JUICE: Del. McIntosh & Sen. Kittleman for Legal Pot, MD for Utah LGBT Marriages, Fracking, Luiz Simmons Mail & More!

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

JUICE #1: POT LEGALIZATION ENDORSED BY DEM LEADER DEL. MAGGIE MCINTOSH & GOP SEN. ALLAN KITTLEMAN // PLUS HUGE REVENUE & NO PROBLEMS IN COLOARDO - The calls for marijuana legalization in Maryland have earned important allies in the state legislature. Delegate Maggie McIntosh, a top Democratic House leader, has endorsed proposals to tax and regulate pot like alcohol and to remove jail-time as a penalty for possession. Meanwhile, GOP State Senator Allan Kittleman, who is running for Howard County Executive, has co-sponsored marijuana legalization legislation. Del. McIntosh announced her support in the following email blast (excerpt below):

MAGGIE MCINTOSH: Last session, my colleague Curt Anderson introduced legislation that would have legalized marijuana use for adults. I supported Delegate Anderson’s bill because I believe our current drug prohibition laws are wasteful and counterproductive, taking resources away from combating drug violence and promoting treatment options for those suffering with addiction. Our current laws also overburden our judicial and prison systems, forcing many non-violent offenders into jail. Last session, the Maryland Senate also passed a bill that would have made possession of small amounts of marijuana a civil – rather than criminal – offense. This year, I fully expect both bills to be introduced again and plan to support either should they come to the House floor. The early reports on legalization efforts in Colorado and Oregon show that this approach can work.

The Washington Post's John Wagner reported on the new bi-partisan push for rolling back the failed War on Drugs in Maryland with the following article announcing support from GOP State Senator Allan Kittleman (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Sen. Allan H. Kittleman (R-Howard) said Friday that he will co-sponsor legislation that would allow regulated marijuana sales in Maryland, adding a bipartisan wrinkle to this year’s push in Annapolis. Kittleman, a Republican who is running for Howard County executive this year, said that he has agreed to work with Sen. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Montgomery) on a bill that will be unveiled next week....

Raskin’s legislation would allow sales under a similar framework that recently was set up in Colorado, with marijuana subject to state regulation and taxation. Sales would be limited to people age 21 and over, and there would be tough penalties for selling to minors.

While he has compiled a conservative record on fiscal issues in Annapolis, Kittleman supported two other high-profile liberal social policies in recent years: the legalization of same-sex marriage and the repeal of the death penalty.

“One thing most people know about me is I’m a civil libertarian,” Kittleman said. “This isn’t something I’m doing for politics. The current way we’re dealing with marijuana and the use of it by our citizens isn’t working....”

HUGE POT SALES IN COLORADO = MAJOR REVENUE BOOST: Indeed, all eyes have been on Washington and Colorado, where voters recently approved marijuana legalization at the ballot. The early reports from Colorado, where over-the-counter pot sales began last week are overwhelmingly encouraging. Denver's CBS affiliate reported on massive sales of recreational pot, indicating that the first state on the East Coast to end prohibition will face a revenue windfall (excerpt below):

CBS: The first week of legal pot salesin Colorado is over, and now some Colorado pot shops are already running out of product. In the past week, long lines of customers swamped the Colorado dispensaries that have been granted retail marijuana licenses and bought nearly $5 million worth of pot.... Many shops are limiting the amount of pot a customer can buy, and some have raised their rates....

“We are okay right now but if things go the way they are we might be also running very short,” [marijuana ship owner Moe Atieh] said. “We expected it to be very busy. Did we expect it to be this busy? No, I don’t think anybody did....”

POLICE IN COLORADO REPORT FEW PROBLEMS IN IMPLEMENTATION OF MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION - The Huffington Post reported this week that local law enforcement officials in Colorado report no real problems since marijuana sales begun this year (excerpt below):

HUFFINGTON POST: A week after Colorado dispensaries started selling recreational marijuana to adults, local law enforcers are not reporting any significant problems. In the state's largest city, there have been only four marijuana citations issued, according to the Denver Police Department. "Everything has gone relatively smooth," Denver police spokesman Sonny Jackson told The Huffington Post. "We've written four citations for public consumption since Jan. 1, and that's relatively small considering the number of people consuming right now." A similar lack of trouble swept over other Colorado towns....

Consumer interest was so high the first week that many shop owners capped the amount of marijuana an individual could buy or raised prices to mitigate a possible legal weed shortage.... "Colorado is demonstrating to the rest of the world that regulating marijuana works," said Mason Tvert, communications director for the Marijuana Policy Project and a key backer of Amendment 64. He added, "The implementation process and smooth rollout of the system in Colorado is surely going to pique the interest of lawmakers and voters in other states who are also ready to move beyond prohibition and adopt more sensible policies...." The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that the Department of Justice is drafting legal guidance for how banks can work with marijuana businesses in states like Colorado and Washington, which also legalized recreational marijuana for adults....

