JUICE: Annapolis Threatens MoCo & PG Wage Hikes, Brown for MoCo School Funds, Gansler Cries Foul & Delaney Flashback

Below Maryland Juice provides a round-up of recent news that may be of interest to politicos:

JUICE #1: RUMORS THAT ANNAPOLIS LAWMAKERS WILL TRY TO VETO THE MOCO & PRINCE GEORGE'S MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES - County Councilmembers in Montgomery and Prince George's recently voted to approve a minimum wage of $11.50 an hour, in order to create a regional wage standard with the District of Columbia. But Maryland Juice just caught an interesting item in today's AFL-CIO "Union City" newsletter indicating that efforts are afoot in Annapolis to veto the MoCo & Prince George's Councilmembers through state legislation (excerpt below):

AFL-CIO: A regional plan to raise the minimum wage in the metro Washington area may hit an unexpected roadblock: the Maryland legislature. That’s because Free State lawmakers are considering a two-part minimum wage law, according to Bob Ross, president of the Prince George’s County NAACP.  One section of the bill would raise Maryland’s minimum from $7.25 to $10.10 – less than the $11.50 approved in Montgomery, Prince George’s and DC – and the other section would revoke minimum wage hikes like those just approved in MontCo, PG and DC. Meanwhile, in DC, Mayor Vincent Gray, who in early December announced he’s running for re-election, says he prefers a $10 minimum wage. The DC City Council’s $11.50 minimum wage bill passed Tuesday with a veto-proof 13-0 preliminary vote, with a final vote scheduled for December 17....

JUICE #2: ANTHONY BROWN ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR INCREASE IN MOCO SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION FUNDING - Bethesda Now reported this weekend that gubernatorial candidate Anthony Brown has pledged to advocate for increased MoCo school construction dollars in the coming legislative session (excerpt below):

BETHESDA NOW:  The Brown campaign held the event — in which it announced endorsements from 18 elected officials in Montgomery — at the town hall of the Town of Chevy Chase, not far from where Gansler lives.... Brown talked about his military service, the state’s recent new laws on gun control and the death penalty repeal and private-public partnership legislation that the state hopes to use to finance and build the Purple Line light rail. He also pledged his support to Montgomery County’s planned push for state construction funding in the 2014 General Assembly....

Citing an "achievement gap" in student performance in Montgomery County, last October County leaders pledged to fight for expanded school construction dollars in Annapolis. The Washington Post reported on the effort several weeks ago (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Montgomery officials will gather Thursday to formally kick off what County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) regards as his top legislative priority for next year’s Maryland General Assembly: construction funding for a school system squeezed to the seams by surging enrollment.

Leggett and Montgomery’s school leadership are seeking a deal similar to one the city of Baltimore secured from lawmakers and Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) earlier this year....  Montgomery has 17 percent of Maryland’s student enrollment, but the county typically gets about 11 percent of state construction funding, officials said....

Montgomery would seek $20 million from the state to leverage its own $40 million outlay. These funds would supplement the county’s share of new state authorizations for school construction. The $60 million would support bonds of up to $750 million, to fund construction over the next five years, county officials said....

JUICE #3: DOUG GANSLER ALLEGES ANTHONY BROWN COVERING UP BUNGLED OBAMACARE ENROLLMENT IN MARYLAND - Maryland Juice received the following press release from Doug Gansler's gubernatorial campaign accusing Lt. Governor Anthony Brown of covering up the state's much-criticized roll-out for Obamacare enrollment:

PRESS RELEASE

Brown Hiding Behind Executive Privilege To Cover Up His Failure Implementing Health Care Exchange

…the office claimed "executive privilege” in not releasing Brown’s correspondence over Maryland’s Health Care Exchange.

“No E-Mails from Brown on Health Exchange ”
Baltimore Sun, 12/7/13

SILVER SPRING---The campaign of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Douglas Gansler today called on Lt. Governor Anthony Brown to stop hiding behind executive privilege and immediately disclose all email correspondence between Brown, Brown’s office, and members of the exchange or officials from the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene about the website or its lead contractor.

As reported in the Baltimore Sun on Friday, Brown’s office is refusing to turn over an undisclosed number of emails between his office and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene claiming “executive privilege.”

Doug Gansler and Jolene Ivey have been strong supporters of President Obama and his health care reform law and will work to ensure it is implemented effectively.

Bob Wheelock, Director of Communications for the Gansler Campaign, issued the following statement:

Lt. Governor Brown was given the task by the Governor to implement the creation of Maryland’s Health Insurance Exchange. Lt. Governor Brown failed and now is trying to hide behind executive privilege to avoid responsibility.

Governor O’Malley has taken over the job, but the least that Lt. Governor Brown can now do is to be straight with the people of Maryland regarding what he knew about problems with the Health Exchange. Lt. Governor Brown can start by disclosing his emails and correspondence with respect to his lack of stewardship of the Maryland Health Exchange, instead of hiding behind claims of executive privilege.

Instead of taking responsibility, Lt. Governor Brown has been ducking responsibility.

When the problems with the rollout of the Maryland Health Exchange immediately became apparent, Lt. Governor Brown said he was surprised by the problems with the website.

Then he admitted he knew there were roll out problems but did nothing to fix them.

Then it was revealed that under Brown's leadership, Maryland's Health Exchange underperformed other states.

Then the Washington Post called Brown’s leadership "an embarrassment" and Congressman Van Hollen on Meet the Press called the problems with implementation "a mess."

Then Brown sat quietly and did nothing while Governor O’Malley took over the task.

Then he ran away from the press and refused to answer questions about his failures.

Then he pointed fingers and blamed a staffer.

Now he refuses to release his email correspondence over health care, claiming executive privilege.

For a politician who STILL has this on his campaign website….

“As the leader of Maryland’s efforts to improve health care and Co-Chair of the Health Care Reform Coordinating Council, Lt. Governor Brown has positioned Maryland as the national leader in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.”

It’s sad that this is now what he’s saying:

 “…the office claimed executive privilege” in not releasing Brown’s correspondence over Maryland’s Health Care Exchange. Baltimore Sun, “No E-Mails from Brown on Health Exchange,” 12/7/13.

It’s time for Lt. Governor Brown to stop hiding behind executive privilege and fully disclose what he knew and when he knew about problems with the rollout of Maryland’s Health Insurance Exchange.

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JUICE #4: CONGRESSMAN JOHN DELANEY'S FORMER COMPANY CAPITAL SOURCE BACK ON THE RADAR - A couple readers noted that this week The Washington Post decided to rehash some of the minutiae from last year's heated Democratic Primary battle between John Delaney and Rob Garagiola. During the 2012 election contest, The Post highlighted the following item about Delaney's former company Capital Source, and its relationship to a business called Aeon Financial (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Before stepping onto the public stage as a candidate, Delaney made a name for himself in the financial arena as the founder of CapitalSource, a multibillion-dollar commercial finance firm. The Chevy Chase outfit provides loans of up to $100 million to small and mid-size businesses....

Because Delaney, 48, is new to the political world, Garagiola has focused his attacks almost exclusively on Delaney’s business record.... A portion of CapitalSource’s portfolio is comprised of asset-based, or secured, loans made to companies in the health-care and real estate sectors. One of those companies is Aeon Financial, a Chicago-based firm that purchases tax liens on residential properties from municipalities.

Garagiola has accused CapitalSource, in conjunction with Aeon, of foreclosing on homes throughout Maryland and Ohio in order to collect those liens. CapitalSource Bank FBO Aeon Financial LLC is listed as the plaintiff in hundreds of foreclosure proceedings....

In a bit of an unusual move, The Washington Post is now following up on their coverage of Aeon almost two years later (?). Yesterday, they released a lengthy article regarding Aeon's practices, and re-interviewed Delaney about the situation (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST:  The firm that threatened to foreclose on hundreds of struggling D.C. homeowners is a mystery: It lists no owners, no local office, no Web site.

Aeon Financial is incorporated in Delaware, operates from mail-drop boxes in Chicago and is represented by a law firm with an address at a 7,200-square-foot estate on a mountainside near Vail, Colo.

Yet no other tax lien purchaser in the District has been more aggressive in recent years, buying the liens placed on properties when owners fell behind on their taxes, then charging families thousands in fees to save their homes from foreclosure....

One of Aeon’s major lenders was CapitalSource Bank, founded in 2000 by John Delaney, who was elected to the U.S. House last year. The Maryland Democrat was the bank’s chief executive officer when CapitalSource loaned $30 million to Aeon in 2009.

