ROLL CALL: Maryland House & Senate Approve Millions in Tax Cuts for Lockheed // PLUS: Candidates Consider Impact on 2014

UPDATE: Shortly after posting this article, several Maryland Juice sources indicated that three lawmakers changed their votes before publication of the "official record." As a result, the unofficial verified tally we published below needs to be updated. The affected lawmakers are: Del. Wendell Beitzel (District 1A Republican), Del. Ron George (District 30 Republican), and Del. Sheila Hixson (District 20 Democrat).

Delegates Beitzel and George switched from "no" votes to "yes" votes in support of the Lockheed welfare bill. Delegate Hixson's vote switched from a "yes" vote to a "no" vote against the Lockheed welfare bill. Below we provide an updated version of the Lockheed welfare roll call and analysis below. We also provide a screencap of the original roll call, so that you can see the adjustments.

Today the Maryland House of Delegates passed a multimillion dollar corporate welfare bill for Pentagon contractor Lockheed Martin. The taxpayer handout was approved in a 102-35 vote in the State House, over the objections of advocacy organizations who claim to have generated thousands of constituent emails urging lawmakers to reject the proposal. The vote was a similarly lopsided 37-9 a few weeks ago in the State Senate, but in both chambers Republicans and Democrats alike crossed the aisle to cut taxes for the cash-flush multinational corporation. Apparently the two parties can agree on something!

[  TELL GOV. O'MALLEY TO VETO THE LOCKHEED WELFARE PLAN ]

ROLL CALL & ANALYSIS: Below Maryland Juice produces the full House & Senate roll call on the Lockheed welfare bill (sorted by legislative district), along with a few quick analyses and insights into the bizarre voting patterns that emerged on the issue. Indeed, there are some interesting political dynamics embedded within the Lockheed vote. Here are a few highlights from the roll call:

• BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR LOCKHEED WELFARE, BUT GOP MORE OPPOSED - In the Maryland House, the Lockheed welfare bill passed in a 102 to 35 vote. The 35 votes against corporate welfare came from 24 Democrats and 11 Republicans. But it is worth noting that between the two parties, a larger percentage of GOP House members voted against the Lockheed bill than Democrats (26% of Republicans vs 24% of Democrats). Indeed, Maryland Dems should feel more shame than they seem to about approving such a crass corporate giveaway.

• HALF OF MOCO'S HOUSE MEMBERS VOTED AGAINST THE LOCKHEED BILL - Notably, the Lockheed welfare bill was mysteriously filed as a statewide bill this year even though it only impacts a single facility in Montgomery County. Ordinarily, such a bill would be considered a local bill and deference would be given to lawmakers representing Montgomery County. But it appears that MoCo's legislative delegation was extremely divided on whether to give a handout to Lockheed - even though the company is headquartered there. 3 of 8 MoCo Senators and 12 of 24 MoCo Delegates voted against the Lockheed plan. Here's a fascinating round-up showing how Montgomery County's all-Democratic delegation voted:

• DISTRICT 14 - NO: Sen. Karen Montgomery & Del. Eric Luedtke; YES: Del. Anne Kaiser & Del. Craig Zucker

• DISTRICT 15 - NO: Nobody; YES: Sen. Rob Garagiola, Del. Kathleen Dumais, Del. Brian Feldman & Del. Aruna Miller

• DISTRICT 16 - NO: Sen. Brian Frosh, Del. Bill Frick & Del. Susan Lee; YES: Del. Ariana Kelly

• DISTRICT 17 - NO: Del. Luiz Simmons;  YES: Sen. Jennie Forehand, Del. Kumar Barve & Del. Jim Gilchrest

• DISTRICT 18 - NO: Del. Al Carr & Del. Jeff Waldstreicher;  YES: Sen. Rich Madaleno, NOT VOTING: Del. Ana Sol Gutierrez

• DISTRICT 19 - NO: Del. Sam Arora, Del. Bonnie Cullison & Del. Ben Kramer, YES: Sen. Roger Manno

• DISTRICT 20 - NO: Sen. Jamie Raskin, Del. Sheila Hixson, Del. Tom Hucker & Del. Heather Mizeur; YES: Nobody

• DISTRICT 39 - NO: Nobody; YES: Sen. Nancy King, Del. Charles Barkley, Del. Kirill Reznik & Del. Shane Robinson 