VOTERS IN FOUR STATES PLUS WASHINGTON, DC MAY VOTE ON MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION IN 2014: While Maryland continues to piddle around on the wholly uncontroversial issue of medical marijuana, U.S. News & World Report writes that four other states (Alaska, Arizona, California & Oregon) plus neighboring Washington, DC may send the issue to voters on the 2014 ballot (excerpt below):

US NEWS: One week after the nation's first recreational marijuana stores opened in Colorado, Alaska activists submitted what appear to be enough signatures to put marijuana legalization before voters. The measure – which would go up for a vote Aug. 19 – is one of several 2014 efforts that could yield a good year for pot supporters, particularly in the West....

So far, voters have been at the vanguard of legalization, blowing past state legislatures. In November 2012, more than 55 percent of Colorado and Washington voters approved initiatives to legalize the drug and open state-licensed stores – and polls suggest those successes may be replicated elsewhere.

A CNN/Opinion Research poll released Monday found 55 percent of Americans believe marijuana should be legal, compared to 44 percent who do not. Support was highest in the West – where voter-driven initiatives often become law – and in the Northeast. An October poll released by Gallup put nationwide support for legalization at 58 percent....

Residents in the nation's capital also may get a chance to vote on legalization in November. D.C. Cannabis Campaign leaders plan to submit draft ballot language Friday with the city's elections board. The proposal would legalize possession of 2 ounces and six plants by adults over 21.... Although an April PPP survey put support for legalization at 63 percent in D.C., Eidinger says supporters "can't count out the opposition" and estimates a half-million dollar campaign is necessary to win..... In addition to voter-driven initiatives, legalization bills have been proposed in at least 13 state legislatures....

JUICE #2: ATTORNEY GENERAL DOUG GANSLER ISSUES OPINION ANNOUNCING MARYLAND WILL RESPECT UTAH'S SAME-SEX MARRIAGES - The Washington Blade reported yesterday that Maryland will recognize same-sex marriages issued in Utah, which are currently suspended as courts review their legality (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON BLADE: Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler on Friday said his state would recognize same-sex marriages performed in Utah.... Gansler told the Washington Blade his office on Thursday received a call from a gay Maryland couple who married in Utah about whether the state would recognize their union. Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin on the same day urged him and attorneys general in the 17 other states that have extended marriage rights to gays and lesbians to recognize the marriages of the more than 1,300 same-sex couples who exchanged vows after U.S. District Court Judge Robert Shelby struck down the Beehive State’s gay nuptials ban. The U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 6 blocked any future same-sex marriages from taking place in Utah until the case is resolved....

Attorney General Doug Gansler also issued a press release announcing the release of his opinion (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

AG Gansler: Utah Same-sex Marriages are Valid in Maryland

2010 opinion on recognition of legal same-sex marriages performed in other states underpins view that Maryland would recognize Utah unions

Baltimore, MD (January 10, 2014) – In response to a request from the Human Right Campaign, Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler has expressed his view that recent same-sex marriages legally performed in Utah should and would be recognized in Maryland. This week the United States Supreme Court issued a stay on performing such unions in Utah after a court ruling there struck down a same-sex marriage ban. As a result of that decision, Utah determined same-sex marriages to be legal and, for 17 days, more than 1300 such marriage licenses were issued until the stay by the Supreme Court ended the practice.

“Maryland will continue to recognize valid out-of-state same-sex marriages as we continue to strengthen the Constitution’s promise of equal protection under the law,” said Attorney General Gansler. “It is an affront to the idea of basic human rights that the battle for full marriage equality in this country remains in headlines and courtrooms.”

The Obama administration today also issued a statement saying that the federal government would recognize same-sex unions performed in Utah despite the fact that the state government of Utah is refusing to do....

To see the Attorney General’s 2010 Opinion on same-sex marriage visit:
http://www.oag.state.md.us/Opinions/2010/95oag3.pdf 

# # #

JUICE #3: HEATHER MIZEUR SLAMS ANTHONY BROWN OVER FRACKING ISSUE - The Baltimore Sun reported this week that Delegate Heather Mizeur is criticizing Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown's environmental platform, particularly calling out his position on fracking (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: Seeking to highlight her green credentials in the race for governor, Del. Heather Mizeur took issue Friday with the environmental platform posted this week by the front-running ticket of Lt. Anthony Brown and Howard County Executive Ken Ulman.

Mizeur's campaign issued a statement accusing Brown and Ulman of glossing over the dangers of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas and making "vague statements" about how to exploit the energy deposits in western Maryland without harming the environment or people's health.

Mizeur, D-Montgomery, has pushed unsuccessfully for years for a moratorium on "fracking" until its safety has been thoroughly studied and adequate safeguards are in place.  Though the legislation has not passed, Gov. Martin O'Malley has frozen drilling for past three years while an advisory commission on which Mizeur sits reviews the issues....

Heather Mizeur issued the following press release highlighting this difference of opinion:

PRESS RELEASE

Mizeur-Coates Campaign on Brown-Ulman’s “Environmental Values”

SILVER SPRING, Maryland — Yesterday, the Brown-Ulman campaign failed to address the significant dangers of shale gas hydraulic fracturing in their “Environmental Values.”

