JUICE: Sparks in Governor's Race, Candidate Updates in D15, D16, D19, D23B & MoCo 3, MoCo Exec Debate WED & More!

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

JUICE #1: PRINCE GEORGE'S LAWMAKERS ISSUE LETTER CONDEMNING DOUG GANSLER'S REMARKS ABOUT THEIR COUNTY - Yesterday a wide range of Prince George's County elected officials signed onto a letter condemning remarks from Attorney General Doug Gansler about their county. Gansler's remarks were covered in a Washington Post article about his new campaign office in Prince George's (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: In an attempted show of strength on his rival’s home turf, Maryland gubernatorial hopeful Douglas F. Gansler opened a campaign office Saturday in Prince George’s County and argued that his ticket is more committed to the jurisdiction’s vast economic development and educational needs than Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown....

Gansler, a former Montgomery County state’s attorney, also unveiled a list Saturday of 34 current and former municipal officials from Prince George’s who are backing his campaign — including eight officeholders whose names had previously appeared on lists of endorsements released by Brown.

By Sunday morning, The Washington Post was able to independently verify that two of the eight had switched allegiances from Brown to Gansler. One of the eight, however, said he is still backing Brown, and another name was removed from Gansler’s list after his campaign said that it had appeared by mistake....

“He’s not from Prince George’s County. . . . He’s from Long Island,” Gansler said at one point, referring to Brown’s birthplace of Huntington, N.Y....

Gansler also said that Prince George’s has not seen the kind of economic development the county deserves. “When people get up in front of you and say, ‘We have one Maryland,’ we do on a map,” Gansler said. “But we have two Marylands: There are those who have it and those who don’t....”

Prince George's officials ranging from U.S. House members Donna Edwards and Steny Hoyer to State Senate President Mike Miller released the following letter in response to Gansler's remarks:

Letter from Prince George's Lawmakers to Doug Gansler

JUICE #2: MIZEUR CALLS ON GANSLER & BROWN TO TESTIFY IN FAVOR OF MARIJUANA DECRIMINALIZATION  //  PLUS: BROWN RESPONDS W/ LETTER - Delegate Heather Mizeur took an early stand on marijuana reform by being the only gubernatorial candidate to come out for legalization, while also co-sponsoring legislation to decriminalize pot. This week she followed up on her stance by calling on Doug Gansler and Anthony Brown to testify in support of the decriminalization bill. Both Brown and Gansler recently confirmed support for removing jail time as a penalty for pot possession, and Mizeur asked both candidates to do more in the following press release (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Mizeur Calls On Brown, Gansler to Testify For Marijuana Decriminalization Bill

SILVER SPRING, Maryland—This morning, Delegate Heather Mizeur (D-Montgomery), candidate for governor, invited Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown and Attorney General Doug Gansler through her legislative office to join her in testifying on behalf of the Maryland Marijuana Decriminalization Act (HB0879).

The bill, if passed, would replace criminal penalties for possession of up to an ounce of marijuana with a civil fine of $100. For individuals under 21, criminal penalties would be replaced with drug education classes and would also include parental notification requirements for those under 18. Mizeur introduced the bipartisan bill last week with Delegate Michael Smigiel (R-Cecil County) as the lead Republican co-sponsor.

The bill has 40 co-sponsors, including Gansler’s running mate, Delegate Jolene Ivey (D-Prince George’s), House Majority Leader Kumar Barve (D-Montgomery) and two committee chairs: Delegate Sheila Hixson (D-Montgomery) and Delegate Maggie McIntosh (D-Baltimore).

After hesitating to endorse decriminalization earlier in the campaign, both the Brown and Gansler campaigns have since come out publicly in favor of the reform. Brown expressed his strong support for decriminalization at a Baltimore Sun “Newsmaker Forum” last month. Ivey has made her ticket’s support public over Twitter and at last week’s BEST Democratic Club lieutenant governor candidate roundtable....

Anthony Brown' campaign responded with the following letter to Mizeur:

ANTHONY BROWN: Dear Delegate Mizeur: Over the past several years, in our state and throughout our country, there has been a serious discussion about marijuana and its impact on our society. Here in Maryland, a number of dedicated public servants, like Senator Zirkin and Delegate Anderson have proposed legislation decriminalizing marijuana. Last year, legislation was sponsored, and passed, by Delegate Clippinger and Senator Raskin which reduces the sentences for those caught with small amounts of marijuana.

As they are currently constructed and enforced, our state’s marijuana laws are costly, ineffective, and racially biased. In 2010, African Americans in Maryland were almost 3 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than their white counterparts, and black Marylanders represent almost 58 percent of all marijuana possession arrests, but only 30 percent of the population. This is despite the fact that both groups have nearly identical marijuana usage rates. An arrest for possession has an incredibly negative impact on that person’s life, often creating problems finding employment or even a place to live.

