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:

MONDAY: Sam Arora's Ex-Friends Host Play About Marriage Equality // Challenger Jay Hutchins Featured in Post-Show Chat

SAM ARORA BACK ON THE HOT SEAT: Yesterday, Maryland Juice received word of a very interesting event being held at Silver Spring's Roundhouse Theatre on Monday night. The DC Theatre Collective is hosting a one-time production of a play called 8, which chronicles the federal court challenge to California’s Proposition 8 (ticket link).

Notably, the shows producers are two former supporters of Maryland's anti-gay lawmaker Sam Arora, and they have invited Arora's principal challenger Jay Hutchins to speak to the audience after the show.

Check out the message and event announcement from a disappointed former supporter of District 19 Delegate Sam Arora below:

FORMER SAM ARORA SUPPORTER: I sent you an email about this event a couple weeks back but I have some news to share - Jay Hutchins, who as you know is running to replace Sam Arora in District 19, will be joining our post-show discussion panel for "8" the play (this Monday at Round House Theatre Silver Spring). Chris Geidner will be moderating the panel (cool piece on his participation in Fishbowl today).

I know you've written extensively about Sam Arora. I've personally known him for over 10 years and was an ardent supporter and donor to his campaign. This is one of the reasons we were inspired to produce this play in Silver Spring in the first place. His betrayal hit me and our mutual friends really hard - many of whom are gay and were told BY SAM, to their faces, that he supported their right to marry. We can't forget Sam's betrayal the next time his name is up at the ballot box.

Jay Hutchins, District 19 Delegate Candidate

NOTE // 2014 SLATE IN DISTRICT 19 - JAY HUTCHINS & BONNIE CULLISON + 1 (???): Delegate Sam Arora currently serves in a 3-member State House district with Delegates Bonnie Cullison and Ben Kramer. But Kramer may run for Montgomery County Executive in 2014 and create an open seat in District 19.

If that happens, to defeat Sam Arora, there will need to be two strong challengers running to replace Sam and create a de facto progressive slate with Delegates Bonnie Cullison and Jay Hutchins.  

Folks who care about knocking out Sam Arora in 2014 need to start thinking about that possibility.

See the press release about the marriage equality play below:

DC THEATRE COLLECTIVE ANNOUNCES READING OF  DUSTIN LANCE BLACK’S NEW PLAY “8”

Actors, Activists, and Community Leaders Join Fight to  Protect Marriage Equality in Maryland with Landmark Marriage Equality Play
[Silver Spring, MD] – Less than a month before Marylanders go to the polls to make an historic decision about same sex marriage, a local group will build momentum for marriage equality with a unique night of theater and activism.

The DC Theatre Collective, with license from the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) and Broadway Impact, is proud to announce a one-night-only benefit reading of “8,” a play chronicling the historic trial in the federal constitutional challenge to California’s Proposition 8. The event, which will take place on October 8 at Round House Theatre Silver Spring, will feature a post-show discussion moderated by award-winning journalist Chris Geidner of BuzzFeed. Panelists include Jay Hutchins (candidate for Maryland State Delegate in District 19, Silver Spring), Rabbi Stephanie Bernstein (Foundation Board President of Equality Maryland), and Katie Rooney (advocate and volunteer with Marylanders for Marriage Equality). Hutchins is running for the seat currently held by Del. Sam Arora, who voted against Maryland’s marriage equality bill earlier this year. “8” is written by Dustin Lance Black, the Academy Award-winning author of the feature film Milk. Proceeds from the event will benefit AFER and Equality Maryland.

“This election day, Marylanders will vote on Question 6 – the Civil Marriage Protection Act – which provides civil marriage licenses to committed gay and lesbian couples,” said Jenny Lynn Towns, Director/Producer of “8”and Co-Founder of the DC Theatre Collective. “We must do everything in our power in the weeks before the election to protect marriage equality for our friends and neighbors in MD – by getting people to the ballot box, building resources for the organizations fighting for it, and raising awareness about what’s at stake if anyone sits on the sidelines this November.”

The cast of well-known local actors includes Helen Hayes Award winners and nominees, as well as several openly gay and lesbian actors. The cast includes: Frank Britton, Caleb Caudill, Felicia Curry, Chris Dinolfo, Lee Mikeska Gardner, Will Gartshore, Chris Geidner, Rick Hammerly, Lisa Hodsoll, James Konicek, Susan Lynskey, Rose McConnell, Scott McCormick, Carl Menninger, Jared Mercier, Tom Story, MaryBeth Wise, and Jaysen Wright.

When: October 8, 2012 @ 7:30pm

Where: Round House Theatre Silver Spring | 8641 Colesville Road | Silver Spring, MD 20910

Tickets: Online at www.roundhousetheatre.org or by phone at 240-644-1100

“8” is an unprecedented account of the Federal District Court trial in Perry v. Schwarzenegger (now Perry v. Brown) – the case filed by AFER to overturn Proposition 8, which stripped gay and lesbian Californians of the fundamental freedom to marry. Dustin Lance Black, the Academy Award-winning writer of the feature film Milk and the film J. Edgar, based “8” on the actual words of the trial transcripts, first-hand observations of the courtroom drama, and interviews with the plaintiffs and their families.