The Mizeur-Coates campaign released the following statement:

"In the same week the Brown-Ulman campaign released their 'environmental values,' which glossed over the dangers of fracking with vague statements about finding a path forward, the Associated Press published an investigation in which four states, including two of Maryland’s neighbors, confirmed the contamination of drinking water for families as a result of hydraulic fracturing.

Heather Mizeur is a vocal advocate for a more cautious approach. Under her leadership, the state has operated under a de facto drilling moratorium while we conduct independent analysis of the environmental and public health safety threats of this controversial practice. Delegate Mizeur is teaming up with Frederick Senator Ron Young to introduce a bill this session that provides for an 18-month legislative review period guaranteeing the General Assembly a chance to act on the policy recommendations from the safety study’s commission report.

This is our last chance to keep Maryland from unregulated shale gas drilling. The current state study—which so far lacks adequate funding and appropriate risk analysis—is due out later this year. We know the moment the study concludes there will be enormous pressure on the Administration to drill. The Shale Gas Drilling Safety Review Act will give us more confidence that science and the public interest—not special interest politics—will prevail in Maryland. If clean water is truly non-negotiable, then we must act on this now.”

###

JUICE #4: ATTEND A MARYLAND GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES DEBATE IN MOCO ON THU, JAN 30 - Leisure World Democratic activist Paul Bessel sent Maryland Juice the following announcement of a gubernatorial candidates debate at MoCo's largest retirement community (details below):

EVENT FLYER: MD Gubernatorial Debate THU 1/30/14

JUICE #5: DISTRICT 17 SENATE RACE HEATS UP AS DEL. LUIZ SIMMONS SENDS DIRECT MAIL HIGHLIGHTING CHERYL KAGAN "MUDSLINGING" - Though many political observers believe it is very early in the election cycle to be spending resources on direct mail, Delegate Luiz Simmons has come out of the gates swinging with the following piece criticizing rival candidate Cheryl Kagan:

JUICE #6: CASEY ANDERSON DECIDES AGAINST RUNNING FOR MOCO COUNCIL DISTRICT 5  //  PLUS: MOCO PLANNING BOARD CHAIR FRANCOISE CARRIER RETIRING - Montgomery County Planning Board member Casey Anderson has indicated to Maryland Juice that he's decided not to run in the Democratic Primary for Valerie Ervin's District 5 Council seat. He will instead be seeking to Chair the Planning Board, given that the current Chair Francoise Carrier has announced she will not seek another four-year term. Patch.com reported on the development (excerpt below):

PATCH: Montgomery County Planning Board Chair Françoise Carrier announced Friday that she will not seek a second term as chair, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission reported in a news release.

In a Thursday evening email to Montgomery County Planning and Parks Department staff, Carrier wrote that: "It is with mixed feelings that I write to tell you I have decided not to seek a second term as Planning Board Chair. It has been wonderful working with such fine people, and I will always love this agency, but for me, one term feels right."

Carrier was appointed in 2010 by the Montgomery County Council, and her time as board chair "has been marked as one of the busiest and most productive terms during the [Planning] Board’s history, with the approval of Master Plans such as: Chevy Chase Lake, Takoma/Langley, Glenmont, Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Plan and Long Branch," the news release stated....

JUICE #7: TODAY IS THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF MY FRIEND AARON SWARTZ  //  TAKE A MOMENT TO UNDERSTAND HIS IMPACT - One year ago today, Aaron Swartz, my friend and colleague at Demand Progress committed suicide. He was a brilliant activist and technologist who co-founded reddit.com, Demand Progress, and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC). He was also involved in development of open information technologies like RSS 1.0 and Creative Commons, and it should be noted that flunkeys in the Obama administration including DOJ Chief Eric Holder and U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz brought trumped up felony criminal charges against him, threatening him with over 35 years in prison and erasing the money the 26-year-old had amassed through his entrepreneurial endeavors. I finally broke my silence about all of these horrifying incidents in a lengthy piece I wrote last July called "Hacking Politics."

But since then, those of us who knew and worked with Aaron have not given up on advancing his vision, which included challenging corporate power, tackling mass incarceration, and ensuring the Internet remains a place for dialogue free from censorship and undue surveillance. In fact, we're doubling down on fighting the excesses and overreach of the powered and money interests dominating society today. Wired magazine published an article about Aaron's legacy today (excerpt below):

WIRED: Internet activist Aaron Swartz took his own life one year ago today. He was 26 years old and facing federal hacking and fraud charges for downloading millions of academic articles using MIT’s network. Before his passing, he was on outspoken advocate for freedom of information and a founder of Demand Progress, the nonprofit that invigorated a successful grassroots effort to fight the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in 2012.

Swartz was, as WIRED’s Kevin Poulsen wrote a “coder with a conscience,” and in a clip premiering today on WIRED from director Brian Knappenberger’s forthcoming documentary The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz, more than a few web visionaries remember him for the important work he did and the legacy he created.

“I think Aaron was trying to make the world work – he was trying to fix it,” says World Wide Web founder Tim Berners-Lee. “So he was a bit ahead of his time....”