Equally distressing is how ineffective and costly our marijuana laws are: just four years ago, our state spent over $55.3 million in enforcement of this law on police costs alone. These are resources that could have been better spent fighting violent crime throughout our state, or on substance abuse treatment that could help end the cycle of use and dependency. I support the decriminalization of marijuana because I believe in strong communities where safety – and not just the appearance of being tough on crime – comes first....

JUICE #3: MOCO EXEC CANDIDATES DEBATE ON TOMORROW (WED) // TEACHERS  HOSTING EDUCATION FORUM W/ LEGGETT, DUNCAN & ANDREWS - Tomorrow MCEA (the union representing MoCo teachers) is holding a schools debate with Democratic MoCo Exec candidates Ike Leggett, Doug Duncan and Republican candidate Jim Shalleck (details below):

MCEA Montgomery County Executive Forum
Wednesday February 12, 2014 from 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Richard Montgomery High School, Rockville, MD
RSVP: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CountyExecForum

MCEA Event: Montgomery County Executive Candidates Debate

JUICE #4: THE MARYLAND POLITICS WATCH BLOG IS BACK - Maryland Juice considers our blog a later iteration of the news model developed by the Maryland Politics Watch blog (aka MPW). Indeed, MPW ceased operations sometime after the 2010 election cycle, but now the site's owner David Lublin has relaunched Maryland Politics Watch:

DAVID LUBLIN (VIA MARYLAND POLITICS WATCH): After a long hiatus, I've decided to start blogging again. I'm hoping to move to a new platform and URL so watch this spot to follow Maryland Politics Watch. For now, I'm not going to publish comments because I just don't have the time or desire to moderate them. Enjoy!

JUICE #5: CANDIDATES ANNOUNCE // THEA WILSON VS. DEL. VALLARIO IN D23B, BENNETT RUSHKOFF VS. DAVID FRASER-HIDALGO IN D15, CHARLOTTE CRUTCHFIELD VS. MARICE MORALES IN D19, TOM MOORE FOR MOCO COUNCIL - Maryland Juice has received a number of alerts from candidates announcing for various positions. Below you can see a quick round-up of the events.

DISTRICT 23B: This Sunday, Thea Wilson is announcing a campaign for District 23B Delegate. Notably, D23B is a new legislative district that has been re-drawn in a way that may make incumbent Delegate Joe Vallario vulnerable in his re-election bid:

DISTRICT 15: Delegate Brian Feldman recently vacated his District 15 seat to be appointed to Rob Garagiola's State Senate seat. In turn, David Fraser-Hidalgo was appointed to Feldman's vacant D15 seat. But now progressive attorney Bennett Rushkoff has announced a campaign for District 15 Delegate, and some interesting officials attended his campaign kickoff this weekend. In the photo and press release excerpt below, Rushkoff announced that his event was attended by D15 Delegates Kathleen Dumais and Aruna Miller (current colleagues of David Fraser-Hidalgo):

PRESS RELEASE

Over 100 People Pack Bennett Rushkoff’s State Delegate Campaign Kickoff
District 15 Delegates Dumais and Miller Attend

North Potomac, Maryland  – Over 100 people, including District 15 Delegates Kathleen Dumais and Aruna Miller, packed into Nantucket’s Reef in North Potomac for Bennett Rushkoff’s State Delegate campaign kickoff on Saturday, February 8.

After being introduced by Ron Weich, Dean of the University of Baltimore Law School and a Yale Law School classmate of Rushkoff’s, as well as Antonio Carrillo, a public school science teacher and local community activist, Rushkoff described why he was running for office.  He spoke about his many years fighting for justice as a consumer protection attorney and how he plans to pursue justice in the General Assembly, advocating in the areas of education, health care, and the environment on behalf of all Marylanders.  Rushkoff said that his commitment to protecting the environment comes from his belief that we “borrow our planet from our children.”

Following the kickoff, Rushkoff commented on the packed house at Nantucket’s Reef: “I am inspired by all the people who came out today to hear about our campaign for justice.  It is clear that the residents of District 15 want a Delegate who will fight for our shared values.”

Rushkoff has assembled a professional campaign team, hiring the consulting firm Feldman Strategies and bringing on former Obama campaign staffer Britney Mumford....