• EVERY MOCO LAWMAKER SEEKING HIGHER OFFICE VOTED AGAINST LOCKHEED WELFARE - It is worth noting that every single Montgomery County lawmaker who is seriously weighing a 2014 run for higher office voted against the Lockheed welfare plan. Sen. Brian Frosh & Del. Bill Frick are both running for Attorney General and voted against the handout. Del. Susan Lee is seeking Frosh's State Senate seat and also voted against the Lockheed plan. Notably, all three of these lawmakers represent the area encompassing Lockheed's headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland. Likewise, Del. Heather Mizeur is running for Governor and voted against the Lockheed bill, as did Del. Luiz Simmons, who is rumored to be preparing for a 2014 State Senate campaign. 

• THREE OUT OF 4 ATTORNEY GENERAL CANDIDATES VOTED AGAINST LOCKHEED BILL - At last count, there were at least four Democrats plotting runs for 2014 Attorney General: Sen. Brian Frosh and Delegates Aisha Braveboy, Jon Cardin & Bill Frick. Frosh, Braveboy and Frick all voted against the Lockheed plan, leaving Del. Cardin as the lone Lockheed supporter in the AG's race.

• TWO SPONSORS OF LOCKHEED BILL VOTED AGAINST IT - Notably, two sponsors of the Lockheed welfare plan voted against their own bill: Delegates Bill Frick and Eric Luedtke. Luedtke may have been swayed by the pleas of some of his supporters to reject the bill, but Frick's "no" vote is more interesting -- because by many accounts he was the early driving force behind the bill in the House. Maryland Juice thinks 2014 may have something to do with this change, but what do I know.... This outcome was foreshadowed by the House Ways & Means Committee vote on the Lockheed bill, where both Frick & Luedtke surprised observers by voting against the welfare bill. 

NOTE: If Gov. Martin O'Malley signs this ridiculous corporate tax cut into law, Montgomery County officials will be forced to forgo $4.5 million in revenue every ten years in perpetuity. Notably, Lockheed Martin is already getting reimbursed by the Feds for the tax payments they are now trying to avoid paying. Maryland Juice asked a few MoCo politicos to weigh in on this matter, including some County Councilmembers and potential 2014 House candidates. We'll publish their commentary in part 2 of this article soon. In the meantime, check out the Lockheed roll call below -- we'll eventually post it permanently at www.LockheedWelfare.com:

LOCKHEED MARTIN WELFARE BILL 

BELOW: FULL MARYLAND HOUSE & SENATE ROLL CALL

ARGH: Lockheed Martin Corporate Welfare is Still Alive! // Del. Sheila Hixson Explains $1 Million "Compromise" to Local Dems

BACKGROUND: Maryland Juice has been following the persistent effort by state lawmakers to give a taxpayer-funded handout to weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin -- in exchange for nothing at all.  After years of failed attempts to persuade Montgomery County Councilmembers to issue Lockheed Martin millions of dollars in taxpayer funds, the Pentagon contractor's lobbyists are now pushing the state legislature to force MoCo to give Lockheed money. The public resistance to the Lockheed welfare plan has slowed down momentum for the legislation, but the bill simply won't die. Legislative leaders seem determined to give Lockheed Martin our tax dollars, and they are now on their third attempt to give away our money:

WELFARE ATTEMPT #1 - First our representatives tried to give Lockheed $1.8 million in straight up cash, plus $4.5 million in tax cuts every ten years.

WELFARE ATTEMPT #2 - After outcry from progressive advocates, the State Senate voted for a modified plan to "only" give Lockheed $4.5 million in tax cuts every ten years in perpetuity.  The State Senate recently voted 37-9 in favor of this "compromise" welfare plan for Lockheed.