Swartz’s fight for rights online has only been brought more intensely into focus in the year since his death, largely due to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. To see him talk about government spying in this documentary at a time before the Snowden leaks is especially chilling now. But thanks to Knappenberger’s documentary – and other actions being taken to remember the internet activist – the conversation he started can continue....

Indeed, Maryland Juice will be heading to the Sundance Film Festival next week for the premiere of "The Internet's Own Boy," a documentary which promises to further embolden those of us involved in organizing for social justice and Internet Freedom. You can watch the trailer for the film, along with a special selection of interviews below:

Members of Congress have also not forgotten the unjust prosecution of Aaron Swartz (who incidentally faced more jail time than typically given to rapists and molesters). Techdirt reports that elected officials are calling on Eric Holder for real answers to their questions, instead of the same vague and defensive explanations they've provided for their overzealous prosecution (excerpt below):

TECHDIRT: Tomorrow is the anniversary of the unfortunate passing of Aaron Swartz. Senators John Cornyn and Al Franken, along with Rep. Darryl Issa, have now sent Attorney General Eric Holder yet another request for an explanation concerning the investigation and prosecution of Swartz. This follows on a similar request from last year, but these elected officials note both that the DOJ's response was inadequate, and that it was also contradicted by the eventual report on the prosecution that came out of MIT....
 

The MIT Report indicates that Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Heymann considered other factors in advance of the return of the superseding indictment. He told MIT that "the straw that broke the camel's back" was an internet webpage soliciting signatures on Mr. Swartz's behalf by Demand Progress, an activist group founded by Mr. Swartz.

In other words, despite the claims from Holder that the charges against Aaron were not based on Swartz exercising his right to free speech, Stephen Heymann has since admitted that, in fact, Swartz's friends speaking out on his behalf were what made him decide to try to throw the book at Swartz....

Indeed, those of us at Demand Progress did attempt to fight the DOJ's ridiculous prosecution of Aaron Swartz, and Eric Holder's minions responded by adding more trumped up charges against my friend. This has been an unpleasant reminder that those of us fighting for the common good must prioritize justice over party politics. But in the meantime, please:
 

#OccupyLife

JUICE: AFL-CIO Endorses Frosh for Attorney General, B'more AG Debate, Delaney Funds Minimum Wage Hike & Day of Dead

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

JUICE #1: AFL-CIO ENDORSES SEN. BRIAN FROSH FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL // DEL. BILL FRICK BLAMES SENATE PRESIDENT MIKE MIILLER - The Baltimore Sun's Michael Dresser reports that the AFL-CIO is endorsing State Senator Brian Frosh for Maryland Attorney General. Dresser's article also includes commentary from the rival campaign of Delegate Bill Frick accusing Senate President Mike Miller of orchestrating the labor union endorsement (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: The Maryland and District of Columbia AFL-CIO has thrown its support behind Sen. Brian E. Frosh for the Democratic nomination attorney general, giving the Montgomery County lawmaker a potentially important boost in his primary contest....

"This is really Mike Miller's endorsement," [a spokesman for Delegate Bill Frick Andrew] Feldman said of the Calvert County Democrat, who has served as head of the Senate for 26 years.... "Some unions chose not to risk what would have happened to them politically if they made the right choice," Feldman said.

Frick's spokesman said the AFL-CIO made the endorsement over the objections of its Building Trades member unions -- a statement confirmed by Chuck Graham, business agent of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 26 in the Washington area....

A spokesman for Miller could not be reached to comment, but [AFL-CIO President Fred] Mason said the Senate president did not exert pressure on labor to back Frosh....

JUICE #2: ATTORNEY GENERAL CANDIDATES DEBATE IN BALTIMORE THU 11/7 - The University of Maryland's School of Law is hosting a candidates forum for the four Democratic candidates for Attorney General: Del. Aisha Braveboy, Del. Jon Cardin, Del. Bill Frick & Sen. Brian Frosh. The event will be next Thursday, November 7th at 5:00 pm - 500 W Baltimore St, Baltimore, MD 21201 (details and RSVP link below):

November 7, 2013 | 5:00 p.m.

Join us for the first open forum among all four confirmed 

Democratic candidates for Maryland Attorney General.

Click and Register at Eventbrite

Free and open to the public.
Doors open at 4:30 p.m. - Forum starts promptly at 5:00 p.m.
Reception (6:15 p.m. - 7 p.m.) with available candidates immediately following.
This student-initiated forum will feature a 45 minute moderated discussion, featuring pre-approved questions submitted by the public, followed by a 15 minute question and answer session, with students from UM Carey Law addressing the candidates.

Registration:
This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.
Find complete information and register online at:
www.law.umaryland.edu/AGForum

Candidates:

Aisha Braveboy
Maryland State Delegate | District 25, Prince George's County

Jon Cardin
Maryland State Delegate | District 11, Baltimore County

Bill Frick
Maryland State Delegate | District 16, Montgomery County

Brian Frosh
Maryland State Senator | District 16, Montgomery County

Submit a Question:
Do you have a question for the candidates? Tweet us!
Send us your question on twitter using #CareyLawAGF -- it is as easy as that! Don't have a twitter account? Or need more than 140 characters? You can also send an e-mail to MarylandLaw.AG.Forum@gmail.com or post to UM Carey Law's Facebook account.