Delaney spokesman Will McDonald said the congressman didn’t know about the company’s problems in Ohio or the District’s lawsuit against Aeon.... “During Congressman Delaney’s time as CEO, CapitalSource made over 5,000 business loans, loans probably totaling over $20 billion,” McDonald said. “The CEO of a bank does not track the ongoing business operations of all outstanding loans because doing so would be impossible.” Delaney took a leave of absence from his position at the bank last year and resigned after being elected to Congress....

In any case, former State Senator Rob Garagiola has moved on to greener pastures, and Delaney's comments about Aeon are just a small part of The Washington Post coverage. But this story is a couple years old now, so I guess it took a long time to research? Though the article does note that, "The Post spent three months examining Aeon’s corporate history, traveling to Chicago, Cleveland and three counties in Maryland and reviewing hundreds of business and land records, to find out who is behind the company that has affected thousands of homeowners across the country."

Senate President Mike Miller Shuffles Committee & Leadership Posts for Brinkley, Feldman, Getty, Hershey, Pugh & Robey

Maryland Juice just received the following press release from the office of Senate President Mike Miller announcing new committee assignments an leadership posts to account for the new members appointed to the body. The shifts impact State Senators David Brinkley, Brian Feldman, Joseph Getty, Stephen Hershey, Catherine Pugh and James Robey. Robey and Pugh are taking the leadership posts previously held by Sen. Rob Garagiola (eg: Majority Leader & Senate Finance Health Subcommittee Chair, respectively). The remaining committee assignments are highlighted below:

PRESS RELEASE

Senate President Miller Announces new Committee & Leadership Positions

Announcement comes after Feldman, Hershey Appointments

Annapolis, MD – Today, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., announced new committee assignments and Democratic leadership appointments resulting from the resignation of Senators Garagiola and Pipkin as well as the appointments of Senators Feldman and Hershey.

“I am pleased to announce these appointments and know that these Senators will be very successful in these roles. We have incredible talent and knowledge in the Maryland Senate and I am certain all of these appointments will serve our State well," said Senate President Miller.

In appointing Senator James Robey as Senate Majority Leader, Senate President Miller remarked that "We have a true and demonstrated leader in the Senate with a career of public service that we all admire and for this reason I am pleased to appoint Senator James Robey as the Senate Majority Leader. While we are all saddened by his decision not to seek re-election next year, we are excited to have him serve in this role in his final year in public service.”

Senate President Miller also announced the appointment of Senator Catherine Pugh as the Senate Finance committee Health Subcommittee chair following the departure of Senator Garagiola, stating, "I can think of no one better than Senator Pugh to help our state move forward in this new and complex era of health care delivery."

Senate President Miller also announced the following committee assignments:

Committee Assignments:

• Senator Brian J. Feldman – Finance Committee
• Senator David R. Brinkley – Finance Committee
• Senator Joseph M. Getty – Budget & Taxation Committee
• Senator Stephen S. Hershey, Jr. – Judicial Proceedings Committee

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JUICE: Doug Gansler's Shortlist of Running Mates, Garagiola = Lobbyist, Mizeur Pushes Crim Justice, St. Mary's Living Wage

Below Maryland Juice provides a quick round-up of recent news regarding politics in the Free State:

JUICE #1: DOUG GANSLER'S SHORT LIST OF POSSIBLE LT. GOVERNOR CANDIDATES - The Washington Post today published a short list of potential running mates for Attorney General Doug Gansler's gubernatorial campaign. Their write up mentions not only candidates who may be under consideration, but also a few who are indicating they are not interested in the #2 spot. Below you can see a few names under consideration, but the list of folks not seeking the LG slot includes Sen. Catherine Pugh, Del. Adrienne Jones, and author Wes Moore (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Maryland Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Douglas F. Gansler has narrowed his search for a running mate to a handful of names and is likely to announce his pick next month, his advisers said Monday.

Several African American officials from Baltimore and Prince George’s County are apparently in the mix. Baltimore Comptroller Joan M. Pratt (D) confirmed in an interview that she recently talked to Gansler about the lieutenant governor position....

Several state legislators, including Del. Jolene Ivey (D-Prince George’s) and Del. Keiffer J. Mitchell Jr. (D-Baltimore), have also had conversations with Gansler about the No. 2 slot, according to people with knowledge of the conversations but who were not authorized to speak on behalf of Gansler’s campaign....

Del. Melony G. Griffith (D-Prince George’s), who previously led her county House delegation, has also had discussions with Gansler about his ticket, according to several of Griffith’s colleagues. Griffith declined to comment on her future political plans in a brief interview Monday....

JUICE #2: SEN. ROB GARAGIOLA LEAVES ANNAPOLIS TO BECOME LOBBYIST - This isn't a huge surprise, but outgoing District 15 State Senator Rob Garagiola is revolving into a new role as a lobbyist for one of Maryland's top lobbying firms, Alexander & Cleaver. The Washington Post yesterday reported on Garagiola's new role, which will include lobbying Montgomery County officials until the 90-day ban on lobbying his former colleagues expires (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Robert J. Garagiola, who stepped down this month as majority leader of the Maryland Senate, has joined Alexander & Cleaver, a law firm with a major lobbying presence in Annapolis. Garagiola, a Montgomery County Democrat, will manage the firm’s new Montgomery County office, Alexander & Cleaver said in a news release Monday morning.

Garagiola said in an interview that he plans initially to focus on practicing law and might do some local government relations work, but hopes to focus on Montgomery County rather than Annapolis. “There is a lot to be done in Rockville,” he said. “I’ll re-evaluate state-level lobbying in the future.” Under Maryland law, former legislators are barred from assisting clients in Annapolis during the first 90-day legislative session after their departure....

JUICE #3: "WIRE" ACTOR SONJA SOHN HIGHLIGHT'S HEATHER MIZEUR'S COMMITMENT TO MEANINGFUL CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS - Delegate Heather Mizeur has been running an issue-centric campaign in her quest for the office of Maryland Governor. She's previously come out aggressively as an opponent of fracking and helped re-spark interest in justice for Ethan Saylor, a Frederick man with Downs Syndrome, who was killed by off-duty police while trying to stay for a second showing of a movie. But with the recent pushback on the War on Drugs and mass incarceration issues by the Obama administration, it appears Mizeur is staking out space in this increasingly hot issue area. Last week, The Baltimore Sun published an op-ed by Sonja Sohn, an actor who played Detective Kima Greggs on the popular TV series "The Wire," highlighting Mizeur's commitment to criminal justice reform (excerpt below):

SONJA SOHN VIA BALTIMORE SUN: It was encouraging for the Obama administration to recently propose finally ending federal mandatory minimum sentencing for non-violent drug offenses.... I applaud Attorney General Doug Gansler, who plans to run for governor, for addressing our alarming recidivism rates.

But we need lawmakers and leaders with a larger vision. We will only achieve meaningful reform by addressing systemic, generational problems.... Proposals like giving wireless tablets to inmates miss the larger point about where the problems begin in the first place....

[Heather Mizeur] talks about shifting millions in state resources away from more walls and bars and instead investing in affirmative opportunities for youth. She proposes reducing penalties for low-level drug offenses that incarcerate far too many non-violent offenders.... She envisions a system that no longer stacks the deck by making it impossible to find a good job or decent housing and by restricting voting rights and the ability to serve on juries. We still make it nearly impossible for former inmates to ever become full members of society again....

JUICE #4: FACULTY & STUDENTS AT ST. MARY'S COLLEGE PROPOSE LIVING WAGE FOR SCHOOL EMPLOYEES TO COMBAT TUITION SPIKES  - In the midst of a growing regional and national debate on the record high wealth gap and wage standards in America, advocates at Maryland's St. Mary's College are proposing a living wage for school employees and salary caps to help rein in rapidly escalating tuition costs. Check out the press release below:

PRESS RELEASE

St. Mary’s College Wage Plan First of its Kind in Nation
St. Mary’s City, Maryland, Sept. 2013: Faculty, staff and students at St. Mary’s College of Maryland are proposing a new salary structure they say will increase wages for the lowest paid while reining in college costs. The innovative plan is the first of its kind in the nation.

Titled “St. Mary’s Wages, the St. Mary’s Way,” the proposal would guarantee a living wage to all full time employees of the College and place a cap on faculty, administrative, and presidential salaries. The proposal’s authors say it reflects the mission of the State’s only public honors college.

