Unions Picketing MoCo Democratic Party Fundraiser // Anthony Brown, 2014 AG Candidates, Young Dems & More Join Effort

All week Maryland Juice has been hearing murmurs about a possible protest by labor unions at the Montgomery County Democratic Party's (MCDCC) May 11th annual fundraising event. It turns out the picket line has been given the green light, and the MCDCC's annual spring ball is now becoming a full-blown political controversy. The AFL-CIO Metro Council released the following statement today announcing the formation of a picket line (excerpt below):

AFL-CIO: The metro Washington-area labor movement is boycotting – and picketing -- the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee’s Spring Ball because the Committee took a position in favor of the 2012 Question B referendum, which took away the police union’s right to bargain the effects of management decisions....

[Metro Council President Jos Williams said] "‘An injury to one is an injury to all’. When the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee decided to support Question B, it not only took sides, it took a position in opposition to organized labor and for that it must pay a price, which in this case is a withdrawal of our – and our friends and allies -- traditional support for the MCDCC Spring Ball, and the establishment of a picket line to publically express our disappointment with the MCDCC.”

Added UFCW 1994 MCGEO president Gino Renne, “Labor will not tolerate being treated as an ATM and foot soldiers for a party which is often indifferent -- and sometimes openly hostile -- to working families in Montgomery county.”

ANTHONY BROWN & BEN CARDIN SUPPORT MCDCC PROTEST // PLUS: SOME DONORS SEEKING REFUNDS - We are now hearing reports of several statewide candidates who are canceling their previous plans to attend the Montgomery County Democrats' spring ball. Additionally, some donors that had previously paid to reserve entire tables are now seeking refunds, which appears to be enraging MoCo Democratic Party officials. This could get ugly, because I'm told that the MCDCC ball is one of the key revenue generators for the MoCo Democratic Party's annual budget. I'm also hearing that the refund requests might not be honored anyway. We shall have to see how this all plays out.

Below Maryland Juice provides statements from several candidates regarding the MCDCC event, along with some background info on what started this conflict. The AFL's statement announcing the picket line also noted that statewide Democratic officials have pledged their support for the labor protest:

AFL-CIO: Senator Ben Cardin (D, MD), Maryland Lt. Governor Anthony Brown and the Montgomery County Young Democrats are among those who have announced that they’re honoring a boycott of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee’s May 11 Spring Ball....

MOCO YOUNG DEMS JOIN PROTEST OF MCDCC - It is interesting to see the Montgomery County Young Democrats participating in this protest, given that their President Dave Kunes is being awarded "Democrat of the Year" at the event. But note that Kunes previously worked for AFSCME.


2014 ATTORNEY GENERAL CANDIDATES CANCEL PLANS TO ATTEND BALL - Maryland Juice today received statements from three out of four candidates for Attorney General announcing they will not cross the picket line at the MCDCC ball. Maryland Juice did not receive a response from Del. Aisha Braveboy by the time we posted this entry, but below you can read remarks from State Senator Brian Frosh and Delegate Bill Frick, along with a press release from Delegate Jon Cardin:

• STATE SENATOR BRIAN FROSH: I have always valued the support of organized labor and I respect the sanctity of the picket line. I have never crossed a picket line and will not for this event.  Unfortunately, this dispute will prevent me from honoring my dear friend and supporter Madeleine Siegel,  by presenting her with the Rosalie Reilly Lifetime Service Award for her outstanding commitment and contributions to the County Democratic Party.  

• DELEGATE BILL FRICK: I bought tickets, but won't cross any picket line to use them.

PRESS RELEASE

Del. Jon Cardin to Stand with Montgomery County’s Working
Families, Skip Democratic Central Committee Spring Ball

BALTIMORE, MD – Del. Jon Cardin, who is currently laying the groundwork to run for Attorney General, announced today that he would stand in solidarity with Montgomery County’s unions and working families – and not attend this year’s Montgomery County Democratic Central Spring Ball on May 11, 2013.

