JuiceBlender: Amazon Founder Buys Washington Post, GOP Leader Pipkin Resigns, Vallario Ethics Complaint, Missing Child

UPDATE: The missing child (Ashley Fletcher) has been found. 

Below Maryland Juice highlights a few tidbits of news that may be of interest to politicos, along with a missing child alert for 14-year-old Ashley Fletcher -- last seen in Beltsville, MD in a red sweatshirt and glasses (scroll to bottom):

JUICE #1: AMAZON.COM FOUNDER JEFF BEZOS BUYS WASHINGTON POST FOR $250 MILLION -  Political insiders were abuzz with news tonight that Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos bought The Washington Post, Gazette, Express and Southern Maryland newspapers for $250 million. Politico co-founder John Harris (a 21-year-veteran alum of The Washington Post) speculated on what this might mean for the future of the DC Metro region's daily paper of record:

POLITICO: Within minutes of the news going public, I had an email from a recognizable byline at the Washington Post that captured my feelings exactly: “Holy. Shit....” Here’s a list of what seem like four of the most pressing questions:

Does Jeff Bezos have a theory of the case?.... If so, he’s not showing much leg at the outset. His letter to Post employees made an obvious observation about how “the Internet is transforming almost every element of the news business: shortening news cycles, eroding long-reliable revenue sources, and enabling new kinds of competition, some of which bear little or no news-gathering costs.... There is no map, and charting a path ahead will not be easy. We will need to invent, which means we will need to experiment.”

How deep are Bezos’s pockets? Remember, Bezos himself is buying the Post, not Amazon. The price tag of $250 million is a lot even for the average tycoon, but it isn’t much for him: Just one percent of what Forbes estimates is his $25.2 billion fortune....

Does he mean what he says about keeping the Post’s current “excellent leadership team?”....  Bezos will inherit a team that is regarded as intelligent and competent, but in need of a serious jolt of inspiration and direction.

What are Bezos’s politics and values?.... Although Bezos made his fortune in Seattle, not Silicon Valley, a libertarian streak would place him squarely within a long tradition of such politics in the tech world, and he would be breaking ground in this cohort. “This will be the first time a major newspaper has been owned by a tech revolutionary,” the Columbia Journalism Review noted.

JUICE #2: MARYLAND GOP SENATE MINORITY LEADER E.J. PIPKIN RESIGNING NEXT WEEK - Republican State Senate Minority Leader E.J. Pipkin surprised Annapolis insiders with an announcement that he would be resigning from office next week. The Baltimore Sun's Erin Cox reported on the development (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: Senate Minority Leader E.J. Pipkin announced Monday he would retire from the legislature next week and move to Texas to pursue a graduate degree in sports management. Pipkin, 56, served as Republican's chief debater in the Maryland Senate, leading opposition in recent years to the state's new gun-control law, legalization of same-sex marriage, repeal of the death penalty and off-shore wind program....

Maryland Juice also received the following press release from the office of Senate President Mike Miller confirming the news:

PRESS RELEASE

Statement of Senator Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr.
on the Resignation of Senator E.J. Pipkin
Today, Senator Pipkin delivered a letter of resignation to my office, effective August 12, 2013. Senator Pipkin had a strong work ethic, was knowledgeable on the issues and served his constituents well.  We in the Senate truly appreciate his years of service to the people of Maryland and wish him nothing but success in the future.

###     JUICE #3: MARYLAND HOUSE JUDICIARY CHAIRMAN JOE VALLARIO FACING ETHICS COMPLAINT OVER ALLEGED CONFLICT OF INTEREST - The Chairman of the Maryland House of Delegates Judiciary Committee Joe Vallario is facing an ethics complaint regarding an alleged conflict of interest regarding his son's law practice. The Washington Post's John Wagner reported on the controversy (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Kenniss Henry told the lawmaker all the horrible details about her daughter’s death: How Natasha Pettigrew headed out before sunrise on a fall morning for a bike ride, part of her triathlon training. How the SUV driver who hit her told police she kept on going because she thought she had hit a deer....  After her daughter died, prosecutors told Henry that they would try to build a criminal case against the driver, but because of Maryland’s lax vehicular manslaughter laws, the charges would probably not be severe.

That’s why Henry was in Annapolis, telling her story to Del. Joseph F. Vallario Jr., the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Vallario (D-Prince George’s), who is also a criminal defense attorney, had for years stood in the way of bills aimed at making it easier for prosecutors to get jail time for negligent drivers, arguing they criminalized what were often accidents.....

Weeks later, Henry almost fainted, she said, when prosecutors told her who was representing the driver who killed her daughter: Vallario’s son, who operates out of his father’s law office in Suitland.

