GOP War on Voting Comes to MoCo // MD Board of Elections to Vote OCT 15 on Ending Early Voting Sites: Here's the Process

By Matt Verghese

Here we go again.... Four months after Governor Larry Hogan vetoed a bill to restore voting rights to 40,000 people returning to society from prison, the Maryland GOP is back at it. The Washington Post reported on controversy swirling around a recent decision by the Republican-led Montgomery County Board of Elections (MCBOE) to replace two of nine high-performing early voting sites with less populated polling locations closer to Republicans (excerpt below, emphasis mine):

WASHINGTON POST: The Republican majority on the Montgomery County Board of Elections, led by an appointee of Gov. Larry Hogan (R), voted Monday to shift two heavily used early-voting sites to less populous locations, prompting Democratic charges­ of voter suppression. 

The board voted 3 to 2 to move early voting from the Marilyn Praisner Community Center in Burtonsville, which serves high-poverty East County communities along U.S. 29, to the Longwood Community Recreation Center in Brookeville, 13 miles to the northwest. The panel also shifted early balloting from the Jane Lawton Community Recreation Center in Chevy Chase, about a half-mile from the Bethesda Metro station, to the Potomac Community Recreation Center, on Falls Road, 10 miles to the northwest....

THE PROCESS: WHAT HAPPENED & WHAT COMES NEXT: Notably, the party of the Governor (now a Republican) gets to appoint members to county boards of election. Montgomery County's board is now made up of three Republicans and two Democrats:

• Jim Shalleck, President - Republican
• Nahid Khozeimeh, Vice President - Republican
• Mary Ann Keeffe, Secretary - Democrat
• Alexander Vincent, Board Member - Republican
• David Naimon, Board Member - Democrat

Notably, Jim Shalleck was the 2014 Republican candidate for Montgomery County Executive and formerly chaired the MoCo Republican Party. After listening to public testimony on Montgomery County's early vote locations, the MCBOE took a partly line vote (3-2) to close two early voting centers and replace them with locations closer to Republicans. The Montgomery County Republicans' proposal now heads to the five-member State Board of Elections (SBOE) for a final vote on October 15th. Notably the SBOE also now has a Republican majority, but one more person has to weigh in before this vote occurs: Linda Lamone, the State Administrator of the Board of Elections. Code of Maryland Regulation 33.17.02.02F states (excerpt below):

MARYLAND CODE: Upon receipt of a form for a proposed early voting center, the State Administrator shall review and make a recommendation to the State Board as to whether to accept or reject the proposed early voting center....

Lamone could base a recommendation against the GOP's early voting proposal based on criteria listed in state regulations, including provisions that polling locations be "served by public transportation and roads" and have "parking facilities sufficient for early voting." Notably Lamone has served as Maryland's State Administrator since Governor Paris Glendening and previously foiled an attempt by Republican Governor Bob Ehrlich to remove her from her position.

The provision that sites be "served by public transportation" could be problematic for the Republicans' proposal to close the Burtonsville site and replace it with one at the Longwood Community Recreation Center in Brookeville. Only one bus route serves the Brookeville site (Ride On Route 53, with a stop .3 miles from the polls), and the bus only runs in the morning and evening on weekdays. Meanwhile, early voting is open all day.

If Lamone were to recommend against the early voting changes, it would take a super-majority of the SBOE to approve the Montgomery County Republicans' proposal. And if all else fails in stopping the Republican voter suppression effort, there is one final backstop: A few state legislators representing Montgomery County are contemplating legislation to increase the county's number of early voting sites from nine to eleven, using the two additional sites to restore polling locations in Chevy Chase and Burtonsville. The Washington Post's Bill Turque reported on this backstop legislation (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: State Sen. Rich Madaleno (D-Montgomery) said Wednesday that when the general Assembly reconvenes in January, he and Del. Eric Luedtke (D-Montgomery) will introduce a measure to expand the number of early voting sites in the county from nine to 11. The bill would restore the Marilyn Praisner Community Recreation Center in Burtonsville and the Jane Lawton Community Recreation Center in Chevy Chase to the list while retaining the two new sites selected by the board, Longwood Community Recreation Center in Brookeville and Potomac Community Recreation Center in Potomac....

[GOP MCBOE Chair] Shalleck said his only goal was to improve the “geographic diversity” of the sites, creating access to early voting for communities that have had none. But County Council staff have raised questions about whether the Longwood site meets all the Maryland criteria for early voting centers, specifically access to public transportation. [County Counicilmember Nancy] Navarro said the measure sponsored by Madaleno and Leudtke was “ a great idea. I’m really hoping this could be a fix,” she said....

STEP 1: SIGN PETITION TO REVERSE 
EARLY VOTING CHANGES

STEP 2: E-MAIL MARYLAND'S
STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS

 

VIDEO OF GOP BOARD OF ELECTIONS MEMBERS DISCUSSING THE CHANGES: In response to the controversy, Montgomery County Councilmembers held a public hearing to question the county Board of Elections (MCBOE) about the motivation for these changes. In the video clip below (posted by Councilmember Tom Hucker) you can see the recently appointed Republican Chair of the MCBOE Jim Shalleck admit that:

1. Replacing the Burtonsville and Chevy Chase early voting sites with ones closer to Republicans would mean fewer voters live close to an early vote polling location
2. Not a single person who testified at a public hearing about polling locations called for closing the Burtonsville or Chevy Chase polling locations
3. Not a single person testified in favor of the proposed new sites in the less densely populated neighborhoods
4. Republican members of the MCBOE held private calls with Republican Party leaders about changing the early voting sites

Let’s break the Republicans' decision down:

IMPACT OF THE GOP'S PROPOSED EARLY VOTING CHANGES: The move by the GOP Board to "expand the geographic reach of early voting" may seem innocuous, but is hard to see as anything but a partisan move -- instead of one based on fair and efficient election administration. Congressman Van Hollen points out that Chevy Chase's Lawton Community Center is the only western down-county early voting site within walking distance of a Metro station. The Republicans are proposing to close this polling location and open a new one in a far-less populated area in Potomac that is not Metro-accessible.

But what is most suspect about the GOP’s proposal is how it moves early voting away from the high concentration of minority voters in East County. You can visualize what the impact of this change by using the Racial Dot Map from the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. The black star on the map below is the current Burtonsville early voting center. The shading around the star represents the concentration of minority voters:

Borders reflect approximately 5 mile radius from Praisner Center

The same voter suppression in Burtonsville holds true for lower-income voters. The following map was created using the Synthetic Population Viewer developed by RTI International. Again, the star represents the Burtonsville early voting site, and the shading near the site represents lower income voters:

Unsurprisingly, these voters tend to vote Democratic. By comparison, the precincts around the Republicans proposed new site in Brookeville are among the handful of areas that Governor Hogan won in Montgomery County in 2014. The black star below represents the GOP's proposed new site in Brookeville, and the shading around the star represents the concentration of the Republican vote:

Thousands of low-income minority and Democratic-leaning voters will now be over 10 miles away from the nearest early voting center. But election data in Maryland show that the closer you are to an early voting site, the more likely you are to use it.

WHY THIS MATTERS IN 2016: Early voting use has surged (especially among young voters, African Americans and Hispanic voters)  but its impact on turnout is mixed. Should we care then about these changes to early voting, especially when our friends across the aisle portend we don’t even need early voting since we can vote by absentee for any reason at all?

One big reason is a new Maryland law taking effect that allows same day voter registration. Starting in 2016, Maryland residents can register to vote and cast a ballot at any early voting center for 8 days. According to Demos, same-day registration would increase overall turnout especially among young adults, voters of color and low-income families. Research even suggests  that voter turnout is maximized when same day registration is coupled with early voting. Moving early voter centers away from the voters most likely to benefit from same day registration? This is surely not the intention of the GOP....

BUT IT COULD’VE BEEN WORSE (HA): Facing perhaps unexpected pressure from the press and elected officials to fully explain their rationale for the early voting changes  -- Republican MCBOE Chair Jim Shalleck warned Kate Ryan of WTOP that it could’ve been much worse (transcript below, emphasis mine):

JIM SHALLECK: If we wanted to be political we could’ve cut Silver Spring and Wheaton - the two most heavily Democratic voting sites. But we didn’t.

