Maryland political news- daily items from Maryland Democratic Party
REPUBLICAN RAMBLINGS
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Take plan, but shop around for electricity
Jay Hancock
April 21, 2006
Opting in to Baltimore Gas and Electric’s new rate relief plan won’t make you any worse off than if policymakers had done nothing this week and jetted off to Sandals resort in Antigua.
And if signing up for your “rate stabilization plan” induces the sweet delusion that the problem of high electric prices is being addressed, so much the better.
Beyond that, there’s little to celebrate.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-bz.hancock21apr21,1,675196,print.column?coll=bal-business-headlines
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GOP to fight early vote law in court, at polls
Will seek to challenge new law with lawsuit while circulating petitions for a referendum
By Alan Brody
Gazette Staff Writer
Friday, April 21, 2006
ANNAPOLIS — Maryland Republicans Thursday vowed to press their efforts to kill an early voting law in court and at the polls this fall.
Democrats have twice passed the law allowing balloting five days before Election Day over the veto of Republican Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. The GOP argues that the so-called Voter Bill of Rights actually will invite widespread voter fraud.
http://www.gazette.net/stories/042106/polia%20s193624_31942.shtml
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What $40 buys
Baltimore Sun Editorial
April 21, 2006
Politicians facing re-election can generally be counted on to do two things: Spend money whenever possible and grant tax cuts the public can’t afford. Thanks to a suddenly accommodating comptroller, Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. has completed his perfecta. Not only was he able to put all kinds of election-year goodies in the state budget, but now he’s persuaded the Board of Public Works to roll back his 4.8-cent state property tax increase of 2003 by 2 cents. Looks like somebody has taken a page from the Parris N. Glendening playbook.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/bal-ed.tax21apr21,1,3258673,print.story?coll=bal-opinion-headlines
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ANNAPOLIS
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Opportunity lost
Baltimore Sun Editorial
April 21, 2006
The manicured lawn of the Governor’s Mansion provided a lovely backdrop yesterday for Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. to claim a big political victory by announcing an agreement on electricity rate relief with Baltimore Gas and Electric’s parent, Constellation Energy Group - an agreement that eluded the state legislature.
But despite the sunny scene, the deal is not nearly as good as the governor touted it to be - at times using some very fuzzy math.
Mr. Ehrlich claimed the deal would provide about $1.2 billion in outright benefits to BGE customers, a figure with which even the utility couldn’t agree.
In fact, the company is providing only about half that, $600 million, in discounts - or $45 per household per year for 10 years.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/bal-ed.bge21apr21,1,6881526,print.story?coll=bal-opinion-headlines
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Electricity plans emerge as major campaign issue
By David Nitkin
Sun reporter
April 21, 2006
A politician who wants to be elected governor of Maryland needs an aggressive plan for wrestling down electricity costs and must be ready to rip into opponents’ suggestions for helping consumers.
That reality was clear yesterday as the question of how to handle a looming 72 percent average price increase for BGE’s residential customers dominated the debate in the increasingly nasty gubernatorial race.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-te.md.campaign21apr21,1,4591327,print.story?coll=bal-business-headlines
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Rate deal reached
Plan participants would pay fees next year, market rates in ‘08
By Andrew A. Green and John Fritze
Sun reporters
April 21, 2006
Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. announced a plan yesterday that would hold the electricity rate increase for BGE customers to 19 percent this summer, but those who chose to participate would see their bills rise sharply a year later and face an even heftier charge if a proposed merger involving the utility’s parent company falls through.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-te.md.rates21apr21,1,3532412,print.story?coll=bal-home-headlines
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Agreement Forged on Softening Energy Hikes
By Matthew Mosk and John Wagner
Washington Post Staff Writes
Friday, April 21, 2006
Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. announced the terms of a tentative agreement with the state’s largest power supplier yesterday that he said will help ease customers into paying a 72 percent increase in their electricity bills.
“Our number one priority has been working Marylanders,” Ehrlich (R) said at an evening news conference on the front lawn of the governor’s mansion. He laid out details of the complex deal while flanked by first lady Kendel Ehrlich and Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, who told reporters, “The weight seems to be lifting from the ratepayers of Maryland.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/20/AR2006042002102_pf.html
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O’Malley: ‘Failed leadership’ to blame for power woes
Baltimore Business Journal
by Alan Zibel
Staff
April 20, 2006
As Gov. Robert Ehrlich prepared to unveil the outlines of a plan to reduce electricity rates for Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. customers, Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley blasted the governor’s response to the problem of soaring power bills.
