UPDATE: Ken Ulman, Heather Mizeur, Aisha Braveboy and Other Candidates Join Labor Protest of MoCo Democratic Ball

Below Maryland Juice provides a round of updates on which Democratic officials and organizations are supporting a planned protest of this Saturday's MoCo Democratic Party fundraising ball. It appears that statewide officials and a handful of MoCo lawmakers are unwilling to cross the picket line. There were apparently attempts by a few Democratic officials to broker some sort of compromise this week, but the unions appear set on holding their protest. Details below:

JUICE #1: KEN ULMAN & HEATHER MIZEUR JOIN ANTHONY BROWN IN SUPPORTING LABOR PROTEST - Three out of the four Democrats seeking the Governor's office in 2014 are now supporting the AFL-CIO's protest of the MCDCC spring ball. Only Attorney General Doug Gansler has not yet weighed in, while Lt. Governor Anthony Brown previously indicated he would be joining the labor protest. Below Maryland Juice provides statements from Howard County Executive Ken Ulman and Delegate Heather Mizeur:

KEN ULMAN: I would like to be able to support my labor friends in Montgomery County, and celebrate the achievements of my Democratic neighbors in Montgomery County. But I can't do both on May 11.  I will honor the picket and the protest, and hope that these tensions are resolved soon.

HEATHER MIZEUR: If there's one thing I learned from my Dad, a UAW member for 32 years, it's solidarity – the importance of standing together. My Dad never once crossed a picket line, and I certainly will not cross one for Saturday's event.

JUICE #2: DEL. AISHA BRAVEBOY JOINS DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL IN SUPPORTING UNION PROTESTERS - Maryland Juice previously printed responses from three out of the four Democratic candidates for Attorney General indicating they would be supporting the union protesters and cancelling previous plans to attend the MCDCC spring ball: State Senator Brian Frosh and Delegates Bill Frick & Jon Cardin. But now all four Democratic candidates are supporting the protest. We recently received the following statement from Del. Aisha Braveboy indicating that she too would not be attending the MCDCC ball:

DEL. AISHA BRAVEBOY: I respect the decision by our brothers and sisters in labor to exercise their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and to assemble; and I believe that the decision by labor to boycott and picket the MCDCC Spring Fling was made after thoughtful consideration and deliberation by its membership.

My hope is that this action by our party's most loyal and giving constituency will lead to meaningful dialogues between all parties and the development of a plan to move forward in unity.

I hope to be able to attend the Spring Fling in 2014, but will be standing in solidarity with my labor partners this year.

Respectully,
Aisha N. Braveboy, Esq. Delegate (D-25)

JUICE #3: COALITION OF ELECTED OFFICIALS AND ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT LABOR PROTEST OF MCDCC BALL - Today Maryland Juice received the latest AFL-CIO Metro Council email newsletter, and it includes a round-up of additional officials and groups endorsing their planned picket of the MoCo Democratic Spring Ball this weekend (excerpt below):

AFL-CIO: Here’s who’s joined the boycott thus far: Metro Washington Council, AFL-CIO; FOP Lodge 35; UFCW Local 1994, MCGEO; IAFF Local 1664; Montgomery County Young Democrats; Prince Georges County Young Democrats; Progressive Maryland; Fund Our Communities; Senator Ben Cardin (D, MD); Maryland Lt. Governor Anthony Brown; Del. Charles Barkley; Del. Bill Frick; Del Brian Frosh; Sen. Rob Garagiola; Del. Tom Hucker; Sen. Roger Manno; Del. Heather R. Mizeur; Sen. Karen Montgomery.

MORE ON THE LABOR PROTEST OF THE MCDCC BALL SOON!

GUEST POST: "A Petulant Child in Montgomery County" // Democratic Precinct Official Condemns MCDCC Protest

Below Maryland Juice publishes a guest post from Matthew Herrmann, a Democratic Party activist, precinct official, and Democratic club official. In the column below, Herrmann condemns a planned protest by labor leaders of the MoCo Democratic Party's spring ball this weekend:

MATTHEW HERRMANN:  "A Petulant Child in Montgomery County"

As a long-time Democratic activist I write in opposition to the proposed boycott of the 2013 Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC) fundraiser next week.  As Democrats we all support the basic and fundamental tenants of the union movement.  However, their proposed actions next week are disappointing and an insult to every Democratic activist and voter in Montgomery County.  Unfortunately, their actions resemble a petulant child that has been unable to get their way.

Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO is proposing to boycott the MCDCC annual fundraiser because the MCDCC recommended supporting Question B on the ballot last year.  The referendum upheld a unanimous Montgomery County Council decision to eliminate effects bargaining for the police union – a benefit that did not exist for any other workers in the County or any other union for that matter.  The unions had asked for a referendum to overturn the unanimous decision by the County Council arguing that it greatly diminished their bargaining rights.  As is tradition, the Central Committee called for a meeting of all Democratic activists including precinct chairs, co-chairs, club leaders and other long-time leaders of the party to debate and vote on what position the Democratic party of the county would take on all referendum matters.  When it came to Question B, an overwhelming number of Democratic activists in the party, 109 to 14, voted in support of Question B which upheld the County Council decision to eliminate effects bargaining for the police union.  As is tradition and the general rules of the party, the Central Committee voted to affirm the vote of activists and provided the result of that vote to voters on a sample ballot during last year’s election.

I respect the union’s right to organize and protest this decision by party activists.  In fact, I fight every day to protect that right for unions and individuals.  What I find appalling is that the union is trying to fracture the Democratic Party at an annual event that is critical to the success of the party.  An actual picket line of the annual fundraiser would likely lead to a significant loss of funds for the party and potentially put the party at risk for supporting candidates and initiatives in the upcoming 2014 election. 

The union’s actions are in direct contravention of a significant majority of Democratic activists and nearly 60% of the entire county’s residents.  The union believes that residents of Montgomery County will blindly follow Union positions.  As a long-time resident of the County what I love about my home is that the County is full of contentious and active voters.  They are well aware of the issues that impact them and vote on the value of the issue.  As such, I am also deeply disappointed in some elected officials that have blindly followed the union in boycotting the MCDCC Spring Ball despite the fact that an overwhelming number of activists whom they heavily rely for donations and volunteering supported Question B.  I think many activists will weigh their allegiances in the upcoming election carefully on how elected officials act during this difficult period.

Effects’ bargaining is a unique tool that only the police in the county had authority to utilize and very few other organizations in the U.S.  Despite false rhetoric to the contrary this repeal has no effect on the union’s basic right to organize and bargain for workers conditions and wages.  In fact, it’s ironic that on the same day the union decided to boycott the event the County Council Committee in charge of the union’s wages voted for a 6% pay increase – a well deserved raise given the last several years of fiscal austerity. 

I hope the union will sit down and seriously re-consider its proposed boycott of the annual Democratic Party fundraiser.  The knee jerk reactions to the party activists vote in favor of question b are tantamount to how North Korea reacts to any push for serious Six Party talks to resolve denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.  I hope the union leadership will seriously reconsider their picture in light of overwhelming voter and activist support for Question B.  They may not agree with us but the decisions were made on solid facts.  I don’t always agree with the results of referendum in Montgomery County but most party activists support the ultimate decisions of voters in the County and certainly do not hold worthwhile causes hostage after the vote.  The effect of a boycott on the annual fundraiser will only further hurt the union’s efforts in larger policy issues in the coming issues.  I urge the union to recognize the by-product of a fair and transparent democratic process and move on to bigger and more important issues.  Any action to the contrary is merely spiteful and is smack in the face to activists that have, for a long time, fought and supported initiatives that are good for the working man and woman.

Written by:
Matthew Herrmann
Democratic Party Activist – Precinct Official
Democratic Club Official

MORE ON THE LABOR PROTEST OF THE MCDCC BALL SOON!

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!

JUICE: Brown & Ulman Teaming Up, Gansler Opposes Gas Tax, Straw Poll for Gov Says Brown #1, Mizeur #2 & Frosh #1 for AG

Below Maryland Juice discusses a few interesting developments in the 2014 races for Governor and Attorney General:

JUICE #1: ANTHONY BROWN & KEN ULMAN DISCUSS JOINING FORCES TO FORM A 2014 TICKET - The Washington Post's John Wagner reported last night that Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown is in discussions with Howard County Executive Ken Ulman to serve as his running-mate for the 2014 Governor's race. A Brown-Ulman ticket always seemed like a strong possibility for one main reason: by joining forces, the two rival candidates would immediately be able to minimize Attorney General Doug Gansler's current cash advantage. Though Brown's folks are saying this is not a done deal, there are clearly talks going on (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown ... is in discussions with Howard County Executive Ken Ulman about joining his ticket, according to several people familiar with the talks....