“We are a public college that values ‘social responsibility and civic-mindedness’ along with the goal of ‘promoting and maintaining a community built on respect,’” said Dr. Laraine Glidden, Distinguished Professor of Psychology, Emerita. “I can think of no better way to demonstrate that we live what is in our catalog than by advocating for a living wage for all, paid for by limits on the highest earnings.”

The proposal’s supporters argue the caps on higher salaries and initiatives to stem the growth of non-faculty administrative positions would eliminate one of the drivers of the cost of college education. They hope to limit future tuition increases and improve the College’s ability to implement its mission of inclusiveness and affordability.

“Affordability is important when it comes to maintaining the diversity of the student body, which matters to me and my classmates,” said senior computer science major Ashok Chandwaney. “This proposal can help keep St. Mary’s affordable by ending the insane and interlocked upward spiral of tuition and executive salaries that’s happening everywhere.”

The subject of wages has long been a point of interest at St. Mary’s College. In 2006, a student campaign ended with students staging a Living Wage Sit-In in the President’s office. In 2012, students launched the “Living Wage Campaign” culminating in a hundred-strong march of students, faculty and staff across campus.

“St. Mary’s Wages, the St. Mary’s Way,” is available online at www.stmaryswages.org.

Images of past events are available upon request.

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O'Malley Picks Brian Feldman to Replace Garagiola in Senate // Live in District 15 & Want to Be Delegate? Here's How to Apply

The Associated Press reported today that Governor O'Malley has appointed Delegate Brian Feldman to replace Rob Garagiola in the State Senate (excerpt below):

AP VIA WASHINGTON POST: Gov. Martin O’Malley has appointed Delegate Brian Feldman to the state Senate.... The governor announced the appointment on Thursday to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Sen. Rob Garagiola, who represented District 15 in Montgomery County....

As a result of Feldman's elevation to the Senate, his own seat in the House of Delegates will also be vacant soon. Our most recent list of possible D15 candidates included the following names:

• Saqib Ali, former House of Delegates member
• Lori Askinazi, founder/President of L.A. Interiors (business)
• David Fraser-Hidalgo, area director for Regus (business)
• Tim Hwang, founder/CEO of FiscalNote, Inc (business)
• Hamza Khan, communications coordinator at Cont3nt.com (business)
• Kevin Mack, aide to Congressman John Delaney
• Tony Puca, senior loan officer at Meadowbrook Financial Mortgage Bankers (business)
• Venattia Vann, MCDCC Vice-Chair
• Jinhee Wilde, principal and managing partner of Wilde & Associates (business)

 
WANT TO BE A DELEGATE?  HERE'S HOW TO APPLY - The Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee issued the following press release announcing the next steps in the already hated race to be appointed to Brian Feldman's House seat (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Committee to Vote on Delegate for Legislative District 15

The Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee will meet and vote on Tuesday, October 8 at 7:30 pm to submit a name to the Governor for Delegate for Legislative District 15. The vacancy is the result of Delegate Brian Feldman’s appointment to the Senate. The Senate seat became vacant when Senator Rob Garagiola resigned.

In accordance with State rule, when a seat in the Maryland General Assembly becomes vacant, the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee must submit a name to the Governor within 30 days.

Candidates for the Delegate position must be a registered Democrat residing in District 15. Candidates should submit an application including a resume and cover letter by 5:00pm, Monday, October 7 to the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee’s headquarters, 3720 Farragut Ave., Third floor, Kensington, MD 20895 or via email MontgomeryDems@msn.com.  Candidates are expected to attend the October 8 meeting to address the Committee and participate in a question-and-answer period. 

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D15 Delegate Brian Feldman Selected by MoCo Democratic Central Committee to Replace Rob Garagiola in State Senate

Maryland Juice received the following press release from Delegate Brian Feldman announcing his unanimous appointment by the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee to replace Rob Garagiola in the State Senate:

PRESS RELEASE

The MCDCC Selects Del. Brian Feldman to Fill the D15 Senate Seat

Annapolis, Maryland  - The Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee met tonight, September 10, 2013 and voted unanimously in support of Delegate Brian J. Feldman to fill the District 15 Senate seat recently vacated by Rob Garagiola.  Delegate Feldman’s name will be submitted to Governor O’Malley who has authority under the Maryland Constitution to make the appointment.  Once appointed, Feldman will serve out the remainder of Garagiola’s term.

“I am honored by the strong support of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee and look forward to this new challenge.  I plan to build upon my experience in the House over the past decade and to hit the ground running on Day One in the Senate where I will continue to advocate for District 15 and Montgomery County,” said Feldman.

Delegate Feldman, both an Attorney and a CPA, has served in the House of Delegates since being elected in 2002.  He is a member of the Economic Matters Committee, Chaired the Montgomery County House Delegation for five years and has served as House Parliamentarian for the past three years.  He is also the House Chair of the Joint Information Technology and Biotechnology Committee and Chair of the House Subcommittee on Banking, Economic Development, Science and Technology. 

Prior to being elected to the Legislature, Delegate Feldman worked as a Senior Trial Attorney for the United States Department of Justice where he was a three-time recipient of the Department of Justice’s Outstanding Attorney Award.   He currently works as an attorney in private practice and as an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University.  Delegate Feldman and his wife, Janice, have two college aged children who attended Montgomery County public schools.

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JuiceBlender: Controversy Over Gansler's Campaign Manager "Mudcat," MoCo Voting Rights Effort, D15 Delegate Candidates

Below Maryland Juice provides a few tidbits of news that may be of interest to politicos:

JUICE #1: VIRGINIA POLITICAL OPERATIVE ACCUSES DOUG GANSLER'S CAMPAIGN MANAGER OF STEALING THE NICKNAME "MUDCAT" - Last month, The Washington Post reported that Attorney General Doug Gansler hired a new campaign manager for his gubernatorial campaign (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler (D), who is gearing up to announce his 2014 bid for governor next month, has hired a new campaign manager. Matthew "Mudcat" Arnold recently took over for Carrie Glenn, who has left the campaign for health-related reasons, Gansler aides said Friday.... In his LinkedIn Profile, Arnold lists his "likes" as red meat, bourbon, logic games and bar trivia. His "dislikes" include paying for parking and life without a dishwasher...

MUDCAT VS. MUDCAT: It turns out Gansler's manager, Matthew Arnold, is not the first campaign operative to use the nickname, "mudcat," and that has the "real" Mudcat (Dave Saunders) fuming. The Roanoke Times reported on the controversy today (excerpt below):

ROANOKE TIMES:  Identity theft is a big deal these days. But rarely are its victims’ nicknames appropriated, too. Which brings us to my friend Dave Saunders, who everybody knows as “Mudcat.” He was 13 when he began demanding his friends call him that. That was 51 years ago....

On Aug. 30, The Washington Post listed “Mudcat” as one of the 10 best nicknames in all of politics. Saunders was the only political operative who made the list..... But now another guy is using it — Matthew "Mudcat" Arnold, a young Democratic whippersnapper from Mississippi. Arnold’s mom was still changing his diapers when the real Mudcat was earning his chops in politics.

In August, Arnold was hired as campaign manager for Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler, who’s running for that state’s governor in 2014.... He told reporters to call him "Mudcat."

This has left the real Mudcat more frustrated than an Amish electrician. When I talked to him last week, he sounded madder than a three-legged cat trying to bury turds on a frozen pond.

"What pisses me off is, I've got to deal with it," the real Mudcat told me. "Now I’m getting calls for the Maryland governor’s race.... This guy is nothing like a Mudcat. It's a very redneck nickname. And this guy isn't any kind of redneck...."

Arnold might have been better off picking a moniker he could build into his own legend. Something distinctive — like Dogslobber or Squirrelly. Or perhaps Poseur. At least that shoe may fit.

JUICE #2: MONTGOMERY COUNTY COUNCILMEMBERS INTRODUCE RESOLUTION CALLING FOR EXPANSION OF VOTING RIGHTS AND DC SUFFRAGE - In response to the war on voting rights by conservative politicians and the U.S. Supreme Court, the Montgomery County Council is embarking on an effort to promote 21st century voting rights in MoCo. Councilmember Nancy Navarro has introduced a resolution, co-sponsored by the entire County Council calling for a series of voting reforms (excerpt below):

1. The Council calls on Congress to propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would grant an individual right to vote to every American citizen of voting age. 

