JuiceBlender: Del. Minnick to Retire, Impact of Prince George's Runningmate for Gansler, Activists Press Van Hollen on Syria

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

JUICE #1: DEMOCRATIC DELEGATE SONNY MINNICK TO RETIRE // TWO OPEN SEATS IN DISTRICT 6 - The Dundalk Eagle reported last week that Delegate Joseph "Sonny" Minnick will be retiring in 2014. Minnick is a Baltimore County Democrat who has represented District 6 in the State House for over two decades. He's now planning on spending time with his grandchildren and family (excerpt below):

DUNDALK EAGLE: There has been a Minnick representing the Dundalk area in Annapolis for all but nine years since 1966. That era will come to an end in 2014 after Del. Joseph "Sonny" Minnick announced his intention to not seek re-election on Monday.

"After 23 years, I think it’s time for me to step down, let someone else do the job," Minnick said. "Maybe someone younger, with different ideas.... Six grandchildren I don’t see enough of," he said. "Hopefully, I’ll get to see them more often now. I also have golf to keep me busy...."

With Del. John Olszewski Jr. having announced he will be running for the state Senate, Del. Michael Weir Jr. is the only incumbent seeking re-election in the 6th District in 2014. Only one challenger, Eric Washington, has announced his intent to run in the Democratic House primary. Six Republicans have declared their candidacies.... "Who will take my place? I have no idea," [Minnick] said.

Maryland's House of Delegates District 6 is currently represented by one Democratic Senator and three Democratic Delegates. But with Sen. Norm Stone's retirement from the body, Dundalk's Patch.com reported last July that D6 Delegate John Olszewski Jr. is leaving his House seat to run for Senate (excerpt below):

PATCH.COM: State Sen. Norman Stone said Monday that he will not seek re-election after more than 50 years in the Maryland General Assembly.... "I've decided that 52 years is enough," said Stone in an interview. "I think it's time." Stone will attend a campaign fundraiser event for Del. John Olszewski Jr. Tuesday where the two-term delegate is expected to announce his intent to run for Stone's seat....

With this continued reshuffling of the deck in the Maryland legislature, there will now be two open Delegate seats in District 6. It appears that Democrats are needed to run for these seats!


JUICE #2: A PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY RUNNING-MATE FOR DOUG GANSLER?  //  PLUS: WHAT WILL HEATHER MIZEUR DO? - It is now September, and Attorney General Doug Gansler has been promising to formally announce his obvious campaign for Governor this month. Word on the street has been that Gansler intends to pick an African American running-mate from the Baltimore area. But yesterday Center Maryland columnist Josh Kurtz published a piece speculating on a possible Prince George's running-mate for Gansler, and the impact that may have on down-ballot races. Kurtz's piece indicates that former Democratic Congressman Al Wynn is supporting Gansler (excerpt below):

JOSH KURTZ VIA CENTER MARYLAND: If Doug Gansler picks a running mate from Prince George’s County, expect serious downballot ramifications.... It could determine who County Executive Rushern Baker endorses for governor, and it could also determine if a ticket of Democratic dissidents is cobbled together throughout the county – a place where incumbents tend to slate together and state senators have an inordinate amount of power.

For now it’s widely assumed that the two leading contenders from Prince George’s to be Gansler’s No. 2 are Dels. Jolene Ivey and Melony Griffith. Ivey is openly campaigning for the job. Griffith, who has seen lawmakers from her district – like Brown and Dereck Davis – move on to bigger and better things, is getting antsy. She may get help with Gansler from former Congressman Al Wynn, a Griffith ally who supports the attorney general’s gubernatorial bid.

If Ivey gets the nod, the implications may be broader – because if Griffith is passed over she will surely take a look at challenging state Sen. Ulysses Currie (D) in the 25th district, which is right in the heart of the county. Currie is vastly better funded and will have the strong support of Senate President Mike Miller. But Currie will be 77 next year, and could be vulnerable given his federal corruption trial a few years ago – acquittal notwithstanding....

Hopefully we will soon know who Doug Gansler's running-mate will be. But in the meantime, an equally interesting question is who Del. Heather Mizeur may run with in the gubernatorial primary.