The episode is now the subject of an ethics complaint, with Henry arguing that Vallario — whose roles as both legislator and defense lawyer have long drawn scrutiny in Annapolis — had an egregious conflict of interest.

Henry said she never would have shared as much information about her daughter’s death with the powerful lawmaker had she known his son would be attempting to win an acquittal for Christy Littleford, the driver of the SUV....

JUICE #4: 36% OF ADULTS 18-31 LIVING AT HOME WITH PARENTS, 41.6% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR BLACK TEENAGERS - A pair of wild (but unsurprising) new data points have emerged in recent survey data. Many young people in America continue to face a disproportionate hit from the recession with a pair of polls showing a record number of adults living with their parents and massive unemployment for African American teenagers seeking work. CBS reported on the first of the two survey results (excerpt below):

CBS NEWS: A new study from Pew Research finds that 36 percent of Millennials – young adults ages 18 to 31 – are living at their parents’ homes, the highest number in four decades. A record 21.6 million young adults were still living at home last year.

“Most of my friends that have graduated end up living back home because even if they have a job they can’t afford to pay rent and pay back their loans at the same time,” Stephanie Levonne, a 20-year-old college student living at home, told CBS News....

Though the difficulties facing young people cut across all racial groups, it appears the the economy is taking a particularly difficult toll on young African Americans. Breitbart highlighted the magnitude of the problem in a recent article (excerpt below):

BREITBART: Friday's jobs report was disappointing, but it also contained a truly heartbreaking statistic. Black teen unemployment is a shocking 41.6%. In July last year, the unemployment was considerably lower, at 36%....

This isn't a numbers trick. This isn't a rate based on the whole black teen population in the country. This is the proportion of the black teen population that is looking for work but can't find a job. Just in March, the number was eight points lower at 33%. The white teen unemployment rate is half the black rate, although still high at 20%...

JUICE #5: MISSING CHILD REPORT // 14-YEAR-OLD ASHLEY FLETCHER MISSING IN BELTSVILLE, MD  - A Twitter user alerted Maryland Juice to news of a missing 14-year-old in Beltsville, Maryland. Ashley Fletcher was last seen in a red sweatshirt and glasses (details below):

JuiceBlender: Luedtke Attacked, Westboro Baptist in Maryland, Brochin Kills Non-Discrimination Bill, Leggett's Harlem Shake

UPDATE: At the request of the Suitland High School principal, the Prince George's Young Democrats are cancelling their counter-protest of the Westboro Baptist actions.

Below Maryland Juice highlights several items that may be of interest to politicos:

JUICE #1: DEL. ERIC LUEDTKE ATTACKED BY DIRECT MAIL - Several Maryland Juice readers have received direct mail attacking Democratic Del. Eric Luedtke of Montgomery County. The mailer appears to take issue with the fact that Luedtke is sponsoring legislation to make it more difficult to petition bills to referendum (a legislative response to the prospect of referenda battles emerging in every election cycle) . See snapshots of the mailer below:

TREASURER FOR ANTI-LUEDTKE PIECE IS A LEADER IN NATIONAL LIBERTARIAN PARTY - Notably, the authority line for the mailer states it is from: "Citizens in Charge, William Redpath, Treasurer." The website for Citizens in Charge states its mission as follows (excerpt below):

Citizens in Charge is a 501 (c) (4) citizen-powered advocacy organization that serves as a partner to Citizens in Charge Foundation in protecting and expanding the initiative and referendum process.

The organization works with activists, legislators, media, opinion leaders and voters to protect the initiative and referendum process where it exists in 26 states and to expand the process to the 26 states where voters currently lack that right.

There never has been a more important time to defend the initiative process. Voters increasingly turn to initiatives to make needed reforms, while legislators increasingly seek to impose limitations on this process.

File this under the "small world," category, but Maryland Juice actually knows William Redpath personally, and is aware that he is one of the leaders of the national Liberatarian Party. Interesting!


JUICE #2: ANTI-GAY WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH PROTESTS IN PRINCE GEORGE'S - Remember that church whose members like to protest about gay rights at the funerals of dead soldiers? Well they are now coming to Suitland High School in Prince George's County. The principal of Suitland High sent a notice to parents last week (excerpt below):

SUITLAND HIGH SCHOOL: Members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas have informed both the School District and the Prince George’s Police Department of their plans to send ten (10) of their members to protest at Suitland High School on Tuesday, March 26 from 3:00-3:30 p.m.

The members of the Westboro Baptist Church are an anti-gay group that regularly stage protests around the country. Many of you have probably seen the memorandum that they have been distributing. It is a standard memorandum that they use when protesting at schools.