WELFARE ATTEMPT #3 - After the Senate voted to support a handout for Lockheed, the bill advanced to the Maryland House Ways & Means Committee. In anticipation of the successful Senate vote,  Lockheed lobbyists planned a steak dinner at Ruth's Chris for Ways & Means members -- but they mysteriously canceled the dinner a few hours before it was scheduled to begin. Meanwhile, opponents of the Lockheed welfare plan called on Ways & Means Chair Sheila Hixson to use her position to kill the handout. We've been waiting for a sign as to whether Delegate Hixson planned on helping us out, and today we finally got a hint on Twitter. It appears that the public pressure is working, and Hixson may be being helpful in trying to weaken the Lockheed bill:



But it should be made clear that this third version of the Lockheed welfare bill is still unacceptable on substance, and the primary ask is for Committee Chair Sheila Hixson to simply kill the Lockheed bill once and for all. The compromise plan would still grant nearly $1 million in unjustified tax cuts to Lockheed at the expense of other vital services for Montgomery County residents.

CONTACT DEL. SHEILA HIXSON AND HOUSE WAYS & MEANS MEMBERS - On Thursday, the Ways & Means Committee will hold a hearing on the Lockheed Martin handout. Please contact Chair Sheila Hixson and the rest of the committee members  and urge them to kill this special interest handout. Delegate Hixson's email address is: sheila.hixson@house.state.md.us. Below we also provide the email addresses of the Ways & Means Committee members:

MARYLAND HOUSE WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE

1. Sheila Hixson (D Chair) - sheila.hixson@house.state.md.us
2. Frank Turner (D Vice-Chair) - frank.turner@house.state.md.us
3. Kathy Afzali (R) - kathy.afzali@house.state.md.us
4. Kumar Barve (D) - kumar.barve@house.state.md.us - LOCKHEED BILL SPONSOR
5. Joseph Boteler (R) - joseph.boteler@house.state.md.us
6. Talmadge Branch (D) - talmadge.branch@house.state.md.us
7. Jon Cardin (D) - jon.cardin@house.state.md.us - LOCKHEED BILL SPONSOR
8. Don Dwyer (R) - don.dwyer@house.state.md.us
9. Mark Fisher (R) - mark.fisher@house.state.md.us
10. Bill Frick (D) - bill.frick@house.state.md.us - LOCKHEED BILL SPONSOR
11. Ronald George (R) - ron.george@house.state.md.us
12. Nina Harper (D) - nina.harper@house.state.md.us
13. Carolyn Howard (D) - carolyn.howard@house.state.md.us
14. Jolene Ivey (D) - jolene.ivey@house.state.md.us - LOCKHEED BILL SPONSOR
15. Anne Kaiser (D) - anne.kaiser@house.state.md.us - LOCKHEED BILL SPONSOR
16. Eric Luedtke (D) - eric.luedtke@house.state.md.us - LOCKHEED BILL SPONSOR
17. Aruna Miller (D) - aruna.miller@house.state.md.us - LOCKHEED BILL SPONSOR
18. LeRoy Myers (R) - leroy.myers@house.state.md.us
19. Andrew Serafini (R) - andrew.serafini@house.state.md.us
20. Melvin Stukes (D) - melvin.stukes@house.state.md.us
21. Michael Summers (D) - michael.summers@house.state.md.us
22. Jay Walker (D) - jay.walker@house.state.md.us
23. Alonzo Washington (D) - alonzo.washington@house.state.md.us

MORE ON THE LOCKHEED MARTIN WELFARE BILL SOON!

UGH: MD Senate Approves Lockheed Handout // MEANWHILE: Key House Committee Quietly Cancels Steak Dinner w/ Lockheed

MARYLAND DEMOCRATS ARE BRUSHING ASIDE VOTERS TO APPROVE THE LOCKHEED MARTIN WELFARE PLAN - Maryland Juice has been tracking the scandalous efforts by our politicians to give Pentagon contractor Lockheed Martin millions of dollars of corporate welfare -- in exchange for nothing at all. Over the objections of the Montgomery County Council, state lawmakers are trying to force MoCo to exempt Lockheed (and Lockheed alone) from having to pay millions in lodging taxes. No other person or business in Maryland gets to avoid this tax -- but then again no other company has the chutzpah of Lockheed Martin (consistently rated tops in the nation for government contract abuse). Even worse, Lockheed is admitting that the Federal government already reimburses them for most or all of the lodging tax that they are now trying to avoid paying!