2. The Council calls on Congress to restore Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by creating a new coverage formula to determine which states and local jurisdictions should have voting changes reviewed for potential discriminatory impact. 

3. The Council calls on Congress to give residents of Washington, DC full representation and voting rights in the House of Representatives and United States Senate. 

4. The Council supports Maryland’s recent expansion of early voting and the adoption of same-day voter registration. We support placing new early voting sites at locations that are easily accessible by public transportation. 

5. The Council establishes a Right to Vote Task Force to:

a. Review all local laws and practices that may affect the right to vote;  

b. Review and recommend changes at the local level to uphold voting rights and increase voter participation;  

c. Develop plans and take action to promote early voting and same-day registration and make recommendations to the Council on any policies or actions needed to strengthen these efforts;  

d. Develop plans for a voter registration program designed to register eligible high school students and support voter education programs to increase citizenship knowledge and participation in the democratic process;  

e. Review Maryland election laws and regulations and recommend legislation that would strengthen the right to vote in Montgomery County, including whether the General Assembly should adopt automatic voter registration, allowing eligible voters to “opt-out” of the voter registration database instead of “opt-in”; and  

f. Review with the Montgomery County Board of Elections the strengths and weaknesses of our election practices and regulations after the 2014 general election. 

JUICE #3: UPDATE ON POTENTIAL CANDIDATES FOR A FUTURE DISTRICT 15 DELEGATE VACANCY - Maryland Juice previously published a list of potential candidates for a District 15 Delegate vacancy, in the event that Delegate Brian Feldman is selected to replace Rob Garagiola in the State Senate. We have a few updates to our running list (details below):

• Saqib Ali, former House of Delegates member
• Lori Askinazi, founder/President of L.A. Interiors (business)
• David Fraser-Hidalgo, area director for Regus (business)
• Tim Hwang, founder/CEO of FiscalNote, Inc (business)
• Hamza Khan, communications coordinator at Cont3nt.com (business)
• Kevin Mack, aide to Congressman John Delaney
• Tony Puca, senior loan officer at Meadowbrook Financial Mortgage Bankers (business)
• Venattia Vann, MCDCC Vice-Chair
• Jinhee Wilde, principal and managing partner of Wilde & Associates (business)

The changes to the list above are as follows: 1) Sources previously indicated that Kevin Mack would likely skip the MCDCC appointment process and run straight for the June 2014 Primary, but we are now hearing that Mack may seek an appointment after all, 2) Based on a source's information, we've added Tony Puca of Potomac, Maryland to the list of potential candidates, and 3) We've dropped Tim Whitehouse from the list above, as he's now indicated he has decided to run for a voting position on the MCDCC instead of Delegate (see email below):

From: Timothy Whitehouse <xxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.com>
Subject: Voting member of MCDCC
Date: September 10, 2013

Hi everyone:

I wanted to follow up with all of you about my plans for the coming election season.  After considering my various options, I have decided that I would like to seek a voting position on the MCDCC.  I think I would be a great assets to the MCDCC in their effort to build and maintain a strong party in Montgomery County.

I'll keep you all posted.

Thanks,

Tim

MCDCC Picks 2 New Members: Tamika Bennett & Jonathan Prutow // PLUS: Herman Taylor Endorses Saqib Ali for D15

Below Maryland Juice provides two interesting tidbits of information regarding the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC). The first news item is an announcement of two new members of the MCDCC, while the second item is a sign that the race for a District 15 Delegate vacancy is already underway.

JUICE #1: MOCO DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE ELECTS TWO NEW MEMBERS - Tonight Maryland Juice attended a meeting of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee. You may ask what the occasion was because the MCDCC is not due to vote on a replacement State Senator for Rob Garagiola's District 15 vacancy until September 10. In fact, the MCDCC members called a meeting tonight to vote to fill two vacancies on their own body, but these new members will be among those who will choose candidates to replace the outgoing District 15 elected official(s).

MCDCC Chair Gabe Albornoz Thanks Candidates Seeking the Vacant Seats

Here is a bit of background for the uninitiated: When a state legislative vacancy occurs, the party central committee of the outgoing legislator submits a name(s) to the Governor to select a replacement. As the Maryland State Archives note: "In recent times, an important function of state central committees has been to name those who will replace General Assembly members who have died, resigned, refused to act, or been disqualified, expelled, or removed from office.... Although the Governor makes the appointment to fill a vacancy in the General Assembly, the Governor must select the person nominated by the state central committee of the party with which the vacating legislator had been affiliated...."

The MCDCC had two vacancies to fill -- one in District 17 and one in District 20 -- and tonight the incumbent members selected replacements for both positions. Below we provide brief background information on both new Central Committee members:

MEET NEW D17 MCDCC MEMBER JONATHAN PRUTOW - Jonathan Prutow was previously serving as a non-voting member of the MCDCC, and tonight he ran unopposed for the District 17 vacancy. I first met him when he volunteered for Hans Riemer's County Council campaign in 2010, while also working at the Fair Elections Legal Network. I can honestly say that Jonathan Prutow is a true work-horse for the party, because when I later went on to run GOTV in Montgomery County for the Maryland Democrats, the MCDCC Chair at the time (Karen Britto) was in a jam to find someone to help run the Democrats' early vote program in Montgomery County. Based on what I had seen from his work ethic and desire to get involved, I suggested Jonathan Prutow and connected him with Britto. Apparently it all worked out, since Prutow's colleagues on the MCDCC promoted him to a voting position.  Prutow's (now dated) bio on the MCDCC website notes:

MCDCC: Jonathan Prutow was first appointed to the MCDCC in December  2010. Mr. Prutow is a Gender Balance State Member and lives in District 17.  He currently serves on the Early Voting Committee, Issues Committee, and  Board of Elections Committee. He also was also appointed to the Committee to  Study Compensation of the County Executive, County Council, Sheriff, and  State’s Attorney. Mr. Prutow chaired the Early Voting Committee during the  2012 Primary Election. In addition to his work with the Montgomery County  Democratic Central Committee, Mr. Prutow has been involved with Organizing  for America and Obama for America (OFA) in several capacities since 2009. He  was a Community Organizer and Neighborhood Team Leader with OFA in the Rockville area and also worked as a Regional Voter Protection Director with OFA-Florida from  August 2012 to November 2012. He currently serves as the Statewide Press Lead  with Organizing for Action-Maryland. Mr. Prutow received his JD and Master of  Public Administration degrees from American University’s Washington College  of Law and School of Public Affairs in 2008, and he is licensed to practice law in Maryland and the District of Columbia.

New District 17 MCDCC Member Jonathan Prutow

MEET NEW D20 MCDCC MEMBER TAMIKA BENNETT - The second MCDCC vacancy was in my home turf of District 20, and unlike the District 17 race, there were four candidates for the D20 slot: Tamika Bennett, Alan Bowser, Justin Chappell and Arthur Jackson. The MCDCC members overwhelmingly chose Tamika Bennett, giving her 19 votes votes to Alan Bowser's 4 votes. In recent weeks, I've gotten to meet and learn more about Tamika Bennett and discovered that her family has a bold political backstory. In South Carolina in the 1950's, Tamika's family was involved in the petition to desegregate public school services, which resulted in the famous Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education. Needless to say, these political activities lead to threats of violence toward those involved, with one person fleeing to New York while hiding in a casket. As Wikipedia notes: "Although Brown resulted in a legal victory for the NAACP, it was a hollow victory for those associated with [the Briggs family]. Reverend Joseph De Laine, the generally acknowledged leader of Summerton [South Carolina's] African-Americans at the time, had his church burned and he moved to New York City in 1955 after surviving an attempted drive-by shooting. Harry and Eliza Briggs, on behalf of whose children the suit was filed, lost their jobs. Harry spent more than a decade working in Florida to support the family. Eliza eventually joined her children in New York."

In any case, like Jonathan Prutow, Tamika Bennett was previously serving as a non-voting member of the MCDCC and is the secretary of the East County Citizens Advisory Board.