A Twitter user elaborated on Westboro Baptists venomous statements:

The Prince George's County Young Democrats were helping to organize a counter-protest to the Westboro shenanigans. See their announcement below, but note the event has now been cancelled at the request of the Suitland High School principal:

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY YOUNG DEMOCRATS - Westboro Baptist Church has chosen their next target.  Usually we are insulated from the hatred by distance or a television screen.  But not this time.  This time, Westboro Baptist Church descends upon an institution in our own backyards, in our own community, Suitland High School.  A school that produces great leaders and creative minds who go on to achieve and inspire others to do the same.  On Tuesday, March 26th at 3pm, the Westboro picket signs will go up and they will spew their hate speech at our children, our neighbors, and our family members.  In the wake of the violence that has recently plagued this area, let's show Westboro Baptist Church that they have come to the wrong place and such hatred will not be tolerated here in Prince George's County.

Click here give a donation to support the families of the fallen victims.

As we attempt to calm the waves of violence, let's meet them with a force of peace.  We must demonstrate to not only support and anchor our children, but to infuse our communities with the love needed to continue the healing and promote unity.  As they stand at the pulpit of ignorance, let us gather as one congregation and remind ourselves, and the country, that Prince George's County is a place of not just tolerance, but acceptance.  We embrace the color, creed, religion, orientation and ethnicity of all. 

Click here to let us know you'll be there.

This is not only a call to action, but a challenge for you to act.  We must counter this descent of hatred by Westboro Baptist Church.  Let this adversity bind us even tighter as a community and let's show them they came to the wrong county.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.
    -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

See you in Suitland,

Maurielle
http://www.pgcyd.com/

JUICE #3: STATE SENATORS BROCHIN, MUSE & STONE KILL NON-DISCRIMINATION LEGISLATION - Yesterday, members of the Maryland Senate's Judicial Proceedings Committee surprised observers by killing a transgender non-discrimination legislation in a 5-6 vote. Democratic Senators Jim Brochin, Anthony Muse and Norm Stone joined with the Republicans to kill this common-sense protection for our fellow Maryland residents. Equality Maryland published the committee roll call, along with some commentary on the issue (excerpt below):

EQUALITY MARYLAND: In a 5-6 vote this afternoon, the Senate Judicial Proceeding Committee failed to pass SB 449,The Fairness for All Marylanders Act of 2013. Voting infavor of the bill were, Senators Raskin, Forehand, Frosh, Gladden and Zirkin. Voting against the bill were Senators Stone, Muse, Jacobs, Brochin, Shank and Getty.

Equality Maryland’s Executive Director commented on this vote, “It is terribly disappointing the committee failed to stand up for fairness and protect transgender Marylanders.We are particularly incensed with Senator Jim Brochin’s vote. He had at least 1,000 constituents contact him asking him to support this bill. Despite this, he turned his back on these voters. It ironic that transgender people in his own district [Baltimore County] have protections yet he wouldn’t cast a vote to extend these protections to transgender individuals in the 20 counties that aren’t  so fortunate.”

Several Maryland Juice readers are pointing the finger for the loss at State Senator Jim Brochin, who they say backstabbed supporters of the non-discrimination bill. But Brochin was joined by Democratic Senators Anthony Muse and Norm Stone in fighting the Fairness for All Marylanders Act. Notably, Stone also voted against interracial marriage when he first arrived in Annapolis. It appears that he hasn't changed much since then. Check out the following report from The Washington Blade (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON BLADE: A Maryland state Senate committee on Thursday struck down a bill that would have banned anti-transgender discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodation....

“Despite months of hard work by our broad coalition of supporters, key committee members were unwilling to advance the promise of equality under the law to the transgender community,” Madaleno said in an e-mail he sent to his constituents after the vote. “A majority of committee members were unwilling to pass a bill that prohibited discrimination by restaurants, theaters, hotels, shopping centers and other places of public accommodations. Their lack of understanding and empathy for their fellow Marylanders is appalling.”

Baltimore County, of which Brochin represents portions in Annapolis, along with Montgomery and Howard Counties and Baltimore City have already adopted trans-inclusive non-discrimination laws....

Sixteen states and D.C. currently ban discrimination based on gender identity and expression.

JUICE #4: IKE LEGGETT DOES HARLEM SHAKE // SIGN OF RE-ELECTION ACTIVITY?  - For those of you that follow online viral sensations, you may have seen videos of the "Harlem Shake." Wikipedia describes the meme as follows:

WIKIPEDIA: The Harlem Shake is an Internet meme in the form of a video in which a group of people performs a comedy sketch accompanied by a short excerpt from the song "Harlem Shake". As a meme, the video was replicated by many people, using the same concept, and this rapidly led to it becoming viral in early February 2013, with thousands of "Harlem Shake" videos being made and uploaded to YouTube every day at the height of its popularity.