O’Malley, a Democrat running to replace Ehrlich, a Republican, unveiled his own energy plan on the front lawn of a Dundalk family’s rowhouse Thursday afternoon.
http://baltimore.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2006/04/17/daily29.html?t=printable
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AROUND MARYLAND
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DNR faces lawsuit over public records
By Earl Kelly
Annapolis Capital Staff Writer
A statewide environmental group is suing the Department of Natural Resources, alleging that the agency withholds documents it must by law provide to the public.
Filed by Robert DeGroot, president of Maryland Alliance for Greenway Improvement and Conservation, the suit says the DNR failed to respond fully to three requests the organization has filed under the Public Information Act since October 2003.
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2006/04_20-13/GOV
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Cummings honored for health initiatives
A passion for getting out the vote
By James Wright
AFRO Staff Writer
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) was among the honorees at the 5th Annual Leadership Awards Dinner held by the National Minority Health Month Foundation. Under the theme: “Bridging the Gap,” Cummings was cited for his advocacy as a member of Congress, to make sure the health disparity gap narrows between minorities and Whites, as well as rich and poor.
The dinner was held on April 12 at the Fairmont Hotel in the District. Other honorees were Dr. Mark B. McClellan, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Dr. Randall Maxey, a physician who specializes in renal medicine and is the president of the Alliance of Minority Medical Associations and past chairman of the National Medical Association Board of Trustees.
http://www.afro.com/content/templates/?a=4859&z=1
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A passion for getting out the vote
Out of jail and into politics, activist makes it his mission to get young people to the polls
By Nicole Fuller
Sun Reporter
Originally published April 21, 2006
The voter registration effort, dubbed Vote Young, is a plan to help educate youths about voting laws and absentee ballots. It also provides transportation to the polls and pushes to get voting precincts at colleges.
In 2002, he worked with the NAACP and the Maryland Voting Rights Restoration Coalition to pass House Bill 535, which allowed some convicted felons, including himself, to regain their voting rights.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-md.voting21apr21,0,902873.story?page=2&coll=bal-local-headlines
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Roughing it
Alan Brody
Gazette
Friday, April 21, 2006
Martin O’Malley (above) traded a shirt and tie for blue jeans and a long-sleeve knit shirt on a visit Tuesday to the infamous Salem Tract in St. Mary’s County.
Sen. Roy Dyson and local environmentalists escorted the mayor, campaign aides and reporters to the state parkland that was nearly sold to Baltimore construction magnate Willard Hackerman two years ago.
http://www.gazette.net/stories/042106/polia%20s193627_31951.shtml
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This isn’t your father’s election
Friday, April 21, 2006
by Patrick Gonzales and Laslo Boyd
A well-known and frequently quoted observation is that generals often make the mistake of fighting the last war again, generally with disastrous results. Candidates and those who direct their campaigns run a similar risk.
With the General Assembly session over for the year — unless the looming shadow of rising electrical prices brings legislators back to Annapolis — attention will turn increasingly to Maryland’s upcoming primary and general elections. The media need something to cover, political insiders need something to gossip about, and, eventually the voting public will start paying attention as well.
http://www.gazette.net/stories/042106/poliiss164157_31942.shtml
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Grosfeld: ‘I won’t run for re-election’
Longtime state lawmaker and breast cancer survivor plans to travel, teach
Friday, April 21, 2006
Gazette Staff Writer
Sen. Sharon M. Grosfeld’s decision not to run for re-election surprised many of her colleagues this week, but the first-term senator made it clear that she hopes Del. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. will succeed her in the state Senate.