JUICE #3:  PEACE ACTIVISTS PUSH REP. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN AND MD'S DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMEN TO OPPOSE SYRIA ACTION - As you may have noticed, the White House and Congress are currently debating whether the United States should take military action in Syria. Maryland Juice received a press release yesterday from anti-war activists indicating that they are ramping up efforts to encourage Rep. Chris Van Hollen and other members of Maryland's Congressional delegation not to intervene:

PRESS ADVISORY

Syria Letter from Maryland Voters to be Delivered to Rep. Chris Van Hollen at Rally

Letter Urges No U.S. Attack, Increased Diplomacy for a Political Solution

WHAT: Community advocates will hold a street demonstration and then deliver a letter to Rep. Chris Van Hollen urging him to vote against any authorization for the use of military force in Syria.

WHEN:  Wed., Sept. 4, 12 noon.

WHERE: 51 Monroe St., Suite 507, Rockville, MD 20850. 

BACKGROUND: Marylanders from across the state are mobilizing to encourage their Congressional representatives to oppose U.S. military intervention into the civil war in Syria. Rallies similar to the one in Rockville will be held in other Congressional offices in the state this week: 

• Wed., Sept. 4, noon: Ellicott City office of Rep. Elijah Cummings, 8267 Main St., Ellicott City, MD. 

• Fri., Sept. 6, noon: Annapolis office of Rep. John Sarbanes, Arundel Center, Suite 349, 44 Calvert St., Annapolis MD 21401. 

• Fri., Sept. 6, noon: Gaithersburg office of Rep. John Delaney, 9801 Washingtonian Blvd., Ste 330, Gaithersburg, MD 20878.

“We agree with the statement made today by the Carter Center and former President Jimmy Carter,” said Jean Athey, coordinator of Peace Action Montgomery. The statement reads:

“The use of chemical weapons on August 21 near Damascus is a grave breach of international law that has rightfully outraged the world community.... A punitive military response without a U.N. Security Council mandate or broad support from NATO and the Arab League would be illegal under international law and unlikely to alter the course of the war. It will only harden existing positions and postpone a sorely needed political process to put an end to the catastrophic violence. Instead, all should seek to leverage the consensus among the entire international community, including Russia and Iran, condemning the use of chemical weapons in Syria and bringing under U.N. oversight the country's stockpile of such weapons.”

President Carter continued, "Those responsible for the use of chemical weapons must bear personal responsibility. The chemical attack should be a catalyst for redoubling efforts to convene a peace conference, to end hostilities, and urgently to find a political solution."  http://www.cartercenter.org/news/pr/syria-083013.html

Speakers at the rally will include Mike Hersh, Progressive Democrats of America; Gene Bruskin, US Labor Against the War; and Susan Kerin, Pax Christi.

Rally Sponsor:  Peace Action Montgomery (http://peaceactionmc.org/) is a grassroots organization with over 2,600 members dedicated to promoting a new US foreign policy that is based on peaceful support for human rights and democracy, eliminating the threat of weapons of mass destruction, and cooperation with the world community.

###

ROLL CALL: Maryland Senate Approves Death Penalty Repeal 27-20 // 10 Democrats Joined GOP: House of Delegates Next!

Today the Maryland Senate approved repeal of the death penalty by a vote of 27-20. The measure now heads to the House of Delegates for approval. In the meantime, below you can see a roll call of how the individual State Senators voted.

DEATH PENALTY ROLL CALL: Two Republican Senators joined Democrats in ending legalized murder by state government employees: Allan Kittleman and Ed Reilly. They are highlighted in red below. Meanwhile, ten Democratic Senators (highlighted in blue) joined the vast majority of the Republican caucus in trying to maintain state executions. Notably the list of Democrats who joined the GOP to maintain a culture of violence includes Senate President Mike Miller, MoCo Senator Rob Garagiola, wanna-be Senate President Mac Middleton and our all-time favorite State Senator Norm Stone.