The form of the meme was established in a video uploaded on February 2 by five teenagers from Queensland, Australia known on YouTube as The Sunny Coast Skate. The video started a viral trend of people uploading their own "Harlem Shake" videos to YouTube. The teenagers' video was, in its turn, a follow-up to a video by a YouTube comedy vlogger named Filthy Frank which featured a section where several costumed people danced to the song "Harlem Shake" by Baauer.

Now Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett has produced his own "Harlem Shake" video, and it is a hoot. Could the video below be the clearest sign that Leggett might be trying to run for re-election?

JuiceBlender: Maryland Democrats Warming Up to Marijuana, Death Penalty Ban Passes House Judiciary, Senate Passes Wind

PLUS: SENATE PRESIDENT MIKE MILLER ENDORSES MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

Below Maryland Juice provides a few updates on Annapolis news items of interest to politicos, starting with a wave of updates regarding marijuana policy in Maryland. The issue has been moving quickly in recent weeks, giving me that sense that there's definitely something in the air:

JUICE #1: O'MALLEY ADMINISTRATION GIVES CAUTIOUS SUPPORT FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL - The Baltimore Sun today reported that Governor Martin O'Malley's administration is cautiously getting behind medical marijuana after threatening to veto the measure last year (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration withdrew its opposition to legislation allowing doctors and nurses to dispense medical marijuana to patients through academic medical centers, raising prospects for passage this year.

Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, the state secretary of health and mental hygiene, said Friday that the administration could support the bill but only if it gave the governor the "flexibility" to suspend the program if the federal government threatened legal action over what it still classifies as an illegal drug.... Under what Sharfstein called a "yellow-light approach" to medical marijuana, the bill would allow dispensing the drug to patients with cancer, intractable pain and other conditions.

O'Malley had threatened to veto medical marijuana legislation last year.... Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler also expressed concerns....

SEN. BOBBY ZIRKIN PUSHING BILL TO SHIFT PENALTY FOR POT POSSESSION FROM JAIL TIME TO FINE  - Maryland Juice is glad to see that Gov. O'Malley is finally coming around on this issue, but I must also admit that I see his tip-toeing toward medical marijuana as a very small "victory." After all, while medical marijuana for cancer patients is a common-sense goal, I remain far more concerned about the mass incarceration of Americans -- especially for things like non-violent drug offenses. No amount of prescription dope is going to solve that bigger social problem -- and I feel that it is perhaps one of the largest unaddressed social justice issues of our time. Indeed, our continued grandfathering of the War on Drugs into Maryland policy leads to cycles of poverty, joblessness, recidivism, student loan ineligibility and more -- disproportionately affecting people of color, and subjecting young people to harassment by law enforcement.

MARYLAND SPENDS $236 MILLION ANNUALLY ON POT ENFORCEMENT - State Senator Bobby Zirkin has a bill to address these concerns by "decriminalizing"' possession of minor amounts of marijuana, and shifting the penalties from jail time to a simple fine. Amazingly, decriminalization has already passed in fifteen other states, making it a common-sense and now mainstream policy change for those who want to get serious about ending their state's participation in the failed War on Drugs. Check out this report from The Fix website (excerpt below):

THE FIX: Could Maryland be the next state to end marijuana prohibition? Yes, according to LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition).... The bill — sponsored by Democratic Senator Bobby Zirkin — seeks to decriminalize small-scale possession in the Free State....

Pot prohibition doesn’t just generate stacks of illicit cash — it also costs a great deal, according to Harvard University economist Jeffrey Miron, who says that Maryland spends over $236 million per annum on marijuana enforcement. In the current era, many are asking whether that's worth the price tag. SB 297 — which  can be viewed in its entirety here — would reduce penalties for possession to a mere $100 dollar fine.

Neill Franklin carried out narcotics work for the Maryland State Police during his 34-year career.... “The current laws force police officers in Maryland to waste hour after hour processing marijuana possession arrests,” he says. “Can you imagine how many more burglaries, rapes and murders we could solve if we put these wasted man-hours toward good use? Marijuana prohibition constitutes a serious threat to public safety." With 15 other states having already decriminalized low-level marijuana possession — and others, such as Hawaii, considering it — SB 297 looks to have a fighting chance....

DEL. CURT ANDERSON INTRODUCES BILL TO TAX & REGULATE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA - State Senator Bobby Zirkin admitted at the hearing for his marijuana decriminalization bill that he would prefer that Maryland simply legalize, tax and regulate marijuana sales. A week after that hearing, Delegate Curt Anderson introduced a bill that would do just that in Maryland House. The Gazette reported on the forward-looking legislation (excerpt below):

GAZETTE: Del. Curt Anderson on Thursday introduced a bill that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Maryland, mirroring measures passed by referendum last year in Colorado and Washington.

