MARRIAGE EQUALITY: New "Vote For 6" Radio Ad with Obama // PLUS: Rockville Councilmember Attacked for Lawnsigns

JUICE #1: NEW RADIO AD FEATURES OBAMA: Today Marylanders for Marriage Equality has released a new radio ad featuring President Barack Obama's endorsement of marriage equality earlier this year. Listen to the new spot below:



JUICE #2: CRAZY ANTI-MARIAGE TRUCK AD: A Maryland Juice reader forwarded us the image below of a crazy anti-marriage equality truck ad. See the image below and accompanying explanation:

READER: Saw this on I-270 this morning. The side said "Shame on America."

JUICE #3: LIMITED SUPPLY OF FREE "VOTE FOR 6" LAWNSIGNS: Thanks to a generous donor, Marylanders for Marriage Equality is now offering free "Vote for Question 6" lawnsigns to the first 1,000 people who request them. You can pick up signs from Marylanders for Marriage Equality offices in Silver Spring, Baltimore, Cumberland and Frederick.

[ CLICK HERE TO REQUEST A LAWNSIGN ]

JUICE #4: ROCKVILLE COUNCILMEMBER TOM MOORE UNDER SEIGE FOR PRO-MARRIAGE EQUALITY LAWNSIGNS: Last week, Maryland Juice reported that Rockville City Councilmember Tom Moore decided to print city-specific lawnsigns urging a "vote for" Question 6. Note: You can pick-up signs at his house 11 Forest Ave in Rockville starting next Monday, October 29. In any case, Moore's effort is now under attack from the opponents. See the update below:

TOM MOORE: This is not particularly a news item, but I thought you might enjoy it.   I'm not concerned that it will amount to anything, but man -- no good deed goes unpunished. Debra Daniel, for your reference, is Rockville's City Attorney.

On Oct 24, 2012, at 11:07 AM, xxxxx <xxxx@verizon.net> wrote:

Dear Ms. Daniel,

Once again, I find it necessary to question the recent  action of Councilmember Tom Moore. During Monday’s Council meeting, Mr. Moore displayed the image shown below. He announced that yard signs are available, and can be picked up at his house. It is my opinion he conflated the Council’s position on Question 5 with his personal position on Question 6.

The sign Mr. Moore displayed, and will distribute, gives the impression that the City, through the Mayor and Council, has taken a position on this issue. Who does Mr. Moore think he is, that he can speak for all of Rockville? Mr. Moore doesn’t seem to understand that as an elected official, when he uses such language as “Rockville Votes For”, he is representing our City, and goes far beyond expressing his personal views.

I am hereby requesting that Mr. Moore be told he cannot distribute or display the sign. The City did not approve this, does not take a position on the issue and Mr. Moore is not entitled to speak for all of Rockville.

I would like a timely response to my request, and what action, will be taken. If you feel that, as the City Attorney, you cannot respond directly to me, then I ask you direct your answer through the City Manager or the Mayor. If it is the decision of the City Attorney, City Manager or City Council that there is nothing wrong with Mr. Moore’s language, I would like an explanation as to why.

Sincerely,

XXXXXX

http://r4em.moores.org/

NEW: Rockville-Specific Marriage Equality Lawnsigns // PLUS: Elijah Cummings Hiding from Civil Rights & PG Dems Speak Out

UPDATE: Rockville City Councilmember Tom Moore sends us word that Rockville marriage equality supporters have reached their fundraising goal. Signs will be ready for pickup next Monday:

TOM MOORE: Thanks for the link over the weekend.  We raised $645 in a flash with help from Maryland Juice! I've shut down the fundraising, I've ordered 300 signs, and they're being rushed back here.  Pickups start at my home -- 11 Forest Ave. in Rockville (map below) -- starting next Monday, Oct. 29.

JUICE #1: NEW ROCKVILLE QUESTION 6 LAWNSIGNS - Rockville City Councilmember Tom Moore has also decided to go rogue and print his own Question 6 materials. He is organizing pro-marriage equality Rockville residents to print a batch of "vote for" 6 lawnsigns. Here's some information from his new website:

TOM MOORE: Here's the deal: A few folks in Rockville wanted to get the message out by printing up some yard signs and giving them away. They've kicked in around $700. A few more folks said, "How can we help?"

This is how you can help. Click on the Paypal link below and give anything you'd like -- anything up to $50. (Please, no more than that -- over $50, and we may have to report your name, and we'd rather skip the hassle.)