In these challenging budgetary times, the Lockheed handout would net the wildly profitable company $4.5 million from our taxpayers every ten years in perpetuity. This is the same Lockheed that a few months ago used 3.5 million taxpayer dollars to give their CEO a golden parachute after he was caught having an affair with a subordinate (excerpt via AmericaBlog):

AMERICA BLOG: A man who was being groomed to take over as CEO of Lockheed, the nation’s largest defense contractor, has been forced to resign shortly before taking office. The reason — he was having a long-term extramarital affair with a “subordinate employee." But that’s not the scandal — the scandal is that you, the taxpayer, will pony up $3.5 million as a parting gift (or maybe a “partying gift”) even though he resigned in disgrace....

Dozens of groups have called on Democratic lawmakers to shut down Lockheed Martin's corporate welfare plan, but it looks like the politicians still aren't getting the message.

ROLL CALL // LOCKHEED CORPORATE WELFARE PLAN PASSES STATE SENATE 37 TO 9 - Late Monday night, the State Senate finally held a long-delayed vote on the Lockheed Martin welfare plan, and our elected officials demonstrated a rare moment of bipartisanship to pass this massive corporate hackery by the overwhelming margin of 37 to 9. Here are the only nine State Senators who rejected this inherently ridiculous welfare handout:

1. Jim Brochin (Democrat)
2. Brian Frosh (Democrat)
3. Delores Kelley (Democrat)
4. Karen Montgomery (Democrat)
5. Anthony Muse (Democrat)
6. Paul Pinsky (Democrat)
7. Jamie Raskin (Democrat)
8. Bryan Simonaire (Republican)
9. Bobby Zirkin (Democrat)

A RARE MOMENT OF "BIPARTISANSHIP" FOR THE LOCKHEED HANDOUT - Amazingly, bipartisanship appears to be alive and well when it comes to corporate welfare. A bipartisan supermajority made up of 37 Senators voted to support this blind handout for Lockheed Martin (see their names here). The list includes all but one GOP member of the Senate, and 5 of the 8 State Senators from liberal Montgomery County. Maryland Juice has heard reports of intense lobbying from leadership figures and Lockheed Martin lobbyists in Annapolis, but I am disappointed that this sort of pro-forma pressure and institutional inertia actually works on our mostly able-minded Senators. Oy vey! 


BATTLE TO STOP LOCKHEED MARTIN HANDOUT MOVES TO HOUSE WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE - Even though the Maryland Senate approved the Lockheed Martin welfare plan, voters still have several more opportunities to kill this proposal. The Lockheed bill (HB815) will now be debated in the House of Delegates Ways & Means Committee, where Montgomery County's Sheila Hixson serves as Committee Chair.  But the launch of the Lockheed effort in Hixson's committee was met with some early controversy....

HOUSE WAYS & MEANS MEMBERS QUIETLY CANCEL PRIVATE DINNER WITH LOCKHEED MARTIN LOBBYISTS AT RUTH'S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE - Amazingly, Lockheed Martin had planned a private dinner with the members of the House of Delegates Ways & Means Committee members only one day after the State Senate voted to send the Lockheed bill to the Ways & Means Committee. Indeed, Lockheed lobbyists had planned to ply the members of Sheila Hixson's committee with a lovely meal at Ruth's Chris Steak House in Annapolis. But someone apparently sensed that the public would go nuts about such shameless crony capitalism tactics, and the event was quickly and quietly canceled yesterday afternoon -- only 4.5 hours before the dinner was due to begin! Look at the leaked email below:

From: West, Nikki <Nikki.West@mlis.state.md.us>
Date: Tue, Mar 19, 2013 at 2:28 PM
Subject: Protocol Calendar Cancelation
To: Senate of Maryland <Senators@mlis.state.md.us>, MD House of Delegates <Delegates@mlis.state.md.us>

Good Afternoon,

Please note the following Cancelation in the Protocol Calendar.