The bill would allow Marylanders 21 and older to possess one ounce or less of marijuana, and to grow three or fewer plants in their homes. An excise tax of $50 per ounce would be collected by the state under the proposal. Plants grown at home would be required to have a state-issued zip tie attached. Each zip tie would cost $100 and be valid for one year.

Under the bill, smoking marijuana in public would be prohibited, as would driving while under the influence of marijuana. A portion of the revenue from regulating marijuana would go toward alcohol, tobacco and drug treatment. The marijuana trade would be regulated by the state comptroller’s office....

Maryland traditionally has lagged behind other progressive states when it comes to drug policy, still having not legalized medical marijuana, as 18 states and Washington, D.C., have.

SENATE PRESIDENT MIKE MILLER ENDORSES FULL-ON MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION - When asked by the Capital Gazette to comment on Del. Anderson's pot legalization bill, Senate President Mike Miller amazingly endorsed the proposal (excerpt below):

CAPITAL GAZETTE: Miller ... said he personally favors the “liberalization of marijuana laws,” and thinks marijuana should be regulated like cigarettes and alcohol.

“We’re incarcerating people for offenses that really I think they should be treated as very minor offenses, paying a fine,” Miller said. “But those are my personal views and I don’t think they’re the views of the majority of the Senate...”

Annoyingly, Senator Miller understands the connection between the United States having the world's largest prison population and our tacit consent for incarcerating people for simple drug possession -- yet he doesn't seem motivated to do anything about it. Why can't he summon some of that energy he used to steamroll casino expansion in Maryland to try and get this done?


JUICE #2: DEATH PENALTY BAN PASSES MARYLAND HOUSE JUDICIARY 14 TO 8 // ONE DEMOCRAT JOINED GOP TO OPPOSE REPEAL - Today the Maryland House Judiciary Committee approved death penalty repeal legislation in a 14 to 8 vote. Below Maryland Juice provides the roll call for the committee vote, but the short story is that it was almost a perfect party line vote. One Democrat, Delegate Keven Kelly (highlighted in blue), crossed over with the GOP in their unsuccessful attempts to defeat death penalty repeal. The measure now heads to the floor for a vote by the full body (sometime next week). There's still time to contact your representatives in the Maryland House and urge them to support repeal of the death penalty.

MARYLAND HOUSE JUDICIARY DEATH PENALTY REPEAL ROLL CALL

VOTED FOR REPEAL

1. Curt Anderson 
2. Sam Arora
3. Jill Carter
4. Luke Clippinger
5. Frank Conaway, Jr.
6. Kathleen Dumais
7. Susan Lee
8. Keiffer Mitchell
9. Sandy Rosenberg
10. Luiz Simmons
11. Darren Swain
12. Kriselda Valderrama
13. Geraldine Valentino-Smith
14. Jeff Waldstreicher

VOTED AGAINST REPEAL

1. John Cluster, Jr. (R)
2. Glen Glass (R)
3. Michael Hough (R)
4. Kevin Kelly (D)
5. Susan McComas (R)
6. Mike McDermott (R)
7. Neil Parrott (R)
8. Mike Smigiel (R)

DOESN'T VOTE UNLESS TIED

1. Chairman Joe Vallario

JUICE #3: GOVERNOR O'MALLEY'S WIND FARM PROPOSAL CLEARS STATE SENATE - Yet another signature initiative of Governor Martin O'Malley advanced in the State Legislature today. The Washington Post reports that the multi-year effort to incentivize creation of wind farms on the Maryland shore advanced today (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: After three years of debate, countless revisions and lots of downsizing, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley’s plan to subsidize development of offshore wind energy passed the state Senate on Friday, all but ensuring final approval in coming days.

The victory for O’Malley (D) on a signature environmental initiative came as his bill to repeal the death penalty advanced in the House of Delegates and as he inched toward support of a measure to legalize medical marijuana.

The passage of the offshore wind bill, which failed in each of the past two years, would allow Maryland to seek a private developer to build a field of giant turbines off the coast of Ocean City, perhaps by 2017....

Maryland Death Penalty Ban Expected to Pass Senate Judiciary Today // Sen. Bobby Zirkin Announces Support for Repeal (!)

Yesterday Maryland Juice reported that the Maryland Senate's judiciary committee (aka the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee) was deadlocked on death penalty repeal. We further noted that State Senator Bobby Zirkin, a Baltimore County Democrat, was the swing vote on the 11-member committee.