By adding Ulman as the lieutenant governor candidate, Brown could erase much of a huge early fundraising advantage that Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler (D) enjoys over all other 2014 gubernatorial hopefuls in both parties. As of January, Ulman had $2.1 million sitting in his campaign account, more than the $1.6 million Brown reported having on hand.

Gansler, a former state’s attorney in Montgomery County, had $5.2 million, some of it stockpiled from a 2010 reelection campaign in which he did not have a Republican opponent.... An adviser to Brown stressed that a final decision has not been made....

AN OPENING FOR 2014 CHALLENGERS TO WOO WOMEN, MOCO & BALTIMORE? - The large fundraising gap and the easy ability to close it with one simple move might prove too irresistible for Brown and Ulman. But there are a few obvious downsides to an Ulman pick for Brown, especially since the other candidates can now make their own decisions knowing who they will be going up against.

First, this decision inevitably raises a giant red flag about the lack of gender balance on the ticket. This could have the effect of strengthening Heather Mizeur's hand or creating opportunities for a ticket that includes Doug Gansler with a woman as a running-mate. Additionally, adding Ken Ulman to the Brown ticket is something of a "safe" choice and doesn't bring the element of surprise or excitement that could come with a more risky or game-changing choice.

The next set of questions raised by Brown's choice concern geography. Montgomery County Democrats will undoubtedly make up a large share of the party's voters in 2014, and a Brown-Ulman ticket raises the possibility that in the absence of differentiating issues, MoCo voters could simply rally around a hometown candidate. The same could be true of voters in Baltimore, who currently have no candidate in the race. Indeed, Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger could be more inclined to run with a Brown-Ulman ticket further consolidating a field of non-Baltimore candidates.


JUICE #2: DOUG GANSLER OPPOSES GAS TIKE HIKE APPROVED BY MARYLAND  DEMOCRATS - Though most who read John Wagner's article above were likely interested in the discussion of a possible Brown-Ulman ticket, Maryland Juice was equally intrigued by Wagner's inclusion of policy debates between Anthony Brown and Doug Gansler. We previously discovered, for example, that Brown and Gansler are diametrically opposed on the death penalty -- Brown supports repeal, while Gansler thinks executions are a "wonderful tool" for prosecutors. But it turns out that Gansler is also opposed to the transportation funding package that was approved by most elected Democrats in the last legislative session. Check out the commentary on the gas tax hike from Gansler and Brown revealed by The Washington Post (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: “Virginia is cleaning our clocks economically,” Gansler said.... He was also critical of the number of tax increases that have occurred under the O’Malley-Brown administration, including the recently passed increase in gas taxes to fund transportation projects. “To me, the solution to our transportation needs should not be to tax poor people and working families,” Gansler said....

[Anthony Brown] defended the need for the gas tax increase, saying that several projects, including the long-planned Purple Line rail link in the Washington suburbs, would probably have been “dead in the water” without it....

Maryland Juice eagerly awaits the details of Gansler's alternate transportation funding package, given that the gubernatorial candidate is purportedly concerned about competition from Virginia (where they are building a new Metro line AND where the legislature recently approved a massive transportation funding package).


JUICE #3: ANTHONY BROWN  TOPS STRAW POLL FOR 2014 GOVERNOR, BUT HEATHER MIZEUR STUNS WITH 2ND PLACE SHOWING IN WESTERN MARYLAND - A Maryland Juice source provided us with the results of the first Democratic straw polls for the 2014 campaign cycle. Last night Western Maryland Democrats took an early poll in the heated races for Maryland Governor and Attorney General. In the Governor's race, Maryland Juice is not surprised to see that Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown came in first place by a healthy margin -- even outside of the Democratic strongholds of Montgomery, Prince George's and Baltimore. But my source indicates that there was an audible gasp in the room when it was revealed that Delegate Heather Mizeur came in 2nd place among Western Maryland Democrats. Below you can see the vote totals, as well as the official tally sheet:

WESTERN MD DEMOCRATIC SUMMIT - 2014 GOVERNOR STRAW POLL

1. Anthony Brown - 62 Votes
2. Heather Mizeur - 37 Votes
3. Doug Gansler - 25 Votes
4. Ken Ulman - 17 Votes

JUICE #4: SEN. BRIAN FROSH WINS STRAW POLL FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL, DEL. BILL FRICK COMES IN 2ND AMONG WESTERN MARYLAND DEMS - State Senator Brian Frosh came in first place in the Western Maryland Democratic straw poll for Attorney General, and Delegate Bill Frick came in second. Note that the poor showing by Delegates Jon Cardin & Aisha Braveboy could be attributed to the fact that unlike their competitors, neither candidate attended the Western Maryland Democratic Summit yesterday. See the result below:

WESTERN MD DEMOCRATIC SUMMIT - 2014 ATTORNEY GENERAL STRAW POLL

1. Brian Frosh - 70 votes
2. Bill Frick - 54 votes
3. Jon Cardin - 9 votes
4. Aisha Braveboy - 4 votes
5. Ken Ulman (Write-In) - 1 vote

MORE ON THE 2014 BATTLES SOON!

JuiceBlender: Maryland Lawmakers Weigh Retirement, Mizeur Decries Exclusion from 2014 Coverage, Frick vs. Frosh for AG

PLUS: FRANCHOT'S ODD NEWSPAPER, O'MALLEY'S PILGRIMAGE & A GOP COUP!

Below Maryland Juice highlights several news tidbits that may of interest to politicos tracking campaign developments in 2014 (and 2016):

JUICE #1: NUMEROUS STATE SENATORS & DELEGATES MAY RETIRE IN 2014 - Center Maryland columnist Josh Kurtz recently published a thorough round-up of possible retirement and open seat possibilities in 2014. In his lengthy column, he audits almost every State Senate and House of Delegates district and comes to the conclusion that the next election cycle could result in massive turnover in the General Assembly (excerpt below):

JOSH KURTZ (VIA CENTER MARYLAND): Jimmy Malone and Steven DeBoy are just the tip of the iceberg. When the House of Delegates convenes in 2015, there could be as many as 50 new members. That’s right, more than a third of the chamber could — could — turn over....

The Malone and DeBoy departures say something about the unique challenges facing conservative and moderate Democrats in Annapolis.... Indeed, redistricting will contribute heavily to the looming reconfiguration in the House, along with all the usual reasons: electoral defeats, delegates running for higher office, and pure retirements.

In the Senate, turnover has helped contribute to the long tenure of President Mike Miller (D).... No one has the seniority, gravitas or political cojones to challenge Miller’s supremacy....

But the House is a much less manageable place under the best of circumstances. As more and more newcomers arrive, with fewer connections and loyalty to Busch than the members who were there when he became speaker in 2003, it becomes harder for Busch and his lieutenants to maintain day-to-day control. That’s just the nature of the beast....

[ READ CENTER MARYLAND'S LIST OF RETIREMENT & OPEN SEAT SCENARIOS ]

JUICE #2: DEL. HEATHER MIZEUR DECRIES EXCLUSION FROM BALTIMORE SUN COLUMNIST'S GUBERNATORIAL COVERAGE - Maryland Juice received an email blast today from the campaign manager for Del. Heather Mizeur's gubernatorial campaign decrying her omission from Baltimore Sun columnist Dan Rodricks' recent discussion of the 2014 race. Mizeur's campaign also took offense with Rodricks calling the Governor's office the "big-daddy chair." Below we provide an excerpt from Dan Rodricks' April 10, 2014 column (titled "Ruppersberger considering run for governor"), followed by an excerpt from Heather Mizeur's email blast:

DAN RODRICKS (VIA BALTIMORE SUN): Among the likely Democratic candidates for Maryland governor in 2014 — Howard County executive Ken Ulman, Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, Attorney General Doug Gansler — Ulman comes closest to being the "Baltimore-area candidate."

But a genuine Baltimore-area candidate — someone who could pull votes from Baltimore County and the city, and enough in other key sectors of the state — would be a serious contender for the big-daddy chair in Annapolis....

The column above triggered the following response in the form of an email blast from Heather Mizeur's campaign manager Joanna Belanger. The blast below calls on supporters to sign a petition to send a message that "Maryland isn't a boys' club" (excerpt below):

JOANNA BELANGER (VIA FRIENDS OF HEATHER MIZEUR): The Baltimore Sun recently published a guest column about all the potential Democratic candidates for Governor in 2014. Well, all except for one:

Heather Mizeur.

Right now, there are no announced candidates for Governor. But Heather, just like several others, has made it clear that she's seriously considering a bid.

But the Sun only talked about the men who are thinking about running. Even worse, they actually called the office of Governor "the big-daddy chair.”