The Republican Chairman's defense boils down to the fact that they could've suppressed even more voters than they did.  Beyond that Mr. Shalleck’s friends in the Montgomery County GOP put out a near incoherent statement of support spreading falsehoods - asserting that the Praisner site is “heavily used by residents of PG County” (unlikely per Maryland Election Law §3–305) or that Republicans are “making the early voting process more convenient” (tell that to the Burtonsville voters who has to take a 2 hour one-way bus ride to register to vote or cast a ballot).

EARLY VOTING WORKS WELL FOR MINORITIES AND LOW-INCOME VOTERS: The Washington Post’s Emily Badger makes a persuasive economic case about why early voting is important to minorities and low-income voters (excerpt below, emphasis mine)

WASHINGTON POST: Early voting is intimately bound up in race, not simply because minorities are more likely to take advantage of it, but because the policy itself addresses systemic barriers they face. When we decide to vote, we're not simply making a calculation about whether we like the candidates, or care about the issues at stake, or value the abstract idea of democracy. We also have to make calculations about how to get to the polls, whether we can spare the time to go there, and who will watch the kids while we're gone. 

These costs associated with voting — in lost pay, in childcare, in transit fares — are higher for minorities and the poor. Which is why they are among the largest beneficiaries of early, flexible voting.

Act now to stop the Maryland Republicans' voter suppression efforts:

STEP 1: SIGN PETITION TO REVERSE 
EARLY VOTING CHANGES

STEP 2: E-MAIL MARYLAND'S
STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS

JUICE: Updates on Delaney for Governor, Mooney for Congress, Dana Beyer vs. Sen. Madaleno, MoCo's Exec Race & Much More!

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

JUICE #1: MORE SPECULATION THAT REP. JOHN DELANEY MAY RUN FOR GOVERNOR - In comments to the media, Congressman John Delaney has been suggesting he "expects" to remain in the U.S. House next year (see an example in the YouTube video below):


Nevertheless, Maryland Juice is convinced that Delaney entering the contested race for Governor is a very real possibility. Here's one piece of evidence: last week gubernatorial candidate Doug Gansler came out with the following position regarding Maryland's bungled Obamacare enrollment system (excerpt below):

DOUG GANSLER: Last week, Jolene and I called on the state of Maryland to allow Maryland consumers to use the federal exchange website to purchase Maryland health insurance plans....

The Affordable Care Act was a great accomplishment, and Maryland should have led the way in implementing President Obama’s legacy legislation. But in the nearly four months since the website launched, most Marylanders still are unable to use it to buy insurance....

But in response to Gansler's position, Delaney saw fit to issue the following press response:

PRESS RELEASE

Delaney Statement on Gansler call for healthcare.gov option

WASHINGTON – Today, Attorney General Doug Gansler called for allowing Marylanders the option to purchase health insurance using the Federal health exchange website in addition to the Maryland Health Exchange website.

Congressman Delaney releases the following statement:

"I compliment Attorney General Gansler for suggesting a sensible solution on the Maryland Exchange which is the same solution we have been proposing for months"

##

I don't know about you, but this sounds to me like the type of short press response a rival candidate would send out!


JUICE #2: FORMER MD GOP CHAIR ALEX MOONEY LEADS MONEY RACE FOR WEST VIRGINIA CONGRESSIONAL SEAT - Maryland's former Republican Party Chair Alex Mooney moved to West Virginia last year to run for an open Congressional seat. Today the West Virginia Metro News reports that Mooney is leading the money race in his field (excerpt below):

WV METRO NEWS: Money, in and of itself, does not win elections. But then again, it’s awfully hard to win without it.  With that in mind, here are the latest campaign finance numbers for key candidates in the critical federal races in West Virginia for 2014....

The Republican field in the 2nd District continues to grow.  There are now seven candidates in the race: Alex Mooney, who was active in Maryland politics before moving to West Virginia a few years ago, has the most money of any GOP candidate in the race: $301,000.  Charlotte Lane has $255,000 in the bank after raising $215,000 in the 4th quarter.  Berkeley Springs pharmacist Ken Reed has $226,000 in his treasury, nearly all coming from a personal loan to his campaign.  Ron Walters, Jr., has $63,000 on hand....

JUICE #3: UPDATE ON RACE BETWEEN STATE SENATOR RICH MADALENO AND DANA BEYER - Two-time Delegate candidate Dana Beyer recently announced a Democratic Primary challenge to D18 State Senator Rich Madaleno. We have a few small updates to the race, starting with an endorsement for Madaleno from his colleague Sen. Jamie Raskin:

JAMIE RASKIN: Senator Madaleno is Montgomery County’s budgetary wizard who translates the progressive priorities of our delegation every day into the dollars and cents of the state budget.   I celebrate his service and treasure his remarkable contributions to our community.  I support his re-election.

The Washington Post's Frederick Kunkle also provided commentary from Sen. Madaleno about the primary challenge (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: ... Madaleno (D-Montgomery) shrugged off the challenge. “I’m proud of my rather lengthy list of accomplishments,” he said Thursday. Madaleno, who joined the state Senate in 2007, said that as a member of the Budget and Taxation committee and the chairman of its Education, Business and Administration subcommittee, he has played an important role in shaping legislative initiatives as varied as the Dream Act, marriage equality, and generous funding for public education.

“I think the last four years in particular have been the most progressive in Maryland history,” Madaleno said. He also boasted of having received the support of all the other senators in the county’s delegation.

Asked about the significance of the matchup between a transgender and openly gay candidate, Madaleno said, “I think it says that people who, in years past, would never have thought of running for office, now find the doors wide open. There’s tremendously more acceptance. It’s been a remarkable transformation in 12 years.” Madaleno said there are now eight openly gay members in the Maryland General Assembly, a number that he said he believes is more than any other in the country....

Judging by the early commentary from some media figures, the D18 Senate race may be one of the more colorful contests in MoCo. Here are some examples from Twitter:

JUICE #4: MONTGOMERY COUNTY POLICE ENDORSE DOUG DUNCAN FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE - Former MoCo Exec Doug Duncan recently received the endorsement of the County police union in his race for County Executive (excerpt below):

TORRIE COOKE, MOCO FOP: As President of Montgomery County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 35, I am pleased to announce that we are endorsing Doug Duncan for Montgomery County Executive. 

Having been a police officer for 20 years now, and having worked with different administrations and politicians, I know that Doug is equipped to provide Montgomery County with whatever it needs to get us back on track. When looking at all of the positive traits of the county executive candidates, Doug displays the traits of a leader we can trust and who will stand by his word. 

We took a hard look at all the candidates, and decided that Doug’s commitment to the safety of Montgomery County and his passionate service to make a better tomorrow tipped the scales in his favor to earn our endorsement....

JUICE #5: MOCO, PRINCE GEORGE'S & BALTIMORE COUNTY EXECUTIVES CALL ON GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES TO ENDORSE SCHOOL FUNDING PUSH - Maryland Juice received the following letter from MoCo Exec Ike Leggett, Prince George's Exec Rushern Baker, and Baltimore County Exec Kevin Kamenetz urging the Democratic gubernatorial candidates to get behind their efforts to secure school construction funds for the "Big 3" jurisdictions. Identical version of the letter below were sent to Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, Attorney General Doug Gansler, and Delegate Heather Mizeur:

Leggett, Kamenetz, Baker School Funding Letter to Gubernatorial Candidates

DOUG GANSLER RESPONDS: Gansler's campaign issued the following statement in response to the request from the three County Executives (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Gansler Supports County Executives' Effort to Seek Additional School Construction Funding

Sends Letter to County Executives Supporting Legislative Effort

Silver Spring, MARYLAND – Democratic gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Douglas Gansler today sent a letter  “strongly supporting” the efforts of Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III,  Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, and Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett to secure more funding for school construction.

Gansler also issued the following statement:

“Portable classrooms, leaky roofs, and inadequate bathrooms, most of them found at schools in communities with the greatest need, are not the hallmarks of the best education system in the nation. They are symbolic of an education system that serves some and not others. I strongly support the County Executives’ efforts to seek additional education funds for school construction. With the endless stream of gambling revenue that the administration promised will fund our schools, we should fully expect Lt. Governor Brown to submit this as one of the signature pieces of legislation for the administration this session....”