DISTRICT 19: This week MCDCC member Charlotte Crutchfield announced a campaign for District 19 Delegate, where incumbent Sam Arora recently announced his retirement. Crutchfield will be joining Marice Morales (an aide to Sen. Roger Manno) in seeking the open seat. Check out this excerpt from Crutchfield's announcement press release below:

PRESS RELEASE

Longtime County Activist Charlotte Crutchfield Announces Candidacy

Bringing Communities Together Through Energy and Experience

February 9, 2014 (Silver Spring, MD)—Longtime Montgomery County activist Charlotte Crutchfield formally announced today that she has filed as a candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 19. She will be running in the Democratic primary on June 24, 2014.

“After many years working in the community with and for the wonderful people of District 19, I am ready to serve as an effective advocate in the General Assembly,” Crutchfield said.

Seeking to fill the vacant seat with Delegate Arora’s retirement, Ms. Crutchfield’s election will be historic, as she will be the first African American woman from Montgomery County to be elected to the State legislature.

Ms. Crutchfield's focus is Community First. Her top three campaign issues will be education, the economy, and equality. “A community is strongest when its citizens are well-educated, economically prosperous, and are treated equally. A livable minimum wage benefits workers, unions and businesses alike, and bolsters the economy. And, when every member of the community knows that their life, lifestyle and life-choices are valued regardless of sex, race, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation or identity we, indeed, become a community," she said.

Charlotte Crutchfield was elected to the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC) in 2010, serving as Liaison for District 19, and as a member of the Rules Committee, Voter Protection Committee, Ballot Question Review Committee and Strategic Planning Committee....

MOCO COUNCIL 3: Rockville City Councilmember Tom Moore announced a February 17th kickoff for his campaign for County Council District 3. The incumbent Phil Andrews is running for County Executive, and so far Gaithersburg Mayor Sid Katz, Gaithersburg Councilmember Ryan Spiegel, and activist Guled Kassim have announced in the race. Moore's announcement is below:

Greetings, Juice!

Please join Tom Moore, his wife Amy, his kids, and many of Tom's friends and supporters next Monday as we kick off his campaign for County Council with good cheer and good food.

Come hear why Tom is running, and how he will represent Rockville and Gaithersburg on the County Council!

We have four short months until the June 24 Democratic primary, and Tom's in a red-hot race. Let's get this campaign off to a roaring start!

When: Monday, Feb. 17, from 3-5 p.m. (Presidents' Day!)
Where: American Tap Room in Rockville Town Square   
Please feel free to bring as many people as you like. Kids are more than welcome to attend.

Click here to RSVP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YrGoQUTRRfZ529Z9q6owR5ePPBhYayZ2QzA-xHgGBfc/viewform

See you there!

Max van Balgooy
Campaign Chair, Friends of Tom Moore

JUICE #6: KYLE LIERMAN WEIGHING RUN FOR D16 SENATE OR DELEGATE AS FIELD THINS // PLUS: MOCO BOE MEMBER SMONDROWSKI FOR D17 SENATE? - Bethesda Magazine's Lou Peck highlighted some possible last-minute candidate filings as we head closer to the February 25th deadline for candidates to put their names on the June Primary Election ballot. The race for two open Delegate seats in District 16 may lose some candidates and gain others, while candidates are still eyeing the open Senate seat primaries in Districts 16 and 17 (excerpt below):

BETHESDA MAGAZINE: Local real estate agent Ted Duncan, who had formed a campaign committee and was ready to run as recently as mid-January, has pulled out of the contest.... Veteran political operative Kevin Walling, who announced his candidacy last summer, appears ready to drop out and instead run for a seat on the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee.... White House aide Kyle Lierman, who finished second in an 11-person race for an open seat in 2010, is said by sources to be continuing to consider another run for delegate or a run against Delegate Susan Lee for the seat being vacated by Sen. Brian Frosh.

Rebecca Smondrowski confirmed she is still mulling a run to succeed state Sen. Jennie Forehand, who is retiring after 20 years in the seat.... Smondrowski, a former General Assembly aide who was elected to the school board in 2012, acknowledged that “I’ll likely be staying where I am,” But she added of a possible Senate run: “I’m very torn. I really love what I’m doing, [but] I’m feeling like this might be once in a lifetime opportunity…My guess is that I’ll be considering it until pretty much close to the deadline....”

JUICE #7: MOCO POISED TO APPROVE PUBLIC FINANCING FOR COUNTY ELECTIONS // PLUS: CONGRESSMAN SARBANES & NANCY PELOSI INTRODUCE CLEAN ELECTIONS BILLS FOR FEDS - All members of the Montgomery County Council have signed on to legislation sponsored by Councilmember Phil Andrews to take advantage of new state law allowing municipalities to enact public financing systems for local elections. Indeed, MoCo Councilmembers seek to make the county the first in Maryland to create a "clean elections" fund and reduce the impact of special interests in elections. This effort seems likely to pass.