Amazingly, The Washington Post's John Wagner reported late last night that Sen. Bobby Zirkin has announced he will support repeal of the death penalty in Maryland! Check out this excerpt from the WaPo coverage:

WASHINGTON POST: Sen. Robert A. Zirkin (D-Baltimore County) said Wednesday night that he plans to vote in favor of repealing Maryland’s death penalty, which means the measure now has the support of a majority of members on a key committee.... A majority vote by the committee would allow the bill to move to the full Senate, where there appears to be enough votes for passage....

“From an emotional standpoint, I want to kill these people myself,” Zirkin said. “But that’s a different question than whether, legally, the state should be involved in their death....” Zirkin’s support provides a clearer path to passage for the legislation.

Original version of the repurposed photo above available at Maryland Reporter.

You can thank State Senator Bobby Zirkin at: 

bobby.zirkin@senate.state.md.us

Senator Zirkin's wife Tina also deserves some credit on this win. She's been lobbying her husband to support #MDrepeal. Thanks Tina!

STEP TWO: Let's gear up to pass death penalty repeal on the Senate Floor without amendments:

[ CONTACT YOUR STATE SENATORS ]

THURSDAY: Death Penalty Vote in Maryland Senate Judiciary // PREDICTIONS: Sen. Bobby Zirkin = Key Swing Vote & More!

With a key vote coming on Thursday, Maryland Juice decided to provide an update on the effort to repeal the death penalty in the Free State. If a majority of State Senators support an end to executions in Maryland, Senate President Mike Miller promised he would find a way to bring the measure to the floor for a vote by the full membership. And though a sufficient number of State Senators have now indicated they will support repeal, the dynamics and backstories are not as simple as it would seem. Below we highlight a few elements of the complicated legislative maneuvering going on in Annapolis:

• STEP 1: PASS REPEAL IN SENATE JUDICIARY (AKA CONTACT SEN. BOBBY ZIRKIN)
• STEP 2: PASS REPEAL ON SENATE FLOOR WITHOUT AMENDMENTS
• STEP 3: PASS SAME REPEAL BILL IN HOUSE WITHOUT AMENDMENTS
• STEP 4: HIRE A GOOD LAWYER (NOT ATTY GENERAL DOUG GANSLER)

STEP 1: PASS DEATH PENALTY REPEAL IN SENATE JUDICIARY (AKA CONTACT SEN. BOBBY ZIRKIN NOW) - The reason why Mike Miller's intervention was thought to be necessary for death penalty repeal to advance is that the bill is originating in the Maryland Senate's Judicial Proceedings Committee, where it has always faced an uncertain fate. So if a majority of Senators wanted to get rid of the death penalty but simply couldn't get the judiciary committee to release the bill, Miller promised to intervene and bring the measure for a floor vote. We never heard what legislative tactic Miller would employ to achieve this result, but there is now a good chance death penalty opponents may not need to bypass the Senate judiciary after all. But this all depends on whether or not State Senator Bobby Zirkin will join death penalty repeal opponents.

JUDICIARY WHIP-COUNT? - Indeed, there will be a vote on repeal in judiciary this Thursday, and it is currently unclear what will happen. But if the whispers Maryland Juice hears are correct, a likely snapshot of the current committee whip-count on death penalty repeal is as follows:

POTENTIAL SUPPORTERS OF DEATH PENALTY REPEAL ON SENATE JUDICIARY:

1. Sen. Jennie Forehand (DEM)
2. Sen. Brian Frosh (DEM)
3. Sen. Lisa Gladden (DEM)
4. Sen. Anthony Muse (DEM)
5. Sen. Jamie Raskin (DEM)

POTENTIAL OPPONENTS OF DEATH PENALTY REPEAL ON SENATE JUDICIARY :

1. Sen. Jim Brochin (DEM)
2. Sen. Joseph Getty (GOP)
3. Sen. Nancy Jacobs (GOP)
4. Sen. Chris Shank (GOP)
5. Sen. Norm Stone (DEM)

ON THE FENCE:

1. Sen. Bobby Zirkin (DEM)

SEN. BOBBY ZIRKIN UNDECIDED ON DEATH PENALTY REPEAL // CONTACT HIM ASAP - Maryland Juice visited the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee last week and had the opportunity to discuss death penalty repeal face to face with State Senator Bobby Zirkin. He indicated that he is undecided on the issue and apparently, his wife and rabbi are lobbying him to support death penalty repeal. Maryland Juice encourages those who want to end executions in Maryland to contact State Senator Bobby Zirkin ASAP and explain your feelings on the issue:

Sen. Bobby Zirkin
bobby.zirkin@senate.state.md.us 
(410) 841-3131

STEP 2: PASS DEATH PENALTY REPEAL ON SENATE FLOOR WITHOUT AMENDMENTS - Let's get real about death penalty strategy for a second. Right now, we have the votes in the Senate to pass a repeal bill, assuming that the bill can make it to the floor for a vote. There are currently two routes to advance the bill in the Senate: a) pass it in the Judiciary committee, or b) Sen. Mike Miller intervenes and finds a way to send it to the floor. For many reasons, it is far preferable to have the repeal bill advance through Judiciary than to have to rely on the assistance of Mike Miller. Remember that Sen. Mike Miller is a supporter of death penalty executions and will likely try and tamper with (aka amend) the bill before seeing it through to its destined passage.

SEN. MIKE MILLER TRYING TO SABOTAGE DEATH PENALTY REPEAL? - Even while he pledged to "allow" the bill to be voted on by the full body, Senate President Miller predicted that the death penalty ban would be petitioned to a referendum. What he didn't mention is that he was planning on intervening to try and increase the likelihood of a 2014 referendum on the death penalty. WAMU reported on Miller's backdoor efforts to subject death penalty repeal to a popular vote in 2014. Indeed, Miller is trying to placate the progressive majority in his caucus while undermining their efforts at the same time (excerpt below):

WAMU: ...Senate President Mike Miller, a supporter of the death penalty, expects a repeal of it to pass his chamber this year — something that did not happen when the measure last made it to the Senate floor in 2009 — getting to that point is still not a guarantee.

A part of this year's bill includes an appropriation, which means it wouldn't be able to petitioned to a ballot referendum for voters to decide, and Miller wants that changed.

"It's a subterfuge to avoid having it petitioned to referendum," Miller says. "And, although I don't like to see bills petitioned to referendum, I don't believe in trying to thwart the constitution and the laws of the state which allows for petitioning to referendum...."

MIKE MILLER WANTS TO STRIP FUNDING FOR CRIME VICTIMS OUT OF DEATH PENALTY REPEAL BILL - What's going on here is that in Maryland, residents can subject laws passed by the state legislature for repeal votes -- but only if they do not concern appropriations. Whether a law is sufficiently about "appropriations" to prevent it from being petitioned to a popular vote is a subject of great debate. But some are skeptical that dedicating the taxpayer savings from death penalty repeal to crime victims is sufficient for the bill to avoid a referendum. Indeed, this matter would need to be heard by a court in Maryland to decide on this issue.

As a result, Sen. Mike Miller wants to remove funding for crime victims from the death penalty repeal bill. He is willing to engage in such an underhanded and callous tactic in order to foreclose the very small possibility that Maryland courts might invalidate an effort to subject death penalty repeal to a popular vote.

If you agree with me that Maryland's death penalty represents:

1. murder by state government employees paid for with our tax dollars
2. an ineffective crime deterrent & an expensive way of expressing our feelings
3. a symbol of humanity's vengeful & violent side, unbefitting of codification into law

...then hopefully you understand why the idea of subjecting a ban on murder by the state government to a majority vote seems a bit distasteful. After all, when philosophers and social scientists ruminate on the pros and cons of the initiative and referenda processes in various states, they often fear the effects of so-called "mob rule." But in this instance, Miller literally wants to preserve the right of the pitchfork mob to execute prisoners (using state employees and resources). 

SENATE PRESIDENT TRYING TO UNDERMINE HIS OWN CHAMBER'S POWER TO LEGISLATE? - It may well turn out that we are heading to a death penalty referendum in 2014, especially if the GOP activists again decide to spend their time working on distasteful causes. But the idea that the Senate President would facilitate such a diminution of his own Chamber's powers is perplexing and disappointing. The bloodlust is strong in our Senate President.  Death penalty repeal advocates will need to stop Miller and his allies from trying to amend the bill. All signs indicate they will try and alter the legislation in ways that will increase the likelihood of the effort being subjected to a popular vote. This in turn means that advocates like myself will end up spending countless hours fighting the pitchfork mob in 2014. There are better things we can be working on, so please help prevent this scenario from unfolding. Tell your Senators to support the repeal bill without negative amendments.

MIKE MILLER ALREADY PLANNING DEATH PENALTY EXPANSION AFTER 2014 - It seems absolutely clear that Miller is just going through the motions on death penalty repeal, given that the Senate President is already plotting ways to expand the death penalty in Maryland. The Associated Press (via WBOC) recently reported on Miller's plans to make the death penalty more likely to execute innocent people in Maryland (excerpt):

AP: In 2009, lawmakers decided to restrict the death penalty to murder cases with DNA evidence, videotaped evidence or a videotaped confession.

If voters end up rejecting repeal, Miller says the law should be changed to allow capital cases with fingerprinting or photographic evidence as well.