Sometimes you really have to wonder if these folks realize that it's 2013 now, and that women won't be ignored and dismissed. We deserve and demand better – will you add your name to our petition and let your voice be heard?

The race for Governor is going to be about the issues we all care about and who can best move Maryland forward – not his or her gender. Heather has spent her entire career working on behalf of all Marylanders, making sure we continue to improve our infrastructure and schools, protect our natural resources, promote job growth, and fight for equality.
That’s why her supporters are urging her to run.

Your support is vital. That's why I'm asking you to stand with me and add your name to our petition now. We need to send a message that Maryland isn't a boys' club -- and there's no such thing as the "big-daddy chair."

All my best,
Joanna Belanger
Campaign Manager
Friends of Heather Mizeur

Meanwhile, for those still questioning whether Del. Mizeur is actually running for Governor, it is worth noting that The Chestertown Spy recently published a series of video clips showing Mizeur campaigning in Kent County.


JUICE #3: 2014 ATTORNEY GENERAL RACE HIGHLIGHTS HOMETOWN RIVALRY BETWEEN SEN. BRIAN FROSH AND DEL. BILL FRICK - Yesterday Bethesda Magazine published an article profiling the dueling Attorney General campaigns from two District 16 Democrats: Sen. Brian Frosh & Del. Bill Frick. The worthwhile article presents some interesting backstory about Frosh's run for Attorney General, noting specifically that State Senator Jamie Raskin had been previously preparing for a run. Additionally, Bethesda Magazine also focuses on the awkwardness caused by the unusual circumstance of having two lawmakers from the same district seeking the same statewide office (excerpt below):

LOUIS PECK (VIA BETHESDA MAGAZINE): Although separated in age by almost three decades, state Sen. Brian Frosh and state Delegate Bill Frick have a lot in common.... Today, they reside barely a mile from each other along Bethesda’s River Road corridor, and share representation of District 16 in the Maryland General Assembly. In Annapolis, both can claim a record of legislative accomplishment as well as a passion for some of the same issues, particularly in the realm of consumer protection.

Perhaps it is as much because of these connections as in spite of them that Frick and Frosh now find themselves on a collision course.

While some in local political circles wait to see if one of them blinks, both men say they are committed to seeking the 2014 Democratic nomination to succeed Attorney General Douglas Gansler.... How did this statewide political head-on between two candidates from the same legislative district come about?...

When Frick approached Frosh about the contest, Frick says that Frosh told him that he was already committed to another attorney general aspirant from Montgomery County: state Sen. Jamie Raskin of Takoma Park, a law professor at American University....

JUICE #4: COMPTROLLER PETER FRANCHOT PRINTS NEWSPAPER DECLARING HIMSELF "THE MOST INTERESTING MAN IN MARYLAND" - A Maryland Juice reader recently reported that residents in her neighborhood received hand-delivered copies of a bizarre multi-page newspaper from Comptroller Peter Franchot. The elected statewide Democrat often describes himself as Maryland's "fiscal watchdog," but now he has adopted the title of "the most interesting man in Maryland." See the scanned front page of the newspaper below:

The Baltimore Sun provided some context on this strange government communication in an article earlier this month (excerpt below):

ERIN COX (VIA BALTIMORE SUN): Would you like to meet the most interesting man in Maryland?  Apparently, it's Comptroller Peter Franchot.

Franchot this week released a spoof of the popular Dos Equis' beer commercials as promotion for Maryland's unclaimed property website. More than $980 million is waiting to be claimed by Marylanders, and newspaper inserts will soon start advertising $80 million of them. ...

JUICE #5: MARYLAND HOUSE GOP MEMBERS ATTEMPT LEADERSHIP COUP - Maryland Reporter this week highlighted an emerging attempt by State House GOP members to replace GOP Minority Leader Tony O'Donnell (excerpt below):

GLYNIS KAZANJIAN (VIA MARYLAND REPORTER): A movement led by junior Republican delegates is underway to replace Maryland GOP House Minority Leader Tony O’Donnell and Minority Whip Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio. The move comes only days after the Maryland Republican Party voted in a new state party chairman, Diana Waterman, following a highly contentious election for the position.

Second term Del. Nicholaus Kipke, 34, Anne Arundel, and freshman Del. Kathy Szeliga, 51,  Baltimore and Harford counties, have been named by party insiders as the team running to replace O’Donnell, 52, and House Whip, Eastern Shore Del. Haddaway-Riccio, 35.