Meanwhile, Congressman Jon Sarbanes is sponsoring legislation to create a similar program at the federal level. Sarbanes co-signed an op-ed with U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi about their new legislation, and Governor O'Malley and former MoCo Councilmember Valerie Ervin (now with the Center for Working Families) issued a press release about the effort. You can see excerpts from both items below:

NANCY PELOSI & JOHN SARBANES (VIA WASHINGTON POST): Americans have seen it on their televisions and heard it on their radios: political ads backed by unnamed sources; the work of so-called advocacy groups backed by undisclosed donors; damaging policy agendas orchestrated by special interests; endless money muddying the waters of our debate with confusion and voter suppression.... Indeed, Citizens United shook the foundation of our democracy: the principle that, in the United States of America, it is the voices of the people, not the bank accounts of the privileged few, that determine the outcome of our elections and the policies of our government....

Those of us inside and outside the Capitol who support this kind of major change are rallying around H.R. 20, the Government by the People Act, which is to be introduced Wednesday. This sensible, straightforward legislation would:

• Encourage the participation of everyday Americans in the funding of campaigns by providing a refundable $25 My Voice Tax Credit. This would bring the voices of the broader public into the funding side of campaigns and democratize the relationship between money and speech.

• Establish a Freedom From Influence Matching Fund to boost the power of small-dollar contributions. To be eligible for these matching funds, a candidate would have to agree to a limit on large donations and demonstrate broad-based support from a network of small-dollar contributors. Amplified by the Freedom From Influence Matching Fund, the voices of everyday Americans would be as powerful as those of big donors.

• Provide candidates with an opportunity to earn additional resources in the homestretch of a campaign so that the voices of the people are not completely drowned out by super political action committees and other dark-money interests. In the wake of Citizens United, this kind of support is critical to ensuring that citizen-backed candidates have staying power.

Here's the press release from the Center for Working Families about the new Pelosi-Sarbanes public financing bill:

PRESS RELEASE

Gov. O'Malley, Valerie Ervin Laud New Sarbanes Bill to Take on Money in Politics

Today, Gov. Martin O'Malley and Center Working Families Executive Director Valerie Ervin lauded a new bill meant to take on the role of big money in politics and raise the voices of everyday people in the political process

H.R. 20, The Government by the People Act, was introduced today by Rep. John Sarbanes, and has more than 100 original co-sponsors.

"We need more action and smarter solutions to improve our nation's campaign finance system and I commend Congressmen John Sarbanes and Chris Van Hollen for their leadership on this important issue," said Governor Martin O’Malley. "Elections are the foundation of a successful democracy and these ideas will put us one step closer toward a better, more representative system that reflects the American values we share.”

"The Citizens United decision has given wealthy interests a megaphone so big it drowns out the rest of our voices," said Valerie Ervin, Executive Director of the Center for Working Families. "I am proud to stand in support of more than 100 members of Congress today who want to put the voters back in charge. Democracy shouldn't be for sale at any price."

The Government by the People Act would change the way our elections are financed through a combination of small donors, matching funds, and a “My Voice” tax credit.  Instead of relying on Wall Street executives or lobbyists, participating candidates would rely on the ones the founding fathers intended them to represent: we the people.

How the bill works:

People would be encouraged to give small contributions through two parts of the proposal: first, contributions of $1 to $150 would be amplified on a six-to-one basis by a newly-created “Freedom from Influence Fund.” Large contributions would not qualify.
The first $25 contributed by individuals would qualify for a “My Voice” refundable tax credit.
Each candidate’s money from the new fund -- which would be financed by closing corporate tax loopholes -- would be capped, and there would be strict enforcement of campaign finance laws, including disclosure of all donations.

Learn more about the Government by the People Act at: www.ofby.us

###

JUICE #8: STATE SENATOR LISA GLADDEN WITHDRAWS BILL TO TACKLE DEL. JON CARDIN'S HELICOPTER STUNT - The Daily Record recently reported that State Senator Lisa Gladden withdrew a bill designed to combat misuse of police equipment. The bill was apparently aimed at a scandal involving Delegate Jon Cardin, who is locked in a battle for Attorney General against Gladden's Senate colleague Brian Frosh (excerpt below):

DAILY RECORD: A bill that would have established reimbursement requirements and perhaps set other penalties for elected officials who misuse police equipment has been pulled by the sponsor because of election year concerns. Sen. Lisa A. Gladden, D-Baltimore, introduced the bill last week but quickly pulled it at the request of her committee chairman, Sen. Brian E. Frosh, D-Montgomery.

“It will not be considered for this year because of the election,” said Gladden, who is vice chairwoman of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. “It will be back next year because I like the bill and I think it’s a good idea....” The bill imposes a $15,000 fine for an elected official found guilty of misusing police resources and requires the official to reimburse the agency for the use of the equipment and officers.... When asked if the bill was specifically related to the Baltimore County Democrat, Gladden responded: “Of course we’re talking about Jon Cardin.”