New District 20 MCDCC Member Tamika Bennett

JUICE #2: FORMER DELEGATE HERMAN TAYLOR ENDORSES SAQIB ALI FOR A POTENTIAL DISTRICT 15 DELEGATE VACANCY - One of the first tasks facing the two new MCDCC members will be to join their colleagues in electing a new State Senator for District 15. Incumbent Senator Rob Garagiola's surprise resignation has led to a vacancy that is likely to be filled by Delegate Brian Feldman (now that challenger Bilal Ayyub has dropped out of the race). We predicted on Monday that this meant that Feldman's lack of competition would also likely trigger another MCDCC appointment process for the D15 Delegate seat in October. It appears that the race to succeed Del. Brian Feldman is now officially underway. An anonymous source forwarded Maryland Juice an email sent by former Delegate Herman Taylor to members of the MCDCC endorsing former Delegate Saqib Ali for the D15 Delegate slot:

From: Herman Taylor
Date: Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Subject: Re: Letter of Support

Dear Esteemed members of the MCDCC,

It was my privilege to serve in the Maryland House of Delegates for 8 years and represent the area in which I grew up (District 14). I want to recognize your service to the Democratic Party and the great responsibility you have to fill the vacant Senate seat in District 15.

If Delegate Brian Feldman is elevated to the State Senate, Saqib Ali would make an excellent choice to replace him.

I was Ali's legislative colleague for four years in the House of Delegates (I always refer to him by his last name). More importantly during that time we shared a single office suite. I was able to observe Ali's daily interactions with his staff, colleagues, constituents and lobbyists. I can tell you without any doubt that he was a hard-working, conscientious and capable legislator. He treated everybody with fairness and respect. He is a person of character and integrity with an intense devotion to serving others. I am proud to call him my friend.

Therefore, I am honored to support Saqib Ali and respectfully ask for your consideration of his candidacy for District 15 Delegate.

Best regards,

Herman L.Taylor, Jr.

MORE ON THE POTENTIAL DISTRICT 15 DELEGATE VACANCY SOON!

Bilal Ayyub Withdraws from District 15 Senate Race // DOCS: Brian Feldman Endorsed by SEIU, Ike Leggett, Kumar Barve

UPDATE: The Washington Post's Bill Turque carries commentary from Bilal Ayyub on the reason for his exit from the D15 Senate race (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST:  The University of Maryland engineering professor recruited ... for the upcoming Maryland State Senate vacancy in Montgomery County’s District 15 has withdrawn his name, citing pressure from elected officials and “discouraging” e-mails from party activists.... “The discouraging electronic traffic on my candidacy has illuminated for all of us the fact that we have a long way to go to change the mindset of those who are apprehensive about inclusion.”

Ayyub, 55, added that he was “discouraged or urged to withdraw by various individuals including elected officials.” In an interview Monday morning Ayyub declined to specify who contacted him, except to say that at least one elected official “called me repeatedly....”

Maryland Juice has been covering the race for the District 15 State Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Rob Garagiola. D15 Delegate Brian Feldman has been seeking the seat, and recently University of Maryland Professor Bilal Ayyub entered the race to be appointed to replace Garagiola. But just weeks before the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee will select a replacement Senator for District 15, Ayyub has withdrawn from the race, in the belief that Feldman has already locked up the endorsement. Indeed, Maryland Juice was just about to post an update on the race, including new endorsements for Feldman from SEIU Local 500, County Executive Ike Leggett, and House Majority Leader Kumar Barve. Below we provide a few key exhibits, including Bilal Ayyub's letter to the MCDCC announcing his exit from the D15 race, and letters from SEIU, Leggett and Barve to the MCDCC.

JUICE #1: LETTER FROM BILAL AYYUB TO THE MCDCC ANNOUNCING HIS WITHDRAWAL FROM THE D15 SENATE RACE - Bethesda Magazine's Lou Peck reported this weekend that Bilal Ayyub was leaving the race for District 15 Senate (excerpt below):

BETHESDA MAGAZINE: Bilal Ayyub, who had been recruited by representatives of several minority groups to seek the soon-to-be-vacant Senate seat in District 15, withdrew his candidacy late Saturday – clearing the way for Delegate Brian Feldman to be named to fill the slot....

The committee is scheduled to meet on Sept. 10, at which time it is all but certain to recommend Feldman to fill the seat of state Sen. Robert Garagiola, whose resignation takes effect next weekend....

On his campaign website, Bilal Ayyub posted several letters of support, including endorsements from CASA in Action, several area politicos, and a list of rank-and-file supporters. But below you can read Bilal Ayyub's full letter to members of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee:

Bilal Ayyub Letter to MCDCC Members Announcing Withdrawal from D15 Senate Race

JUICE #2: DEL. KUMAR BARVE'S LETTER TO MCDCC ENDORSING DEL. BRIAN FELDMAN - District 17 Delegate Kumar Barve wrote the following letter to members of the MCDCC endorsing Brian Feldman for the D15 Senate seat and arguing against the idea of a caretaker appointment for Rob Garagiola's slot:

Del. Kumar Barve Letter to MCDCC Endorsing Del. Brian Feldman

JUICE #3: COUNTY EXECUTIVE IKE LEGGETT'S LETTER TO MCDCC ENDORSING DEL. BRIAN FELDMAN - Below you can read a quick letter from County Executive Ike Leggett endorsing Delegate Brian Feldman for the District 15 State Senate vacancy:

County Executive Ike Leggett Letter to MCDCC Endorsing Del. Brian Feldman

JUICE #4: SEIU LOCAL 500 LETTER TO MCDCC ENDORSING DEL. BRIAN FELDMAN - Below you can read a quick letter from SEIU Local 500 endorsing Delegate Brian Feldman for the District 15 State Senate vacancy:

SEIU Letter to MCDCC Endorsing Del. Brian Feldman

Now that it looks a bit more clear that Delegate Brian Feldman will likely be appointed to replace Rob Garagiola in the State Senate, we can come to one clear conclusion. Feldman's elevation to the Senate will leave a vacancy for District 15 House of Delegates that will also be appointed by the MCDCC. That means....

THE BATTLE FOR THE DISTRICT 15 DELEGATE VACANCY BEGINS NOW!

LEAKED DOC: Sen. Rob Garagiola Responds to MCDCC Appointment in D15 // PLUS: Over 150 Support Bilal Ayyub

BACKGROUND: Maryland Juice recently reported on the latest turn of events in the race to succeed Rob Garagiola for his District 15 State Senate seat. The Washington Post's Bill Turque wrote that Delegate Brian Feldman will face a challenger, Bilal Ayyub, in his quest to be appointed to the vacant seat. The Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC) will soon name a temporary replacement for Garagiola, and some minority activists in MoCo have called for Ayyub (a University of Maryland professor) to be appointed as a caretaker who would not run for office in 2014. Below Maryland Juice publishes a leaked letter from Sen. Rob Garagiola to members of the MCDCC, along with a couple signs that Bilal Ayyub is beginning to campaign for the D15 Senate vacancy.

JUICE #1: ROB GARAGIOLA ENDORSES BRIAN FELDMAN TO REPLACE HIM IN SENATE - Maryland Juice received a leaked copy of a letter sent by Sen. Rob Garagiola to MCDCC members endorsing Del. Brian Feldman to replace him. The letter below also touches upon the race issues raised during the course of the debate:

From: "Robert Garagiola" <xxxx@xxxx.com>
To: xxxxx
Sent: Friday, July 19, 2013 6:26:06 PM
Subject: Brian Feldman for State Senate

Dear Montgomery County Central Committee Members,

I am writing to strongly endorse Delegate Brian Feldman for the seat being vacated by me on September 1st.

While some have suggested it has already been decided who will succeed me – calling it a coronation of sorts – I disagree. There is a fair process in place to select a successor. Each of you has an important decision before you. However, I believe that the most important consideration should be: Who is the best person for the state Senate to represent District 15 in Annapolis? To me, there is only one answer: Brian Feldman.

At the same time, I think that the public discussion about greater minority representation in public office is important. Brian, Kathleen, and I, who were incumbents in 2006, tapped Craig Rice to join our ticket and provided significant financial and volunteer support to ensure that he defeated a Republican incumbent Delegate. In 2010, when Craig decided to run for County Council, the District 15 team got behind Aruna Miller and again provided financial and volunteer support to elect her Delegate. While the Montgomery County delegation benefited with greater minority representation in its ranks, we supported Craig and Aruna, not because they were minorities, but because they were the best people for the job in 2006 and 2010, respectively.

In 2014, I am strongly supporting Anthony Brown for Governor and Ike Leggett for County Executive. Both can expect my time and money to support their candidacies. I am also supporting Delegate Susan Lee for state Senate in District 16. Again, I am supporting these people not because they are minorities, but because they are the best people for the jobs that they are seeking to fill.