TUESDAY, March 19, 2013 - 7:00 p.m.
Lockheed Martin and Ways & Means Committee Dinner
Ruth's Chris
(House W&M Committee)
Susan Bernard - (410) 974-9000
BY INVITATION ONLY

STOP THE LOCKHEED WELFARE BILL IN THE HOUSE WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE - I know I can't be the only one who is sick and tired of this type of cynical corporate politics. Maryland Juice encourages readers to contact Delegate Hixson ASAP, along with the other members of the Ways & Means Committee. Notably, Delegate Hixson has the power as a committee Chair to simply kill this bill by herself:

Photo Source: Edward Kimmel

ACT NOW

[ TELL WAYS & MEANS CHAIR SHEILA HIXSON TO KILL THE LOCKHEED BILL ]

Below I've listed the email addresses for the 23 Delegates on Ways & Means. I've also flagged their political parties and highlighted in red the 7 committee members who are sponsoring the Lockheed welfare bill (see below):

MARYLAND HOUSE WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE

1. Sheila Hixson (D Chair) - sheila.hixson@house.state.md.us
2. Frank Turner (D Vice-Chair) - frank.turner@house.state.md.us
3. Kathy Afzali (R) - kathy.afzali@house.state.md.us
4. Kumar Barve (D) - kumar.barve@house.state.md.us - LOCKHEED WELFARE SPONSOR
5. Joseph Boteler (R) - joseph.boteler@house.state.md.us
6. Talmadge Branch (D) - talmadge.branch@house.state.md.us
7. Jon Cardin (D) - jon.cardin@house.state.md.us - LOCKHEED WELFARE SPONSOR
8. Don Dwyer (R) - don.dwyer@house.state.md.us
9. Mark Fisher (R) - mark.fisher@house.state.md.us
10. Bill Frick (D) - bill.frick@house.state.md.us - LOCKHEED WELFARE SPONSOR
11. Ronald George (R) - ron.george@house.state.md.us
12. Nina Harper (D) - nina.harper@house.state.md.us
13. Carolyn Howard (D) - carolyn.howard@house.state.md.us
14. Jolene Ivey (D) - jolene.ivey@house.state.md.us - LOCKHEED WELFARE SPONSOR
15. Anne Kaiser (D) - anne.kaiser@house.state.md.us - LOCKHEED WELFARE SPONSOR
16. Eric Luedtke (D) - eric.luedtke@house.state.md.us - LOCKHEED WELFARE SPONSOR
17. Aruna Miller (D) - aruna.miller@house.state.md.us - LOCKHEED WELFARE SPONSOR
18. LeRoy Myers (R) - leroy.myers@house.state.md.us
19. Andrew Serafini (R) - andrew.serafini@house.state.md.us
20. Melvin Stukes (D) - melvin.stukes@house.state.md.us
21. Michael Summers (D) - michael.summers@house.state.md.us
22. Jay Walker (D) - jay.walker@house.state.md.us
23. Alonzo Washington (D) - alonzo.washington@house.state.md.us

CONTINGENCIES - If Sheila Hixson is unwilling to kill the Lockheed Welfare bill in the Ways & Means Committee, advocates will have to fight this unjust corporate handout on the House Floor. And if that fails, it is time to ask Governor O'Malley to break out his VETO sword!


MORE ON THE LOCKHEED MARTIN WELFARE SCANDAL SOON!


P.S. MARYLAND TAXPAYERS FUND A CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR LOBBYISTS & LAWMAKERS?  - The email copied above, which announced the cancellation of the Lockheed dinner, mentioned that the event was listed in a "protocol calendar." But as Maryland Juice has discovered, a "protocol calendar" is in reality a "lobbyist event calendar," plain and simple.

It turns out that our state tax dollars are spent on staff time for government employees to build and maintain this calendar of lobbyist events. Amazingly, the "protocol calendar" was apparently intended to bring transparency to the fact that these lobbyist-lawmaker mixers even occur. Fair enough, but it seems more and more like the calendar is actually facilitating the lobbyist contacts with legislators. Maybe lawmakers need to rename the "protocol calendar" with a less deceptive name (like "lobbyist event calendar") and proactively make sure they are actually seen by the public. If you're curious to see which industry lobbyists have been wining and dining your lawmakers, you can see two copies of protocol calendars from 2013. It looks like lawmakers have multiple options for lobbyist-paid meals practically every day of the legislative session!

Maryland Lobbyist Events - March 2013

Maryland Lobbyist Events - January 2013

National Harbor Developers Paid $271,515 to Defeat Marriage Equality & Dream Act / PAYBACK: VOTE AGAINST QUESTION 7

TIT FOR TAT: GAMBLING SUPPORTERS ARE URGING 
VOTES AGAINST MARRIAGE EQUALITY & DREAM ACT

TIME TO DECLARE WAR ON GAMBLING INDUSTRY IN MARYLAND: Maryland Juice is declaring war on gambling expansion and urging all readers to "vote against" Question 7 on Tuesday, November 6. After it is defeated at the ballot box, let's also make sure the expansion bill dies in all future legislative sessions. 