The Associated Press reported on the context for the bill in 2009 (excerpt below):

ASSOCIATED PRESS (VIA HUFFINGTON POST): A Maryland lawmaker has apologized for using a police boat and helicopter to create a diversion so he could surprise his girlfriend with a marriage proposal.

Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld told reporters Tuesday that Delegate Jon Cardin also offered to pay expenses from the incident. The department is investigating. Officials don't know yet how much Cardin's proposal cost the department....

JUICE #9: TWO-TIME DUI CONVICT DEL. DON DWYER INTRODUCES BILLS REQUIRING JAIL & SUSPENSION FOR LAWMAKERS JAILED FOR DUI - If you haven't already heard, Delegate Don Dwyer was back in the news again. The Tea Party lawmaker has been in and out of the news in recent cycles, due to back-to-back drunk driving incidents. The first incident was a drunken boat crash that injured several children, while the second was a DUI conviction for dangerous driving. But now Dwyer has introduced two bills to create mandatory expulsion and jail-time for lawmakers involved in DUI's:

• BILL #1 - HB733: For the purpose of requiring that certain State officials who are convicted of certain alcohol–related driving offenses be subject to a certain mandatory minimum sentence; defining a certain term; and generally relating to a mandatory minimum sentence for a State official who is convicted of certain alcohol–related driving offenses.

• BILL #2 - HB734:  For the purpose of requiring that a member of the General Assembly who is found guilty of any crime for which the member is sentenced to serve a period of incarceration in any penal institution during the member’s term of office be suspended and, under certain circumstances, removed from office by operation of law; requiring that a member of the General Assembly who enters a certain plea relating to any crime for which the member is sentenced to serve a period of incarceration in any penal institution during the member’s term of office be removed from office by operation of law; and submitting this amendment to the qualified voters of the State for their adoption or rejection. 

JUICE #10: ANTHONY BROWN SLAMS DOUG GANSLER CORPORATE TAX CUT PROPOSAL - Attorney General Doug Gansler has voiced support for linking a corporate tax cut to a minimum wage increase in Maryland. Last week Lt. Governor Anthony Brown issued a press release calling Gansler's stance a Republican position (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Doug Gansler’s $1.6 billion corporate tax giveaway to be debated in Senate at 1 p.m. in Annapolis today

Will Gansler join with Republicans by testifying and explaining which programs he'll slash or schools he'll close to pay for this reckless corporate tax handout?

UPPER MARLBORO, MD – Throughout his campaign for governor, Doug Gansler has frequently and enthusiastically embraced the Republican proposal to slash Maryland’s corporate tax rate from 8.25% to 6%. Just like Annapolis Republicans, Gansler has yet to explain how he’ll pay for this corporate giveaway, which would cost Marylanders more than $1.6 billion in revenue over the next five years. The Washington Post even called Gansler’s unfunded giveaway part of a “package of panders” to Maryland voters.

Today at 1 p.m. in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, Republicans will push for passage of Doug Gansler’s $1.6 million corporate tax handout – the only question is, will Doug Gansler finally stand with them and explain how he’ll pay for it?

“Doug Gansler has been in lockstep with Republicans who want a $1.6 billion corporate tax handout that would defund our schools and put the brakes on several job-creating infrastructure projects,” said Brown-Ulman campaign manager Justin Schall. “If Gansler wants to recklessly create a $1.6 billion hole in revenues, he should come clean and explain which programs he’ll slash or which schools he’ll close to balance the budget. Marylanders deserve to hear Doug Gansler and the Republicans explain why a corporate tax giveaway is a better idea than investing in our schools.”

PRESS RELEASE: Delegate Susan Lee Announces Campaign for Brian Frosh's Soon-To-Be-Vacant District 16 State Senate Seat

Maryland Juice just received the following press release announcing a State Senate campaign from Delegate Susan Lee. Incumbent Senator Brian Frosh is vacating his District 16 seat (anchored in the Bethesda area) in order to run for Attorney General, and so far Lee appears to be the one to beat in the race to succeed Frosh. At this point, she is the only one decidedly entering the State Senate race. Lee's release below contains commentary from State Senator Jamie Raskin, Board of Education member Judy Docca, and State's Attorney John McCarthy:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Delegate Susan Lee Announces Run for State Senate Seat

Bethesda, MD - Delegate Susan Lee (D-16) has filed her candidacy for the Maryland State Senate just after her District 16 colleague Senator Brian Frosh announced his intention to run for Maryland Attorney General.  Lee told supporters, “In the state senate, I will continue to work hard, get results, and be a strong and effective advocate for the people of District 16, Montgomery County, and Maryland.  I want to ensure that we move forward as the leader in education, affordable college, clean environment, quality health care, public safety, transportation, and emerging technologies and jobs that will sustain us for the future.”