Last month the College Park Patch also reported that Miller wanted to expand the types of crimes eligible for the death penalty in Maryland. Their coverage gives a taste of the types of ridiculous amendments Miller may try and make for the death penalty repeal bill (excerpt below):

COLLEGE PARK PATCH: While some Maryland legislators want to debate the repeal of the death penalty there is one category of murder Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller would like to add to the list of capital punishment eligible cases.

Miller said Wednesday that he'd like to expand the add teacher killers to the list.... Miller said he has six sisters who are teachers.... "So when we take up this bill, I'd like to see [teacher killers] added to the list of prescribed penalties," Miller said....

STEP 3: PASS DEATH PENALTY REPEAL IN THE HOUSE - Once death penalty repeal passes in the Senate, we'll have to repeat this whole saga in Maryland House of Delegates. But let's park that discussion for now.


STEP 4: HIRE A GOOD LAWYER (NOT ATTORNEY GENERAL DOUG GANSLER) - So let's say we are able to pass death penalty repeal out of the Senate's judiciary committee; and let's further imagine that we are able to preserve funding for crime victims in the bill. Let's also assume that an identical bill passes in the Maryland House.

At this point, there will be a decent chance that Republican activists will try and subject death penalty repeal to a referendum in 2014. In that case, those who support repeal will need a good attorney to argue that the repeal bill is not subject to referendum. Unfortunately, the chief lawyer for the State of Maryland cannot be trusted to argue this case. Indeed, Attorney General Doug Gansler is a supporter of the death penalty, and at last check Gansler was arguing that he could make the death penalty not be applied in a racist manner.

Good luck stamping out racial bias within juries, between neighborhoods and in the exercise of prosecutorial discretion! If Gansler can solve those human problems, then he may deserve a Nobel Peace Prize, rather than the Maryland Governor's mansion.  

#NotHoldingMyBreath

Details on Sen. Brian Frosh's 2014 Attorney General Campaign // Analysis of Impact on Judiciary Committee & Senate Presidency

Yesterday we reported that State Senator Brian Frosh was plotting a run for Maryland Attorney General in 2014. Frosh, a Democrat, subsequently confirmed by email that he was indeed "exploring a race for AG" and "still reaching out to folks." That news set the pundit-class abuzz, as numerous politicos began pondering the implications of this move. Below we highlight a few notable analyses and comments about Senator Frosh's news.

GUN RIGHTS ADVOCATES WEIGH IN: Among the first to respond to the news was former Aberdeen Mayoral candidate Patrick McGrady, a Tea Partier. McGrady posted his thoughts about Frosh's AG bid on MDShooters.com, a gun-oriented site that describes itself as "Maryland's premiere shooting community." He raised red flags for gun-owners about Brian Frosh, and many responded with their thoughts:

Marriage Equality Passes Through Senator Brian Frosh's Judiciary Committee // Mike Miller = Still Suspect

UPDATE: Senator Rich Madaleno Tweets the roll call and notes that the floor vote will be tomorrow: "Senate JPR Committee just voted in favor of the marriage equality bill 7 to 4. No amendments were adopted. Bill on floor tomorrow."

DOUBLE-UPDATE: Some readers are quick to point out that Senate President Mike Miller made some committee changes and has been facilitating getting this bill through the Senate. Fair enough, but parochial as he is, Miller is not dumb. He knows his caucus well, and it is my belief that he followed the caucus, not the other way around. On progressive causes and social justice issues, is Mike Miller a shepherd or a gatekeeper of change? Think about it, can this guy be the Party Leader at a time when we need to convince people from around Maryland to change their opinions on issues of diversity?

Marylanders for Marriage Equality announces that historic social justice legislation has passed through Senator Brian Frosh's Judiciary Committee. See their press release below. Meanwhile, Maryland Juice would like to point out that acting-Senate President Mike Miller continues to think marriage equality is an "attack on the family." Still waiting for that apology to the Governor and the LGBT community.

PRESS RELEASE

Senate Committee Endorses Civil Marriage Bill

BALTIMORE – Following the momentous victory in the House of Delegates last week, a senate committee today approved the Civil Marriage Protection Act paving the way for a full senate vote this week.

“We’re grateful to the members of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee – particularly chairman Brian Frosh (D-Montgomery) - who today approved Civil Marriage Protection Act,” said Ezekiel Jackson, political organizer of 1199 SEIU, a member of the Marylanders for Marriage Equality coalition. “Members who support the bill understand that this is about making all Maryland families stronger – that it’s about protecting them equally under the law while preserving cherished religious freedoms.”

A January Washington Post poll showed a majority of Marylanders support committed gay and lesbian couples getting a marriage license.

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