JUICE: Frosh Video, Gross D9A Facebook Post, D13 Family Ties, Henson vs. McFadden, MoCo School $, MCDCC Battle & More!

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

JUICE #1: BRIAN FROSH RELEASES NEW WEB VIDEO HIGHLIGHTING GUN CONTROL ADVOCACY - Sen. Brian Frosh (a candidate for Attorney General) released a new web video today highlighting testimonials from national gun control advocates:



JUICE #2: OUTRAGEOUS FACEBOOK COMMENTARY FROM D9A DELEGATE CANDIDATE FRANK MIRABILE - Social media platforms are known to produce feisty back-and-forth commentary between politicos. But a Maryland Juice reader highlighted an outrageous set of comments from District 9A candidate Frank Mirabile, a Republican candidate for an open Delegate seat.  In the Facebook thread (excerpts screen-capped below), Mirabile responds to someone criticizing his stances on various issues by repeatedly insulting her physical appearance:

#TACKY: Maryland's District 9A is two-member House of Delegates district, with one open seat. D9A incumbent GOP Delegate Warren Miller is running for re-election, but there are four candidates in the Republican Primary for the one open seat: Eric Bouchat, Trent Kittleman, Kyle Lorton and Frank Mirabile. Notably, Frank Mirabile was also the 2010 Republican Congressional nominee against Congressman Elijah Cummings. I'm not sure I've seen a candidate for public office publish commentary as crass and unseemly as this before. Notably, the Facebook link appears to have been deleted, but not before a few hundred comments appeared on the thread.


JUICE #3: BIZARRE FAMILY JOCKEYING IN HOCO'S DISTRICT 13 DELEGATE RACE - Strange things are happening in the House of Delegates District 13 race. In the three-seat Howard County-anchored district, incumbents Shane Pendergrass and Frank Turner are currently filed to run for re-election. They had previously formed a slate with HoCo school board member Janet Siddiqui, but on the last day for candidates to file, Turner's protege Vanessa Atterbeary and Siddiqui's husband Nayab Siddiqui both filed for office. This appears to be a bit of a switcheroo, because Janet Siddiqui has now withdrawn from the race. The Baltimore Sun's Amanda Yeager had this to say (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: The political world got a last-minute shock Tuesday night when Nayab Siddiqui, husband of district 13 candidate and Howard County school board member Janet Siddiqui, filed to run in the same race. But as of Thursday afternoon, Janet Siddiqui is no longer up against her husband. She has officially withdrawn from the race, according to the state Board of Elections’ online list of candidates.... Other Democratic candidates include Oakland Mills community organizer Fred Eiland and Fulton lawyer Vanessa Atterbeary, who also filed at the last minute on Tuesday.

JUICE #4: JULIUS HENSON PLEDGES TO CONTINUE CAMPAIGN AGAINST SEN. NATE MCFADDEN, EVEN AS JUDGE RULES IT IS A PROBATION VIOLATION - Baltimore consultant Julius Henson was convicted of voter fraud charges for illegal robocalls he deployed on behalf of GOP Governor Bob Ehrlich. But Henson is now a candidate for State Senate against Sen. Nate McFadden, and he's pledging to continue campaigning even though a judge has ruled he's now violating his probation. The Washington Post's Paul Schwartzman reported on the development (excerpt below, H/T Maryland Reporter):

WASHINGTON POST: Julius Henson ... promised to keep running for office despite a judge’s ruling that he had violated his probation by becoming a candidate.... Henson, 64, vowed not only to appeal but also to press on with his campaign to “retire” Nathaniel J. McFadden (D), who has served in the state Senate for 18 years....  Prosecutors accused Henson of seeking to suppress turnout among African Americans during the 2010 governor’s race when he worked as a strategist for the campaign of former governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R)....  At Thursday’s hearing, Emmet Davitt, Maryland’s special prosecutor, argued that the language of Henson’s probation order — barring him from working on campaigns “in any capacity” — made his candidacy a violation....

JUICE #5: MOCO UNLIKELY TO GET SCHOOL INCREASE IN SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION FUNDING? - The Gazette's Kate Alexander reported this week that despite surging enrollment, Montgomery County may be unlikely to receive an increase in school construction funding this year (excerpt below):

GAZETTE: Midway through Maryland’s 90-day legislative session, county lawmakers seem to hold little hope of their top legislative priority passing the General Assembly and establishing a steady, predictable stream of state money to leverage borrowing for school construction.

[MoCo Executive Ike] Leggett said the county began pushing for more school construction dollars in 2010 and was able to get some additional state money through the conventional budget process. But to keep pace with growing enrollment — about 2,000 new students each year for Montgomery County Public Schools — even more money is needed.... [Delegate Anne Kaiser’s school construction funding] bill is scheduled for a hearing March 6. The Senate version is scheduled for a hearing March 12.

JUICE #6: PROGRESSIVE MARYLAND LAUNCHES SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN OPPOSING ESTATE TAX CUT - Progressive Maryland's Executive Director Kate Planco Waybright recently published a guest post on Maryland Juice urging lawmakers to abandon support a cut in the state's estate tax. It appears the organization is now following up on their effort with targeted social media ad buys. Check out the screen cap sent to us by a reader below:

JUICE #7: CONTESTED RACES FOR MOCO DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE // SEE WHO IS ON THE OFFICIAL MCDCC SLATE - Bethesda Magazine's Lou Peck reported on jockeying over the upcoming Democratic Primary elections for the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC). Notably, the MCDCC appoints Democrats to fill vacant legislative seats and mails sample ballots to voters recommending positions on referenda. Last year we witnessed all sorts of mayhem  when some labor unions picketed the MCDCC spring ball due to the group's support for repeal of "effects bargaining" rights in MoCo (aka Question B). This week Bethesda Magazine reported on the aftermath (excerpt below):

BETHESDA MAGAZINE: An ongoing effort to mend a rift between the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee and local labor groups appears to have taken a step forward, as a party screening committee put forth a slate of candidates aimed at placing a significant number of new faces on to the 24-member MCDCC.

One party insider described behind-the-scenes developments over the past week – with the slate not finalized until shortly before Tuesday’s primary filing deadline – as “a bloodless coup in a lot of ways.”

While there will be a number of contested central committee seats in the upcoming June 24 primary – including challenges to some committee veterans – the slate proposed by a five-member screening committee headed by MCDCC Chair Gabriel Albornoz won praise from a top local labor leader....

The MCDCC sent Maryland Juice a press release announcing their selections for the official slate of recommended candidates in the June 24th primaries. Their statement noted the following (excerpt below):

MCDCC: The 2014 Democratic Leadership Team Slate is pleased to announce the candidates for the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee. The candidates will be on this June’s primary ballot. The slate is comprised of Democratic leaders from many different backgrounds, including: labor, non-profit, government and business. In bringing this group together, party organizers considered the diverse voices and backgrounds that represent the Democratic Party –as well as the various skills and expertise needed to effectively run the party organization....