Lee's senate run is fast gaining support from her colleagues, other elected officials, and a wide cross section of community and political leaders.  Senator Jamie Raskin (D-20) stated, "As a Delegate, Susan Lee has been a dependable champion for the policies that make Montgomery County a great place to live—a healthy environment and excellent schools for our kids, transportation investment, and civil rights and liberties for all Marylanders. I look forward to this exciting new phase of her honorable career in public service."

In commending Lee’s ardent support for education, Montgomery County School Board Member Dr. Judith Docca, said, “Susan Lee is well known as a champion of Montgomery County’s outstanding school system.  She never lets up when it comes to supporting our kids, teachers, and high performing public schools.”  Lee stated, “Education is the key to our future and to the success of our county, state, and country.”

Lee has been praised for leading efforts to pass an aggressive agenda of laws to uplift women, children, and families during her two terms as President of the Women’s Legislative Caucus, which is comprised of state senators and delegates.  In 2012, she received the Legislative Leadership Award from the Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women and an Award from the Maryland Chapter of the National Organization for Women in 2013.  “Susan Lee has been a tireless champion for women, children and families. She has authored important laws to fight domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking and worked tenaciously to economically empower and provide equal access to our judicial system to our state's most vulnerable individuals.  Building on her accomplishments, as a senator she will be able to continue her work to ensure that ALL Maryland's citizens have a strong voice on issues impacting them and their future," said Linda Mahoney, President Emerita of the Maryland Chapter of the National Organization for Women.

Lee has also authored and is a leading authority in the General Assembly on landmark laws dealing with cyber security, identity theft, online fraud, public safety, telemedicine, nanobiotechnology, emerging technologies and jobs creation.   Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy said, "Susan Lee is an effective legislator who has a track record of passing laws to deter crimes against the elderly, women, children and families. She is also a recognized leader on cyber security, identity theft, and consumer protection issues and has ensured that Maryland, while benefiting from cutting edge technology, is able to keep pace with and protect our citizens against some of the most sophisticated crimes."

Lee was elected to the House of Delegates in 2002 and serves as a Deputy Majority Whip, House Judiciary Committee Member, Chair of the Family Law Subcommittee, Vice Chair of the Montgomery County House Delegation, and Co-Chair of the Maryland Commission on Cyber Security, Innovation and Excellence; Co-Chair of the Maryland Nanobiotechnology Task Force; and Co-Chair of the Maryland Task Force to Study Identity Theft.  She has received numerous awards for going above and beyond for the community, including being inducted into the Montgomery County Human Rights Hall of Fame and Daily Record’s Maryland’s Top 100 Women, receiving the National Center for Children and Families Spirit Award for Humanitarian Leadership, Village of Friendship Heights Community Service Award, Equality Maryland’s Out for Justice Award, Mothers Against Drunk Driving Merit Award, Progressive Maryland Leadership Award, Charles E. Smith Communities Chairman’s Award for Commitment to the Elderly Community and recognized by the Maryland Health Information Management Systems Society for leadership on Healthcare Information Technology and Reform.

Lee, who is a respected civil rights and intellectual property attorney, grew up in Bethesda and Potomac.  She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park and Winston Churchill High School.  Lee has served in leadership positions in many community and political organizations, including the Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board, Progressive Maryland Board, and Jewish Foundation for Group Homes Board and as Co Chair of the NAACP Multicultural Community Partnership, Member of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee, and Delegate to the Democratic National Conventions.  She was also appointed to the United States Patent and Trademark Advisory Board during the Clinton Administration.

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JuiceBlender: Maryland Lawmakers Weigh Retirement, Mizeur Decries Exclusion from 2014 Coverage, Frick vs. Frosh for AG

PLUS: FRANCHOT'S ODD NEWSPAPER, O'MALLEY'S PILGRIMAGE & A GOP COUP!

Below Maryland Juice highlights several news tidbits that may of interest to politicos tracking campaign developments in 2014 (and 2016):

JUICE #1: NUMEROUS STATE SENATORS & DELEGATES MAY RETIRE IN 2014 - Center Maryland columnist Josh Kurtz recently published a thorough round-up of possible retirement and open seat possibilities in 2014. In his lengthy column, he audits almost every State Senate and House of Delegates district and comes to the conclusion that the next election cycle could result in massive turnover in the General Assembly (excerpt below):

JOSH KURTZ (VIA CENTER MARYLAND): Jimmy Malone and Steven DeBoy are just the tip of the iceberg. When the House of Delegates convenes in 2015, there could be as many as 50 new members. That’s right, more than a third of the chamber could — could — turn over....