The Metropolitan Council AFL-CIO and Fraternal Order of Police announced recently that they would boycott the Spring Ball after the Central Committee endorsed Question B on last year’s ballot, which dramatically limited the FOP’s rights to collectively bargain.

“Today and always, I’m proud to stand with the police officers who risk their lives to keep us safe,” Del. Cardin said. “At a time when so many working Marylanders, including our police officers, are having a tough time making ends meet, we should help folks earn a better living – not make it tougher for them to get a fair shake.”

In the Maryland legislature over the past 10 years, Del. Cardin has been a consistent supporter of working families and their right to organize.

###

BACKGROUND OF THE PROTEST: The original grievance that led to calls for a protest came from Montgomery County's Fraternal Order of Police, who fought with MoCo Democrats over the police officers' "effects bargaining" rights. The County Executive and County Council voted to eliminate these rights, and the police union initiated a referendum (Question B) to fight the policy change during the November 2012 Presidential Election.

But the current conflict with the MCDCC started when MoCo Democrats created and mailed a sample ballot to all registered MoCo Democrats. Their endorsements included a recommendation that Democrats support the elimination of effects bargaining rights. Members of the MCDCC voted overwhelmingly for that recommendation prior to issuing of the sample ballot, and it appears that the FOP is now retaliating against the party for tipping the scales on the issue.

Here's how the FOP described the issue on their 2012 campaign website (excerpt below):

FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE: For over 30 years Montgomery County police officers have collectively bargained over issues critical to us and our families, including the effects of the exercise of management rights.... Repealing effects bargaining will set back police labor relations. It will undermine the purpose of the police collective bargaining law which has kept labor peace for over 30 years....

95% of management decisions do not implicate effects bargaining. Effects bargaining does not impede operational decisions. In the 30 years that effects bargaining has been in place, police operations has run smoothly. In fact, so smoothly, that the county has never utilized the process in the law for resolving a dispute over effects within 50 days.... Don’t be fooled into believing that effects bargaining is about requiring police officers to check their email. It is about requiring us to check email when we are on vacation or in the hospital giving birth....

We police officers are concerned about having the resources and training to do our jobs well. We are concerned about the effects of management decisions that impact our schedules, ability to plan time with our families, our vacations, and our time off. We are concerned about fairness in transfers, assignments, and promotions. For over 30 years that effects bargaining has existed, no call has gone unanswered, no report of crime has gone uninvestigated. Simply put, effects bargaining has had no adverse impact on the public. Federal employees and most private sector employees with collective bargaining have the right to bargain collectively over the effects of the exercise of a management right....

MORE ON THE MCDCC SPRING BALL PROTEST SOON!

DIRECT MAIL: Gov. Martin O'Malley and Baltimore, PG, MoCo & Howard Democratic Executives Urge "Vote For All" Referenda

Yesterday Maryland Juice reported that a new Democratic-aligned group materialized out of nowhere and was endorsing a "vote for all" the ballot questions. The sample ballot, from a group called "Forward Maryland" urged voters to support not only marriage equality (Question 6) and the Dream Act (Question 4), but also Maryland's congressional districts (Question 5) and gambling expansion (Question 7).

It turns out the operation is not faceless. Today, Maryland Juice received a direct mail sample ballot from the group, but they are now calling it the "Official Recommendations of Governor Martin O'Malley and Maryland's Leading Democrats." The mailer below also includes the faces of Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, Prince George's Executive Rushern Baker, and Howard County Executive Ken Ulman:

See the full direct mail piece below:

SAMPLE BALLOT: Gov. O'Malley & Democratic Executives Urge Vote For All Questions

IKE LEGGETT DEFENDING MOCO VALUES?: Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, for what its worth, is also appearing on straight-up "vote for" Question 7 direct mail pieces promoting Maryland gambling expansion. See an excerpt from a postcard that arrived at my house yesterday:

New Democratic-Aligned Group Urges "Vote For All" MD Ballot Questions // SCANNED DOC: "Forward Maryland" Sample Ballot

