waste hour after hour processing marijuana possession arrests,” he says. “Can you imagine how many more burglaries, rapes and murders we could solve if we put these wasted man-hours toward good use? Marijuana prohibition constitutes a serious threat to public safety." With 15 other states having already decriminalized low-level marijuana possession — and others, such as Hawaii, considering it — SB 297 looks to have a fighting chance....

DEL. CURT ANDERSON INTRODUCES BILL TO TAX & REGULATE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA - State Senator Bobby Zirkin admitted at the hearing for his marijuana decriminalization bill that he would prefer that Maryland simply legalize, tax and regulate marijuana sales. A week after that hearing, Delegate Curt Anderson introduced a bill that would do just that in Maryland House. The Gazette reported on the forward-looking legislation (excerpt below):

GAZETTE: Del. Curt Anderson on Thursday introduced a bill that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Maryland, mirroring measures passed by referendum last year in Colorado and Washington.

The bill would allow Marylanders 21 and older to possess one ounce or less of marijuana, and to grow three or fewer plants in their homes. An excise tax of $50 per ounce would be collected by the state under the proposal. Plants grown at home would be required to have a state-issued zip tie attached. Each zip tie would cost $100 and be valid for one year.

Under the bill, smoking marijuana in public would be prohibited, as would driving while under the influence of marijuana. A portion of the revenue from regulating marijuana would go toward alcohol, tobacco and drug treatment. The marijuana trade would be regulated by the state comptroller’s office....

Maryland traditionally has lagged behind other progressive states when it comes to drug policy, still having not legalized medical marijuana, as 18 states and Washington, D.C., have.

SENATE PRESIDENT MIKE MILLER ENDORSES FULL-ON MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION - When asked by the Capital Gazette to comment on Del. Anderson's pot legalization bill, Senate President Mike Miller amazingly endorsed the proposal (excerpt below):

CAPITAL GAZETTE: Miller ... said he personally favors the “liberalization of marijuana laws,” and thinks marijuana should be regulated like cigarettes and alcohol.

“We’re incarcerating people for offenses that really I think they should be treated as very minor offenses, paying a fine,” Miller said. “But those are my personal views and I don’t think they’re the views of the majority of the Senate...”

Annoyingly, Senator Miller understands the connection between the United States having the world's largest prison population and our tacit consent for incarcerating people for simple drug possession -- yet he doesn't seem motivated to do anything about it. Why can't he summon some of that energy he used to steamroll casino expansion in Maryland to try and get this done?


JUICE #2: DEATH PENALTY BAN PASSES MARYLAND HOUSE JUDICIARY 14 TO 8 // ONE DEMOCRAT JOINED GOP TO OPPOSE REPEAL - Today the Maryland House Judiciary Committee approved death penalty repeal legislation in a 14 to 8 vote. Below Maryland Juice provides the roll call for the committee vote, but the short story is that it was almost a perfect party line vote. One Democrat, Delegate Keven Kelly (highlighted in blue), crossed over with the GOP in their unsuccessful attempts to defeat death penalty repeal. The measure now heads to the floor for a vote by the full body (sometime next week). There's still time to contact your representatives in the Maryland House and urge them to support repeal of the death penalty.

MARYLAND HOUSE JUDICIARY DEATH PENALTY REPEAL ROLL CALL

VOTED FOR REPEAL

1. Curt Anderson 
2. Sam Arora
3. Jill Carter
4. Luke Clippinger
5. Frank Conaway, Jr.
6. Kathleen Dumais
7. Susan Lee
8. Keiffer Mitchell
9. Sandy Rosenberg
10. Luiz Simmons
11. Darren Swain
12. Kriselda Valderrama
13. Geraldine Valentino-Smith
14. Jeff Waldstreicher

VOTED AGAINST REPEAL

1. John Cluster, Jr. (R)
2. Glen Glass (R)
3. Michael Hough (R)
4. Kevin Kelly (D)
5. Susan McComas (R)
6. Mike McDermott (R)
7. Neil Parrott (R)
8. Mike Smigiel (R)

DOESN'T VOTE UNLESS TIED

1. Chairman Joe Vallario

JUICE #3: GOVERNOR O'MALLEY'S WIND FARM PROPOSAL CLEARS STATE SENATE - Yet another signature initiative of Governor Martin O'Malley advanced in the State Legislature today. The Washington Post reports that the multi-year effort to incentivize creation of wind farms on the Maryland shore advanced today (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: After three years of debate, countless revisions and lots of downsizing, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley’s plan to subsidize development of offshore wind energy passed the state Senate on Friday, all but ensuring final approval in coming days.

The victory for O’Malley (D) on a signature environmental initiative came as his bill to repeal the death penalty advanced in the House of Delegates and as he inched toward support of a measure to legalize medical marijuana.

The passage of the offshore wind bill, which failed in each of the past two years, would allow Maryland to seek a private developer to build a field of giant turbines off the coast of Ocean City, perhaps by 2017....

Maryland Death Penalty Ban Expected to Pass Senate Judiciary Today // Sen. Bobby Zirkin Announces Support for Repeal (!)

Yesterday Maryland Juice reported that the Maryland Senate's judiciary committee (aka the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee) was deadlocked on death penalty repeal. We further noted that State Senator Bobby Zirkin, a Baltimore County Democrat, was the swing vote on the 11-member committee.

Amazingly, The Washington Post's John Wagner reported late last night that Sen. Bobby Zirkin has announced he will support repeal of the death penalty in Maryland! Check out this excerpt from the WaPo coverage:

WASHINGTON POST: Sen. Robert A. Zirkin (D-Baltimore County) said Wednesday night that he plans to vote in favor of repealing Maryland’s death penalty, which means the measure now has the support of a majority of members on a key committee.... A majority vote by the committee would allow the bill to move to the full Senate, where there appears to be enough votes for passage....

“From an emotional standpoint, I want to kill these people myself,” Zirkin said. “But that’s a different question than whether, legally, the state should be involved in their death....” Zirkin’s support provides a clearer path to passage for the legislation.

Original version of the repurposed photo above available at Maryland Reporter.

You can thank State Senator Bobby Zirkin at: 

bobby.zirkin@senate.state.md.us

Senator Zirkin's wife Tina also deserves some credit on this win. She's been lobbying her husband to support #MDrepeal. Thanks Tina!

STEP TWO: Let's gear up to pass death penalty repeal on the Senate Floor without amendments:

[ CONTACT YOUR STATE SENATORS ]