Her announcement caught friends and colleagues off guard, although Grosfeld (D-Dist. 18) of Kensington said she made the decision months ago.
http://www.gazette.net/stories/042106/polia%20s193626_31949.shtml
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NATION
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Chertoff warns employers of undocumented workers
1,187 people arrested in nationwide action
By Frank James
April 21, 2006
WASHINGTON — A day after federal agents arrested 1,187 people on illegal-immigration charges in the nation’s largest-ever work site enforcement action, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff warned yesterday of an intensified campaign to target employers whose businesses rely on large numbers of undocumented workers.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/bal-te.immig21apr21,1,5899733,print.story?coll=bal-nationworld-headlines
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WASHINGTON
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Lawmakers Plan Ambitious Agenda as Voter Anger Rises
By Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 21, 2006
Members of Congress will return to Washington next week to face deep challenges including a budget morass in the House and an immigration quagmire in the Senate, while new polls indicate that voters increasingly view the legislative branch as dysfunctional.
How well Republican leaders navigate their way through the legislative mess could greatly influence the outcome of the midterm elections in November, suggests a poll released yesterday by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.
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Senate Democrats Ahead in Cash Race
By Thomas B. Edsall
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 21, 2006
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee continued to outpace the National Republican Senatorial Committee in fundraising, bringing in more contributions and finishing the quarter with twice as much money in the bank, according to Federal Election Commission reports released yesterday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/20/AR2006042001870_pf.html
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State Democratic Groups Bid For Early Primary Season Slots
By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 21, 2006
NEW ORLEANS, April 20 — The Democratic National Committee staged a beauty contest here Thursday — not for politicians, but for states. From almost every region of the country they came to compete for the chance to help start the presidential nominating process in 2008.
Nevada Democrats distributed a costly and colorful brochure, and aired the slickest video of the day to promote their state’s rapidly changing electorate as an ideal testing ground for candidates. Arkansas Democrats touted their many venues for retail politicking, including VIP toad races at the annual Toad Suck Daze festival. Hawaii offered perfect weather for winter campaigning.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/20/AR2006042001864_pf.html
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Democrats Eager to Exploit Anger Over Gas Prices
By Michael Janofsky
NYTimes
WASHINGTON, April 20 — Democrats running for Congress are moving quickly to use the most recent surge in oil and gasoline prices to bash Republicans over energy policy, and more broadly, the direction of the country.
With oil prices hitting a high this week and prices at the pump topping $3 a gallon in many places, Amy Klobuchar, a Democratic Senate candidate in Minnesota, is making the issue the centerpiece of her campaign. Ms. Klobuchar says it “is one of the first things people bring up” at her campaign stops.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/21/washington/21gas.html?pagewanted=print
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EDITORIAL PAGES
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Heels dug in
Baltimore Sun Editorial
April 21, 2006
The reaction to the so-called generals’ revolt is getting ridiculous. President Bush and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Mr. Rumsfeld’s loyal cadre of top officers have gone to such lengths to defend the Pentagon chief from attacks by a handful of retired generals that you can’t help but wonder whether the home-grown insurgents haven’t hit a nerve. He’s starting to look like the secretary of defensiveness.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/bal-ed.rummy21apr21,1,7351879,print.story?coll=bal-opinion-headlines
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Rove’s New Mission: Survival
By E. J. Dionne Jr.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Here’s the real meaning of the White House shake-up and the redefinition of Karl Rove’s role in the Bush presidency: The administration’s one and only domestic priority in 2006 is hanging on to control of Congress.
That, in turn, means that all the spin about Rove’s power being diminished is simply wrong. Yes, Rove is giving up some policy responsibilities to concentrate on politics, but guess what: The possibility of President Bush’s winning enactment of any major new policy initiative this year is zero. Rove is simply moving to where all the action will, of necessity, be.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/20/AR2006042001351_pf.html
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The Doolittles’ Rich Deal
How one congressional couple collected campaign checks — and put $215,000 in their pockets
Washington Post Editorial
Friday, April 21, 2006
IMAGINE THAT every time members of Congress received a $1,000 campaign contribution, they could skim $150 off the top and put it straight into their personal bank accounts. Sound shady? That is, in effect, how Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-Calif.) and his wife, Julie, operate. According to our review of campaign finance records, Mrs. Doolittle has received at least $215,000 from Mr. Doolittle’s various campaign committees since 2001. This doesn’t include $6,800 in payments to another of Mrs. Doolittle’s companies, Events Plus, before she started doing his fundraising work. She’s taken in nearly $100,000 during the 2006 campaign alone. The arrangement couldn’t smell more.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/20/AR2006042001848_pf.html