I had already been planning on releasing a short voter guide about the ballot questions, and I will still do so tomorrow. But right now I am completely incensed by the latest callous shenanigans from those who are "for" Question 7. As far as they are concerned, nothing is more important than rolling out more casinos in Maryland -- nothing at all. Look at the latest voter guide that pro-gambling expansion forces are mailing out, including the insensitive/nativist-style image of a family running:

PETERSON DEVELOPMENT COMPANY FINANCES OPPOSITION TO MARRIAGE EQUALITY & DREAM ACT: The developers of National Harbor, Peterson Development Company, are trying to bring a casino to Prince George's County, and yesterday they spent $271,515 to create a new group to promote gambling expansion (Question 7), and defeat marriage equality (Question 6) and the Dream Act: (Question 4). They registered a new front-group called "Republican Leaders Referendum Guide" -- one of seven groups registered to campaign on Question 7 (gambling expansion):

Peterson Development Company dropped $271,515 into this voter education effort, according to last-minute financial disclosures to the Board of Elections:

Milt Peterson - National Harbor Developer

SURPRISE: NEW PRO-GAMBLING GOP VOTER GUIDE EMERGES - Just minutes ago on Twitter, I stumbled across a new "Republican Voter Guide" that features former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele and former MD GOP Party Chair Audrey Scott endorsing a "vote for" gambling expansion and a "vote against" marriage equality and the Dream Act:

Red Maryland blogger Brian Griffiths confirmed that the piece carries an authority line from the new Peterson-backed GOP group:

Note that we previously published a letter to voters from Steele and Scott (yes, the two of them again) telling voters to "vote for" gambling expansion. But that letter was paid for by a group called "FOR Maryland Jobs and Schools."

PRO-QUESTION 7 FINANCIERS DON'T CARE ABOUT MARYLAND: The ballot question contests in Maryland may come down to razor-thin margins, and any spending by outside groups against Questions 4 and 6 is a threat.

After purchasing an unprecedented special legislative session in Maryland, supporters of gambling expansion are now willing to throw the Dream Act & marriage equality under the bus as collateral damage. This is yet another piece of evidence that those financing the casino expansion push aren't motivated by the concerns of ordinary Marylanders. Just look at the backers of question 7, and you'll see lots of people who are well-known for caring about Maryland. Take magician David Copperfield, for example; or boxer Oscar De La Hoya; and if that's not convincing enough, how about the Washington Redskins, who are owned by the Romney-backing man of the people, Dan Snyder.

Indeed, for pro-Question 7 financiers, working with Democrats is purely a transactional experience and just "part of the job." But apparently Democrats in Maryland did not put any conditions on their support for casino expansion, and so the industry feels it can freely spend money against referenda that some have been working very hard to advance. Ish don't think so.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM TIME: FIREWALL MARYLAND FROM SPECIAL INTERESTS: After the November elections, it is clearly time for campaign finance reform in Maryland. The special interest spending we are currently witnessing is an embarrassment in a one-party state, but especially where the one-party is the Democratic Party. Not to mention, we should not forget that we have a serious problem when a pair of companies can purchase an unprecedented special session in Maryland, and use it to advance an issue that was the priority of only a small number of very powerful politicians. It's time for a #CleanSlate.

Reject Special Interest Ownership of Maryland Politics:

VOTE AGAINST QUESTION 7

DIRECT MAIL: Two Mail Pieces Arrive on Same Day Urging "Vote Against" Gambling Expansion // READ ONLINE

If you live in Maryland, you are surely noticing the barrage of gambling related advertising hitting the airwaves and mailboxes. Yesterday, Maryland Juice received two direct mail pieces arguing for a "vote against" Question 7 (gambling expansion). See the mailers below:
DIRECT MAIL: Vote No on Question 7 - "Unemployed"

DIRECT MAIL: Vote No on Question 7 - "Loophole"

VIDEOS: Out-of-State Casinos Launch War Over Gambling Expansion in Maryland // WATCH QUESTION 7 TV ADS