Organized and Sponsored By:
-  University Student Government Association
-  The Class of 2015
- The University of Maryland Association of Legislative Law
- The Republican Legal Society
- The University of Maryland Law Democrats

JUICE #3: REP. JOHN DELANEY TO BANKROLL ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN FOR MARYLAND MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE - Maryland Juice received the following press release from Raise Maryland (the coalition advocating for a state minimum wage increase), indicating that Congressman John Delaney will be funding an online outreach campaign for the organization:

PRESS RELEASE

SUPPORT GROWS FOR RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE IN MARYLAND

Backing from U.S. Rep. John Delaney for Raise Maryland campaign  will build constituent communications capacity
COLLEGE PARK -- Support to increase Maryland’s minimum wage continues to grow as Raise Maryland, the coalition working to raise the state’s rate, has received funding from U.S. Rep. John Delaney (D-MD6) and his wife April to build on the coalition’s digital constituent communications capacity.

Rep. Delaney’s support will be used to engage low-wage workers and their supporters via email, social media and texting, along with an enhanced campaign website, to ensure that their voices are heard by their elected representatives and the general public. Raise Maryland will also create a rapid response system to mobilize Marylanders to show their support for raising the wage before and during the 2014 Maryland General Assembly. The effort is projected to actively involve more than 60,000 state residents in actions ranging from writing letters, lobbying in districts and Annapolis and speaking out about raising the minimum wage in the media.

“It is becoming increasingly clear that Congress will not act on many issues of critical importance to working Americans, including raising the minimum wage,” said U.S. Rep. John Delaney. “My constituents need and deserve higher pay for their work and Maryland can use the economic boost that comes with raising the wage. Importantly, based on my two decades of experience as a job creator in the private sector, I believe that raising the minimum wage is also good for Maryland businesses, which will benefit from increased demand and greater productivity. Action has to come at the state level and that is why I am supporting the Raise Maryland campaign and their work to bring our state to a higher standard for our workers.”

The proposed legislation would raise Maryland’s minimum wage in three steps to $10.10 per hour by 2016 and index it to the cost of living thereafter so that it doesn’t lose value over time. The legislation also incorporates an increase for tipped workers (from 50 percent to 70 percent of the prevailing minimum wage).

“Raise Maryland is grateful and energized by this support and leadership from Rep. Delaney and his wife April,” said Ricarra Jones, chair of the Raise Maryland coalition. “We know that Marylanders are overwhelmingly in favor of raising the minimum wage. This funding gives everyone a voice and a platform to communicate and express their needs and goals to our elected officials.”

Momentum is building for Maryland to increase the state’s minimum wage. The Baltimore City Council, Montgomery County Council and the Charles County Board of Commissioners have all passed resolutions calling for a minimum wage of at least $10 an hour and indexing and each of the Democratic 2014 gubernatorial candidates have announced their support for a raise.

Research has found that approximately 472,000 Marylanders would benefit from the increase, putting $466 million more in their pockets in the next two years. At the same time, businesses would benefit from nearly half a billion dollars in new consumer spending and would create more than 4,000 new full-time jobs as they expand to meet increased demand.

Raise Maryland is a diverse coalition of business, civil rights, community, faith, immigrant and labor, organizations united to pass a statewide minimum wage increase indexed to inflation.

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JUICE #4: ACTIVISTS ORGANIZE "DAY OF THE DEAD" PROTEST TO URGE MD U.S. HOUSE MEMBERS TO END TORTURE TRAINING FOR LATIN AMERICAN SOLDIERS - Activists from the organization School of the Americas Watch (SOAW) are gearing up once again to try and shut down the U.S. government's torture and military training facility for Latin American soldiers (aka the School of the Americas). This Friday, several Maryland members of Congress will be visited by advocates urging them to support a bill (HR 2989) to suspend operations at the School of the Americas, and so far Rep. Donna Edwards is the only Maryland U.S. House member signed on as a sponsor. As a result, SOAW will be presenting Edwards with the following letter thanking her for her sponsorship of HR 2989:

Dear Representative Donna Edwards,

We the undersigned 4th District voters want to sincerely thank you for becoming an original co-sponsor of the Latin America Military Training Review Act for the 113th Congress. It means a lot to me, your other constituents, and people throughout this hemisphere to be able to count on leaders like yourself who are truly committed to democratic values, transparency, human rights, and respect towards our Latin American neighbors.

As the ongoing human rights violations by SOA/WHINSEC graduates in Honduras and the recent suicide of Chilean Gen. Odlanier Mena (trained at the SOA in 1970 and convicted for ordering the deaths of three civilians in 1973) demonstrate, we need to stop spending our tax dollars on the School of the Americas SOA/WHINSEC, an institution that does great harm to the people of Latin America - as well as the reputation of the United States.

Thank you for your conscientiousness and leadership in our movement for peace and human rights.

Wikipedia notes the origins and shifting mission of this "educational institution," while highlighting recent efforts to close the school that have come close to succeeding in Congress (excerpt below):

WIKIPEDIA: The US Army School of the Americas was founded in 1946. From 1961 (during the Kennedy administration), the School was assigned the specific Cold War goal of teaching "anti-communist" counterinsurgency training to military personnel of Latin American countries. At the time and in those places, "communists" was, in the words of anthropologist Lesley Gill, "... an enormously elastic category that could accommodate almost any critic of the status quo...."

As the Cold War drew to a close around 1990, United States foreign policy shifted focus from "anti-communism" to the War on Drugs, with narcoguerillas replacing "communists". This term was later replaced by "the more ominous sounding 'terrorist'".

In 2005 a bill to abolish the institute, with 134 cosponsors, was introduced to the House Armed Services Committee. In June 2007, the McGovern/Lewis Amendment to shut off funding for the Institute failed by six votes. This effort to close the Institute was endorsed by the nonpartisan Council on Hemispheric Affairs, which described the Institute as a "black eye" for America....

SOAW is organizing visits to the Congressional offices of Elijah Cummings, John Delaney, and John Sarbanes to drum up support for HR 2989, and they'll be organizing a protest this Friday, November 1st (aka the Day of the Dead). SOAW explains some of their reasons for trying to shut down the School of the Americas (excerpt below):

SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS WATCH: School of the Americas has been historically dubbed the “School of Assassins”.... Since 1946, the SOA has trained over 64,000 Latin American soldiers in counterinsurgency techniques, sniper training, commando and psychological warfare, military intelligence and interrogation tactics. These graduates have consistently used their skills to wage a war against their own people. Among those targeted by SOA graduates are educators, union organizers, religious workers, student leaders, and others who work for the rights of the poor. Hundreds of thousands of Latin Americans have been tortured, raped, assassinated, “disappeared,” massacred, and forced into refugee by those trained at the School of Assassins....

Below you can see the flyer for the protest march that will occur after the activists have visited with members of Congress from Maryland and Virginia:

U.S. SENATE POLL: Ben Cardin 53%, Dan Bongino 22%, Rob Sobhani 14% // PLUS: All Three Candidates to Debate 10/30

ANOTHER POLL SHOWS LARGE CARDIN LEAD: The Washington Post last night released poll results in Maryland's U.S. Senate battle showing a large lead for incumbent Democrat Ben Cardin (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin’s reelection race has become more like a stroll, with a new Washington Post poll showing most Marylanders ready to give him a second term next month....

In the new Post poll, Cardin (D) wins 53 percent among likely voters. Bongino wins 22 percent, while Sobhani — who entered the race in September — has 14 percent. (Libertarian Party candidate Dean Ahmad receives about 2 percent.)

In the Post poll, Sobhani wins 19 percent among Republicans and independents who lean to the GOP. His base of support is clearly among political independents, where he wins 28 percent support, according to the poll.

The Washington Post, for what it's worth, is also endorsing Cardin for re-election (excerpt below). They appear to agree with Maryland Juice's belief that the Maryland GOP has made itself electorally irrelevant:

WASHINGTON POST: There are two plausible explanations for the apparently lopsided race for the U.S. Senate seat in Maryland, in which the incumbent, Benjamin L. Cardin, seems to be gliding to reelection.

One is that Mr. Cardin, a Democrat elected in 2006, is a solid, substantive and serious lawmaker whose proven ability to cross partisan battle lines places him among the dwindling ranks of grown-ups in Congress. The other is the catatonic state of Maryland’s Republican Party, which, having once produced electable moderates like former governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. and former representative Connie Morella, has sunk into irrelevance.... 

The Republican, Daniel Bongino, is a former Secret Service agent whose strident attacks on government and pledge never to raise taxes earned him the endorsement of Sarah Palin.

CANDIDATES TO FACE OFF OCTOBER 30: If you're still undecided in the race, you now have an opportunity to see the contenders meet face-to-face. The Capital Gazette reported last Friday that the candidates for U.S. Senate will be debating the issues during a royal rumble next Tuesday, October 30th in Salisbury, MD. Maryland Juice previously wondered whether Democrat Ben Cardin and Republican Dan Bongino would welcome independent Rob Sobhani to planned debates. We now have our answer, and it appears that Sobhani may get the opportunity to participate in more than on upcoming debate. See an excerpt from The Capital Gazette below:

CAPITAL GAZETTE: Democratic incumbent Sen. Ben Cardin has agreed to meet Republican Challenger Dan Bongino of Severna Park and independent Rob Sobhani of Montgomery County on Oct. 30 at Salisbury University for their first announced debate....

The Salisbury debate will be held at 3 p.m. in Holloway Hall Auditorium. Admission is free, and will come on a first-come, first-serve basis. Questions, complete with the name and hometown of the person submitting the question, can be sent to pace@salisbury.edu.

MORE ON THE U.S. SENATE BATTLE SOON!