FULL LIST OF MCDCC CANDIDATES: All of the MCDCC races are contested, except in Districts 17, 18 and 39. Below we publish the MCDCC'S choices, along with the names of candidates who are running against the slate:

• Brian Anleu, District 14
• Arthur Edmunds, District 14 - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Pam Queen, District 14 - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Anis Ahmed, District 15
• Tim Whitehouse, District 15 - MCDCC Slate
• Venattia W. Vann, District 15 - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Kris Verma, District 15
• Wendy Cohen, District 16 - MCDCC Slate
• Loretta Jean Garcia, District 16
• Almina Khorakiwala, District 16 - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Julian Haffner, District 17 - MCDCC Slate
• Jonathan Prutow, District 17 - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Alan Banov, District 18 - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Aaron Kaufmann, District 18 - MCDCC Slate
• Hoan Dang, District 19 - MCDCC Slate
• Harold Diamond, District 19 - (incumbent)
• Melissa Pinnick, District 19 - MCDCC Slate
• Tamika Bennett, District 20 - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Ed Kimmel, District 20
• Jheanelle Wilkins, District 20 - MCDCC Slate
• Juan Cardenas, District 39 - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Mumin Barre, District 39 - MCDCC Slate
• Darrell Anderson, At Large - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Steve Boliek, At Large
• Chris Bradbury, At Large - MCDCC Slate
• Natalia Farrar, At Large
• Marjorie Goldman, At Large - MCDCC Slate - (incumbent)
• Johntel Greene, At Large - MCDCC Slate
• Michael Gruenberg, At Large - MCDCC Slate
• Dave Kunes, At Large - MCDCC Slate
• Pavel Sukhobok, At Large
• Kevin Walling, At Large - MCDCC Slate
• Erin Yeagley, At Large - MCDCC Slate

JUICE #8: MINIMUM WAGE SUPPORTERS RALLY OUTSIDE OF MARYLAND RETAILERS ASSOCIATION OFFICE - The debate over a Maryland minimum wage increase is heating up during the current Annapolis legislative session. Yesterday SEIU organized a rally outside the offices of the Maryland Retailers Association (industry opponents of the minimum wage increase). Check out some photos from the event:

JUICE #9: NEW MAP OF THE PROPOSED MOCO RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM - The newly rebooted Maryland Politics Watch (www.theseventhstate.com) posted a new map of a planned rapid transit system (RTS) for Montgomery County. The transit network below is advancing right now, but it is still in the early stages of development:

POLL: Maryland Democrats & Republicans Divided on Pot Legalization, Gun Control, Immigration & Marriage Equality

Goucher College released a new poll last week highlighting Marylanders' opinions on a range of issues including marijuana, marriage equality, gun control and immigration reform. Below you can see the results of the poll, including breakdowns by political party affiliation and race. I've flagged a few of the more interesting results below.

STATEWIDE SUMMARY: The major items in Goucher's statewide poll reveal that:

• 72% of Marylanders think marriage equality either changed things for the better or had no effect, while only 23% think it changed things for the worse. 

• On gun control, 54.5% of voters think the new gun regulations were about right or not strict enough, while only 26.6% think they were too strict. 

• On immigration, 53.4% of Marylanders support allowing undocumented immigrants to keep their jobs and apply for citizenship, while only 25.9% think we should kick undocumented immigrants out of their jobs and the country. 

• On the War on Drugs, 50.9% of Marylanders support or strongly support marijuana legalization, whereas 40.3% of residents oppose or strongly oppose legalization. 

• But on the issue of whether jail time is an appropriate penalty for marijuana possession, only 5.8% of Marylanders support criminalizing marijuana. In contrast, 82.6% of residents support changing the penalty for possession to a ticket or rehab.

DEMOCRATS & REPUBLICANS DIVIDED ON MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION, GUN CONTROL, IMMIGRATION AND MARRIAGE EQUALITY - When you consider that Maryland is effectively a one-party state (where most high-profile races are won in the Democratic Primary), it becomes useful to take the statewide polling numbers above with a grain of salt. Indeed, when you restrict the survey results to only Democrats or Republicans, the results shift quite a bit and reveal partisan divides on these hot-button issues.

A strong majority of Democrats, Independents and third party residents support marijuana legalization, whereas Republicans were the only group where respondents were more likely to oppose than to support legalization. But even still, nearly 2 in 5 Republicans support legalization (aka almost half). On immigration, a super-majority of Democrats support allowing undocumented immigrants to stay and seek citizenship, but Republicans were divided with 39% seeking to kick them out, and 31% allowing them to stay and seek citizenship. You can see my table summarizing the survey results by party below:

Democrats

• 64% Support Allowing Undocumented Immigrants to Stay in Jobs & Seek Citizenship
• 57% Support Marijuana Legalization
• 44% Think Marriage Equality Had No Effect
• 35% Think Marriage Equality Changed Things for the Better
• --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• 35% Oppose Marijuana Legalization
• 20% Support Kicking Undocumented Immigrants Out Of Their Jobs & the Country
• 18% Think Marriage Equality Changed Things for the Worse
• 13% Support a Temporary Guest-Worker Program for Undocumented Immigrants

Republicans

• 55% Oppose Marijuana Legalization
• 39% Want Undocumented Immigrants Out of their Jobs & the Country
• 39% Think Marriage Equality Had No Effect
• 38% Support Marijuana Legalization
• --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• 34% Think Marriage Equality Changed Things for the Worse
• 31% Support Allowing Undocumented Immigrants to Stay in Jobs & Seek Citizenship
• 19% Think Marriage Equality Changed Things for the Better
• 18% Support a Temporary Guest-Worker Program for Undocumented Immigrants

RESULTS BY RACE FOR MARIJUANA AND IMMIGRATION - There are a few more interesting items in Goucher's polling crosstabs (which you can read below), but I would note a couple tidbits. A strong majority of black Marylanders support marijuana legalization, though a majority of white Marylanders also support legalization. The non-white/non-black category is the only race group where more respondents opposed than supported legalization, albeit by a slim margin of 3%. Black Marylanders were also the strongest supporters of immigrant rights, with 62% of black respondents supporting allowing undocumented immigrants to stay in their jobs and seek citizenship. You can read the polling memos below:

Goucher College November 2013 Poll Crosstabs on Marijuana, Marriage Equality & Immigration

Goucher College November 2013 Poll on Marijuana, Marriage Equality & Immigration

JUICE: SEIU for Brown, Sam Arora News, Delaney Letter for Saqib Ali, Susan Lee Lit, Gun Frenzy, Minimum Wage, Drones

Below Maryland Juice writers Dan Furmansky and David Moon highlight recent news of interest to politicos:

JUICE #1: SEIU ENDORSES ANTHONY BROWN FOR GOVERNOR, DOUG GANSLER RESPONDS - Today The Baltimore Sun noted that SEIU will endorse Anthony Brown for Maryland Governor (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown is expected to collect the endorsement of one of the most powerful unions in Maryland Monday in his race for the 2014 Democratic nomination for governor.... The SEIU is one of the state's largest unions, representing more than 30,000 public employees, health care workers, security workers and janitors in Maryland.....