Here's how it's going to work: The signs will be shipped to the home of the reasonably upstanding Rockville citizen Tom Moore, where anyone and everyone can come by and pick up a few signs for their yard. Whether or not you kick a few bucks toward the effort, you're more than welcome to nab some signs. Tom's house is at 11 Forest Avenue in Rockville.

JUICE #2: DOES REP. ELIJAH CUMMINGS GET A FREE PASS ON SUPPORTING CIVIL RIGHTS? - Shouldn't there be some expectation from the party base that long-time "pro-civil rights" advocates actually do something to help Maryland families in their time of need? Rep. Elijah Cummings has been in office for a decade and a half and is never in danger of losing his seat. So much so, that Maryland Juice wonders if he thinks he's earned enough chits with progressive voters that he doesn't have to help with civil rights causes like marriage equality anymore. Cummings' silence is completely voluntary.

At last check Rep. Cummings' position on the issue was: "It’s now up to the voters to decide whether to uphold the law." Is this an acceptable position for a safe member of Congress in a one-party Democratic state?  He wants to subject individual rights to a popular vote?  Remind me not to vote for Elijah Cummings in the Democratic Primary if he ever runs for U.S. Senate.

I WILL NEVER VOTE FOR ELIJAH CUMMINGS FOR U.S. SENATE

JUICE #3: LAST CALL FOR OBAMA-DREAM-MARRIAGE SIGNS IN BALTIMORE - Maryland Juice & allies have been distributing lawnsigns throughout the state urging residents to vote for:

1. Obama
2. Dream Act (Question 4)
3. marriage equality (Question 6) 

BALTIMORE SIGNS AVAILABLE FOR PICK-UP: We are almost completely sold out, but there are a handful of signs left in Baltimore. If you are able to pick them up in B'more and are interested in spreading the word in your neighborhood, please email me at david@marylandjuice.com for instructions. Maybe you can even put a few up in Rep. Elijah Cummings' neighborhood.  :)


JUICE #4: PRINCE GEORGE'S DEMOCRATS GLENN IVEY & JOLENE IVEY COMBAT MISINFORMATION: Lastly, if you're sitting on your laurels while this battle is going on in Maryland, it is time to wake up! The haters are airing television advertisements trying to confuse and mislead voters into voting against basic legal rights for Maryland families. They are seizing on Gallaudet University's suspension of their anti-marriage equality "diversity & inclusion" provost as evidence that "we're all at risk."

This has led our side to divert efforts from our basic message to try and fend off the misinformation campaign. Delegate Jolene Ivey and her husband Glenn Ivey (former P.G. State's Attorney) released the following ad to counter recent propaganda from the anti-civil rights forces:

REPORT FROM THE FIELD: A Sign of Questionable Tactics from Anti-Marriage Equality Petition Gatherers

Rockville City Councilmember Tom Moore posted the following disturbing report on his Facebook page today. He mentions that a petition-gatherer at his polling location was gathering signatures to repeal marriage equality, but may have used questionable tactics to get LGBT-rights supporters to sign the haters' petition for repeal. The extreme right is spending massive resources trying to subject Maryland's newly passed marriage equality law to a repeal effort on November's ballot. See the irritating note below:

The report from Mr. Moore comes on the heels of yesterday's report that the anti-gay "National Organization for Marriage" (aka NOM) was robo-polling voters to try and identify marriage equality opponents to steer toward Anthony Muse's U.S. Senate campaign. NOM was also recently condemned by a Maryland NAACP leader for getting caught red-handed trying to stoke racial divisions by exploiting African American and Latino figures.

Rockville & Baltimore 2011 Election Controversies // Time to Rethink MD's Municipal Election Calendars?

Maryland Juice recently unearthed mutual acquaintances with Baltimore blogger Adam Meister at Charm City Current. We were therefore excited to discover from a recent blog post, that Mr. Meister shares our passion for pushing higher voter turnout through calendar changes. Specifically, Mr. Meister wants to see Baltimore elect city leaders at the same time as higher turnout races. Baltimore Council candidate Shannon Sneed's write-in campaign (announced today), seems to be putting a spotlight on reforming Baltimore elections. We explain the (much ignored) issue below and note how this relates to recent controversies in Rockville, Maryland elections (ie: Bob Barker and deer hunting or City Council candidate Tom Moore and campaign finance law).

On Tuesday, November 8, 2011, voters in Baltimore, Greenbelt, Takoma Park, Rockville, Gaithersburg, and other Maryland cities will be electing new Mayors and City Councilmembers. Do you live in one of these cities? If so, were you even aware there is an election in a few weeks? Do you care? You can check your local election schedule here.