The Malone and DeBoy departures say something about the unique challenges facing conservative and moderate Democrats in Annapolis.... Indeed, redistricting will contribute heavily to the looming reconfiguration in the House, along with all the usual reasons: electoral defeats, delegates running for higher office, and pure retirements.

In the Senate, turnover has helped contribute to the long tenure of President Mike Miller (D).... No one has the seniority, gravitas or political cojones to challenge Miller’s supremacy....

But the House is a much less manageable place under the best of circumstances. As more and more newcomers arrive, with fewer connections and loyalty to Busch than the members who were there when he became speaker in 2003, it becomes harder for Busch and his lieutenants to maintain day-to-day control. That’s just the nature of the beast....

[ READ CENTER MARYLAND'S LIST OF RETIREMENT & OPEN SEAT SCENARIOS ]

JUICE #2: DEL. HEATHER MIZEUR DECRIES EXCLUSION FROM BALTIMORE SUN COLUMNIST'S GUBERNATORIAL COVERAGE - Maryland Juice received an email blast today from the campaign manager for Del. Heather Mizeur's gubernatorial campaign decrying her omission from Baltimore Sun columnist Dan Rodricks' recent discussion of the 2014 race. Mizeur's campaign also took offense with Rodricks calling the Governor's office the "big-daddy chair." Below we provide an excerpt from Dan Rodricks' April 10, 2014 column (titled "Ruppersberger considering run for governor"), followed by an excerpt from Heather Mizeur's email blast:

DAN RODRICKS (VIA BALTIMORE SUN): Among the likely Democratic candidates for Maryland governor in 2014 — Howard County executive Ken Ulman, Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, Attorney General Doug Gansler — Ulman comes closest to being the "Baltimore-area candidate."

But a genuine Baltimore-area candidate — someone who could pull votes from Baltimore County and the city, and enough in other key sectors of the state — would be a serious contender for the big-daddy chair in Annapolis....

The column above triggered the following response in the form of an email blast from Heather Mizeur's campaign manager Joanna Belanger. The blast below calls on supporters to sign a petition to send a message that "Maryland isn't a boys' club" (excerpt below):

JOANNA BELANGER (VIA FRIENDS OF HEATHER MIZEUR): The Baltimore Sun recently published a guest column about all the potential Democratic candidates for Governor in 2014. Well, all except for one:

Heather Mizeur.

Right now, there are no announced candidates for Governor. But Heather, just like several others, has made it clear that she's seriously considering a bid.

But the Sun only talked about the men who are thinking about running. Even worse, they actually called the office of Governor "the big-daddy chair.”

Sometimes you really have to wonder if these folks realize that it's 2013 now, and that women won't be ignored and dismissed. We deserve and demand better – will you add your name to our petition and let your voice be heard?

The race for Governor is going to be about the issues we all care about and who can best move Maryland forward – not his or her gender. Heather has spent her entire career working on behalf of all Marylanders, making sure we continue to improve our infrastructure and schools, protect our natural resources, promote job growth, and fight for equality.
That’s why her supporters are urging her to run.

Your support is vital. That's why I'm asking you to stand with me and add your name to our petition now. We need to send a message that Maryland isn't a boys' club -- and there's no such thing as the "big-daddy chair."

All my best,
Joanna Belanger
Campaign Manager
Friends of Heather Mizeur

Meanwhile, for those still questioning whether Del. Mizeur is actually running for Governor, it is worth noting that The Chestertown Spy recently published a series of video clips showing Mizeur campaigning in Kent County.


JUICE #3: 2014 ATTORNEY GENERAL RACE HIGHLIGHTS HOMETOWN RIVALRY BETWEEN SEN. BRIAN FROSH AND DEL. BILL FRICK - Yesterday Bethesda Magazine published an article profiling the dueling Attorney General campaigns from two District 16 Democrats: Sen. Brian Frosh & Del. Bill Frick. The worthwhile article presents some interesting backstory about Frosh's run for Attorney General, noting specifically that State Senator Jamie Raskin had been previously preparing for a run. Additionally, Bethesda Magazine also focuses on the awkwardness caused by the unusual circumstance of having two lawmakers from the same district seeking the same statewide office (excerpt below):

LOUIS PECK (VIA BETHESDA MAGAZINE): Although separated in age by almost three decades, state Sen. Brian Frosh and state Delegate Bill Frick have a lot in common.... Today, they reside barely a mile from each other along Bethesda’s River Road corridor, and share representation of District 16 in the Maryland General Assembly. In Annapolis, both can claim a record of legislative accomplishment as well as a passion for some of the same issues, particularly in the realm of consumer protection.