Attorney General Doug Gansler's campaign responded with the following press release:

PRESS RELEASE

Campaign Statement Re: SEIU Endorsement
Silver Spring, MD - In response to SEIU endorsement announcement, Gansler campaign manager Matthew "Mudcat" Arnold said,  "SEIU 1199, with far more members in New York than Maryland, carried the state council endorsement. That is disappointing, but the fact remains that the largest, fastest-growing, statewide local with the most Maryland members, SEIU 500, cast their vote for Doug Gansler, proving once again that hard-working families in Maryland want a candidate with ideas and who isn’t afraid to shake up the status quo to get things done. This starts for Doug with creating jobs and a fairer economy where the middle class, and thus all of us, thrives. "

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JUICE #2: IT'S OFFICIAL DISTRICT 19 INCUMBENTS RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION WITHOUT SAM ARORA - The Gazette's Kate Alexander reported last Friday that District 19 incumbents are publicly confirming that they will be forming a slate for re-election without Sam Arora. For what it's worth, Arora has not yet announced if he will seek re-election but will apparently be deciding "soon" what he is doing next year (excerpt below):

GAZETTE: Three District 19 state lawmakers — Dels. Bonnie L. Cullison and Benjamin F. Kramer, and Sen. Roger Manno — have confirmed they will campaign as a group for the upcoming election, excluding Del. Sam Arora.... [A] photo that recently popped up on Manno’s Facebook page taken for collective campaign materials shows him, Cullison and Kramer, without Arora. All four are Democrats.

Asked about the photo, Manno repeatedly answered “Who?” at the mention of Arora’s name, as if the first-term delegate already was gone and forgotten.... Arora has not announced publicly if he will seek re-election.... On Thursday, he would say only that he will announce “soon....” At least two other Democrats have committed to the District 19 race. Meloyde A. Berry of Silver Spring has filed to run for delegate. Maricé I. Morales of Silver Spring, a special assistant in Manno’s office has, too.

Maryland Juice has also heard of another potential candidate or two, but hopefully there will be more news on those fronts very soon. In the meantime, Delegate Sam Arora is making public appearances, as we noted his recent attendance at a ribbon cutting for Montgomery County's newly expanded bike share program:

JUICE #3: FORMER DELEGATE SAQIB ALI RELEASES LETTER FROM REP. JOHN DELANEY FOR DISTRICT 15 MCDCC APPOINTMENT - The vacancy created by District 15 Delegate Brian Feldman's appointment to the State Senate is creating yet another vacancy appointment by the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee. Feldman's seat will be filled at the MCDCC meeting next Tuesday, October 8th, and the District 15 Democratic Caucus is holding a candidates forum tomorrow night. You can see the list of candidates vying for the D15 Delegate appointment below, along with a letter from Congressman John Delaney on behalf of former Delegate Saqib Ali:

The District 15 Candidates Forum
7:00 pm October 1, 2013
Up County Regional Services Center
12900 Middlebrook Road
Germantown, MD  20874

Including:

• Anis Ahmed
• Saqib Ali
• Lori Askinazi
• David Frazer-Hidalgo
• Hamza Khan
• Jinhee Wilde
• Venattia Vann

Rep. John Delaney's Letter re: Saqib Ali for D15 Delegate

JUICE #4: DELEGATE SUSAN LEE CAMPAIGNS FOR D16 STATE SENATE // HERE'S HER FIRST LIT PIECE - Maryland Juice recently bumped into Delegate Susan Lee at a death penalty repeal victory party. Lee is currently campaigning for the District 16 State Senate seat being vacated by Brian Frosh, but so far she appears to be the only candidate in the race. Delegate Lee has produced the following State Senate lit piece highlighting testimony from State Senator Jamie Raskin and MoCo State's Attorney John McCarthy:

JUICE #5: IN ADVANCE OF NEW GUN LAWS, MARYLANDERS BUYING GUNS AT RATE OF 1,000 PER DAY // MEANWHILE, LAWSUIT TO DELAY GUN LAWS COMMENCES - Like squirrels collecting nuts for the winter, gun enthusiasts are flocking to collect assault-style rifles and other fun tinker toys before Maryland’s new gun laws take effect this week, when such weapons are banned and fingerprints and a license will finally be required to buy a handgun. The state police reported to The Baltimore Sun that more than 102,000 gun purchase applications have been submitted so far this year — twice the number for all of 2011. This month, a swarm of requests hit the Maryland State Police background check system at a pace roughly seven times that during the same time last year.

The Sun also reports that at a store in Pasadena (the district of Delegate Don Dwyer, who hosted an auction of assault weapons during a "Gun Rights and Liberty BBQ) has sold out of the AR-15 — the nation's most popular assault-style rifle (pictured below), and the same type of gun used in the December Newton shooting:

The Baltimore Sun report notes that this gun-purchasing onslaught temporarily resulted in residents with criminal backgrounds being able to purchase firearms (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: The spike in sales — and resulting backlog of background checks — has put guns at least temporarily into the hands of people whose criminal records barred them from owning firearms and has complicated efforts to implement the new law.

Demand for guns overwhelmed the state's background check system months ago, leading half of the state's 314 dealers to release weapons to buyers without waiting for them to be checked out. Under state law, gun dealers must wait only seven days to release a firearm, but background checks have taken two months or more. All told, dealers have released 45 guns to 40 people prohibited from having them. State police said they have recovered them all....

While the new law bans the sale of 45 different types of assault weapons, it allows dealers to sell their existing inventory of assault-style rifles after Sept. 30 so long as there is a valid order placed before then.

In the meantime, gun advocates have launched a lawsuit seeking to delay implementation of the new Maryland gun regulations. The Washington Times reported on the development (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON TIMES: A federal judge is scheduled to consider Tuesday whether to issue a temporary restraining order to halt new firearms restrictions set to take effect that day in Maryland.

The request for the order is part of a lawsuit filed by a collection of Maryland residents, gun store owners and Second Amendment advocates attempting to block implementation of some of the most stringent gun laws in the nation.