Maryland Juice has been following the heated debate over whether to expand gambling and add table games to Free State casinos. Indeed, this November Maryland voters will be asked to decide on the fate of gambling expansion through "Question 7" (a vote "FOR" would expand gambling, while a vote "AGAINST" would limit gambling to the currently approved slot machine sites). In an editorial piece, The Washington Post recently noted that the media war over the issue has already begun -- to the tune of millions of dollars in advertising by non-Maryland casino interests (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: A pitched TV ad war is underway in Maryland, pitting one out-of-state ­gaming-industry behemoth against another. At last count, the two firms had spent $15 million in the fight to influence voters, who will cast ballots in November on an expansion of gambling in Maryland that would authorize a sixth casino and add table games such as poker at all venues....

The main combatants — though the ads don’t name them — are Las Vegas-based MGM Resorts International and Pennsylvania-based Penn National Gaming. If voters approve the expansion, MGM has the inside track to build what could be an $800 million casino at National Harbor in Prince George’s County; unsurprisingly, it is behind the pro-expansion ads. Penn National is worried that the new casino would sap profits at its own marquee property 90 minutes away, Hollywood Casino in Charles Town, W.Va.; it has paid for the ads against expansion....

Copies of many of these advertisements are available online (Hat tip: Maryland's rightwing Monoblogue). I've included a few examples below, so that you can see what the propaganda looks like surrounding Question 7. The ads below are being promoted by the campaign websites for the casino operators (VoteForSeven.com and FactsOn7.com):

PRO-GAMBLING AD #1 URGING VOTE "FOR" QUESTION 7:

 
PRO-GAMBLING AD #2 URGING VOTE "FOR" QUESTION 7:

  ANTI-GAMBLING AD #1 URGING VOTE "AGAINST" QUESTION 7:        

ROLL CALL: Maryland Senate Approves Gambling Referendum 28-14 // PLUS: Full Scan of Gay & Lesbian Anti-Gambling Mailer

JUICE #1 - SENATE APPROVES GAMBLING WITH 28-14 VOTE: Early last night, Maryland Juice received word (from Twitter) that a majority of the State Senate voted to approve a November referendum on gambling:

ROLL CALL DETAILS: The measure will head to the House of Delegates next week, where the outcome is far less certain than in the upper chamber, where Senate President Mike Miller has made gaming a legislative priority. The Washington Post's John Wagner published the roll call for how Maryland Senators voted. Though the vote was by no means a party-line battle, most of the "yes" votes came from Democrats. We highlight the "no" votes below, but check out The Washington Post article to see the full roster.

DEMOCRATIC VOTES AGAINST GAMBLING

1. Jim Brochin
2. Ed DeGrange
3. Roy Dyson
4. Brian Frosh
5. Karen Montgomery
6. Anthony Muse
7. Paul Pinsky
8. Jamie Raskin

REPUBLICAN VOTES AGAINST GAMBLING

1. Barry Glassman
2. Nancy Jacobs
3. Allan Kittleman
4. E.J. Pipkin
5. Ed Reilly
6. Bryan Simonaire

OTHER (ie: NO VOTE RECORDED)

1. John Astle
2. Lisa Gladden
3. Delores Kelley
4. Victor Ramirez
5. Chris Shank

JUICE #2 - FULL SCAN OF LGBT ANTI-GAMBLING MAILER: Meanwhile, yesterday Maryland Juice published news of a direct mail piece opposing the gambling effort, that was being mailed by the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force Action Fund. We only had a partial scan of the piece to look at, but it turns out Maryland Juice received a copy of the mail piece at our new Silver Spring/Takoma Park war room. Maryland Juice also receives word that the piece was mailed as far as the Eastern Shore. We provide a full scan of the anti-gambling mail piece below, along with the following intriguing commentary from BuzzFeed, the blog that broke the story (excerpt below):

BUZZFEED: The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force structured an anti-gambling campaign in Maryland so it wouldn't have to disclose which donors are underwriting the effort.

The group established an independent expenditure committee this week, rather than a standard political action committee, to fund its mailer opposing an effort to put a measure for expanded gambling on the ballot this fall....