VOTED FOR REPEAL OF THE DEATH PENALTY

1. John Astle
2. Joanne Benson
3. Joan Carter Conway
4. Ulysses Currie
5. Ed Degrange
6. Bill Ferguson
7. Jennie Forehand
8. Brian Frosh
9. Lisa Gladden
10. Verna Jones-Rodwell
11. Delores Kelley
12. Nancy King
13. Allan Kittleman (R)
14. Rich Madaleno
15. Roger Manno
16. Nate McFadden
17. Karen Montgomery
18. Anthony Muse
19. Douglas J.J. Peters
20. Paul Pinsky
21. Catherine Pugh
22. Victor Ramirez
23. Jamie Raskin
24. Ed Reilly (R)
25. Jim Rosapepe
26. Ron Young
27. Bobby Zirkin

VOTED AGAINST REPEAL OF THE DEATH PENALTY

1. David Brinkley 
2. Jim Brochin (D)
3. Richard Colburn
4. Roy Dyson (D)
5. George Edwards
6. Rob Garagiola (D)
7. Joseph Getty
8. Barry Glassman
9. Nancy Jacobs
10. J.B. Jennings
11. Ed Kasemeyer (D)
12. Katherine Klausmeier (D)
13. Jim Mathias (D)
14. Mac Middleton (D)
15. Mike Miller (D)
16. E.J. Pipkin
17. Jim Robey (D)
18. Chris Shank
19. Bryan Simonaire
20. Norm Stone (D)

WBFF reporter John Rydell captured a pretty great moment in a Tweet today, when he posted the following photo of former death row prisoner Kirk Bloodsworth (aka America's first DNA exoneree):

Maryland Senate Approves Assault Weapons Ban & Other Gun Laws // ROLL CALL: See How Your State Senator Voted

GUN REGULATIONS PASS 28-19 // SEVEN DEMOCRATIC SENATORS JOINED GOP: Governor Martin O'Malley's assault weapons ban and stricter gun licensing requirements passed the Maryland Senate today. The Capital Gazette reported on the development (excerpt below):

CAPITAL GAZETTE: The Maryland Senate passed Gov. Martin O'Malley's comprehensive gun control plan on Thursday. After more than four hours of debate this morning, the Senate voted 28-19 to pass Senate Bill 281, the Firearm Safety Act of 2013. If it passes the House, the bill would ban the sale of most assault weapons, require gun buyers to provide fingerprints and make it harder for people with mental illnesses to buy guns.

Thousands are expected to come to Annapolis when the House Judiciary and Health and Government Operations committees are scheduled to hear the legislation at 1 p.m. Friday. The bill has 38 sponsors in the House.

Below, Maryland Juice provides the roll call vote in the Maryland Senate. We highlight in "blue" the seven Democratic Senators who joined the GOP in opposing the gun laws:

VOTED FOR ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN & GUN LICENSING REQUIREMENTS

1. Joanne Benson
2. Jim Brochin
3. Joan Carter Conway
4. Ulysses Currie
5. Bill Ferguson
6. Jennie Forehand
7. Brian Frosh
8. Rob Garagiola
9. Lisa Gladden
10. Verna Jones-Rodwell
11. Ed Kasemeyer
12. Delores Kelley
13. Nancy King
14. Rich Madaleno
15. Roger Manno
16. Nate McFadden
17. Mike Miller
18. Karen Montgomery 
19. Anthony Muse
20. Douglas J.J. Peters
21. Paul Pinsky
22. Catherine Pugh
23. Victor Ramirez
24. Jamie Raskin
25. Jim Robey
26. Jim Rosapepe
27. Ron Young
28. Bobby Zirkin

VOTED AGAINST ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN & GUN LICENSING REQUIREMENTS

1. John Astle (D)
2. David Brinkley 
3. Richard Colburn 
4. Ed Degrange (D)
5. Roy Dyson (D)
6. George Edwards
7. Joseph Getty
8. Barry Glassman
9. Nancy Jacobs
10. J.B. Jennings
11. Allan Kittleman
12. Katherine Klausmeier (D)
13. Jim Mathias (D)
14. Mac Middleton (D)
15. E.J. Pipkin
16. Ed Reilly
17. Chris Shank
18. Bryan Simonaire
19. Norm Stone (D)

UPDATE: Maryland Death Penalty Repeal Faces Full Senate Vote Tuesday // Senate "Judiciary" Committee Approved Bill 6 to 5

UPDATE: The Maryland Senate's Judicial Proceedings Committee did indeed approve death penalty repeal legislation last night, in a 6-5 vote. As predicted, Sen. Bobby Zirkin joined his Democratic colleagues Jennie Forehand, Brian Frosh, Lisa Gladden, Anthony Muse, and Jamie Raskin in supporting repeal.