In court papers served on Gov. Martin O’Malley, Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler and the Maryland State Police, the plaintiffs are seeking to block the laws from going into effect because they “will burden impermissibly the fundamental constitutional rights” and cause “significant economic harm” to business.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Maryland, says the Firearms Safety Act of 2013 passed this year by the General Assembly would “unconstitutionally restrict” the right to keep and bear arms. It argues the new laws violate the Second Amendment by arbitrarily outlawing certain guns and prohibiting features and accessories that promote their effective and efficient use. It also says the prohibition on magazines holding more than 10 rounds is unusual and limits a gun owner’s ability to defend themselves....

JUICE #6: SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER ON MARYLAND'S PROPOSED MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE - Proposals to increase the minimum wage are gaining traction in the state. Here’s a kick-ass argument for the long-overdue increase made by Progressive Maryland Executive Director Kate Planco Waybright from MPT’s latest State Circle. It’s entirely worth watching her rattle off important facts and statistics we all should know and mop the floor with Rob Santoni of Maryland Food Dealers Council, who offers only weak platitudes in response (archived video begins at 12 mins. 30 secs):

Edward Kimmel (photo by Alan Bowser)

JUICE #7: PHOTO GALLERY: DISTRICT 20 CAMPAIGN SHOES - Edward Kimmel is well-known in Montgomery County Democratic circles for taking and posting massive amounts of photos from political events in the region. Today, Kimmel posted an amusing montage of candidates' footwear from a forum featuring nine candidates for the District 20 House of Delegates last Sunday:

EDWARD KIMMEL: On Sunday, the Democrats of Maryland Legislative District 20 -- the most liberal district in the Bluest State of the Union, held a "debate" in which nine candidates presented themselves to the most active of the activists -- Sheila Hixson's D20 Breakfast Club. Each of the feet shown in this forum trod upon the stage. So, for those of you who wanted to know what the movers and shakers of Lefty Land put on their feet, here it is. But who's shoes are these?

JUICE #8: GOV. MARTIN O'MALLEY SIGNS PACT WITH GOP GOVERNORS TO PUSH STATE UNIVERSITIES INTO DEVELOPING DRONES - Maryland Juice received a copy of the following unfortunate press release from Gov. Martin O'Malley noting that he is launching an effort to push Maryland's public colleges into development of drone technology. Much criticized for allowing the Obama administration to conduct executions without transparent due process, the use of drones is now being proposed for use by local law enforcement and for other surveillance activities. Similar to other efforts to develop weapons at academic institutions, O'Malley and GOP Presidential hopefuls NJ Gov. Chris Christie and VA Gov. Bob McDonnell are joining hands on this initiative. Indeed, along with government surveillance (ie: NSA) and arms dealing (ie: Lockheed Martin), Virginia and Maryland seek to make "drones" a jobs issue in the region:

PRESS RELEASE

Governor O'Malley, New Jersey Governor Christie, Virginia Governor McDonnell Sign Letter of Support for Universities' Collaboration on Unmaned Aircraft System Testing

MOU strengthens Mid-Atlantic region’s potential to be selected as FAA test site
Annapolis, MD (September 27, 2013) – Governor Martin O’Malley today joined New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell in submitting a letter supporting a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in which the University System of Maryland, Rutgers University and Virginia Tech University agreed to collaborate and partner on a Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) test site. The letter, sent to U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, highlighted the cooperative UAS research conducted by the three universities.

“With the potential to create more than 2,500 well-paying jobs in Maryland over the next 12 years, the Unmanned Aircraft Systems sector has the potential to have a significant positive economic impact on our state,” said Governor O’Malley. “This is an exciting agreement between three world-class educational institutions that takes advantage of the unparalleled capabilities in Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia for research, development and testing, and positions the Mid-Atlantic region as the ideal location for an Unmanned Aircraft Systems test site.”

In Maryland, the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River is recognized as the world’s leading center of UAS activity. At both the university level and among federal facilities, Maryland has been testing and developing UAS technology for more than two decades. Maryland’s UAS proposal, submitted to the FAA in May, includes the University System of Maryland campuses in College Park, Baltimore County and Eastern Shore, general aviation airports in Crisfield and St. Mary’s County, federal and industry partners and community organizations such as the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance, the Patuxent Partnership, and the Joint Atlantic and Chesapeake Range Collaborative.

“We are thankful to our entire Congressional delegation, especially Congressman Steny Hoyer, who worked diligently to grow this coalition, the universities for their spirit of cooperation, and to partner companies in each state whose support is testament to the potential of this initiative,” said Governor O’Malley.

“This memorandum of understanding between the University System of Maryland, Rutgers University, and Virginia Tech significantly strengthens our bid for one of six UAS test site designations chosen by the Federal Aviation Administration,” stated Congressman Hoyer. “With the presence of three outstanding higher education institutions; federal facilities, such as Pax River Naval Air Station and Webster Field; and strong industry partners, I’m optimistic that we are strongly positioned in the bidding process. I thank Governor O’Malley, Governor Christie, and Governor McDonnell, as well as our three universities, for partnering on this effort, which has the potential to spur private sector development through the commercialization of autonomous systems and boost job creation in our region.”

Under the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, Congress authorized the FAA to develop a comprehensive plan to integrate UAS into the National Airspace System. In February 2013, the FAA opened the selection process for the six UAS Test Sites that will conduct research and testing of technologies to support the UAS integration.

“The partnership between the University System of Maryland and leading institutions in Virginia and New Jersey will help increase the safety, efficiency, reliability and security of our nation’s airspace,” Senator Barbara Mikulski said. “Because of Maryland’s incredible federal assets, dynamic private sector and academic institutions, Maryland is well-suited to work together with the FAA on the Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Through this Mid-Atlantic collaboration, we will enhance the safety of our nation’s airspace, while supporting Maryland’s economic security through jobs today and jobs tomorrow.”

With the University of Maryland, College Park, taking the lead, Maryland applied to be selected by the FAA as one of six test sites for Unmanned Aircraft Systems. New Jersey and Virginia submitted a joint application as the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership, under Virginia Tech. The three universities subsequently determined that the region’s competitive position is significantly enhanced as a multi-state entity which leverages the competitive strengths of each state. The universities have agreed to work as a united Joint Test Team in the event either or both teams are selected by the FAA as a Test Site for UAS.

Fifty applications across 37 states were submitted to the FAA through May 6, 2013, and 25 applicants remain. A decision is due December 31, 2013.