See a full scan of the direct mail piece below:

National Gay & Lesbian Task Force's Maryland Anti-Gambling Mailer

Gov. Martin O'Malley Releases Casino Expansion Bill for Special Session // SURPRISE: Tax Cuts for Casinos & 24 Hr. Gambling?

UPDATE: Read Gov. O'Malley's special gambling session FAQ below.

Before the start of tomorrow's special session of the legislature, Gov. Martin O'Malley has released a draft bill to expand gambling in Maryland. The legislation (available below) contains a mish-mosh of gambling policy changes to be voted on by the public in this November's Presidential Election.

TAX CUTS FOR CASINO OWNERS?  - While lawmakers were awaiting a decision from O'Malley on whether they would be called back to Annapolis a third time this year, they were bombarded with direct mail and phone calls asking them to reject tax cuts for casino operators. Numerous legislators reported receiving calls and emails from constituents calling on them to reject the gambling expansion plans. Current law taxes slot machine owners at 67%, but the draft legislation below does indeed call for casino owner tax cuts ranging from 6% to 10%. One justification for the gambling tax cuts is that the bill also requires slot operators to now buy their own machines. Maryland currently acquires the slot machines used in the state, but the proposed November referendum would transfer that duty to casino owners. Notably, casino mega-corporation MGM plans to operate a casino at Prince George's County's National Harbor site, but in recent days indicated it would move forward with the new mega-casino even without the slot machine tax cuts.

PRINCE GEORGE'S RESIDENTS PLAN PROTEST AGAINST GAMBLING SESSION: The Washington Post's John Wagner flagged a couple of other key items in the draft legislation, such as a provision allowing casinos to stay open 24 hours. Wagner also notes the timing of the proposed gambling expansion would bring table games to Maryland next year, with a Prince George's casino opening in 2016.

Meanwhile, Prince George's residents, who are concerned about a number of impacts to their communities, are planning to bus protesters to Annapolis to oppose the special gambling session tomorrow. The Real Prince George's blog today printed the following announcement (excerpt below):

REAL PRINCE GEORGE'S BLOG: On Thursday, August 9th 2012, as a host of organizations and concerned citizens will converge on the State House in Annapolis at the Lawyer’s Mall for a Rally and Press Conference at 11:00am....

1.     Governor O’Malley and the Assembly are attempting to rush through    a proposal for a new casino in just two to three days of debate.

2.     The Governor and Assembly are proposing to create a commission of unelected individuals to determine casino tax rates, possibly bailing them out on the backs of working families.

This is not a good deal for Prince George’s County and we don’t want it!....

See Gov. O'Malley's gambling session FAQ below:
Governor Martin O'Malley's Special Gambling Session FAQ

See a draft of the special session gambling expansion proposal below:
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley's Special Session Gambling Legislation - 8/8/12

UNMANNED DRONE in College Park Causes UFO Scare // Time for Maryland to RESTRICT Drones in the Free State (Seriously)

It is Maryland Juice's understanding that state and local governments may be able to restrict unmanned drones from flying in their air space. I think it is time for Free State policymakers to begin curtailing the intrusion of these insane inventions in Maryland. In the last month we reported that Queen Anne's County received authorization to fly drones from the FAA (lord knows why). We also reported this week that an unmanned drone (which cost $176 million!) crashed on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The latest drone madness in Maryland occurred last night. Maryland Juice happened to be checking his Tweet feed and caught the bizarre report below:

DCist today reported that the "UFO" was in fact a "U.S. Navy X-46B." Folks, that is code for unmanned aerial attack drone. See the excerpt below:

DCIST: Late Wednesday evening, some drivers on the Beltway near College Park peered out their windows and saw something odd: An oddly shaped flying machine being hauled down the highway on a flatbed truck.

A couple of tweets later, people started to freak the hell out and the hashtag "#beltwayufo" surged atop the trending topics. Seriously, just conduct the search yourself....

The aircraft, a U.S. Navy X-46B, was being transported from West Virginia to the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in southern Maryland, WTOP reported last night.....

A Twitter user posted the following photo of the Predator Drone on the highway:

Predator Drone spotted in College Park, Maryland (source)

Come on people, are we really going to let spy DRONES become a normal feature of Maryland's airspace???

I know Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger loves Drones (he gets hundreds of thousands in contributions from Drone manufacturers), but let's get real.