Also as predicted, Democratic Senators Norm Stone and Jim Brochin joined the three Republican Senators in opposing death penalty repeal. According to Maryland Citizens Against State Executions (MD CASE), the measure now heads to the full Senate for a vote on Tuesday. Here are a couple Tweets reporting on the big news:

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

[ CONTACT YOUR STATE SENATORS ]

VIDEO: Transgender Marylanders Describe Hate Crimes & Discrimination // WAKE UP TO YOUR ROLE IN THE PROBLEM

Yesterday Maryland Juice noted that over twenty State Senators introduced a bill to prohibit discrimination against transgender individuals. To bolster the effort today, a number of transgender Maryland residents released a video describing the shameful, violent and inhumane treatment they are prone to receiving from members of our community.

But before I present their courageous statements, I wanted to pause and lament once again that we are even having a debate over this non-discrimination law. I admit that I should be excited to see that this common-sense bill may finally be signed into law, but I can't help but feel sad and angry that we are having to cyclically prove the worth of some group of humans to the rest of society. Indeed, I won't hold my breath for State Senator Norm Stone to get behind this effort, given that he represents the worst example of the kind of hateful policymaking I am talking about -- and he's a Democrat! As you are likely aware by now, Sen. Norm Stone previously voted against interracial marriage in Maryland and has since then continued voting against individual liberty and human rights. What a POS.


GET OVER YOURSELF: I get very tired of humanity's hateful impulses sometimes. Too many people seem to think they have some right to not be offended by the sight or lifestyles of other people -- even if they are not actually being affected by the people they are seemingly obsessed with. The law should not exist to give rise to personal discrimination or to protect people from the unrealized paranoia of their own views.  To be fair, the history of the United States (including today) is rife with examples where we have allowed our laws to become instruments of illogic. But over time members of the advocacy community often succeed in pointing out and correcting the injustices we as a society often create. The question I have is why the other members of society constantly force us to wage decades-long struggles in order to achieve policy results that are simply humane? Get over yourself.


LEAVE THE HOUSE MORE OFTEN: In particular, the resistance to anti-discrimination laws protecting transgender individuals makes me wish people in the United States would travel more. Every time I leave the country, I'm struck by the simple observation that ordinary people in every nation appear to want the same things we do (eg: good health, employment, security for their loved ones, etc), and they laugh, cry and fear things just as we in the U.S. do. But every once in a while when I leave the country, I am also struck by how the things that pass as "normal" in other societies can be so wildly different than at home. In particular, after a couple recent swings through Southeast Asia, I was astonished to see a decent number of transgender individuals going out about their lives and working without drama in various retail establishments. Guess what? The sky is not falling in those countries. I'm also tempted to point out that at least some of the victims of discrimination in the United States may have biological factors pushing their gender identity -- but that really seems besides the point.


FAIRNESS FOR ALL ACT OF 2013: The summary for the transgender anti-discrimination law currently moving in the Maryland Senate states the following goals:

BILL SUMMARY: Prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity with regard to public accommodations, housing, and employment and by specified licensed or regulated persons; prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity with regard to commercial leasing; altering an exception for employers relating to standards concerning dress and grooming; providing specified immunity; requiring State personnel actions to be made without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation; defining the term "gender identity"; etc.

TRANSGENDER MARYLAND RESIDENTS SPEAK OUT: A handful of brave transgender Marylanders produced the video below to explain their circumstances and support this bill:



SHOCKING REMINDERS: Lest you think the claims from these residents are exaggerated, let me provide you with some recent video exhibits to make the case.  WARNING: these videos are unpleasant:

APRIL 2011: Rosedale, Maryland Transgender Attack at McDonald's

FEBRUARY 2008: Memphis Cop Beats Up Transsexual Under Custody

AN INDIGNANT RESPONSE: The Memphis police beating led a number of people to post response videos on YouTube, and I appreciate the indignation expressed by this gentleman (Note: the video contains cursing, if that sort of thing bothers you):



One relieving aspect to these hate crimes is that communities tend to rally around the victims. Even still, the common nature of violent hate crimes against transgender residents leads me to wonder to what extent our collective (unwarranted) fears lay the groundwork for these assaults. Here's to hoping that Maryland passes the "Fairness for All Act."