DEBATE TONIGHT: John Delaney vs Roscoe Bartlett at Rockville Synagogue // PLUS: Jews for Justice Advance Questions 4 & 6

UPDATE: Today, Capital News Service has coverage of the latest Bartlett-Delaney debate. See a brief excerpt below:

CNS: Bartlett stood by the more than 30 votes he cast to repeal President Barack Obama’s health care reform law, but acknowledged that Republicans “do not have a well-developed alternative.” He defended his membership in the House Tea Party Caucus as “supporting a dialogue on the importance of the Constitution,” but added that he reaches across the aisle “more than probably any other Republican....”

CD6 CANDIDATES DEBATE: Throughout Maryland, much attention has been paid to what conservative and evangelical branches of Christianity have been doing with respect to Maryland politics. But today, we have two tidbits from the Jewish community in Montgomery County. The Jewish Community Relations Council invited Democrat John Delaney and GOP Rep. Roscoe Bartlett to a candidates debate tonight. The event begins at 6:30 pm tonight in Rockville, MD:

Temple Beth Ami
14330 Travilah Road
Rockville, MD 20850

This could be one of the more interesting debates in the 6th Congressional District race. First, Bartlett will have to face Delaney among a crowd of Montgomery County voters. But more importantly, it seems hard to imagine that Bartlett's recent Holocaust gaffes won't be discussed. You may recall that Bartlett recently compared federal student loans to the Holocaust.


JEWS FOR JUSTICE GEAR UP TO SUPPORT QUESTIONS 4 & 6: Meanwhile, elsewhere in Montgomery County, Jews for Justice is gearing up to help defend the Dream Act and marriage equality. See the press statement below:

PRESS RELEASE

Jewish Community in Montgomery County Mobilizes to 
Support Civil Marriage Equality and DREAM Act in Maryland

Jews United for Justice Organizes Montgomery County Jews in Support of Two Vital Maryland Ballot Issues; Momentum Builds as Area Congregations Plan Events to Educate Voters

Several area rabbis spoke to their congregations from the pulpit during the Jewish high holidays to remind congregants that Judaism requires equality under civil law for all people. Over 20 area Jewish congregations and youth and college groups are holding educational events, house meetings, canvasses, and phone banks to educate members and get out the vote in November. Jews United for Justice (JUFJ) is organizing synagogues and Jewish communities across Montgomery County to educate and mobilize voters on two critical social justice issues which will be put to a statewide vote in November: the Maryland DREAM Act and the Civil Marriage Protection Act.

Rabbi Michael Feshbach of Temple Shalom delivered the following message to his congregation in his Kol Nidre speech on the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year:

“This fall we face two opportunities to step up, and stand out, to pray with our hands… to act, and by so doing, to make this world more whole.  The initiatives I refer to will appear as Questions Four and Six on the Maryland ballot.  They are the Maryland version of the Dream Act, and the issue of Marriage Equality for Same-Sex couples.  In my view, and, indeed, in the view of our Reform movement, these are measures which call for our involvement, and support….We can… remember that the work we do to better the world is something we do… as Jews, as a congregation, as a Jewish community, as an expression of our Jewish values… as well as flowing from our sense of general human decency.  We can step forward, with head and heart and hand… With education, passion, and advocacy.”

Maryland citizens will be able to vote on November 6th in support of these civil rights issues listed as Questions 4 and 6 on the ballot.  The Jewish community in Montgomery County is organizing and educating potential voters to vote based on the shared Jewish values of social justice and equality, themes common to both of these important issues.

Jewish Americans overwhelming support both issues. Chosen for What? Jewish Values in 2012, a new study completed by the Public Religion Research Institute, finds that 70% of American Jews support the federal DREAM Act.  And more than 8-in-10 (81%) American Jews support allowing same-sex couples to marry legally.

JUFJ is a non-profit organization whose mission is to lead Washington-area Jews to act on our shared Jewish values by pursuing justice and equality in our local community.  We fervently support these two important measures and know that an overwhelming majority of area Jews do so as well.

###

MARYLAND DEBATE SCHEDULE // Attend a Forum on Ballot Questions, Congressional Battles & School Board Races

UPDATE: The Washington Post reports that John Delaney and Rep. Roscoe Bartlett have agreed to a series of six debates. Read the WaPo coverage for times/dates/locations.

Maryland Juice reader Paul Bessel forwarded us a schedule of numerous debates scheduled this month. Below you can see a listing of events featuring candidates for Congress and school board, as well as on the marriage equality and gambling ballot questions. NOTE: The listing below includes events from around the state.