Perhaps it is as much because of these connections as in spite of them that Frick and Frosh now find themselves on a collision course.

While some in local political circles wait to see if one of them blinks, both men say they are committed to seeking the 2014 Democratic nomination to succeed Attorney General Douglas Gansler.... How did this statewide political head-on between two candidates from the same legislative district come about?...

When Frick approached Frosh about the contest, Frick says that Frosh told him that he was already committed to another attorney general aspirant from Montgomery County: state Sen. Jamie Raskin of Takoma Park, a law professor at American University....

JUICE #4: COMPTROLLER PETER FRANCHOT PRINTS NEWSPAPER DECLARING HIMSELF "THE MOST INTERESTING MAN IN MARYLAND" - A Maryland Juice reader recently reported that residents in her neighborhood received hand-delivered copies of a bizarre multi-page newspaper from Comptroller Peter Franchot. The elected statewide Democrat often describes himself as Maryland's "fiscal watchdog," but now he has adopted the title of "the most interesting man in Maryland." See the scanned front page of the newspaper below:

The Baltimore Sun provided some context on this strange government communication in an article earlier this month (excerpt below):

ERIN COX (VIA BALTIMORE SUN): Would you like to meet the most interesting man in Maryland?  Apparently, it's Comptroller Peter Franchot.

Franchot this week released a spoof of the popular Dos Equis' beer commercials as promotion for Maryland's unclaimed property website. More than $980 million is waiting to be claimed by Marylanders, and newspaper inserts will soon start advertising $80 million of them. ...

JUICE #5: MARYLAND HOUSE GOP MEMBERS ATTEMPT LEADERSHIP COUP - Maryland Reporter this week highlighted an emerging attempt by State House GOP members to replace GOP Minority Leader Tony O'Donnell (excerpt below):

GLYNIS KAZANJIAN (VIA MARYLAND REPORTER): A movement led by junior Republican delegates is underway to replace Maryland GOP House Minority Leader Tony O’Donnell and Minority Whip Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio. The move comes only days after the Maryland Republican Party voted in a new state party chairman, Diana Waterman, following a highly contentious election for the position.

Second term Del. Nicholaus Kipke, 34, Anne Arundel, and freshman Del. Kathy Szeliga, 51,  Baltimore and Harford counties, have been named by party insiders as the team running to replace O’Donnell, 52, and House Whip, Eastern Shore Del. Haddaway-Riccio, 35.

A vote is scheduled to take place in a special election next Tuesday, April 30, but such meetings are generally closed to the media and the public. This is the third reported attempt to unseat O’Donnell, with Kipke leading a similar effort in 2011 that fizzled....

JUICE #6: O'MALLEY ANNOUNCES PRESIDENTIAL AMBITIONS DURING TRIP TO ISRAEL -  It is no surprise to Maryland politicos that our Gov. Martin O'Malley has been gearing up for a 2016 White House run for quite some time now. But O'Malley stated the obvious during a recent trip to Israel (which now sits next to New Hampshire and Iowa on the list of places a prospective Presidential candidate must visit). The New York Times covered some of O'Malley's remarks during his trip this week (excerpt below):

NEW YORK TIMES: Gov. Martin O’Malley of Maryland said Wednesday that he would spend the second half of this year mulling whether to run for president in 2016. He seems already to have a campaign theme: jobs and innovation.

At least that’s what he insisted was the sole focus of his eight-day trip to Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian territories....

Governor O’Malley, 50, said it was his third visit to Israel.... Mr. O’Malley was also set to meet with President Shimon Peres of Israel; two rising stars in Israeli politics, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, both of whom head economic ministries; and Salaam Fayyad, who resigned earlier this month as prime minister of the Palestinian Authority.....

“I plan for the latter half of this year to dedicate some more thought time, reflection time, to the question of whether or not I would run,” he said Tuesday. “The key question in running for any office is having a clear and refined understanding of the shared reality we face and the better set of choices we need to make as a people to meet those challenges and to create a better future for our kids....”

MORE ON THE COMING POLITICAL BATTLES SOON!

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

Sen. Brian Frosh's Attorney General Bid Draws Senate Interest from Susan Lee & Others // PLUS: Delegate Candidates Emerge

UPDATE: I've made a few corrections and additions to the article below. First, one of my sources noted that she expected Kyle Lierman to look at the Senate vacancy, not the potential Delegate vacancy we rumored about earlier today. There is a certain logic to this, given that Lierman raised a good chunk of money in 2010 and might see advantages to a potentially smaller field for State Senate. He did, after all, lose his 2010 Delegate race by only 356 votes in a crowded field of 13.