Either Senator Norm Stone Thinks His Constituents Have Too Much Sex With Animals Or He's a Jerk // #PRIMARYHISASS

 ACT NOW: www.CleanSlateCoalition.com

This week, Maryland Juice reported on the shocking discovery that Democratic State Senator Norm Stone voted to BAN interracial marriage in 1967. It turns out that he's still as much of a jerk as he was back then. First, he's opposing marriage equality this year, but that's not all. His response to Governor Martin O'Malley's push for social justice this year was to introduce a bestiality bill!

Today, Mr. Stone apparently realized that his bill was juvenile and asshole-ish so he quietly dropped it. I call too little too late on him - 45 years too late. The Dundalk Patch reported on the news:

An anti-bestiality bill sponsored by Sen. Norman Stone has been withdrawn nearly a week after it was first introduced.

Stone, the longest currently serving state senator, said Thursday that he is withdrawing the bill, in part, "because of graphic language" in the bill....

Some of Stone's colleagues teased him with a threat to make him stand up and explain the bill if it came to a vote of the full Senate.

Maryland Juice is glad Mr. Stone's colleagues think this is a laughing matter, because I consider him a disgrace to the Democratic Party and the institution of the State Senate. He is a relic from a hateful part of America's past, and somehow the leadership of this State decided to keep him around -- AND give him committee chairmanships.

Democrats, it is time to take matters into our own hands. No more waiting for Superman. Will somebody #PRIMARYHISASS? I am collecting pledges of $1 from potential donors.

See the text of Mr. Stone's "legislation" below -- and believe me, this isn't the last you've heard from Maryland Juice about Norm Stone. I will begin an online experiment to see what a two-year digital filibuster looks like:

1967 Called: They Want Sen. Norm Stone Back // Maryland Democrat Voted to BAN Interracial Marriage - He's Still There!

 ACT NOW: www.CleanSlateCoalition.com

1967: Interracial Marriage in Maryland "Violates God and Nature"

Maryland Juice loves humanity sometimes. Check out the following Baltimore Sun article from February of 1967, discussing the Maryland Senate's historic repeal of the Free State's interracial marriage ban. A few choice excerpts are printed below, along with a scan of the full article. Note that the article highlights the 1967 vote of State Senator Norm Stone, who is still in office today -- as a Democrat. Mr. Stone voted against allowing committed interracial couples to get married. Guess what his views on marriage equality and the death penalty are? Hilariously, Stone chaired an ethics committee! Is that supposed to be a joke?

The Maryland Senate voted today to repeal the State law banning interracial marriages....

Opposition came from an alliance of Eastern Shore and Baltimore city and county senators....

Senators Robert P. Dean (D., Upper Shore) and Frederick C. Malkus (D., Lower Shore) were joined in opposition to the repeal by the following Baltimore area senators: ...Norman R. Stone, Jr. of the 6th county district.... 

After the vote, [State Senator Joseph] Manning ... issued a statement explaining his stand. In it, he declared his belief that repealing the present interracial ban "violates the law of God and nature."

See the full article below, and note that Maryland's debate around interracial marriage in 1967 sounds disturbingly similar to today's debate about same-sex marriage. One of the opponents of interracial marriage in the article notes that he had received "a number of communications from colored ministers asking me to vote against repeal of this law." Uh huh. 


Baltimore Sun: Senate Rejects Ban on Marriage - Feb 1967

Maryland Juice is part of an interracial couple and wants to know: 

1. How is Senator Norm Stone still in office? 
2. How does he win Democratic Primaries? 
3. Who selected him to Chair a committee? 

P.S. Metro Weekly noted this week: Sen. Norman Stone (D-Baltimore Co.) opposed the [marriage equality] measure, both in committee and on the floor, when the bill passed the full Senate last year 25-21.

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