JUICE #6: LT. GOVERNOR CANDIDATES DEBATE IN BALTIMORE THIS FRIDAY - Baltimore's B.E.S.T. Democratic Club is hosting a candidates debate with the three Democratic candidates for Lt. Governor. The event is taking place this Friday:

B.E.S.T. Democratic Club is hosting a round table where we can meet and hear from the Democratic Lt. Governor candidates.

The running mates are Rev. Delman Coates, the senior pastor of a Baptist church in Clinton, Md., Delegate Jolene Ivey from Prince George’s County, and Ken Ulman, the County Executive from Howard County.

To find out more information about each candidate and to ask your own questions join us on:

Date: Friday, February 7, 2014
Location: 139 N. Belnord, Baltimore, MD 21224
Time: 6:30 p.m.

JUICE #7: LT. GOVERNOR ANTHONY BROWN'S FATHER PASSED AWAY LAST WEEK - Maryland Juice received the following press release from Lt. Governor Anthony Brown's campaign reporting that the candidate's father passed away last week (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

STATEMENT FROM LT. GOVERNOR BROWN ON THE PASSING OF HIS FATHER, DR. ROY H. BROWN

Huntington, N.Y. (January 30, 2014) - Today, it is with great sadness that we announce the news of the passing of Dr. Roy H. Brown at the age of 89. Lt. Governor Brown’s father, Dr. Roy Brown, was moved from the hospital to hospice late last week, and the Lt. Governor has taken the past few days to be with his family. Over the last four months, Dr. Brown has courageously battled cancer. This morning, he passed at home surrounded by his loving wife Lilly, his children and his family.

Below is the statement from Lt. Governor Brown on the passing of his father:

"My father was a man who led by example. He rose out of poverty in Kingston, Jamaica and overcame incredible odds to become a doctor. As a loving husband and father, he worked tirelessly to provide every opportunity for his children. As a family physician, he donated his services to countless people in need of care. He always put others first. That is the essence of who my father was and how he lived his life...."

JUICE #8: LIBERAL GROUPS CREATE WISH-LIST OF POLICIES FOR OBAMA, INCLUDING COMMENTARY FROM VALERIE ERVIN - Maryland Juice caught an interesting piece on Salon.com last week, with the following headline and explanation: "Send Arne Duncan to Mars!: A State of the Union wish list for liberals. We asked left-of-center groups what they hope to hear in the president's speech tonight. Here are the best replies." Notably, the round-up of commentary included remarks from former MoCo Councilmember Valerie Ervin. I flagged a few additional reform suggestions below:

SALON.COM: "In the State of the Union President Obama should take a stand against the lockup quota that requires Immigration and Customs Enforcement to imprison at minimum 34,000 immigrants at any given time." - Silky Shah, interim executive director, Detention Watch Network

"… the Citizens United decision has given wealthy interests a megaphone so big it drowns out the rest of our voices. President Obama should put the voters back in charge by announcing a plan for public financing of federal elections, to allow every voice to be heard.” – Valerie Ervin, executive director, Center for Working Families

“I hope that he vows to work with Congress to change the law with regard to the NSA bulk collection, and makes a spirited defense of civil liberties even as he attempts to keep our nation safe....  It would be important for his legacy for him to distinguish himself from the Big Brother policies of the Bush administration and to rein in the surveillance state.” – Laura Murphy, director, ACLU Washington Legislative Office

"The key thing that the president needs to do is articulate a vision of a future in which America is no longer ‘exceptional’ in its rates of incarceration but merely average …  As for drug policy specifically, the most important thing he could do would be to question the need to take away anyone’s freedom simply for possessing or using a drug." – Ethan Nadelmann, executive director, Drug Policy Alliance

"President Obama should start by apologizing for the recent comments of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan that parents who oppose the harsh overtesting regime that has afflicted our schools are just upset that their children aren’t smart enough.... He will announce the resumption of manned space flight, starting with a trip to Mars by Arne Duncan and Bill Gates, where they will try out their education experiments on any inhabitants they find there...." —  Leonie Haimson, executive director, Class Size Matters

JUICE #9: MONTGOMERY COUNTY EXECUTIVE & COUNCIL CANDIDATES TO SPEAK AT FORUM ON RENTERS ISSUES - Maryland Juice received the following event announcement from the MoCo Renters Alliance noting that all three County Exec candidates (Phil Andrews, Doug Duncan & Ike Leggett) will be speaking at a March 5th renters policy forum:

RENTERS ALLIANCE: In a sign of the growing influence of organized renters raising the volume of their voices on renter issues, all of the candidates have confirmed their participation at our next candidates forum. Join us Wednesday, March 5th at the Silver Spring Civic Center for the first-ever county candidates forum focused on rental housing issues. County Executive candidates Isiah Leggett, Doug Duncan, Phil Andrews and Jim Shallek have all confirmed as has each of the County Council candidates--incumbents and challengers. Seating is limited. Join us and sign up for this exciting and historic event and lend your voice to our movement to establish renters' rights and security in our communities....

Here are some details on the event:

Silver Spring Civic Center
1 Veterans Place
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Wednesday, March 5, 2014 from 6:30 PM to 10:00 PM

JUICE #10: US SENATOR BARBARA MIKULSKI IN MOCO SAT 2/15 FOR DISCUSSION OF GMO'S & FOOD POLICY - Maryland Juice received the following event announcement from the Takoma Park-Silver Spring Co-Op. U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski is expected to be in MoCo to talk about food policy and "genetically modified organisms" (aka GMO's). Indeed, GMO's are becoming an increasingly heated policy topic, as big corporations like Monsanto continue to try and sell expensive GMO seeds to farmers around the world and claim "patents" to own our global food supply:

Co-op’s Annual Food and Public Policy Series:
Historic Takoma Building 7328 Carroll Ave. Takoma Park MD 20912.

Saturday, Feb 15, 1-4 pm
GMOs, AND HOW LEGISLATION MIGHT IMPACT MARYLAND CONSUMERS

Invited Guest: Barbara Mikulski

JUICE: Beyer vs. Sen. Madaleno, Delaney for Gov, Attack on Purple Line, Patch.com Folding, Domestic Violence in 2014

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

JUICE #1: DANA BEYER ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN AGAINST D18 STATE SENATOR RICH MADALENO - This morning two-time D18 Delegate candidate Dana Beyer announced a campaign for State Senate through a column on The Huffington Post (excerpt below):

DANA BEYER (VIA HUFFINGTON  POST): Today I am announcing my next campaign for the betterment of my community in Montgomery County.

We are ready for progress. For too long, hardworking Marylanders have waited for economic fairness and equal opportunity. We have asked our elected officials to help bring better jobs to our neighborhoods, build stronger schools for our children, fix our roads and infrastructure and make quality health care an affordable reality.

We are ready to move forward, and that's why I'm declaring my candidacy for the Maryland Senate.

I am a retired surgeon, a mother of two and a progressive activist. I've spent my entire life fighting for social justice and equal opportunity in our community and around the globe. I'm proud of my track record of success on progressive issues, and now I'm seeking the opportunity to serve you in public office....

The Washington Blade's Michael Lavers also covered Beyer's announcement and carried interesting commentary from LGBT advocates in Maryland (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON BLADE: ... Beyer, 61, announced her campaign slightly more than a week after Madaleno introduced a bill that would ban discrimination against transgender Marylanders.... Carrie Evans, executive director of Equality Maryland, which endorsed Madaleno’s re-election campaign late last year, told the Blade the Montgomery County Democrat’s “strong record of accomplishments go beyond the LGBT communities....” Beyer is a former member of the Equality Maryland board of directors.

Lisa Polyak, who stepped down as chair of the Equality Maryland board in 2012, also defended Madaleno. “Although Dana has been a tireless advocate for transgender equality locally and nationally, she doesn’t possess the seniority or relationships that can advance priorities of LGBT citizens of Maryland,” Polyak told the Blade.

Evans said having another LGBT candidate “challenging our endorsed candidate” will divert the “limited resources that we earmarked to help our friends in other races” who supported Maryland’s same-sex marriage law in 2012. She also described Beyer’s announcement that comes less than a week before the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee hearing on the trans rights bill as “ironic.”

“Some might say the timing of her announcement only serves to distract and potentially diminish our chances of passing the bill,” said Evans. “Since this is our top legislative priority in 2014 and transgender Marylanders should not have to continue to wait for inclusion in the state anti-discrimination laws, Equality Maryland hopes it does not...." Beyer would become the first trans person elected to the Maryland Legislature if she wins in November.

Meanwhile, Sen. Madaleno sent the following email blast today discussing his legislative priorities for the current Annapolis session (excerpt below):

RICH MADALENO: Throughout my legislative career, I have focused on the needs of Maryland’s working families.  This year is no different.  Below are some of the important initiatives that I am helping to lead in the General Assembly.

MINIMUM WAGE ... As a co-sponsor and strong supporter of legislation recently introduced by Governor O’Malley that would increase the state minimum wage to $10.10 for Maryland employees, I am proud to stand with working families for whom this raise is long overdue....

EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT ...  In his State of the Union address, President Obama additionally announced his support of a key poverty fighting tool that I have been working to expand here in Maryland over the past several years: the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)....

RETIREMENT SECURITY This year I am working with AARP, SEIU, and small business leaders to advance innovative legislation that would establish a state-based retirement savings plan for workers without access to employer-sponsored plans....

PAID SICK LEAVE ... As an extension of my “working families” agenda, this session I am proud to co-sponsor the Maryland Earned Sick and Safe Leave Act, allowing workers in Maryland to earned a limited number of paid sick days....

HEALTHY MARYLAND INITIATIVE ... Last but not least, this year I am a primary sponsor of important legislation that would raise millions of dollars to expand health care access to low-income families in Maryland by increasing tobacco taxes by $1 per cigarette pack.....

JUICE #2: FREDERICK NEWS-POST WEIGHS IN FAVORABLY ON POTENTIAL GUBERNATORIAL CAMPAIGN BY REP. JOHN DELANEY - The editorial board of The Frederick News-Post today issued a piece ruminating on a potential gubernatorial run by Congressman John Delaney. Though the piece isn't quite an endorsement, it seems to come close (excerpt below):

FREDERICK NEWS-POST: ... Delaney, Maryland’s 6th District congressman, was playing his cards close to the vest. While he strongly suggested that he would seek a return to Congress next year, speculation is mounting that he may jump into Maryland’s Democratic gubernatorial primary. The congressman’s refusal to categorically rule out a bid for the Governor’s Mansion adds to the speculation.....

If Delaney does decide to join that race, he could be a formidable contender. Each of the three principal candidates — Attorney General Douglas Gansler, Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and Montgomery County Delegate Heather Mizeur — has some issues that could work in Delaney’s favor....

We’re not here to plug Delaney as a candidate or to urge him to enter this race. However, we do believe that he would be a good addition to the lineup and give Maryland Democrats more choice in the June primary. He might also have wider overall appeal than Brown, Gansler or Mizeur due to his entrepreneurial and business experience....

JUICE #3: PATCH.COM LAYS OFF HUNDREDS OF JOURNALISTS  //  WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR LOCAL POLITICAL COVERAGE? - Patch.com has been operating numerous micro-news sites in Maryland, but Breitbart reported yesterday that the publication eliminated hundreds of journalists without warning (excerpt below):

BREITBART: Patch.com laid off hundreds of employees Wednesday morning, without apparent warning, meaning that most of the network's local websites will cease to produce news, local or otherwise. The decision was made by Hale Global, the "turnaround" company that bought Patch.com from AOL earlier this month.... It failed to live up to its early commercial promise, however, and its formal end may be near....

While I am disappointed to see another local news outlet going under, I have been encouraged to see ramped up activity and coverage from non-traditional media sites like Bethesda Magazine, Bethesda Now, Maryland Reporter, Center Maryland, The Quinton Report, Red Maryland and others. But one problem facing local political and policy coverage is that many of us (including Maryland Juice) do not have adequate revenue streams to do anything but sporadic or volunteer-driven reporting. Meanwhile, mainstream media publications that I read frequently (like The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Post and The Capital Gazette) are increasingly adding pay-walls and subscriber-only access for their coverage. I'm not sure what this all means for the future of local political news....


JUICE #4: CHERRI BRANSON APPOINTED TO VALERIE ERVIN'S MOCO COUNCIL SEAT // PLUS: BOE MEMBER CHRIS BARCLAY & OTHERS GEARING UP FOR PRIMARY - As we predicted, MoCo attorney Cherri Branson was selected to fill Valerie Ervin's vacant seat on the County Council. Maryland Juice received the following press release from the Council announcing the decision (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Montgomery County Council Appoints Cherri Branson as New Councilmember for District 5

ROCKVILLE, Md., January 28, 2014 — The Montgomery County Council today appointed Cherri Branson by acclamation as the new Councilmember for District 5.  Ms. Branson will succeed former Councilmember Valerie Ervin, who resigned from the Council on Jan. 3 to become executive director of the Center for Working Families. Ms. Branson will complete the unexpired term, which ends on December 1, 2014.

“Cherri Branson has outstanding civic and professional experience, and the Council looks forward to her service,” said Council President Craig Rice. “We were fortunate to have many excellent applicants, and our decision was a difficult one. We deeply appreciate their willingness to serve the community.”

A graduate of Vassar College (B.A.), Indiana University School of Law (J.D.), and Emory University School of Law (LL.M.), Ms. Branson has held key staff positions in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1989. She is now Chief Counsel for Oversight on the Democratic staff of the House Committee on Homeland Security.  She has been president of the African American Democratic Club of Montgomery County. The Council appointed her as a member of the County’s Commission on Redistricting in 2011. She has also served as a member of the Charter Review Commission.

“I am honored to be appointed to the Montgomery County Council,” said Ms. Branson. “I am familiar with many of the key issues facing the County and the Council, and I will work quickly to learn more. I pledge to effectively represent the residents of District 5—and all the people of Montgomery County....”

###

Given that Cherri Branson has agreed not to run for the District 5 Council seat in the June Democratic Primary, Bethesda Magazine's Lou Peck provided an update on the status of the looming primary battle (excerpt below):

BETHESDA MAGAZINE: As the County Council Tuesday unanimously appointed congressional aide Cherri Branson as a “caretaker” to serve out the remaining 10 months of the term of former Councilmember Valerie Ervin, the maneuvering to win election to the seat for a full four-year term beginning next December intensified.

Christopher Barclay, a member of the county’s Board of Education since 2006, said this week he is running in the June primary for the Democratic nod for the council seat in District 5.... Meanwhile, another well-known officeholder from that area, two-term state Delegate Tom Hucker, is said by sources to be leaning strongly toward giving up his current position to run for the council....

But, in advance of the Feb. 25 filing deadline, at least five candidates are expected to seek the “long-term” District 5 seat, with Barclay and Hucker joined by Evan Glass, chairman of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board; Terrill North, vice president of Impact Silver Spring, a group formed to provide support services to the community; and Jeff Thames, who heads an organization that seeks to provide opportunities to former prisoners. Thames formally filed for the seat last week....

As the Democratic Primary field develops, Cherri Branson is getting settled into her temporary Council appointment. She sent the following email blast out yesterday (excerpt below):

CHERRI BRANSON: I am honored and humbled that the County Council has selected me to serve you as the new District 5 Councilmember.  I am committed to delivering the high level of service that the residents of District 5 expect and deserve. I thank the councilmembers for the tremendous confidence that each of them has placed in me.

I am familiar with many of the key issues facing the County and the Council, and I will work quickly to learn even more. I pledge to effectively represent the residents of District 5 - and all the people of Montgomery County.

I also want to recognize former Councilmember Valerie Ervin for her years of dedicated service to Montgomery County. I plan to continue the work she started on the County Council seven years ago, but I will do it in my own way.

There are many exciting issues as we move into 2014 including a full capital improvements budget for the next six years, the fiscal year 2015 operating budget, and the White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan....

JUICE #5: TOWN OF CHEVY CHASE HIRES BROTHER OF KEY REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN TO FIGHT PURPLE LINE - Maryland Juice previously noted that The Town of Chevy Chase was debating whether to spend hundreds of thousands of local tax dollars to fight the Purple Line. The Washington Post's Katherine Shaver has a follow-up to the story, noting that the Town has hired the brother of a key Republican Congressman to battle a top transportation priority for Montgomery & Prince George's Counties (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: One of the lawyers hired by the Town of Chevy Chase to evaluate potential legal challenges to the Purple Line light-rail project is the brother of a key congressional committee chairman, leading some transit advocates to question whether the town is trying to buy political influence.

Robert L. Shuster, an attorney with the firm Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney, is the brother of Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The town hired the law firm in December on a monthly basis, so far paying a total of $40,000 for two months. The town council is scheduled to vote next month on whether to award an 18-month legal contract for $360,000....

Ben Ross, a longtime Purple Line advocate and former president of Action Committee For Transit, said “The whole thing stinks....” Tracey Johnston, another Purple Line advocate, said of the Shuster name, “If nothing else, someone answers your phone call. In Washington, that’s your first goal....”

The Maryland Transit Administration’s plans to build a 16-mile Purple Line between Montgomery and Prince George’s counties is at a critical point as the state tries to find a way to cover the $2.2-billion construction costs.... Even more important is the state’s bid for $900 million in highly competitive federal construction grants, which state officials have said are necessary to cover about half the costs. Maryland transit planners have said they expect to hear in February whether the Federal Transit Administration will recommend the Purple Line for that money....

JUICE #6: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ISSUES TAKE PROMINENCE IN ANNAPOLIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION WITH ELECTION YEAR OPPORTUNITIES - In the current Annapolis legislative session, it is difficult to miss the growing momentum for increased protection for victims of domestic violence. The Associated Press reported this week on a trio of bills that Governor O'Malley is pushing to address the issue (excerpt below):

ASSOCIATED PRESS (VIA CAPITAL GAZETTE): ... Brandy King, of Sykesville, told the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee that the current law does not enable her to get a final protective order against her ex-husband, who was convicted of second-degree assault in 2004 for physically abusing her.

One of the measures before legislators would change the law by adding second-degree assault to the list of crimes for which a person can obtain a final protective order. It also would require that an abuser only be sentenced to at least five years in prison, as opposed to serving at least five years before the victim can obtain a permanent final protective order....

Another measure would make it easier for victims to obtain a final peace order or final protective order by reducing the standard of evidence needed to get one.... Maryland is the only state in the nation that uses the higher standard of proof for final protective orders. A third measure would enable courts to impose an additional five years in prison on someone who commits domestic violence in front of a child.

As The Washington Post noted in an editorial supporting the bills, the domestic violence efforts are (thankfully) being heavily aided by election-year politics (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Maryland has long had the dubious distinction of being the only state that imposes a rigid burden of proof for victims of domestic abuse to receive a civil protection order. Past efforts to change the outdated law never got very far in a hidebound legislature, and advocates became so discouraged that they didn’t even raise the matter in recent years....

Sen. Brian E. Frosh (D-Montgomery), chairman of the Judicial Proceedings Committee and a candidate for attorney general, is sponsoring legislation that would establish a more reasonable burden of proof for victims seeking protection orders.... Mr. Frosh expressed confidence that the reform will pass in the Senate, but the real obstacles lie in the House of Delegates, notably its Judiciary Committee. It killed similar legislation when it was last proposed in 2010. Not even the wrenching testimony of a woman whose three children were drowned after she couldn’t obtain a protective order against her estranged husband could convince the committee of the need for change. The callous, if not hostile, treatment of Amy Castillo brought justifiable criticism to the committee and its chairman, Del. Joseph F. Vallario Jr. (D-Prince George’s), but it remains to be seen whether lawmakers have learned from their mistakes.

Del. Luiz R.S. Simmons (D-Montgomery), who led the effort to kill the bill four years ago, told us he might be open to the change and has some ideas for “compromise” that he plans to discuss with Mr. Frosh. Perhaps not coincidentally, Mr. Simmons is seeking election to the Senate and is locked in a primary battle with former delegate Cheryl Kagan in which women and domestic violence issues are sure to be a focus....

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BECOMES HOT ELECTION-YEAR ISSUE: Indeed, Delegate Luiz Simmons is now co-sponsoring all three domestic violence bills, alongside House Speaker Mike Busch and Senate President Mike Miller. Additionally, Lt. Governor Anthony Brown (a candidate for Governor) is also getting behind the efforts. Brown issued the following press release this week (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

LT. GOVERNOR BROWN STATEMENT ON ADMINISTRATION’S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (January 28, 2014) - Today the Maryland State Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee held hearings on three Administration bills (SB333, SB334 and SB337) designed to improve protections for victims of domestic violence.

“Over the last seven years, we’ve worked together to reduce domestic assaults by 20%, but it’s not enough until we can say that all Marylanders are safe from domestic violence,” said Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown. “By working together to pass legislation that makes it easier for victims to obtain final peace and protective orders, we will create a safer environment for all Marylanders. Additionally, by increasing penalties for abusers who commit acts of domestic violence in the presence of kids, we'll send a strong message that the safety of our children is always our top priority."

Since 2007, Lt. Governor Brown, who leads the Administration’s efforts to reduce domestic violence, has worked with lawmakers, stakeholders, law enforcement, and domestic violence and sexual assault advocates to enact legislation which contributed to a 20% decrease in domestic violence assaults and a 32% decrease in the number of women and children that have died from domestic violence over the last seven years. The Administration's 2014 domestic violence package builds upon this effort to eliminate domestic violence in our communities....

###

JUICE #7: ANTHONY BROWN TO MISS TONIGHT'S GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE TO BE WITH AILING FATHER - Maryland's Democratic gubernatorial candidates are scheduled to debate tonight at Montgomery County's Leisure World retirement community:

Thursday, January 30, 2014 at 7:00 pm
Leisure World's Ballroom in Clubhouse 1
3700 Rossmoor Blvd, Silver Spring, MD

The event tonight will proceed with Del. Heather Mizeur and Attorney General Doug Gansler, but unfortunately, Lt. Governor Anthony Brown has been called out of town to be with his ailing father. The Baltimore Sun reported on the development:

BALTIMORE SUN: Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown canceled plans to testify in favor of the O’Malley administration’s domestic violence bills Tuesday in order to be with his ailing father in New York. The lieutenant governor’s office said Dr. Roy Brown, 89, has been moved from a hospital to hospice care. 

Brown, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor, is expected to remain with him in New York, a spokesman said.... Brown's running mate Howard County Executive Ken Ulman is not likely to stand in as a surrogate at this week's debate at Leisure World in Silver Spring, according to Brown's campaign.

JUICE: Dana Beyer vs Sen. Madaleno, MD #1 for Millionaires, Labor vs Brochin, Simmons vs Kagan, Gov & Min Wage Update

UPDATE: Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger has decided not to run for Governor.

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

JUICE #1: DANA BEYER POLLING POTENTIAL RACE AGAINST SEN. RICH MADALENO - A Maryland Juice source sent us word of a poll out in the field right now in District 18. Two-time D18 Delegate candidate Dana Beyer now appears to be kicking the tires on a challenge to State Senator Rich Madaleno:

ANONYMOUS SOURCE: Beyer has a baseline poll in the field testing the delegate candidates, a Beyer/Madaleno senate matchup and testing some positive and negative messages as well as lines of attack.

JUICE #2: GOV. O'MALLEY & NUMEROUS LABOR UNIONS BACK CHALLENGER TO STATE SENATOR JIM BROCHIN - The Washington Post's John Wagner reported yesterday that Governor Martin O'Malley is backing a Democratic Primary challenger to State Senator Jim Brochin (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and former governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. never agreed on much, but the two adversaries have come to the same conclusion about one thing: Someone other than James Brochin should be elected to the state Senate from District 42.

Both O’Malley (D) and Ehrlich (R) have penned fundraising solicitations in recent weeks for candidates challenging Brochin, the independent-minded, three-term Democratic incumbent representing the Baltimore County district. O’Malley is supporting Connie DeJuliis, a former member of the House of Delegates who helped him in his gubernatorial campaigns....

“Connie is running to be a strong, Democratic voice for the communities, families, and citizens of the 42nd District in Baltimore County,” O’Malley said in his Jan. 7 fundraising solicitation for DeJuliis. “Her campaign is an important one, and she needs our help....”

I looked up the recent campaign finance reports for both Brochin and DeJuliis, and here's where the two candidates currently stand in terms of cash on hand:

• State Senator Jim Brochin (incumbent): $228,744.52
• Connie DeJuliis: $41,745.06

Note that Connie DeJuliis' campaign finance report shows donations from a wide range of labor unions and some politicians including: AFSCME Local 770, Baltimore Fire Officers Local 964, Maryland Social Services Employees Local Union 112, Maryland Teamsters PAC, 1199 SEIU - NYS Political Action Fund, CWA Cope - VA, Local 32 BJ NY/NJ American Dream Fund, Teamsters Local Union No. 639, Ironworkers Political Action League PAC, UAW PAC MD State, Friends For John Olszewski Sr and Friends Of Senator Norman Stone.


JUICE #3: NEW STUDY REPORTS MARYLAND IS #1 FOR MILLIONAIRES, VIRGINIA IS #7 - After all the hysteria from Democratic lawmakers about the potential flight of millionaires to Virginia, Maryland Juice was irritated to see a new study last week indicating that Maryland is #1 in the nation for millionaires (per capita). Can we please end the hysteria used to advocate for pro-millionaire policies already? Phoenix Marketing International published the following study, which was summarized by Politico's Mike Allen:

MIKE ALLEN (VIA POLITICO): States with the most and least, per Phoenix Marketing International: 1) Md. 2) N.J. 3) Conn. 4) Hawaii 5) Alaska 6) Mass. 7) Va. 8) N.H. 9) Del. 10) D.C. 11) Calif. 12) N.Y. ... 22) Texas ... 30) Fla. ... 36) Ohio ... 46) Tenn. 47) Ky. 48) W.Va. 49) Idaho 50) Ark. 51) Miss.

Here's a screencap from the Phoenix Marketing study:

JUICE #4: SIERRA CLUB ENDORSES HEATHER MIZEUR FOR GOVERNOR - Maryland Juice received the following press release from Heather Mizeur's campaign announcing the endorsement of the Sierra Club in her bid for Governor (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Mizeur-Coates Campaign Picks Up Sierra Club Endorsement


SILVER SPRING, Maryland – This weekend, Heather Mizeur and Delman Coates, Democratic candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, received the endorsement of the Sierra Club Maryland Chapter, one of state’s leading environmental groups. They are the first environmental group to endorse in the Democratic gubernatorial election.  

"The next Governor will face tough environmental challenges from eradicating dead zones in the Bay and boosting our alternative energy options to protecting and sustaining our natural resources," said Mizeur. “We’re honored to have the support of Sierra Club—and all their members—in this campaign, and look forward to working with them in victory.”  

The Sierra Club is the largest grassroots environmental organization in the country. The Maryland Chapter has 12,000 members. Some of the chapter’s priority campaigns are focused on moving the state "Beyond Coal" and "Beyond Natural Gas", and on preserving the natural environment for future generations.



"Delegate Mizeur is a true environmental champion who leads the fight to ensure that all Maryland families have access to clean water, healthy air and open spaces,” said Josh Tulkin, state director of the Sierra Club Maryland Chapter. “Heather isn't afraid to speak her mind and stand up to special interests.”


Last week, the Mizeur-Coates campaign received endorsements from two women’s groups: Maryland NOW PAC and Feminist Majority. The campaign has also been supported by several other groups, including EMILY’s List and the Montgomery County Fraternal Order of Police....

###

JUICE #5: SUSAN LEE FOR D16 SENATE & KELLY, KORMAN, JAMGOCHIAN FOR D16 DELEGATE  // PLUS: DUCHY TRACHTENBERG WEIGHING AT-LARGE COUNCIL RUN - The Sierra Club also informed Maryland Juice that in District 16, they've endorsed Del. Susan Lee for State Senate and Del. Ariana Kelly, Marc Korman & Hrant Jamgochian for the three Delegate slots. On a similar note, Bethesda Magazine's Lou Peck reported today that former Montgomery County Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg has decided not to challenge Susan Lee for the State Senate seat and is instead weighing a run for MoCo Council At Large (excerpt below):

BETHESDA MAGAZINE: ...Delegate Susan Lee took another step toward locking up the nomination for the seat now held by Sen. Brian Frosh, who is seeking the Democratic nod for state attorney general. Former County Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg said this week that, despite “a great deal of encouragement and support from many District 16 residents, I will not be running for the…Senate seat.” Trachtenberg, who continues to weigh a bid to regain an at-large seat on the County Council, added: “My political interests have always been in Rockville, and down on Capitol Hill....”

JUICE #6: GANSLER SUPPORTS TYING MINIMUM WAGE HIKE TO CORPORATE TAX CUT  //  PLUS: SENATE PRESIDENT MIKE MILLER SENDS MIXED SIGNALS - Earlier this month, Baltimore Business Journal reported that gubernatorial candidate Doug Gansler supports linking a state minimum wage increase to corporate tax cuts (excerpt below):

BUSINESS JOURNAL: Senate Bill 8 was introduced by Sen. Richard Colburn, R-Caroline. Colburn is a member of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. The bill is one of several attempts expected this General Assembly session to reduce the state’s corporate income tax to bring it in line with neighboring states like Virginia, where the rate is 6 percent.

Those attempts could gain traction this session because several candidates for governor have come out in favor of a tax decrease. Attorney General Douglas Gansler, who is running for the Democratic nomination for governor, wants to see the rate lowered to 6 percent. Gansler would tie the reduction to a hike in the state’s minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, up from the current $7.25 an hour.

Meanwhile, in recent weeks Senate President Mike Miller made a series of telling comments about his views on a minimum wage increase. The Baltimore Sun's Erin Cox reported on Miller's thoughts (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: Sen. President Thomas V. Mike Miller predicted a big fight over raising the minimum wage in Maryland and publicly urged his colleagues to look for compromise.

Miller said he doesn’t believe the proposal backed by Gov. Martin O’Malley will pass his chamber, and that while there is broad support for a wage increase, the state will have to allow different regions to have different wages. “I’m trying to find way out of dodge,” Miller told reporters, adding: “I’m telling you right now: it’s going to be a very tough sell....”

Miller, who said he believes some wage increase will pass, criticized those jurisdictions for acting alone. “Personally, I think what Prince George’s and Montgomery County have done is a tremendous disservice to their state and their community,” Miller said. The higher wage, he said, creates a political challenge for passing a state-wide wage lower than $11.50 and it discourages chain businesses from launching new enterprises in those counties.... 

JUICE #7: ANTHONY BROWN ENDORSES MARIJUANA DECRIMINALIZATION PROPOSAL  //  PLUS: MARYLAND LEADS NATION IN POT ARRESTS -  The Baltimore Sun's Michael Dresser recently reported that Lt. Governor Anthony Brown is endorsing a legislative proposal to remove the 90-days-in-jail penalty for marijuana possession in Maryland (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: Speaking at a Baltimore Sun Newsmaker Forum, Brown also came out strongly for decriminalization of possession of small amounts of marijuana. But he said Maryland should wait and learn from the experience of other states before moving to full legalization of the drug.... On marijuana, Brown took a middle ground between the O'Malley administration's cautious support of the limited medical marijuana program approved last year and the legalization plan offered by Del. Heather R. Mizeur of Montgomery County, one of Brown's rivals in the June Democratic primary....

Meanwhile, Christopher Neely of the Capital News Service reported that Maryland has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the top five states in the nation for marijuana arrests (excerpt below):

CAPITAL NEWS SERVICE (VIA PATCH.COM):  Maryland is a state with a serious marijuana arrest problem, according to the FBI’s 2011 annual Uniform Crime Report. With 22,043 arrests for marijuana possession producing an arrest rate of 378 people per 100,000, Maryland ranked among the top five in marijuana possession arrests according to the most recent data available. This is not new for the Free State. Since 2007, Maryland has been in the top five states in marijuana possession arrest rate.

“I have no idea why these numbers are so high,” said state Sen. Bobby Zirkin, D-Baltimore County, who is an advocate for marijuana decriminalization in Maryland. “The numbers are shocking and staggering.” Experts say the numbers are in part the result of the war on drugs being focused on petty marijuana possession arrests starting in the 1990s. Some also attribute much of the increase to then-Baltimore Mayor and now Gov. Martin O’Malley, who helped introduce both statistics driven policing and zero tolerance policies to the state.

From 2000-2007, Maryland’s overall marijuana possession arrest rate rose by 4,916 arrests per year, or 28 percent statewide. During the same time period, Baltimore’s marijuana arrest rate surged by 3,686 arrests per year - more than 155 percent....

But according to a recent poll conducted by Democratic-affiliated Public Policy Polling, 68 percent of Marylanders support decriminalization. Fifty-three percent support legalization similar to Colorado and Washington.... 

In other news, a coalition of groups including the ACLU, Equality Maryland, League of Women Voters of Maryland, NAACP and more have formed a coalition to end marijuana prohibition.


JUICE #8: GANSLER ATTACKS ANTHONY BROWN CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM HEALTH CARE EXCHANGE CONTRACTORS - In response to the ongoing controversy over Maryland's bungled roll-out for Obamacare enrollment, Attorney General Doug Gansler issued the following press release slamming Anthony Brown for taking thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from contractors working on the project (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Brown/Ulman Took Nearly $130K from Health Care Interests for Campaign, Leaving Marylanders to Foot $170 Million Bill

While Taxpayers Have Spent $170 million on Botched Health Exchange, Brown Reaping Campaign Contributions

Silver Spring, MARYLAND – According to campaign finance reports, the Brown/Ulman gubernatorial campaign received $45,850 in campaign contributions between 2011 to 2014 from health care interests directly associated with the Maryland Health Insurance Exchange that Brown is overseeing – in addition to $84,000 Brown has received in donations linked to the health care industry in prior years.

A description of the contributions is below.

“While taxpayers have spent over $170 million on a botched insurance website overseen by Lt. Governor Brown, he has been reaping nearly $130,000 from health care interests. That is outrageous. Lt. Governor Brown owes taxpayers an answer for this ethical lapse – and an apology for the state of the exchange,” said Bob Wheelock, communications director for the Gansler/Ivey campaign....

Campaign Contributions to Anthony Brown and Ken Ulman from Healthcare Interests Directly Related to Exchange

Friends of Anthony Brown & MBHE Vendors

• Friends of Anthony Brown received $8,550 from vendors listed as receiving contracts from the Maryland Health Benefit Exchanges and executives or employees with those vendors.
• Friends of Anthony Brown received a total $4,750 from lobbyists who currently or formerly represented companies that received contracts from the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange. $2,450 came from individuals who are currently registered to lobby on behalf of vendors, and $2,300 came from individuals who had formerly been registered to lobby on their behalf. (Note that some of these lobbyists were also registered on behalf of insurance carriers on the Exchange.)

 Friends of Anthony Brown & MBHE Insurance Providers

• Friends of Anthony Brown received $22,700 in contributions from authorized marketplace insurance carriers and their executives.  The carriers were CareFirst, Evergreen, and Aetna.
• Friends of Anthony Brown received $10,495 from lobbyists who currently or formerly represented Maryland Health Benefit Exchange insurance carriers $4,325 came from individuals who are currently registered to lobby on behalf of carriers, and $6,170 came from individuals who had formerly been registered to lobby on their behalf. (Note that some of these lobbyists were also registered on behalf of vendors contracted with the Exchange.)

###

JUICE #9: HEATHER MIZEUR BEATING DOUG GANSLER IN POLL OF BALTIMORE CITY VOTERS? - DMV Daily's Hassan Giordano reported on an interesting poll of Baltimore City voters showing Heather Mizeur leading Doug Gansler in the Governor's race (excerpt below):

DMV DAILY: In a recent DMVDaily poll of likely voters, both from the citywide voter file as well as the avid readers of this publication, the once unknown Mizeur campaign has seemingly catapulted its way into the mainstream conversation of likely victors. Polling in single digits late last year, the Mizeur/Coates campaign has gained considerable ground amongst Baltimore City voters, closing the gap with such tenacity that one has to wonder how well she will do statewide with more time to connect with voters.

Our recent survey, asking roughly 500 area voters who they would choose for Governor if the election were held today, showed Mizeur trailing Brown by a mere three percentage points (32%-29%), while Gansler lagged far behind at 18%. And while over 20% of respondents were still undecided as to whom they would support, the fact that Mizeur has already bypassed her Montgomery County colleague Gansler, shows her campaign’s strategic success over the past few months....

Note: I have not seen the actual polling memo, sample or crosstabs, so I have no idea whether this was a statistically valid poll.


JUICE #10: DEL. LUIZ SIMMONS SENDS ANOTHER DIRECT MAIL PIECE IN D17 SENATE RACE AGAINST CHERYL KAGAN  //  PLUS: WASHINGTON POST EDITORIAL CRITICIZES SIMMONS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - Delegate Luiz Simmons sent a second direct mail piece to D17 voters regarding "mudslinging" in his State Senate battle against Cheryl Kagan (see below):

Meanwhile, The Washington Post's editorial board issued the following piece highlighting Delegate Simmons' obstruction of legislation to combat domestic violence (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Maryland has long had the dubious distinction of being the only state that imposes a rigid burden of proof for victims of domestic abuse to receive a civil protection order. Past efforts to change the outdated law never got very far in a hidebound legislature, and advocates became so discouraged that they didn’t even raise the matter in recent years....

Sen. Brian E. Frosh (D-Montgomery), chairman of the Judicial Proceedings Committee and a candidate for attorney general, is sponsoring legislation that would establish a more reasonable burden of proof for victims seeking protection orders....

Mr. Frosh expressed confidence that the reform will pass in the Senate, but the real obstacles lie in the House of Delegates, notably its Judiciary Committee. It killed similar legislation when it was last proposed in 2010. Not even the wrenching testimony of a woman whose three children were drowned after she couldn’t obtain a protective order against her estranged husband could convince the committee of the need for change. The callous, if not hostile, treatment of Amy Castillo brought justifiable criticism to the committee and its chairman, Del. Joseph F. Vallario Jr. (D-Prince George’s), but it remains to be seen whether lawmakers have learned from their mistakes.

Del. Luiz R.S. Simmons (D-Montgomery), who led the effort to kill the bill four years ago, told us he might be open to the change and has some ideas for “compromise” that he plans to discuss with Mr. Frosh. Perhaps not coincidentally, Mr. Simmons is seeking election to the Senate and is locked in a primary battle with former delegate Cheryl Kagan in which women and domestic violence issues are sure to be a focus....

JUICE #11: MONTGOMERY COUNTY EXECUTIVE CANDIDATES COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER TO PROTECT "TEN MILE CREEK" - An interesting environmental issue has emerged in Montgomery County's County Executive race. Activists with the "Save Ten Mile Creek" coalition are trying to stop development that would impact a MoCo waterway that serves as a back-up water supply:

SAVE TEN MILE CREEK: Just outside the boundaries of Clarksburg Town Center runs one of the healthiest waterways in the Chesapeake Watershed: Ten Mile Creek. A designated drinking water supply, Ten Mile Creek flows steadily, clear and cold, and teems with fish, many different kinds of aquatic insects, salamanders and other life forms. But large commercial and residential development proposals threaten this creek and watershed. Ten Mile Creek is delivering clean, healthy water to Little Seneca Reservoir and the Potomac. We want to keep it that way now, today and tomorrow....

Notably, this issue is becoming a key political debate ahead of the 2014 Democratic Primary, as candidates for County Executive have weighed in on the issue. Below we excerpt a letter from County Executive Ike Leggett regarding this issue, as well as an email blast from former County Executive Doug Duncan:

IKE LEGGETT: As you know, protecting the environment is a priority of mine. It is for this reason I am making a commitment that the County will forego any development on the 128-acre County/Clarkwood site. Further, I have made a decision that the County will not build the proposed addition to the County Correctional Facility. Together these two properties owned by the County total over 400 acres in the Ten Mile Creek area. The commitment to forego any development on these two County properties represents a signficant reduction in impervious surface, and therefore a substantial contribution to protection the environmental resources in this watershed.

DOUG DUNCAN: Montgomery County is facing a major land use decision with environmental consequences that will outlive all of us by decades or centuries. Ten Mile Creek in the Clarksburg area is a County treasure - one of a very few high quality reference streams in the County. In the coming weeks, the County Council has to decide how much development to allow in the Ten Mile Creek watershed, a decision that will say a lot about our commitment to protecting our environment and our region's water supply. The Creek is like an endangered species - we value it for many reasons. If we destroy it, we will learn, to our regret, that it was truly irreplaceable.... The County Council must make this right by limiting development in the headwaters of Ten Mile Creek so that the current water quality of the Creek is maintained and that no further degradation occurs.... We can and must save Ten Mile Creek. If you agree, contact the County Council to please ask them to base their decision on this issue by supporting the policy of no further degradation to the Creek.

For what it's worth, County Exec candidate Phil Andrews also joined Duncan and Leggett at a "Save Ten Mile Creek" event this weekend.


JUICE #12: DOUG DUNCAN WINS ENDORSEMENT OF MOCO FIREFIGHTERS - Last week Doug Duncan announced the endorsement of the Montgomery County firefighters union in his bid for County Executive (excerpt below):

JEFFREY BUDDLE, IAFF LOCAL 1664: As president of the Montgomery County Career Fire Fighters Association, IAFF Local 1664, I am pleased to let you know that we have endorsed Doug Duncan to be the next County Executive of Montgomery County.

Having been a career fire fighter for 15 years now, and having worked with different administrations and politicians, I know that the traits Doug brings to the table are exactly what Montgomery County needs at this point in time in order to get us back on track.

His resolute commitment to public safety, both in the past and going forward, his vision for tomorrow’s Montgomery County, and his leadership style are what distinguish him as the clear choice in this race and made it an easy decision for us.

Doug has been an ardent supporter of the career fire fighters since day one. He understands the importance of working together to create one of the finest fire and rescue services in the country.  Doug knows how critical safeguarding the residents of Montgomery County is.

Montgomery County needs a strong, invigorated leader with innovative and new ideas. More of the status quo will just simply not work and we must once again get Montgomery County moving in the right direction. It was an honor to work with Doug before and we look forward to working together again with him as the next Montgomery County Executive....

JUICE #13: NARAL PRO-CHOICE MARYLAND PAC ISSUES CALL FOR CANDIDATE SURVEYS - Maryland  Juice received the following alert from the NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland PAC requesting candidate surveys for its endorsement process:

PRESS RELEASE

NARAL PRO-CHOICE MARYLAND PAC
Announces Endorsement Process

SILVER SPRING, MD--Today, the Political Action Committee of NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland announced that they have launched a new portion of their website dedicated to preparing for the upcoming elections.

Persons interested in the endorsement process, voting information, and volunteer opportunities should visit www.prochoicemd.org. The site will be continually updated and will include endorsed candidates when they are announced.

The NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland Political Action Committee is the only statewide PAC dedicated solely to electing pro-choice candidates to office in Maryland. Since 1982, NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland PAC has worked to elect pro-choice officials at the state and county levels.

NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland is dedicated to ensuring that Maryland continues to be a leader in the reproductive rights movement

To learn more about the endorsement process, please visit www.prochoicemd.org/elections.

###

Gov. Martin O'Malley Announces Special Session for Aug. 9 // MoCo Leaders Held Heated Meeting to Debate Gambling

UPDATE: The Baltimore Sun last night reported that casino company MGM is no longer pursuing a tax cut for Maryland slot machines. The company is hoping to build a casino at Prince George's County's National Harbor, but had insisted that Maryland's 67% tax on slot machine revenue be lowered. Maryland lawmakers were then barraged with direct mail and calls from constituents complaining about lowering taxes on casino owners while ordinary residents were facing a tax increase. See an excerpt from The Baltimore Sun report below:

BALTIMORE SUN: The chief executive officer of MGM Resorts International, which wants to open a luxury casino at National Harbor, said Thursday that his company has dropped efforts to win tax breaks from the Maryland General Assembly to build a gambling palace at the Prince George's County site....

In an interview with The Baltimore Sun, Murren conceded the line of attack has resonated. "It has played very well," Murren said. "'Why give tax breaks to billionaire casino guys when you've raised my taxes?'"

SPECIAL GAMBLING SESSION AUGUST 9TH: Earlier this week, Maryland Juice broke news that the state legislators could expect to return to Annapolis for a special legislative session to debate gambling expansion. This morning, several Twitter users confirmed that Gov. Martin O'Malley announced that he would call the legislature back to work on August 9th. See the photo and Tweet from Maryland politico P. Kenneth Burns below:

Senate President Mike Miller & Budget Leaders Release Statement on Maryland's May 14 Special Legislative Session

Below Maryland Juice prints a press statement from the office of Senate President Mike Miller. Ther release includes commentary on the forthcoming May 14th special session from Senators Ed Kasemeyer, Nathaniel McFadden, Rich Madaleno, Ed DeGrange, Jim Robey, and Verna Jones-Rodwell:

PRESS RELEASE

Senate Budget Leadership Announces Support for Special Session

Annapolis, Maryland – This afternoon, the Democratic leadership of the Senate Budget & Taxation committee joined together to announce their strong support for the upcoming special session, that is proposed to begin on May 14. The special session will focus exclusively on raising revenue and creating alternative cuts to avoid the currently proposed “Doomsday cuts”.

“We made significant progress in many areas of importance to our citizens this session. It was indeed unfortunate that a lack of consensus on how to move forward on the budget led us to this point, however, we recognize that our primary responsibility as a legislature is to pass a balanced budget for the year and the members of the Senate are committed to coming back to Annapolis to avoid these cuts to education, healthcare and public safety,” stated Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. “We are hopeful that the Governor and the House will work with us in the future to enact measures to resolve the remaining deficit.”

“I have always strongly believed that consensus building and compromise is the best path to reach solutions,” said Senator Ed Kasemeyer, chair of the Budget & Taxation committee. “While I am disappointed that we were not able to achieve a true compromise with the House, and we will need to address our long-term budget needs in the future, I feel strongly that we need to move forward this year on this year’s budget issues.

“Our budget this year includes over $5.7 billion for K-12 education, and billions in funding for public safety, the environment and higher education,” said Budget & Taxation Committee Vice-Chair, Senator Nathaniel McFadden. “Allowing this doomsday budget to go into place will have a harmful effect on our attempt to continue improving on education and jobs by slashing education funding, cutting positions and eliminating incentives that help to create jobs in our state. We must come back next week and pass legislation to avoid these cuts.”

“Education is the lifeblood of our state,” said Senator Richard Madaleno, chair of the Education, Business & Administration subcommittee. “After all of our positive steps forward, fully funding GCEI and being named the best school system in the country for the last four years, we cannot move back by reducing funding to K-12 education. We must move forward to ensure our students have the best education system and best educators in the country.”

“During the session, we took tremendous steps forward in creating jobs, and building a strong infrastructure for our students in the capital budget,” said Senator Ed DeGrange, Chair of the Capital Budget subcommittee and the Public Safety, Transportation, & Environment Subcommittee. “During this special session, we must come back and ensure that we do not take steps backwards on vital issues such as public safety. While I am certain there are areas of the budget which could sustain further cuts, I believe that many of the cuts contained in the doomsday budget are detrimental to our state.”

“Over the past six years, the legislature has taken tremendous steps forward to ensure that more Marylanders have health care coverage”, stated Senator Jim Robey, chair of the Health & Human Services subcommittee.  “The people who are facing the challenges associated with mental illness, developmental disabilities, and lack of basic health care that we take for granted would be severely impacted.  Now is not the time to move backwards with a Doomsday budget that would jeopardize the funding to our most vulnerable population.”

“State employees deserve a strong fiscal footing, and a sincere long-term outlook on their pensions”, stated Senator Verna Jones-Rodwell, the chair of the Pensions subcommittee. “The pension-sharing plan agreed to on Sine Die, though not perfect, will allow us to shift some of the pension costs to the counties for the next four years, while doing everything we can to ease their burden. This plan, supported by state leaders, some county leaders, the teachers and other public employees, will ensure long-term sustainability for the state while minimizing negative impact on local government.”


###