When	What Who	Sponsor Moderator	Where
Monday October 15, 2012 7pm to 9pm	Congressional Districts 3 & 4 Candidates Forum Congressman John Sarbanes (Democrat) Eric Knowles (Republican) Paul Drgos (Libertarian) Congresswoman Donna Edwards (Dem) Faith Louden (Rep) Scott Soffen (Libertarian)	Anne Arundel County League of Women Voters and American Association of University Women and Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of Maryland	Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church 611 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd Severna Park MD
Wednesday October 17, 2012 7pm to 8pm	Congressional District 6 Candidates Forum Congressman Roscoe Bartlett (Rep) John Delaney (Dem) Nicholaus Mueller (Libartarian)	League of Women Voters of Washington, Frederick, and Montgomery Counties	Hagerstown Community College Kepler Auditorium 11400 Robinwood Dr Hagerstown
Friday October 19, 2012 2pm to 4pm	Board of Education Candidates Forum Phil Kauffman Morris Panner Fred Evans Rebecca Smondrowski Chris Barclay Annita Seckinger	Democratic Club of Leisure World Paul M. Bessel	Leisure World Clubhouse 1 Baltimore Room
Saturday October 20, 2012 3pm to 5pm	Ballot Questions 6 & 7 (Same-Sex Marriage & Gambling Expansion)	League of Women Voters of Maryland and Norman and Florence Brody Family Foundation Public Policy Forum	Friendship Heights Village Center 4433 S. Park Ave Chevy Chase
Wednesday October 24, 2012 6:45pm to 9pm	Board of Education Candidates Forum Phil Kauffman Morris Panner Fred Evans Rebecca Smondrowski Chris Barclay Annita Seckinger	Progressive Neighbors State Delegate Bonnie Cullison Sharon Dooley Marva Deskins	Takoma Park Presbyterian Church Assembly Hall 310 Tulip Ave (at Maple St) Takoma Park
Monday October 29, 2012 6:15pm to 7:45pm	Board of Education Candidates Forum Phil Kauffman Morris Panner Fred Evans Rebecca Smondrowski Chris Barclay Annita Seckinger	League of Women Voters of Montgomery County and American Association of University Women	Wheaton Library 11701 Georgia Avenue

TONIGHT: Rep. John Sarbanes vs. Eric Knowles & Paul Drgos // Democratic, GOP & Libertarian CD3 Candidates Debate

Maryland's 3rd Congressional District race has been a bit of a sleeper. But for many voters in Montgomery County, Democratic Rep. John Sarbanes is a new face. Politicos can see him in action, along with the CD3 challengers tonight in Olney, Maryland. See the invitation below (Hat tip: Olney politico Art Brodsky).

The Greater Olney Civic Association and Olney Chamber of Commerce will sponsor a debate in Maryland's newly drawn Third Congressional District.  (This may be the only one.  We haven't heard of others.)

Date:  Oct. 9, 2012

Time: 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Where:  3300 Olney-Sandy Spring Rd. (Buffington Re-Max Building), community room. (Around back on the left.)

Participants:  Rep. John Sarbanes (D), Eric Knowles (R), Paul Drgos, Jr. (L)

WATCH TV DEBATES: Maryland Juice vs. Red Maryland, Del. Heather Mizeur vs. Gov. Bob Ehrlich, SEIU vs. Help Save MD

As we get closer to the November 6th election day, numerous media outlets are beginning to cover the various candidate horse races and ballot question battles with greater scrutiny. Some local TV reporters are also beginning to host right-left dialogues to tease out the arguments (and spin) from both sides. Today, we highlight a few worthwhile TV debates, including one tomorrow night featuring Maryland Juice! You can also watch Del. Heather Mizeur debate former Gov. Bob Ehrlich below:

TOMORROW NIGHT: MARYLAND JUICE ENCOUNTERS RED MARYLAND ON TV - Maryland Juice (aka David Moon) will be appearing on a televised "Political Roundtable" on the MPT show "State Circle." I'll be appearing alongside Red Maryland blogger Mark Newgent. Catch us on MPT Friday night (Oct. 5) at 7:30 pm.

The left-right dialogue is billed as a conversation between "a Republican blogger and a Democratic blogger to discuss the latest happenings in the state government." But I suspect we'll be talking about topics like so-called voter fraud, the ballot questions, and issues in the 6th Congressional District race. Watch the show tomorrow night on MPT @ 7:30 pm. We'll also post the online version of the discussion once it is available.

WARNING: Turn your eyes away from the stretched photo of my face above!  :)

WATCH ONLINE: DEL. HEATHER MIZEUR VS. GOV. BOB EHRLICH DEBATE THE DEBATE - News Channel 8's Bruce DePuyt today had a segment featuring Del. Heather Mizeur and Mitt Romney's Maryland Chair - former Gov. Bob Ehrlich. The Democrat and Republican appeared on air to discuss the impact of last night's debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney:



ALSO ON MPT FRIDAY NIGHT: SEIU VS. HELP SAVE MARYLAND ON THE DREAM ACT (QUESTION 4) - In addition to Maryland Juice & Red Maryland, tomorrow night's "State Circle" broadcast will include a debate over the Dream Act (Question 4). The segment will feature Mark McLaurin from SEIU and Brad Botwin from Help Save Maryland. SEIU is one of the leading members of the Educating Maryland Kids coalition, a group promoting a "vote for" Question 4. Help Save Maryland is a nativist group that is airing radio ads urging a "vote against" Question 4. Watch the debate on MPT Friday night (Oct. 5) at 7:30 pm.