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Most MD Attorney General & Governor Candidates Quiet on Trayvon Martin // PLUS: Florida’s “Stand Your Ground" Law

UPDATE: Maryland Juice just caught remarks from Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown at an address before this morning's NAACP Annual Convention in Orlando. The gentleman who introduced Brown noted that Maryland's Lt. Gov. would be the first black governor elected south of the Mason Dixon line since Virginia Governor Doug Wilder last served, and he also highlighted the state's recent work at expanding voting rights and abolishing the death penalty. Notably, Brown highlighted the importance of reducing prison disparities and made the following remarks about the Trayvon Martin case (excerpt below):

LT. GOV. ANTHONY BROWN: Our country mourns the loss of a 17 year-old son, and we struggle as caring Americans to process the recent jury decision. I have two sons and, like all parents, I want to do all I can to protect them from injustice, ignorance and pain. But this tragic death makes it clearer than ever before that our children are subject to the world we prepare for them. Each of us, families, neighbors, even strangers, have an obligation to contribute to a better, safer world for all of our children, not just those we raise. As a nation, we can do more, and we must. We must do more than simply protect them. We must fight to build communities that nurture them, that look first for their potential, not their threat. While our thoughts and prayers go out to the Martin family, they should be accompanied by a renewed commitment to protect all children, nurture tolerance and fight for justice.

Below Maryland Juice publishes an article from our new writer Dan Furmansky about the recent verdict in the Trayvon Martin case. Dan highlights the limited response from Maryland elected officials, including those seeking the office of Governor and Attorney General. Interestingly, the round-up below highlights response to the Trayvon verdict from Delegate Heather Mizeur, Rep. Elijah Cummings, and even former GOP Lt. Gov. Michael Steele... but few other candidates for statewide office in Maryland have weighed in. See Dan Furmansky's piece below:

DAN FURMANSKY: The verdict came down, and perhaps, like me, you couldn’t turn off the television. Florida State Attorney Angela Corey, face plastered with a creepy smile, offered a rambling pseudo acceptance speech at her post-verdict press conference, arguing, “This case has never been about race or the right to bear arms.” Texas Gov. Rick Perry said on CNN that he thinks "our justice system is colorblind." Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said much of the same: "The American way is colorblind." At least Quinn also disparaged the "Stand Your Ground" law at the center of the Martin case, saying "we don't have it in Illinois, and we don't want it." On ABC's This Week, Sen. Orrin Hatch said that "at least from all that I watched, it seemed to me that it was an accurate verdict" and that it appeared to him that justice was served.

Really?  Is this what justice looks like?

Can anyone—even those who believe the jury rightly decided the decision based upon the law and the evidence presented—honestly say that justice has been served when George Zimmerman walks, taking his gun with him? Can anyone say justice was served while they look Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin square in the eyes?

Trayvon Martin is yet another sad chapter in a much larger story about the role of racial assumptions and racial profiling in our justice system, our society’s love affair with guns, and the lopsided dispensation of justice based on the race of victims.

To the latter point, the Tampa Bay Times just released extensive analysis on application of Florida's "stand your ground" law, citing an array of examples that reek of vigilantism, not self-defense.  It's no shock there are racial disparities with the success of the law's application depending on the victim's race. Or that concealed weapons permits in Florida now stand at 1.1 million, three times as many as in 2005 when the law was passed. The Tampa Bay Times explains (excerpt below):

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Florida's "stand your ground'' law has allowed drug dealers to avoid murder charges and gang members to walk free. It has stymied prosecutors and confused judges. It has also served its intended purpose, exonerating dozens of people who were deemed to be legitimately acting in self-defense. Among them: a woman who was choked and beaten by an irate tenant and a man who was threatened in his driveway by a felon.

Seven years since it was passed, Florida's "stand your ground" law is being invoked with unexpected frequency, in ways no one imagined, to free killers and violent attackers whose self-defense claims seem questionable at best.

Cases with similar facts show surprising — sometimes shocking — differences in outcomes. If you claim "stand your ground" as the reason you shot someone, what happens to you can depend less on the merits of the case than on who you are, whom you kill and where your case is decided.

Among the findings:

Those who invoke "stand your ground" to avoid prosecution have been extremely successful. Nearly 70 percent have gone free.

Defendants claiming "stand your ground" are more likely to prevail if the victim is black. Seventy-three percent of those who killed a black person faced no penalty compared to 59 percent of those who killed a white.

The number of cases is increasing, largely because defense attorneys are using "stand your ground" in ways state legislators never envisioned. The defense has been invoked in dozens of cases with minor or no injuries. It has also been used by a self-described "vampire" in Pinellas County, a Miami man arrested with a single marijuana cigarette, a Fort Myers homeowner who shot a bear and a West Palm Beach jogger who beat a Jack Russell terrier....

CONSERVATIVE ORIGINS OF FLORIDA'S "STAND YOUR GROUND" LAW - “Stand Your Ground” laws are model legislation endorsed and promoted by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has promoted undemocratic and unjust voter ID laws that disenfranchise young people, people of color, and the elderly from voting. Arizona’s anti-immigrant law, SB1070, was based on a model bill that was created by ALEC. ALEC Exposed, a project of the Center for Media and Democracy, describes the process through which ALEC’s “model” legislation takes shape:

Through ALEC, behind closed doors, corporations hand state legislators the changes to the law they desire that directly benefit their bottom line.  Corporations fund almost all of ALEC’s operations… Participating legislators… then bring those proposals home and introduce them in statehouses across the land as their own brilliant ideas and important public policy innovations—without disclosing that corporations crafted and voted on the bills. ALEC boasts that it has over 1,000 of these bills introduced by legislative members every year, with one in every five of them enacted into law.

On the ALEC Exposed web site, several Maryland politicians are listed as having a relationship with ALEC, including Governor-wannabe and Republican Delegate Ron George.

Thankfully, while a large number of states have Stand Your Ground laws, in Maryland, the Court of Appeals has ruled that (excluding one’s home or business) an accused claiming the right of self-defense must not have been the aggressor or provoked the conflict. The force used must have not been unreasonable and excessive. 

WHERE ARE MARYLAND'S STATEWIDE CANDIDATES ON THE TRAYVON MARTIN VERDICT? - Given how important this ruling is, I wondered what candidates for office here in Maryland had to say about the issue. On Facebook, Anthony Brown posted this photo from the NAACP Convention, but notably did not offer any words about the verdict:

This is somewhat surprising, since I received an email in my inbox from Roslyn Brock Chairman of the NAACP National Board of Directors, comparing Trayvon to Emmett Till, urging people to call on the Justice Department to file charges against Zimmerman, and noting that her “Responding to these injustices was a focus of my address to the 104th annual convention of the NAACP tonight.”

While I may have missed a press release or a social media post from one of the candidates for Governor or Attorney General on the issue, and while I respect that even campaign staff have a right to take the weekend off, I found it notable that there was radio silence on the matter.