A new group called "Forward Maryland" formed a few days ago and is urging voters to "vote for" all of the state's ballot questions. The new political committee is printing and distributing the voter guide below, which encourages Marylanders to support issues ranging from marriage equality and the Dream Act to gambling expansion and the new Congressional Districts. The effort appears to be designed to encourage the Democratic base to stick together on all of the ballot questions (see below):
Forward Maryland Voter Guide

WHO IS FORWARD MARYLAND: Public filings indicate that Forward Maryland's treasurer is Isaac Salazar, a former communications director for the Maryland Democratic Party, while the Chair of the committee is Sheila Irene Hill. The sole disclosed financier is a W. Hackerman, who dropped a large $100,000 onto the effort a few days ago. See the filing documents below.

Maryland Juice presumes that "W. Hackerman" is prominent Baltimore real-estate developer Willard Hackerman, who is currently working on redeveloping the 1st Mariner Arena and convention center areas in the city. Notably, Hackerman also donated $50,000 to the "vote for" Question 6 campaign for marriage equality last September.
Forward Maryland Campaign Finance Report
Very interesting sample ballot activity this year!

SCANNED DOC: Montgomery County Democratic Sample Ballot // Party Endorsements Arriving In Mailboxes Today

Today Maryland Juice received a copy of Montgomery County's Democratic sample ballot mailing. The piece below is being sent to all MoCo registered Democrats. We previously noted the fierce battle over some of the ballot question endorsements below. Below you can see the final product:
Montgomery County Democratic Sample Ballot 2012

MoCo Democrats Make Referenda Endorsements // See MCDCC Positions on Marriage, Dream Act, Gambling, Redistricting, Etc.

UPDATE: Maryland Juice has received a copy of a chart showing how the final recommendations of the MCDCC differ from the votes of the precinct officials and from the votes of the Democrats' "Ballot Question Advisory Committee." The MCDCC ignored the committee recommendations on three issues: 1) gambling, 2) redistricting, and 3) police bargaining rights. See below:
MCDCC Votes vs. Ballot Question Advisory Committee Recommendations

BACKGROUND: The Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC) made recommendations for its sample ballot mailing last night. Numerous attendees report that the convening of precinct officials was sometimes quite contentious. We previously noted that based on early recommendations on the ballot questions, the MCDCC might adopt positions against gambling and the redistricting plan and also support a measure reducing police bargaining rights. You can see the results of the votes below. These recommendations will now be featured on the MCDCC's sample ballot mailing to MoCo Democrats.

Maryland Teachers, MoCo Police & County Executive Ike Leggett Lobby MoCo Democrats to Endorse Referenda for Sample Ballot

BACKGROUND: Yesterday Maryland Juice reported that Montgomery County Democrats were set to vote on which ballot questions to endorse for their Presidential Election sample ballot mailing. That vote is taking place tonight, and Democratic precinct officials are now being lobbied by numerous politicos to support various positions on the referenda. We noted that Governor Martin O'Malley was emailing MoCo precinct officials regarding four of the questions (gambling, redistricting, marriage equality and the Dream Act), and that County Executive Ike Leggett's staff have been pushing for an elimination of certain police bargaining rights.

MoCo's Facebook account pushes Question B

LT. GOV. MICHAEL STEELE, TEACHERS & OTHERS LOBBY FOR MOCO DEMS' SAMPLE BALLOT - It turns out that lots of lobbying is going on behind the scenes. You can see a few more examples below, including advocacy from the teachers union and more PR efforts by Ike Leggett's team on police union rights (Question B). The MoCo County Executive, for what its worth, is pulling out all the stops and directing the various County agencies to hit their email lists, Facebook pages and other outlets with information regarding the police referendum. See a few exhibits below.

We also provide a rebuttal to Leggett's messaging on Question B from the Fraternal Order of Police. Notably, The Washington Post's Victor Zapana reported that the FOP has hired a new advocacy team that includes a prominent Democratic attorney and former GOP Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: The Montgomery County police union on Monday hired Lanny Davis, a former special counsel to President Clinton, and Michael Steele, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee, as consultants for a referendum campaign on collective bargaining rights....