“8” had its much-heralded Broadway world premiere on September 19, 2011, at the sold-out Eugene O’Neill Theatre in New York City, and had its West Coast premiere reading at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on Saturday, March 3, 2012, in Los Angeles. The West Coast reading featured an all-star cast including Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Martin Sheen, and was directed by AFER Founding Board Member Rob Reiner. The two readings collectively raised more than $3 million for the fight to secure full federal marriage equality.

“People need to witness what happened in the Proposition 8 trial, if for no other reason than to see inequality and discrimination unequivocally rejected in a court of law where truth and facts matter,” said AFER Founding Board Member Dustin Lance Black. “The goal of ‘8’ is to show the world that marriage equality is a basic constitutional right.The facts are on our side and truth always finds the light. AFER and Broadway Impact are doing all we can to help speed that process along.” Throughout 2012, AFER and Broadway Impact are licensing “8”for free to colleges and theatres nationwide in order to spur action, dialogue, and understanding.

“The DC Theatre Collective believes in creating theatre that challenges audiences and inspires them to act. When I read ‘8,’ I knew it was a piece that could do that,” said Towns. “I also believe it’s a piece that will remind people of what’s at stake this November.”

Tickets can be purchased online at www.roundhousetheatre.org or by phone at 240-644-1100.

Follow DC Theatre Collective on Twitter, Facebook, or visit www.dctheatrecollective.com

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Montgomery County Minorities Begin 2014 Political Organizing // Photos & Quotes: Numerous Elected Officials Seek Change

Karen Britto on Democratic candidate recruitment in 2014 and beyond: "We are stamping out the succession line."

BACKGROUND: Yesterday I had the opportunity to participate in a "People of Color" summit organized by former Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee Chair Karen Britto. This was the second such event Britto organized in recent months, and the gathering drew participation from a large chunk of MoCo's minority elected officials and political activists. As Britto stated in front of the audience of over one-hundred activists and officials, a broad outreach effort is needed for Montgomery County's minority communities. She noted that many are unaware that "the Democratic primary is the only game in Montgomery County. That is practically the whole election." Last March, we printed a press release describing the broad goals of the new electoral coalition (excerpt below):

LEAKED DOC: Maryland Lawmaker Sam Arora Sends Constituent Letter Explaining Marriage Equality Betrayal

UPDATE: AmericaBlog has caught wind of Sam Arora's response to constituents. The bloggers are outraged and say Arora is flat-out lying:

AMERICAblog: Maryland Delegate Sam Arora just issued a letter claiming that he never fully considered the issue of marriage equality before last year, 2011, and that's why he got so confused when the issue came up and flip-flopped on the issue, ultimately betraying his promise, his friends, and his constituents.

Only problem?  There's lots of proof that Arora considered the issue in 2010 and was fully in favor of marriage equality when he ran for election the first time.  So why is he so blatantly lying?

Now that Maryland's crazy primary elections are done, politicos can once again turn their eyes toward the November election and the corresponding 2014 jockeying. The timing couldn't be better, because everyone's favorite villain in Montgomery County politics is back in the hot seat this week. 

After weeks of stonewalling constituents, readers report that freshman lawmaker Sam Arora is finally mailing out letters explaining his betrayal of marriage equality supporters. We have obtained a copy of his constituent letter, which we publish below. Note: we have removed the constituent's name from the letter.

BACKGROUND: To catch you up, Sam Arora is a Democratic Delegate from Maryland's District 19 in Montgomery County. He won his first primary in 2010 while campaigning as a marriage equality supporter and fundraising from the LGBT community. After he won office, he inexplicably flip-flopped and voted against marriage equality. Even worse, he refused to provide an explanation to his friends, donors, constituents, and supporters -- many of whom felt betrayed by Arora.

For those hoping for an explanation of Sam Arora's betrayal, I hate to be the one to tell you that you won't find it here. The crux of the half-hearted "explanation" below is in the following statement from Sam Arora's constituent letter: 

SAM ARORA: "before last year, I had not fully considered the issue of legislating same-sex marriage." 

Uh, okay. This explanation amounts to an "oops" and does a great disservice to the residents of District 19. You can read the meaningless letter for yourself - see below.

REPLACE SAM ARORA WITH JAY HUTCHINS: Luckily, District 19 residents already have a solid alternative to Sam Arora in the 2014 Democratic Primary. The 2010 runner-up to Arora -- progressive Democrat Jay Hutchins -- has already announced he is ready for a rematch. 

Earlier this week, Hutchins contacted Maryland Juice to let us know that his campaign site is back up and he is now launching his campaign fundraising efforts. We are commemorating the occasion with a new website ad in support of Mr. Hutchins (@gojayhutchins on Twitter). 

Donate online at JayHutchins.org

Maryland Lawmaker Sam Arora's Letter to Constituents Explaining Marriage Equality Betrayal

Former District 19 Delegate Candidate Jay Hutchins Will Run in 2014 // Will D19 Incumbents Slate With Sam Arora?

Maryland Juice was messing around on Twitter today and stumbled upon some breaking news. Former District 19 Democratic candidate Jay Hutchins is planning another run for the House of Delegates in 2014. Notably, Mr. Hutchins was the fourth place finisher for three seats in 2010, and many Democratic activists in liberal MoCo are currently shopping around for candidates already.