The only comments on the case I could find from any of the candidates were from Heather Mizeur, who urged her followers to help the NAACP collect signatures to urge the Department of Justice to open up a civil rights case against Zimmerman:

Other Maryland politicians did weigh in as well. See the Tweets from Rep. Elijah Cummings and Lt. Gov. Michael Steele below (via Yahoo news):

In Baltimore, several hundred people rallied at the inner harbor to protest the verdict, echoing calls from the NAACP, Color of Change, and MoveOn for people to urge the U.S. Department of Justice to take action against Zimmerman. The Baltimore Sun covered the rally, but did not mention any politicians in attendance (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: The Baltimore-based NAACP and the pastor of a city mega-church were among those calling Sunday for a federal civil rights case against George Zimmerman after the Florida man was acquitted in the shooting death of an unarmed black teenager.

Meanwhile, a crowd numbering between 300 and 400 rallied at Baltimore's Inner Harbor to register frustration and dismay with the late Saturday verdict in the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.... 

And in thundering, emotional services Sunday morning, the Rev. Jamal-Harrison Bryant of the Empowerment Temple in Baltimore told congregants that he and perhaps 100 other pastors will travel to Washington Tuesday in hopes of speaking to Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr....

But even as he vowed to go to the Justice Department about the case, he encouraged people to bring "that same anger" to the ongoing spate of killings in Baltimore and funnel it into efforts to make the city safer. His church is planning a gun buyback event in August.

"Pray that we will begin to have a restoration of the value of human life," Bryant said....

It’s clear this verdict has captured the attention of the country. Progressives are confused, sad, angry, and outraged. I think we’ll all be curious to see what our candidates for Attorney General and Governor have to say about the matter.

Raising heart and voice,

Dan

P.S. You can sign the NAACP petition to the Department of Justice here: http://www.naacp.org/justice

VIDEOS: MD Attorney General Candidates on Campaign Trail // WATCH: Aisha Braveboy, Jon Cardin, Bill Frick & Brian Frosh

Maryland Juice decided to provide readers with a quick check-in on the state of the 2014 battle for Attorney General. As far as we know, there are still four candidates in the race: State Senator Brian Frosh and Delegates Aisha Braveboy, Jon Cardin & Bill Frick. Below we provide video footage of all four candidates speaking at various political events over the last month or so. One dynamic to keep an eye on is whether the statewide candidates for Governor, Attorney General and Comptroller begin teaming up and forming tickets. In any case, check out the campaign speeches below:


JUICE #1: SEN. BRIAN FROSH SPEAKS AT FUNDRAISER FOR SEN. JAMIE RASKIN  //  TEA LEAVES ABOUT SENATE JUDICIARY CHAIR? - Maryland Juice videotaped remarks by State Senator Brian Frosh at a recent fundraiser for his colleague Jamie Raskin. Notably, the event also featured former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright and Governor Martin O'Malley. In the clip below, Frosh touches on some of his legislative accomplishments from the past session, and also notes that he has high hopes that Raskin may replace him as Chair of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee:



JUICE #2: DEL. AISHA BRAVEBOY DISCUSSES MINIMUM WAGE AT PROGRESSIVE NEIGHBORS TOWN HALL - Last month Maryland Juice also caught remarks from Del. Aisha Braveboy on a proposed hike to the minimum wage. Braveboy's comments were made at a Town Hall meeting hosted by the Montgomery County-based group Progressive Neighbors:



JUICE #3: DEL. BILL FRICK TELLS MARYLAND YOUNG DEMOCRATS TO EMBRACE UNDERDOG CANDIDATES - Last February Del. Bill Frick spoke to Maryland Young Democrats and asked them to embrace underdog candidates. He notes that Barack Obama was considered an underdog before winning the presidency, but Frick also zings rival candidate Del. Jon Cardin noting that he lacks Cardin's famous uncle:



JUICE #4: DEL. JON CARDIN HIGHLIGHTS CYBERBULLYING & CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM AT REISTERSTOWN EVENT - Delegate Jon Cardin recently spoke at a Reisterstown Town Hall meeting and previewed some of his legislative efforts in advance of his Attorney General campaign. In the video below Cardin highlights anti-cyberbullying efforts and campaign finance reform:



MUCH MORE ON THE 2014 ATTORNEY GENERAL BATTLE SOON!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May God Bless each and every one of you!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

Invited Guest

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

MORE ON THE 2014 BATTLE SOON!

ROLL CALLS: Maryland Approves Medical Marijuana, Licenses for Undocumented Residents, Gas Tax Hike & New Gun Laws

In the last few weeks, Maryland lawmakers approved a series of high-profile bills on a range of topics. Below Maryland Juice provides a combined House and Senate roll call on four key issues that were advanced by progressive advocates this session:

• HB1515:   Gas Tax Hike to Boost Transportation & Transit Funds
• HB1101:   Medical Marijuana Legalization
• SB715:     Drivers Licenses for Undocumented Residents
• SB281:     Assault Weapons Ban & Gun Registration Laws

DEMOCRATS WHO OPPOSED THESE BILLS: Before the full roll call below, we highlight the Democratic "no" votes on each issue. It is worth noting that the medical marijuana bill was by far the least controversial:

• SENATE MEDICAL MARIJUANA OPPONENTS: The medical marijuana bill passed the State Senate by a vote of 42 to 4. The 4 votes against the bill came from 2 Senate Republicans, joined by 2 Democrats:

1. Sen. John Astle - (Anne Arundel)
2. Sen. Ed DeGrange - (Anne Arundel)

• HOUSE MEDICAL MARIJUANA OPPONENTS: The medical marijuana bill passed the House by a vote of 108 to 28. The 28 votes against the bill came from 21 Senate Republicans, joined by 7 Democrats:  

1. Del. Charles Barkley - (Montgomery)
2. Del. Emmett Burns - (Baltimore County)
3. Del. Norm Conway - (Wicomico)
4. Del. Kevin Kelly - (Allegany)
5. Del. John Olszewski - (Baltimore County)
6. Del. Theodore Sophocleus - (Anne Arundel)
7. Del. John Wood - (St. Mary's)

• SENATE OPPONENTS OF DRIVERS LICENSES FOR UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS: The bill to allow drivers licenses for undocumented residents passed the Senate by a vote of 29 to 18. The 18 votes against the bill came from all 12 Senate Republicans, joined by 6 Democrats:  

1. Sen. Jim Brochin - (Baltimore County)
2. Sen. Ed DeGrange - (Anne Arundel)
3. Sen. Roy Dyson - (St. Mary's)
4. Sen. Katherine Klausmeier - (Baltimore County)
5. Sen. Jim Mathias - (Wicomico)
6. Sen. Norm Stone - (Baltimore County)

• HOUSE OPPONENTS OF DRIVERS LICENSES FOR UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS: The bill to allow drivers licenses for undocumented residents passed the House by a vote of 82 to 55. The 55 votes against the bill came from all 43 House Republicans, joined by 12 Democrats:  

1. Del. John Bohanan - (St. Mary's)
2. Del. Eric Bromwell - (Baltimore County)
3. Del. Emmett Burns - (Baltimore County)
4. Del. Steve DeBoy - (Baltimore County)
5. Del. John Donoghue - (Washington)
6. Del. Mary-Dulany James - (Harford)
7. Del. Kevin Kelly - (Allegany)
8. Del. Joseph Minnick - (Baltimore County)
9. Del. John Olszewski - (Baltimore County)
10. Del. Theodore Sophocleus - (Anne Arundel)
11. Del. Michael Weir - (Baltimore County)
12. Del. C. T. Wilson - (Charles)

• SENATE GUN LAW OPPONENTS:  Laws creating new restrictions on the sale of firearms passed the State Senate by a vote of 28 to 19. The 19 votes against the gun laws came from all 12 Senate Republicans, joined by 7 Democrats:

1. Sen. John Astle - (Anne Arundel)
2. Sen. Ed DeGrange - (Anne Arundel)
3. Sen. Roy Dyson - (St. Mary's)
4. Sen. Katherine Klausmeier - (Baltimore County)
5. Sen. Jim Mathias - (Wicomico)
6. Sen. Mac Middleton - (Charles)
7. Sen. Norm Stone - (Baltimore County)

• HOUSE GUN LAW OPPONENTS:  In the House, the vote for new gun regulations was 78 to 61. The 61 votes against the gun laws came from all 43 Senate Republicans, joined by 18 Democrats:

1. Del. Pamela Beidle - (Anne Arundel)
2. Del. John Bohanan - (St. Mary's)
3. Del. Eric Bromwell - (Baltimore County)
4. Del. Rudolph Cane - (Wicomico)
5. Del. Norm Conway - (Wicomico)
6. Del. Steve DeBoy - (Baltimore County)
7. Del. John Donoghue - (Washington)
8. Del. Mary-Dulany James - (Harford)
9. Del. Sally Jameson - (Charles)
10. Del. Kevin Kelly - (Allegany)
11. Del. James Malone - (Baltimore County)
12. Del. Peter Murphy - (Charles)
13. Del. John Olszewski - (Baltimore County)
14. Del. David Rudolph - (Cecil)
15. Del. Theodore Sophocleus - (Anne Arundel)
16. Del. Michael Weir - (Baltimore County)
17. Del. C.T. Wilson - (Charles)
18. Del. John Wood - (St. Mary's)

• SENATE GAS TAX OPPONENTS: The transportation funding package passed the State Senate by a vote of 27 to 20. The 20 votes against the gas tax came from all 12 Senate Republicans, joined by 8 Democrats:  

1. Sen. John Astle - (Anne Arundel)
2. Sen. Jim Brochin - (Baltimore County)
3. Sen. Ed DeGrange - (Anne Arundel)
4. Sen. Roy Dyson - (St. Mary's)
5. Sen. Delores Kelley - (Baltimore County)
6. Sen. Katherine Klausmeier - (Baltimore County)
7. Sen. Jim Mathias - (Wicomico)
8. Sen. Norm Stone  - (Baltimore County)

• HOUSE GAS TAX OPPONENTS: In the House, the transportation funding vote was 76 to 63. The 63 votes against the gas tax came from 41 Senate Republicans, joined by 22 Democrats:

1. Del. Pamela Beidle - (Anne Arundel)
2. Del. Aisha Braveboy - (Prince George's)
3. Del. Eric Bromwell - (Baltimore County)
4. Del. Emmett Burns - (Baltimore County)
5. Del. Rudolph Cane - (Wicomico)
6. Del. Frank Conaway - (Baltimore)
7. Del. Norm Conway - (Wicomico)
8. Del. Steve DeBoy - (Baltimore County)
9. Del. Barbara Frush - (Prince George's)
10. Del. Mary-Dulany James - (Harford)
11. Del. Kevin Kelly - (Allegany)
12. Del. Stephen Lafferty - (Baltimore County)
13. Del. Jim Malone - (Baltimore County)
14. Del. Joseph Minnick - (Baltimore County)
15. Del. Shirley Nathan-Pulliam - (Baltimore County)
16. Del. John Olszewski - (Baltimore County)
17. Del. David Rudolph - (Cecil)
18. Del. Luiz Simmons - (Montgomery)
19. Del. Theodore Sophocleus - (Anne Arundel)
20. Del. Geraldine Valentino-Smith - (Prince George's)
21. Del. Michael Weir - (Baltimore County)
22. Del. John Wood - (St. Mary's)

HOW MARYLAND POLITICIANS VOTED ON FOUR KEY ISSUES:

BELOW: FULL HOUSE & SENATE ROLL CALLS

JUICE: Jay Hutchins Not Running Against Sam Arora, Kagan Attacks Del. Simmons, Councilmembers Leventhal & Rice Spar

Below Maryland Juice highlights a few notable items from the last week, including some interesting points of conflict between politicos.

JUICE #1: 2010 RUNNER-UP JAY HUTCHINS DECIDES AGAINST REMATCH WITH SAM ARORA - The candidate thought for months to be most likely to challenge freshman Del. Sam Arora has now announced he will not seek office in 2014. Indeed, many had presumed that Jay Hutchins (the runner-up to Arora in the 2010 Democratic Primary) would take another shot at a now mortally wounded Delegate Arora. After all, progressive advocates and LGBT activists have promised to back a candidate to replace Arora after the Democrat broke a promise to support marriage equality. But a few days ago, Hutchins posted a message on his Facebook page announcing his decision not to seek office in 2014:

JAY HUTCHINS: Friends, After serious consideration, I have made the decision not to run for elected office in this upcoming election cycle. I will continue to be an active voice in the district, county and state. I cannot express deeply enough my gratitude for your ongoing support. Jay

Hutchins' departure from the District 19 race in 2014 creates a wide opening for another ambitious progressive candidate to challenge Sam Arora. Maryland Juice is aware of a few candidates who have been mulling over the race for the past few months, but it remains to be seen who among them will emerge as the strongest contender. More soon on the new crop of District 19 challengers!


JUICE #2: D17 RIVALRY IN 2014? // FORMER DELEGATE CHERYL KAGAN JABS AT DEL. LUIZ SIMMONS - Maryland Juice recently highlighted comments from former Delegate Cheryl Kagan questioning Del. Luiz Simmons' commitment to passing new gun regulations in Maryland. The controversy emerged after The Washington Post published an editorial suggesting Simmons was open to exempting AR-15 rifles from the state's new assault weapons ban. Kagan blasted Simmons on Facebook, prompting the District 17 lawmaker to host a town hall meeting reaffirming his support for new gun regulations. Maryland Juice previously speculated that we could be witnessing a preview of the 2014 Democratic Primary for State Senate in District 17. Kagan notably lost the 2010 race for State Senate by only a few hundred votes and Simmons is now rumored to be eyeing the same office.