Brian is the best person for the job of state Senator. He is unmatched by any possible candidate for state Senate in his ability to legislate, get things done for the residents of District 15, and be able to hit the ground running from day one as a state Senator. He has proven his campaign acumen in winning a very difficult election in 2002, as well as winning successive elections in 2006 and 2010. Brian is well respected in Annapolis by his colleagues – Senators and Delegates respect him and support him.

I am writing not to coronate Brian. I am writing to share my opinions of him and, like Ike Leggett, Craig Rice, Kathleen Dumais, Aruna Miller, and so many others, to endorse his candidacy. I have known Brian for more than 15 years. He is a dedicated public servant. He is hard working. He is exactly the type of person you want serving you.

I have watched Brian navigate complicated issues in Annapolis. I have watched him solve constituent problems. I have seen him work hard to help elect other good Democrats up and down the ticket. I have seen him work with Republicans and Democrats to better the State of Maryland. Brian is by far the best person for the job! I cannot say enough positive things about him. In my opinion, he deserves your support for his candidacy for state Senate for District 15.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss Brian’s qualifications further.

Sincerely,

Rob Garagiola

JUICE #2: BILAL AYYUB BEGINS CAMPAIGNING FOR D15 SENATE VACANCY, LISTS OVER 150 SUPPORTERS - Meanwhile, Maryland Juice readers have pointed to a couple bits of evidence that Bilal Ayyub is beginning to campaign for the District 15 State Senate seat. Ayyub has a website up which lists over 150 supporters, and he has confirmed on Twitter that he is campaigning for the vacancy. His website also provides some info on his background (details below):

BILAL AYYUB: As an engineering professor, scholar, author, a successful businessman, angel/venture capital investor and community leader, Bilal possesses in depth expertise and diverse experiences in many subjects from fiscal matters to government structure to infrastructure to transportation to education to biotechnology to energy to homeland security to standard and regulation development. He is a persisting advocate for citizen participation in governance, diversity, civil liberties and social justice.

Bilal received many awards by several engineering societies, and the 2003 State of Maryland Governor Paris Glendening's Citation for "positive contributions, leadership and distinguished service ... in honor and appreciation of your selfless efforts on behalf of the community." In 2006, he was appointed to the Higher Education Transition Work Group for Governor Martin O'Malley. In 2007, he received the Department of the Army Commander's Award for Public Service for leading the development of the risk model for the hurricane protection system of New Orleans. He also served on Governor O'Malley's Maryland Middle Eastern American Affairs Commission, and is presently serving on the Governor's Emergency Management Advisory Council.

Bilal Ayyub (far left) with Gov. Martin O'Malley, Tufail Ahmad and Terry Lierman.

Check out the following Tweets from Bilal Ayyub regarding the D15 vacancy:

MORE ON THE DISTRICT 15 SENATE VACANCY SOON!

DISTRICT 15 UPDATE: Del. Brian Feldman & Councilmember Craig Rice Letters to MCDCC // PLUS: GOP Lit & More on Race

Happy Independence Day!  But as you watch fireworks and parades & nosh on BBQ today, don't forget the revolutionary spirit that birthed our nation.  Indeed, in today's political culture, we could use far more independence to achieve social and economic justice. With that being said, we hope you enjoy our post below on this holiday!

Below Maryland Juice provides a few recent exhibits regarding the District 15 State Senate seat being vacated by Rob Garagiola. Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC) members will select a replacement for Garagiola, and it appears they are receiving numerous communications from politicos in the area.

Below we print a letter from Delegate Brian Feldman, who is seeking the Senate appointment, along with a letter from MoCo Councilmember Craig Rice endorsing Feldman for the seat. We also include additional dialogue from some District 15 Democrats complaining about one of the endorsements that has been issued. Lastly, at the bottom of this post, you can see a Montgomery County Republican Party lit piece that is being dropped around District 15 neighborhoods, attacking the three incumbent D15 Delegates: Brian Feldman, Kathleen Dumais, and Aruna Miller.

JUICE #1: DEL. BRIAN FELDMAN'S APPEAL TO THE MCDCC FOR THE D15 SENATE SEAT - In the letter below, Delegate Feldman makes his case to MCDCC members for an appointment to the Maryland State Senate. He highlights a range of endorsements from high profile MoCo Democrats, including statewide officeholders and members of Congress. Feldman also notes that he might be the only candidate in the race that has faced the D15 voters before. Check out his full comments below:

Del. Brian Feldman's Letter to MCDCC

JUICE #2: MOCO COUNCILMEMBER CRAIG RICE'S LETTER TO THE MCDCC ENDORSING DEL. BRIAN FELDMAN - In the letter below, Montgomery County Councilmember Craig Rice endorses Delegate Brian Feldman for the District 15 Senate vacancy. Rice previously served with Feldman as a Delegate in District 15. Check out his comments below:

Craig Rice Letter to MCDCC

JUICE #3: MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE DISTRICT 15 CAUCUS ENDORSEMENT OF BRIAN FELDMAN - The District 15 vacancy has generated interest from numerous MoCo insiders and triggered a dialogue within the party about the role of diversity in vacancy appointments. But one endorsement in particular seems to be drawing the ire of party activists. The District 15 Democratic Caucus, a group that functions independently of the MCDCC, recently proclaimed a unanimous endorsement of Feldman for the D15 Senate seat. But since then a few D15 residents have complained that they were not given an opportunity to weigh in on the D15 Caucus endorsement. Bethesda Magazine's Lou Peck dug into the controversy with a series of interviews in an article today (excerpt below):

BETHESDA MAGAZINE: [A] letter from leaders of the District 15 Democratic Caucus, declaring their “unanimous support” for Feldman, was met with protests from some party activists in the district, who complained that minorities were excluded from the process. “Until I received an email about it, I was not aware the [caucus’] letter had gone out,” said Vernon Ricks, a Potomac resident who is a board member of the county’s NAACP chapter....

Daphne Bloomberg, immediate past chair of the District 15 Democratic Caucus, said the decision to endorse Feldman had been made unanimously by all eight board members, not just the four on the caucus’ executive board. She added that two District 15 members of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee—including Sharon Bland, who is African-American—had been consulted and assented in the move. Bloomberg characterized the controversy as a “non-issue”....

Nevertheless, yet another resident has weighed in on the D15 Caucus endorsement, as Maryland Juice recently received a draft of an incendiary letter that to the editor that was submitted to The Gazette from D15 resident Jason Tsai (excerpt below):

JASON TSAI: As a registered Democrat in District 15, I am surprised to learn that the District 15 Democratic Caucus has already thrown their support behind a replacement in a process that is more similar to Chicago in the 1960s than Montgomery County in the 2010s.... it was disappointing to learn that the District 15 Democratic Caucus bosses apparently already have — as they say in Chicago — their “guy.”

Yikes!

JUICE #4: MOCO REPUBLICAN LIT PIECE ATTACKS DISTRICT 15 DEMOCRATIC DELEGATES - To round out this update, an anonymous source provided Maryland Juice with the following literature that Montgomery County Republicans are distributing in District 15 neighborhoods. The GOP piece below attacks the incumbent Democratic Delegates Brian Feldman, Kathleen Dumais and Aruna Miller. The party seems to think it can still play in District 15:

Montgomery County GOP District 15 Lit Piece

UPDATE: Race to Fill Rob Garagiola's Senate Seat Heats Up // MCDCC, Politicos and Delegates Miller & Dumais Weigh In

UPDATE: The article below has generated a lot of heated debate; enough so that Maryland Juice thought it would be worth clarifying a few points. First, though I sprinkle some light commentary throughout the post below, the views printed are almost all those of other politicos in the State. Second, some have suggested that the writings about this topic from me and others is not productive, but it is hard to argue for ignoring this emerging dialogue when I receive multiple emails representing different perspectives about it. 

As for my own views on the matter, I put social and economic justice issues ahead of demography (meaning, no, I would not vote for a conservative minority over a progressive white candidate). But that being said, I think there are many examples where demographic representation is important. During the marriage equality battle, for example, the LGBT caucus was a powerful voice for change. Similarly, Latino lawmakers were instrumental in getting some of the major immigration-related bills through Annapolis in recent sessions. Sometimes its a win-win, because the LGBT and Latino lawmakers in question are also progressives!

Maryland Juice recently reported on the jockeying to replace State Senator Rob Garagiola when he resigns from his District 15 seat later this year. Garagiola's D15 colleague Delegate Brian Feldman is the likely frontrunner for the seat, but the State Senate vacancy has created an opening for minority activists to highlight the lack of diversity in Montgomery County's all-white Senate delegation. Below we provide a few updates to the story, starting with an interesting take on the situation from Center Maryland columnist Josh Kurtz:

JUICE #1: A NEW GLASS CEILING FOR WHITE, MALE DEMOCRATS? - It is unlikely that the domination of white men in state and national politics will end anytime soon, but Center Maryland's Josh Kurtz today published a very interesting take on the D15 Senate vacancy (full article). The column below places the race in a national context (excerpt below):

CENTER MARYLAND: It’s tough to be a white male in Democratic politics these days. Just ask Brian Feldman, the state delegate from Montgomery County. And Attorney General Doug Gansler. And maybe even Gov. Martin O’Malley....

Feldman instantly became the odds-on favorite to succeed Garagiola, whose replacement will be chosen by O’Malley based on a recommendation from the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee. But a loose coalition of minority community and political activists who have been agitating and organizing to get more minority candidates elected to public office in Montgomery County have different ideas.... Montgomery County has never, ever, sent anyone to the Senate who isn’t white. This is, undoubtedly, an embarrassment and a disgrace.

A similar conversation is taking place in Howard County, where more than half the legislative seats will be open in 2014, and in Prince George’s County, where voters in a jurisdiction that’s two-thirds African-American must surely be wondering why only three of their eight state senators are black.... [The] fact is that if black voters turn out in huge numbers for [Lt. Gov. Anthony] Brown, the primary’s over — that’s too big a structural advantage for his opponents to overcome....

JUICE #2: DELEGATES ARUNA MILLER & KATHLEEN DUMAIS ENDORSE BRIAN FELDMAN FOR STATE SENATE - Two of Delegate Brian Feldman's District 15 colleagues endorsed him for the State Senate seat in the letter below. Delegates Aruna Miller and Kathleen Dumais issued the following statement of support to the Chair of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC) Gabe Albernoz. Notably, the members of the MCDCC will soon be voting to appoint a replacement for Garagiola. The letter below highlights Feldman's long record of service to the Democratic Party, though I continue to nitpick on one point that keeps getting raised during this debate.

Feldman backers keep insisting that D15 could be taken over by Republicans without him being appointed to the seat. But the truth is Feldman will be well-positioned to win a Democratic Primary for the seat in 2014 -- whether or not he is appointed to fill the remainder of Garagiola's term in 2013. Moreover, it is absolutely false that any Montgomery County District is susceptible to a Republican takeover. In 2010, Sen. Rob Garagiola beat his Republican challenger 64% to 36%, and in 2012 Democrats held a massive registration advantage in D15 -- 43,939 Dems vs. 23,323 GOP voters. I'm just calling it like I see it! With that clarification, check out the letter below:

DELEGATES ARUNA MILLER & KATHLEEN DUMAIS:

The Honorable Gabriel Albornoz
Chair, Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee
3720 Farragut Ave. Kensington, MD 20895

Re: Unanimous Support for Appointment of Delegate Brian J. Feldman to Maryland Senate Seat Being Vacated by Hon. Rob Garagiola

Dear Chairman Albornoz:

Please accept this letter as evidence of our unqualified support and endorsement of our colleague Delegate Brian Feldman to succeed Senator Rob Garagiola.

District 15 and the State of Maryland certainly benefitted from Senator Garagiola’s years of public service. His recent resignation announcement, needless to say, is one we were both saddened to learn about as we will miss his leadership and friendship. With Senator Garagiola’s resignation on September 1, 2013, the MCDCC faces the tremendous responsibility of submitting a name to Governor O’Malley to replace a person who upheld the duties and responsibilities of the office of State Senator with great integrity, compassion, intelligence and commitment.

We believe Delegate Brian Feldman is the right person to fill the position. He has maintained a remarkable career in public service, both in and outside of the government. As you know, Brian was first elected in 2002 when three of the four legislative seats in District 15 were occupied by Republicans. Brian was re-elected in 2006 and 2010 and has distinguished himself over the past 11 years in the Maryland House of Delegates.

Brian has a proven track record as a progressive voice in the Maryland House of Delegates and has an extensive and impressive portfolio of legislative accomplishments. He served for five years as Chair of Montgomery County Delegation representing the interests, needs and concerns of the citizens of Montgomery County in the Maryland General Assembly (MGA). As Chair, he worked tirelessly to work in partnership with his colleagues, bring consensus amongst the 24 delegates and overcame MGA partisan politics. As Montgomery County represents the largest voting block at the MGA, Brian’s leadership allowed Montgomery County to have a greater influence on policies, the budget and the strengthening our presence in the state of Maryland.

In 2011, the Speaker of the House appointed Brian as the House Parliamentarian and in 2006, as Chair of the prestigious Banking, Economic, Development, Science and Technology Subcommittee on the Economic Matters Committee. Throughout his tenure in the Maryland General Assembly, Brian has demonstrated the knowledge and proven capacity to effectively resolve some of Maryland’s toughest challenges and has been a pioneer in the development of legislative initiatives in the area of bio-tech, directly affecting Montgomery County’s business economy.

Having had the opportunity to work closely with Brian in Annapolis, we can attest to the fact that he is well respected, considered a team builder, influential, and most importantly, deeply committed and dedicated to serving the people of District 15, Montgomery County and the state of Maryland. Brian has consistently demonstrated his ability to coordinate with his constituents, democratic activists and elected officials, special interest groups, and the two of us in producing as well as executing important pieces of legislation that benefit the state of Maryland. He is a political intellect, humble and well liked and well respected.

We also believe Brian is particularly well suited to fill the seat to be vacated by Rob because he will be ready to hit the ground running, based on his legislative experience. This is critical since Montgomery County will be losing two leadership positions in the Senate with the departure of Rob, who serves as the Majority Leader and Senator Brian Frosh, current chair of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, who is running for Attorney General and will not be returning to the Senate.

In conclusion, District 15 which had a Republican delegate as recently as 2006, remains competitive beyond the Democratic primary. Thus, it cannot be assumed that any Democrat winning the primary is guaranteed to win the General Election in District 15. Brian’s successful record in Annapolis, his years of commitment to our constituents, and as a candidate in District 15 will ensure the Senate seat remains Democratic in 2014.

Delegate Feldman has sustained a lifetime of successful public service and because of his work ethic and long list of achievements we enthusiastically endorse Brian for the District 15 State Senate position. We believe he is the best candidate and we humbly request that you give full
consideration for Delegate Brian J. Feldman for the soon to be vacated Senate seat.

Thank you for allowing us to share our thoughts. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you any questions.

Sincerely,

Delegate Kathleen Dumais   Delegate Aruna Miller

cc: Members of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee

JUICE #3: DISTRICT 15 MINORITIES CONTEST DECLARATION OF UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR FELDMAN FROM D15 CAUCUS - Maryland Juice previously published an endorsement from the District 15 Caucus announcing unanimous support for Delegate Brian Feldman for the upcoming State Senate vacancy. The D15 Caucus is a political party club that operates externally from the MCDCC. But strangely enough, I received a letter from members of the D15 club indicating that they were not provided an opportunity to weigh in on the vacancy:

DISTRICT 15 CAUCUS MEMBERS: Dear Members of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC):

Recent press reports indicate that the Board of the District 15 Democratic Caucus has sent a letter to the members of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee.  The letter recommends a candidate for the District 15 State Senate vacancy.

We are members in good standing of the District 15 Democratic Caucus; however, we were never given the opportunity to comment on the Senate vacancy and we were not made aware of the letter before it was sent.

The purpose of this correspondence is to implore the members of the MCDCC to implement a fair and open process.  The process should enable all interested candidates to be interviewed (by the MCDCC) and to be considered over the next three months.  Moreover, District 15 residents should be permitted to share our views on all of the candidates.

We recognize that efforts are being undertaken to wrap-up the process quickly in order to dissuade competition; however, that stance is contrary to what the Democratic Party stands for.  The Democratic Party stands for inclusive participation and the Democratic Party stands for expanding opportunities for all.  So, we urge you to resist efforts to curtail the deliberation process. 

As very loyal members of the Democratic Party, we appreciate the opportunity to be part of this process and respectfully submit this letter.

Respectfully,

Tufail Ahmad
Khalid Chaudhry
Vernon Ricks

 
JUICE #4: ANONYMOUS MCDCC MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS HISTORY OF VACANCY APPOINTMENTS - In previous commentary about the MCDCC's history of filling vacancies, Maryland Juice suggested that the organization had a mixed record at using the appointment process to diversity MoCo's Democratic delegation. An anonymous MCDCC member provided us with the following timeline of appointments to help clarify the record:

ANONYMOUS MCDCC MEMBER: Now that your blog post made it into the Gazette, I thought I would send a quick recap of MCDCC's "record at filling vacant seats with women and people of color" for your own background as you continue coverage of the appointment process.

2001 - Kopp becomes Treasurer, Susan Lee appointed.
2005 - Hurson resigns, Jane Lawton appointed.
2007 - PJ Hogan resigns, Nancy King appointed.
2007 - King elevated, Kirill appointed.
2007 - Goldwater resigns, Frick appointed.
2007 - Lawton passes, Al Carr appointed.
2010 - Bronrott retires, Karen Britto appointed (as she ran as a seat warmer I could see not counting this).

There might be others I am forgetting.  I can't tell you the record before 2001, although I think only one or two current members were even on the committee then.

CONCLUSION: So there you have it folks! Montgomery County Democrats continue to face growing pains relating to the significant churning and demographic shifting in the county's electorate. I know a lot of folks are getting testy about having this conversation, but come on, there's something wrong if the Democratic Party is uncomfortable confronting issues of race, gender, and diversity. It is healthy and will help us evolve in a way that the Republicans are incapable of competing with. But more importantly, Delegate Feldman shouldn't feel threatened by this conversation. I consider it due diligence, as the D15 Senate appointment will likely lead to perpetual re-election of whomever they choose. A State Senate seat should not just be given away lightly. Lastly, the most important factor in this discussion is that there is currently no woman or person of color seeking the D15 Senate vacancy! So what's all this fuss about?

JuiceBlender: Minorities Organize for Garagiola Vacancy, 5 HoCo Delegate Vacancies, Jon Cardin Slams Lawless Sheriffs

Below Maryland Juice highlights a few items of interest to politicos around the state, starting with more organizing around pending legislative vacancies:

JUICE #1: MOCO PEOPLE OF COLOR ORGANIZING AROUND SELECTION OF SEN. ROB GARAGIOLA'S REPLACEMENT - Maryland Juice previously noted that Del. Brian Feldman was seeking the District 15 State Senate vacancy caused by the surprise resignation of Sen. Rob Garagiola. Feldman has received early support for a promotion from some of his elected colleagues and a District 15 Democratic political club, but already some Democratic Party members are agitating for a different direction.

PEOPLE OF COLOR ORGANIZING IN DISTRICT 15: Several Maryland Juice sources indicate that this past weekend, a group of Democratic activists met in Potomac to try and organize a push to ask the MCDCC to take diversity seriously in selecting a replacement for State Senator Rob Garagiola. I received the following statement and photo from a coalition of leaders representing communities of color following a meeting in Potomac:

A group of leaders representing the African American, Asian, Muslim, and Latino communities met today to challenge the efforts of elected officials and democratic party activists to shut-out qualified members of ethnic groups, People of Color, Young Democrats and others from the opportunity to fill the State Senate seat that will be vacated by State Senator Rob Garagiola from District 15. 

The group also maintains that although Montgomery County is a majority people of color County, the County has never elected a Person of Color to the Maryland State Senate.  Based on recent demographic data, we maintain that the Montgomery County Senate Delegation is not representative of the residents of the County.  The retirement of Senator Garagiola is an opportunity for the voters and leaders of Montgomery County to remedy this inequity. 

The people of color leadership group called for an open and transparent process over the next three months and were critical of efforts to anoint a successor by elected officials, party activists and others.  They also cautioned that efforts to intimidate central committee members, elected officials, and potential candidates will not be tolerated.  We believe that qualified candidates who live in District 15 should have a fair chance of interviewing for the vacancy.

Redistricting has had a significant impact on people of color in District 15 and in other communities in Montgomery County.  Many qualified candidates of color were redistricted out of their districts by design.  Communities with growing numbers of ethnic democratic voters as well as voters of color had their voting power diluted,  and the results of those decisions have been the disenfranchisement of voters of color. These and other issues were discussed today and we believe that we have no other alternative but to begin the process of interviewing candidates that we will forward to the Central Committee to be vetted for the District 15 Senate vacancy.  We will also to reach out to young voters, labor unions and other grassroots activists throughout Montgomery County.

DEMOGRAPHIC & ELECTORAL BACKSTORY: Montgomery County is now a majority-minority jurisdiction and barring a national shift in politics, District 15 is highly unlikely to be won by a Republican in the near future. That means that (within reason) almost any Democrat with the juice to win the 2014 primary for this seat ought to be able to easily defend the office in a General Election. But the D15 State Senate vacancy will be filled by the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee, and the MCDCC has a less than encouraging record at filling vacant seats with women and people of color.

Maryland Juice does not think the reasons for this usually have to do with race or gender per se; rather the MCDCC (like many Party entities) favors political insiders and connected individuals, by virtue of existing social networks. Thus, yielding to the inertia of "who you already know" replicates the national glass ceiling effect in MoCo politics. The argument from folks opposed to looking at a range of candidates for the D15 seat is that in order to defeat Robin Ficker (or someone else) in 2014, we will need to anoint a strong insider to keep the D15 Senate seat blue. Hmm. But no matter your view on Del. Feldman or whether the MCDCC should diversify the Senate delegation, that is clearly a spurious argument. You would really have to believe that there are no qualified women or people of color in highly educated MoCo who could win a State Senate seat in a jurisdiction that Barack Obama carried easily in two consecutive elections!

In any case, this is a very interesting development in District 15. I guess we will soon know whether the rebel forces will be heard. Notably, Maryland Juice is hearing about similar dynamics brewing among Democrats in Howard County. More soon!


JUICE #2: DEL. GUZZONE TO RUN FOR SEN. ROBEY'S SEAT & DEL. BATES TO RUN FOR SEN. KITTLEMAN'S SEAT  // 5 OPEN HOCO DELEGATE SEATS! - The Baltimore Sun reported that Delegate Guz Guzzone would be seeking retiring State Senator Jim Robey's seat in 2014 (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: Guy Guzzone, a Columbia Democrat, announced Thursday evening that he would run for State Sen. Jim Robey's seat in 2014. County Executive Ken Ulman and Councilmember Mary Kay Sigaty were among his supporters.

Amazingly, Howard County voters will be electing five new Delegates in 2014, as Del Guy Guzzone is just the latest in a string of Maryand House members vacating their seats next year. Several of Guzzone's Democratic HoCo colleagues previously announced retirement from the House, including Democratic Delegates Liz Bobo, Steve DeBoy and Jim Malone.

Meanwhile, in District 9A Republican Delegate Gail Bates is vacating the House to seek the State Senate vacancy caused by D9 Sen. Allan Kittleman's run for Howard County Executive. Bates told The Baltimore Sun she'd be announcing her campaign for State Senate after July 4th (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: Del. Gail Bates, a West Friendship Republican, said Kittleman is the right choice for Howard County because of his experience on the council and in the Senate. "He sees both sides, and I think he can be very effective as county executive," she said. Bates said she will announce her candidacy for Kittleman's former Senate seat after July 4....

JUICE #3: DEL. JON CARDIN SLAMS MARYLAND SHERIFFS WHO REFUSE TO ENFORCE THE STATE'S NEW GUN CONTROL LAWS - Maryland Juice just caught an interesting op. ed. from Del. Jon Cardin in today's Baltimore Sun. Notably, Cardin is running for Attorney General in 2014, and his commentary below suggests that gun control will have strong support among voters in the upcoming Democratic Primary. In the column below, Cardin condemns Garrett County Sheriff Robert Corley for proclaiming he would not enforce Maryland's newly passed gun regulations (excerpt below):

JON CARDIN (VIA BALTIMORE SUN): While the vast majority of sheriffs nationwide serve honorably, enforcing the laws and putting their lives on the line for our safety, a small number of sheriffs have begun to claim that, in their opinion, validly enacted state and federal laws are unconstitutional. These sheriffs have ordered their subordinate law enforcement officers to ignore the law of the land and enforce only the provisions the sheriff personally feels are constitutional. By stating he will selectively enforce the Maryland Firearms Safety Act of 2013, [Garrett County Sheriff Robert] Corley ignores the oath he took to uphold the U.S. Constitution, the Maryland Constitution and the laws of the state of Maryland — while putting us all in danger of proliferation of violent crime....

MORE ON THE 2014 ATTORNEY GENERAL'S RACE SOON!