A vote is scheduled to take place in a special election next Tuesday, April 30, but such meetings are generally closed to the media and the public. This is the third reported attempt to unseat O’Donnell, with Kipke leading a similar effort in 2011 that fizzled....

JUICE #6: O'MALLEY ANNOUNCES PRESIDENTIAL AMBITIONS DURING TRIP TO ISRAEL -  It is no surprise to Maryland politicos that our Gov. Martin O'Malley has been gearing up for a 2016 White House run for quite some time now. But O'Malley stated the obvious during a recent trip to Israel (which now sits next to New Hampshire and Iowa on the list of places a prospective Presidential candidate must visit). The New York Times covered some of O'Malley's remarks during his trip this week (excerpt below):

NEW YORK TIMES: Gov. Martin O’Malley of Maryland said Wednesday that he would spend the second half of this year mulling whether to run for president in 2016. He seems already to have a campaign theme: jobs and innovation.

At least that’s what he insisted was the sole focus of his eight-day trip to Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian territories....

Governor O’Malley, 50, said it was his third visit to Israel.... Mr. O’Malley was also set to meet with President Shimon Peres of Israel; two rising stars in Israeli politics, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, both of whom head economic ministries; and Salaam Fayyad, who resigned earlier this month as prime minister of the Palestinian Authority.....

“I plan for the latter half of this year to dedicate some more thought time, reflection time, to the question of whether or not I would run,” he said Tuesday. “The key question in running for any office is having a clear and refined understanding of the shared reality we face and the better set of choices we need to make as a people to meet those challenges and to create a better future for our kids....”

MORE ON THE COMING POLITICAL BATTLES SOON!

JUICE: Sen. Robey, Del. Deboy & Del. Malone Retiring (Zirkin Too?) // PLUS: Don Dwyer Raffles AK-47 & 2014 AG Forum

Below Maryland Juice presents a round-up of recent tidbits relating to the 2014 election cycle, including several retirement announcements that promise to re-align politics in the Howard County area:

JUICE #1: DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR JIM ROBEY NOT RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION - District 13 State Senator Jim Robey has announced he will not be running for re-election in 2014. The Baltimore Sun's Blair Ames reported on the development (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: The end of the 2014 General Assembly session in Annapolis will mark the end of 48 years in public service for Howard County Sen. Jim Robey. Robey, an Elkridge Democrat, confirmed Tuesday, April 16, that he will retire next year after eight years in the Maryland Senate.... "I just feel it's time to step aside and let someone else step in."

Robey, 72, has served in the Senate since 2007 representing District 13, which covers much of southern Howard County. He previously served two terms as Howard County Executive from 1998 to 2006.... Robey said he "thoroughly enjoyed" his time in Annapolis, but acknowledged the legislature has made some tough decisions over the past two years....

Maryland Juice first caught wind of Sen. Robey's retirement when a reader pointed us in the direction of the following remark on Howard County Executive Ken Ulman's Facebook page:

KEN ULMAN: Senator Jim Robey is a solid public servant who does what he thinks is right on behalf of others. That's the legacy he'll leave behind. Wishing him lots of luck on his retirement! Thank you for your service to Howard County!

JUICE #2: DELEGATES STEVE DEBOY & JIM MALONE ALSO RETIRING // 3 OPEN SEATS IN MARYLAND HOUSE DISTRICT 12 - State Senator Jim Robey's retirement is piled on top of multiple retirements from politicians representing parts of Howard County. Indeed, all three House of Delegates seats in Maryland's District 12 will be vacant in 2014. Last September, Delegate Liz Bobo announced she would not seek re-election, and this week Bryan Sears from Catonsville Patch reported that the other two District 12 Delegates Steve DeBoy and Jim Malone are also not running for re-election (excerpt below):

CATONSVILLE PATCH: Dels. Steve DeBoy and Jim Malone say this term in the House of Delegates will be their last. In separate interviews, the two Democrats who represent the Catonsville and Arbutus areas said they have decided not run for a fourth and fifth term respectively....

DeBoy, who is finishing his third term, said redistricting and political changes in the House of Delegates were two factors in his decision..... Some of the issues that concerned DeBoy was the recent passage of the repeal of the death penalty and the recent gun control law....

Indeed, Steve DeBoy attributes his retirement decision to his disagreement with death penalty repeal and Maryland's new gun regulations. But Deboy's colleague James Malone was a bit more muted in his response. Shortly after the Patch article came out, Del. Malone emailed the following public announcement to his supporters:

DEL. JAMES MALONE: First and foremost, I want to thank you--my family, my friends and my supporters for your kindness and friendship over almost two decades of public service in the Maryland House of Delegates.  I feel that I have proudly served with distinction the area where I grew up, live and continue to raise my children. 

After serious and careful consideration, I have decided not to seek re-election to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2014.  As a result, I am canceling my fundraiser scheduled on May 16th, 2013.  I look forward to spending more time with my daughter Danica and my son Little Jimmy.

Over my and my family's lifetime in politics, my Dad, Mom and I have met so many wonderful people.  Thank you for sharing with me your time, your stories, your support and your friendship.

I look forward to continuing to serve the rest of my term and promise to always be a positive influence in our community,

May God Bless each and every one of you!

James E. Malone, Jr.
Delegate, District 12A 
Baltimore & Howard counties 

REASONS FOR THE RETIREMENT: Maryland Juice contacted some Annapolis sources for reaction to the news, and the consensus seems to be that District 12 is likely to elect three progressive Democrats to the House of Delegates in 2014. But one source explained some of the backstory to the retirements:

ANONYMOUS SOURCE: I can't tell you how bizarre this is. DeBoy and Malone were redistricted into a more Democratic district to give them easy elections and keep them around. But they were so used to voting conservative that they literally couldn't become liberal enough for their new districts.

Redistricting was designed to help these two, but they couldn't have it both ways. They couldn't have both the easy elections they wanted, AND vote the conservative way they wanted to. They voted their old districts perfectly but couldn't seem to make the transition to their new district. Well, that likely means two more progressive Dems from the Columbia-area.

Indeed Delegates DeBoy and Malone are both Democrats but over time have built relatively conservative voting records for Maryland Democrats. Notably, their current district includes parts of Baltimore and Howard counties, but starting in the 2014 election cycle their two seats will be merged with the far more liberal District 12B to create a new three-member House of Delegates District 12. Most importantly, the new D12 is projected to be dominated by the liberal Democrats in Columbia, Maryland. A second anonymous source remarked to Maryland Juice: "I think they saw the writing on the wall."

CONSERVATIVE VOTING RECORDS ENDANGER INCUMBENT DEMOCRATS: The writing on the wall in this instance was that DeBoy and Malone's voting records were clearly out-of-step with the new District 12. Delegate Steve DeBoy voted against the Dream Act, marriage equality, death penalty repeal, the gas tax, gun regulations, and drivers licenses for undocumented residents. Similarly, Delegate James Malone voted against the Dream Act, death penalty repeal, gun regulations, and the gas tax.

Given these voting records, the potential challenges facing DeBoy and Malone were becoming more real every day. After all, when Del. Bobo announced her retirement last September, almost a dozen candidates' names emerged as possible challengers for the single open District 12 seat. And in recent weeks, one 2014 candidate even began making an issue out of the incumbents' votes on death penalty repeal. Even still, the two conservative Democrats did themselves no favor with their new voters by continuing to vote against progressive issues in the face of these challengers. The race is now on to see what becomes of the new District 12, but one thing is certain: we are likely to see a stampede of HoCo Democrats running for the three open seats in 2014!


JUICE #3: IS STATE SENATOR BOBBY ZIRKIN CONSIDERING RETIRING? - Take the following bit of juice with a grain or two of salt, but several Maryland Juice sources are indicating that State Senator Bobby Zirkin is also weighing a potential retirement in 2014. I'll believe it when I see it, but a few sources swear that the District 11 Democrat sounds like he's serious. To be sure, Zirkin is fairly young for someone rumored to be weighing retirement, but after two terms in the House and two terms in the Senate, he will have been in office for 16 years when his current term ends.

If Zirkin does retire, there could be some interesting dynamics in the race for his seat. District 11 is currently represented by three Democratic members in the House of Delegates: Jon Cardin, Dan Morhaim and Dana Stein. An open Senate seat could provide Delegate Cardin a fall-back plan for his 2014 Attorney General run -- but sources seem to think that is an unlikely path for Cardin. Maryland Juice will be keeping an eye on a possible Zirkin retirement!


JUICE #4: TEA PARTY DELEGATE DON DWYER RAFFLING AK-47 AND AR-15 RIFLES FOR 2014 FUNDRAISER - Tea Party Delegate Don Dwyer faces a difficult re-election in 2014. First, redistricting drew him into an inhospitable new district, and then he was involved in a drunk boating accident that left several children injured. At last check Dwyer was embarking on a quixotic bid to switch parties and try and retain his seat as a Democrat. But Dwyer's latest move might be his strangest stunt yet.

To fundraise for the 2014 cycle, Dwyer is now raffling the now notorious AK-47 and AR-15 rifles that were recently banned in Maryland. He is hosting the event before the state's new gun regulations take effect, so for $10 Dwyer's supporters have a chance to take him assault weapons. ABC News reported on the development (excerpt below):

ABC NEWS: Maryland Delegate Don Dwyer has announced a fundraising event in support of guns rights and his re-election campaign. As part of the event he is selling raffle tickets for an AR-15 and AK-47. Tickets for the assault riffles are available for $10 and can even be purchased online.

 Check out the following screencap from Don Dwyer's fundraising website:

JUICE #5: BALTIMORE'S BEST DEMOCRATIC CLUB HOSTS 2014 ATTORNEY GENERAL CANDIDATES FORUM - Baltimore's "B.E.S.T. Democratic Club is hosting a forum with candidates for 2014 Attorney General on June 6, 2013. See the event announcement below:

BEST DEMOCRATIC CLUB: We hope to see everyone at the next general meeting which will be June 6, 2013 from 6:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. The location is 4709 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21214. The theme for this meeting is “The Attorney General Round Table” where we have invited all those that are running for the Maryland Attorney General seat to have a discussion with Baltimore.

Invited Guest

Delegate Aisha Braveboy
Delegate Jon Cardin - Confirmed
Delegate Bill Frick - Confirmed
Senator Brian Frosh

MORE ON THE 2014 BATTLE SOON!

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger Discusses Potential 2014 Bid for Governor with Maryland Juice

Earlier this week, Baltimore Sun columnist Dan Rodricks reported that Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger was weighing a surprise run for Maryland Governor in 2014. Maryland Juice found out firsthand that the rumors are true!

DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER TALKS TO MARYLAND JUICE ABOUT 2014 GOVERNOR'S RACE - Below Maryland Juice provides an exclusive interview with Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger about his exploration of a 2014 gubernatorial campaign. We asked Rep. Ruppersburger several questions about the basic contours of his race:

1. Why did you decide to start exploring the 2014 Governor's race?
2. Have you set a timeline for making a decision?
3. Would you consider being the running-mate of one of the existing candidates? 
4. Can you compete in fundraising this late in the game?

WATCH DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER DISCUSS A 2014 GUBERNATORIAL RUN

STOP CISPA: FLOOR VOTE WEDNESDAY: I should note that I was actually in Rep. Ruppersberger's office to discuss my concerns with his cybersecurity bill CISPA, but after a lengthy debate over that issue, I think the Congressman and I will have to agree to disagree. The bill's stated intent is to stop malicious "hackers," but it attempts to do so by overriding all existing online privacy laws and allowing companies (like Google, Facebook, and Twitter) to voluntarily share information with law enforcement agencies and defense contractors. In exchange, these companies are granted immunity from lawsuits.

The ACLU notes: "CISPA is a proposed law that would give companies unprecedented power to hand your personal information from the internet, including from private communications, over to government agencies without a warrant."

Granted most reasonable people want to protect the U.S. power grid and stop malicious hacking, but on the balance of things, Americans increasingly prioritize online privacy. Last year every Democratic House member from Maryland voted against CISPA (except for bill sponsor Rep. Ruppersberger), and President Obama threatened to veto the legislation.

The U.S. House is scheduled to vote on the proposal next Wednesday, and Maryland Juice hopes to see last year's CISPA opponents continue their opposition: Rep. Elijah Cummings, Rep. Donna Edwards, Rep. Steny Hoyer, Rep. John Sarbanes, and Rep. Chris Van Hollen. We also hope that Rep. John Delaney will join the majority of his Democratic colleagues in affirming last year's opposition to CISPA.

Okay, I'm jumping off my soapbox now, and I'll admit that in spite of my disagreements over this issue, Dutch Ruppersberger (a self-described moderate Democrat) seems like a nice enough guy. Moreover, I appreciate that he provided the opportunity for me to air some concerns with the legislation.

More on the 2014 Governor's race soon!