Cheryl Kagan further commented on the matter through a pair of Facebook messages last week, and her additional musings included new jabs at Delegate Luiz Simmons:

CHERYL KAGAN: Following the blog posts and flurry of emails and messages yesterday, several questions occur to me this morning:

1) Why can't a former elected official (me) express opinions about pending legislation without folks jumping to conclusions about intent?

2) Why would a current legislator (Del Luiz Simmons) have surrogates contact me... but not reach out to a constituent directly?

3) How is it that any significant representative could have absolutely no presence on any social media as another method of communicating his/her views?

4) Will Del Simmons ever decide to comply with campaign finance and ethics laws and actually use authority lines in his robo-calls (he again failed to do it in yesterday's call) and taxpayer-paid mailers???

I'd love hear some answers to these questions, but I need to go to work now!

The message above was followed soon after by a comment from Kagan about Delegate Luiz Simmons' telephone town hall on gun control:

CHERYL KAGAN: Ah, the power of Facebook! For 10+ years, Del Luiz Simmons has delivered robo-calls and taxpayer-funded mailings with no required authority line ("Paid for by..."). After posting about that issue issue here, he actually added one to his phone call tonight! Now, let's see if he'll finally do right on the issues of gun control, domestic violence, and other pending legislation!

Maryland Juice concedes Cheryl Kagan's point that she ought to be able to express thoughts about legislation without folks jumping to conclusions. But even still, a hunch is a hunch, and my gut tells me I'm right to think we haven't seen the last of Kagan on the campaign trail. We may know soon enough!


JUICE #3: MOCO COUNCILMEMBERS GEORGE LEVENTHAL & CRAIG RICE TRADE SHOTS OVER WALMART LOBBYING - Maryland Juice sources recently flagged a testy exchange between Montgomery County Councilmembers George Leventhal and Craig Rice over a proposed new Walmart in Aspen Hill, Maryland. Below we provide a bit of background about the controversy, along with video footage of the amusingly feisty debate.

Here's some brief background on the issue: Walmart is trying to open a store in Aspen Hill, Maryland, but the county isn't scheduled to revise zoning in that neighborhood for a few more years. Walmart is therefore pushing aggressively to expedite the rezoning discussion, and Leventhal highlighted the activities of Walmart's lobbyists on Twitter last week:

But when Leventhal arrived at a County Council hearing about expediting rezoning for Walmart's Aspen Hill location, he was upset to see audience members holding pre-printed signs supporting the plan. Check out the following report on the incident from The Sentinel (excerpt below):

SENTINEL: Even debating whether or not to build a Wal-Mart in Aspen Hill brought about one of the most heated arguments in recent memory to the County Council this week.... More than 30 members of the Aspen Hill and Leisure World communities were in attendance and they came with signs printed with the phrase: “What’s the wait? Give Aspen Hill a chance!...”

The development group, led by President Bruce Lee, owns several other properties in Aspen Hill and has looked to revitalize the area. Unable to find takers for a lease, Lee said he wants  the property rezoned for retail....

Councilmember George Leventhal (at-large) said his concern with the mini master plan is there is an existing agreement between Lee’s group and Wal-Mart to have Wal-Mart become the tenant for the property and build a store there. Leventhal said he is worried about the county council becoming susceptible to manipulation and lobbying by developers and corporations....

Leventhal said the audience members holding signs were holding signs printed by consultants hired by the Lee Development Group and Wal-Mart. In fact, Lee said his group provided transportation to the county council meeting and the signs which were created by a consultant....

Leventhal's comments about the attendees holding pro-Walmart signs triggered an angry rebuke from Councilmember Craig Rice (a supporter of the Walmart plan).  

Below you can see video footage of the heated exchange:

2014 RUMBLE: Former Del. Cheryl Kagan Blasts Luiz Simmons on Gun Control // Del. Simmons Fights Back with Town Hall

The raging debate over proposed new gun laws in Maryland is quickly becoming a 2014 campaign issue for Democratic Primary candidates. Below we highlight one clear example of a potential contender wielding the proposed assault weapons ban against a rival candidate.

BACKGROUND: Maryland Juice previously discussed rumors that Delegate Luiz Simmons might seek the District 17 State Senate seat currently held by fellow Democrat Jennie Forehand. Notably, Simmons was the lone Delegate representing Montgomery County to vote against Gov. Martin O'Malley's transportation funding bill (aka the gas tax hike).

But over the weekend, The Washington Post published an editorial accusing Delegate Simmons and his Democratic colleague Del. Kathleen Dumais of trying to exempt AR-15 rifles from the proposed ban on assault weapons in Maryland. The Washington Post's editorial board writers noted Montgomery County's liberal political climate and suggested that a ban on AR-15 rifles "would reflect the interests of their constituents." But Delegate Dumais strongly objected to The  Post's characterization of her views on guns, in a lengthy guest post on Maryland Juice yesterday. We also printed a leaked copy of a letter Del. Luiz Simmons sent to The Washington Post objecting to their characterization of his views.


FORMER DELEGATE CHERYL KAGAN SLAMS LUIZ SIMMONS ON GUN CONTROL - In spite of Del. Luiz Simmons' objections to The Washington Post editorial discussing his views on gun control -- a potential rival candidate is coming out swinging on the issue. Former District 17 Delegate Cheryl Kagan called out Luiz Simmons in a post on Facebook today:

CHERYL KAGAN: How can one of my Delegates in Annapolis, Luiz Simmons, speak just a few days ago about allegedly working to tighten Maryland's gun laws... and then be actually working behind the scenes to weaken them??! He has already been criticized by the Washington Post but needs to hear from his Rockville & Gaithersburg constituents!

Notably, in 2010 Cheryl Kagan ran for the District 17 State Senate seat Simmons is rumored to be eyeing. Kagan narrowly lost the Democratic Primary to Senator Forehand by around 300 votes, and her attacks on Simmons are a pretty good sign that she's weighing a 2014 State Senate run.

DELEGATE LUIZ SIMMONS ANNOUNCES TELEPHONE TOWN HALL ON GUN CONTROL TOMORROW - For his part, Delegate Luiz Simmons is challenging Cheryl Kagan's framing of his views on gun control, and he is now taking his response straight to voters. Maryland Juice received a copy of a taped robocall from Del. Simmons announcing a telephone town hall meeting tomorrow night, to discuss the proposed Maryland assault weapons ban (listen below):



More on the gun control battle & the 2014 races soon!