Baltimore is a small town. Everybody knows everybody. So is Annapolis. I was reminded of that today. I was about to get up from lunch at Galway Bay when in walked Terence Smith. Smith was a reporter for the New York Times, CBS, and the Public Broadcasting System. I had met him at environmental receptions …more >
I’m the lead sponsor of 21 bills. Today was the deadline to introduce legislation and be guaranteed a public hearing. You have to earn a vote on your bill. My number one bill deals with the redevelopment of Pimlico Race Track. It would guarantee that the neighborhoods surrounding the track are consulted on the issues …more >
28 times. That’s how often Governor Moore used the word “partnership” in his State of the State address today. From what you’re written me over the years, I know how much you appreciate partnership across party lines. The Governor spoke about partnership with the General Assembly – both Democrats and Republicans. “Partnership isn’t partisan,” he …more >
I don’t like it when no one asks me questions after I testify on my bill. That happened today on my bill seeking to address misinformation about state elections on social media platforms. Questions give me a sense of what the committee is thinking. Nonetheless, I will be able to review the written and oral …more >
Twice in five days. I’ve had to deal with a drafting issue in a bill of mine. This time, it was not a constitutional question. It was a fiscal issue. My bill is in response to one specific case. However, the effect of the language would be very broad and, according to the opponents, costly. …more >
Election misinformation is not a new tactic. Twenty years ago in Maryland, flyers encouraged people to vote on a date two days after Election Day. I passed a bill making it a crime to knowingly use fraud or other means to influence a voter’s decision whether to vote. Misinformation has now found a home on …more >
“Even when there was not a direct impact, you were there.” Governor Moore said that in his remarks to the Jewish Caucus at a meeting in the Governor’s Mansion this morning. He was referring, of course, to the civil rights struggle of the 1960’s. I would add the following, and he would no doubt agree. …more >
Two office visits and a group photo on the House rostrum are worth sharing. I had just finished a zoom when a lobbyist met with me in my office. “I find it difficult to pay attention during a zoom,” I told him. “Too many options are available on my laptop.” “Plus, you can’t read the …more >
US Senator Ben Cardin began his legislative career as a member of the House of Delegates. He was our guest during Friday’s floor session. I was honored to speak to my colleagues about his career in Annapolis. I felt as if I was also speaking directly to Ben. My first speaker is with us …more >
I don’t often listen to podcasts. “Covering Their Tracks” will be an exception. It tells the story of Leo Bretholz, who escaped from a train taking him to a Nazi death camp. I learned about the podcast today from Raphael Prober, one of the lawyer/lobbyists I worked with on this issue. My response to him …more >