SAMPLE BALLOT WAR: Gov. Martin O'Malley & MoCo Executive Ike Leggett Lobby Democratic Precinct Chairs on Referenda

UPDATE: Two readers have pointed out an error in the article below. I incorrectly speculated that MoCo's Democratic precinct officials were limited in what recommendations they could make. But it turns out that the precinct officials can take whatever positions they want when they vote on the various referenda Wednesday night. After they vote, the Central Committee members will not be able to overturn the recommendations of these precinct officials. The MCDCC would, however, have the option of neutralizing any recommendations by deciding to instead take no position on the issue. See our two readers' comments below:

READER #1: The precinct org can take ANY position they want. It is only MCDCC that is bound (to either agree or take no position) by the precinct org (three step process).

READER #2: I may be wrong, but as I understand the process, it is the Central Committee that cannot overturn a recommendation of the precinct officials (but can move to a no position).  Tomorrow night the precinct officials can reach a different conclusion on Question B than the Ballot Question Advisory Committee (BQAC) did (7-6-1, I think).  The Central Committee's final decision will stem from the precinct officials' vote, not from the BQAC's.

BACKGROUND: Maryland Juice recently reported that a battle was brewing over the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee's (MCDCC) upcoming sample ballot mailing. The MoCo Dems typically send a sample ballot with recommendations to the nearly 250,000 registered Democrats in their county. But as we noted earlier, party leaders are split on which of the referenda to support in their mailing. In Montgomery County, there appears to be Democratic unity behind supporting marriage equality and the Dream Act -- but other measures like redistricting and gambling are proving divisive.

MoCo Democratic Sample Ballot Battle: Councilmember Phil Andrews Fights Redistricting // PLUS: Young Dem on Dream Act

BACKGROUND: Yesterday, Maryland Juice reported that the Montgomery County Democrats have begun the process of assembling a sample ballot mailing for this November's Presidential Election. In addition to candidates for public office, the sample ballot will include the MoCo Dems' recommendations on the numerous referenda being voted on this year. The first big step in this process happened this week, when the "Ballot Question Advisory Committee" heard testimony from a range of MoCo Democratic activists and officials. After debating the referenda, the committee voted to support a vote "FOR" the Dream Act (Question 4) and marriage equality (Question 6). But the "Ballot Question Advisory Committee" voted overwhelmingly to oppose Maryland's Congressional redistricting plan, as well as a proposed expansion of gambling in the Free State. These recommendations will now be provided to the numerous Democratic precinct officials in Montgomery County for ratification or rejection, before the sample ballots gets printed.

A BATTLE OVER THE SAMPLE BALLOT: But Maryland Juice has been hearing that the recommendations are causing some controversy. A handful of MoCo Democratic officials are now threatening to withhold funding for the sample ballot mailing unless some of the recommendations are discarded. The sample ballot mailing, after all, would be sent to nearly a quarter of a million Montgomery County Democrats. Here are a few resources for voters that want to brush up on the key issues:

• Breakdown of the MoCo Dems vote for each referenda
• Ballot language and summary of each referenda

MoCo Dems' Committee Recommends Marriage Equality & Dream Act // But Party May Diss Redistricting, Gambling & More

UPDATE: A few politicos are reporting that some Montgomery Democratic elected officials are withholding donations to the sample ballot effort unless some of the recommendations below are reversed. This means we are likely to see some electeds campaigning for precinct officials' support on some of the more controversial referenda.

A reader and member of the MoCo Dems' committee that made the recommendations below also clarifies some of the details: "We're called the Ballot Question Advisory Committee. We make recommendations, but the precinct captain community takes the final vote. Marriage and the DREAM Act were both unanimous votes. The effects bargaining was a draw: 6-7. It's not fair to say it was voted down." Additionally, we now have an accounting of the vote totals for each recommendation. The votes on marriage equality and the Dream Act were unanimously in support, but the opposition to the Congressional districts was also nearly unanimous. See below: