Alsobrooks, Hogan tied in Maryland U.S. Senate race poll

Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) and former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R) are in a dead heat in the contest for the U.S. Senate seat of Ben Cardin (D), a new poll showed Tuesday. Hogan remains a popular governor across party lines in the state, and Alsobrooks received praise and national exposure with a speaking slot at last week's Democratic National Convention. While the race is considered by many to be the most important in deciding which party will next control the Senate, there haven't been enough polls to provide a consistent measure of the state of the race. The AARP poll showed Alsobrooks and Hogan tied at 46% each. 8% of the voters polled remain undecided, a statistically-significant number in light of the poll result.

Alsobrooks (above) and Hogan (top) celebrated
International Dog Day Monday by tweeting
photos of their pets

"We have always known that this race was going to be decided on the margins, and this new poll today confirms that," Alsobrooks tweeted in an appeal for fundraising support. "I've been clear from the start that we are the underdogs in this race," Hogan said in a statement reacting to the poll. The former governor said the close race shows that he has a chance to potentially defy the odds once again in a state that is considered blue, but has elected a GOP executive three times in the last 22 years.

One of the most notable statistics from the poll is that more than a quarter of voters who support Kamala Harris for President told AARP's pollsters that they are voting for Hogan. Former President Donald Trump has clashed with Hogan for many years, as the former governor has been among the most vocal "Never Trumpers" in the GOP. 

Despite the intraparty disagreements over Trump, the Maryland Republican Party was thrilled by yesterday's poll results. "Larry Hogan's independent Republican message is resonating against Angela Alsobrooks' extreme far-left agenda," Maryland GOP Executive Director Adam J. Wood said in a statement. "We have a real opportunity to elect Maryland's first Republican U.S. Senator in nearly 40 years, and these polls show that every single vote is going to matter."

Both candidates had campaign stops in Montgomery County this week. Alsobrooks was at Riderwood on Monday, and in Kensington for an event on antisemitism that night, while Hogan toured an AstraZeneca biotech facility in Gaithersburg earlier the same day.

Photos courtesy Alsobrooks for Senate, Hogan for Maryland, Inc.

Virginia is named #1 state for business; Maryland is...31st

CNBC released its annual America's Top States for Business list this morning, and as usual, our neighbor across the Potomac has cleaned our clock once again. The cable network declared Virginia the top state for business in America. Maryland ranked 31st on the list for 2024. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is already taking a victory lap this morning. "I am thrilled that our great Commonwealth has been named America’s Top State for Business," Youngkin said in a statement. Rest assured you won't be seeing a press release from Maryland today on the subject.

You won't be surprised to know that other states in the top 10 include Texas and Tennessee. But southern, right-to-work states didn't completely dominate the top tier, as union redoubts Minnesota, Michigan, and Washington came in at #6, #9, and #10, respectively. Pro-labor policies don't make for an anti-business state all by themselves.

Delaware surprisingly finished below Maryland. The First State is usually associated with corporations, but is apparently a better place to incorporate your business than to actually operate a business - in CNBC's evaluation. Of course, Elon would strongly disagree.

Why is Maryland failing? It isn't only our failure to attract Fortune 500 companies to the state.

Virginia has the third-best infrastructure in America, according to CNBC. Maryland's infrastructure is ranked way down at 37th-best in America. Ouch. This isn't surprising when you consider that Virginia has built countless miles of new highways; installed Express Lanes on I-395, I-495, and all the way down to Fredericksburg on I-95; expanded Metro subway service through Fairfax and Loudoun Counties to Dulles Airport; now has three passenger airports in Northern Virginia alone, including the vast array of international business destinations only accessible via Dulles Airport; and has greatly expanded - at its own expense - Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express rail service. CNBC also took note of Virginia's "shovel-ready" site availablity. 

Over the same period, Maryland has built - well, not much at all. Maryland finally managed to replace the Nice Bridge over the Potomac River after many delays, only to see the Key Bridge in Baltimore collapse because state leaders for decades failed to make the necessary safety improvements they were warned to in 1980. The Purple Line delays speak for themselves. Gov. Wes Moore recently revived the plans for the Baltimore Red Line, but the state lacks any money to build it in the foreseeable future. 

Likewise, there's no cash for commuter rail in Southern Maryland or a new Bay Bridge, and any financial drain from the operation of the Purple Line is already directed to take money from other transportation projects to cover the shortfall. Maryland continues to kick the solutions for congestion on I-270 and I-495 can down the road. 

Montgomery County likes to cancel transportation infrastructure as much as it likes to ban things. Unless you are a bike lane, you are likely to be canceled by the County Council. The Council's transportation fails include announcing the cancellation of the Montrose Parkway East in White Flint on the very day that Amazon reps were touring the White Flint area during the Amazon HQ2 competition. Our talented County Council also canceled all of the major transportation infrastructure that was required to support its approval of massive housing development in Germantown, Clarksburg and Damascus - - the Corridor Cities Transitway light rail system, and the M-83 Highway. The Rockville Freeway? Removed from the master plan decades ago.

Maryland infamously continues to block construction of any new bridges over the Potomac River, denying itself congestion relief that might negate the need to widen the Beltway and I-270, as well as providing direct access to Dulles Airport that would be essential to attracting major corporations to the I-270 corridor. That highway extension of I-370 to VA-28 has an existing right-of-way from Gaithersburg to the Potomac River crossing site, but none of the intelligence, will, or leadership to build it.

The infrastructure picture in Maryland is so bad, we couldn't even keep the ancient White's Ferry operating. Remember when former Maryland Gov. Bob Ehrlich built an entire highway, the InterCounty Connector, all by himself? It is now, rightfully, named for him. Our leaders today are super low-energy, by comparison.

Former MD Gov. Bob Ehrlich

Where else does Maryland fall short for business, according to CNBC? We're nearly the worst in America for the "Cost of Doing Business," landing at 47 out of 50. "Right into the buckle - that's gotta hurt, Gene." Montgomery County has the highest tax burden in the Washington, D.C. region, and our County and State tax structures are simply not competitive with Virginia.

CNBC shares the growing consensus that the economies of Montgomery County and Maryland are moribund. Maryland's economy ranks 30th out of all 50 states on their list. And that's probably being very generous of them. Grading on a curve.

Maryland's score for "Workforce" is nearly as bad, at 28 out of 50. This is shocking given that we have some of the most highly-educated populations in America in several counties. But CNBC finds our workforce to be worse than average.

Virginia is #1 for education. Maryland is #14. This isn't surprising if you've watched the slow motion 100-car-pileup decline of Montgomery County Public Schools since the departure of Dr. Jerry Weast, the last MCPS superintendent who - for whatever faults he had - was actually professionally-qualified for the job.

Maryland ranks way down at #37 for "Business Friendliness." Virginia is #5 in that column.

If you're an elected official in Maryland,
don't turn on CNBC today

The news isn't all bad. Maryland rises to 16 out of 50 in quality of life. Texas is dead last in that category. But Virginia is only 3 points behind us at 19th. The Commonwealth was also 19th in cost-of-living. That means they beat us there, too. 

CNBC also ranks Maryland in the top 10 states for Technology and Innovation, at #8. This is pretty surprising, too, but likely the result of Montgomery County's only economic bright spot, the biotech sector. Virginia has superior tech infrastructure, and has been home to many more notable tech firms, but somehow ends up at 15 in this category.

We already know that Montgomery County hasn't attracted a single major corporate headquarters in over a quarter century. But it's becoming more surprising by the day that Gov. Moore has been unable to attract such HQs or significant manufacturing facilities to the state. One of his biggest calling cards and selling points was that he was a successful Wall Street businessman. He regularly hobnobs and fundraises among the financial elite on Martha's Vineyard and in the Hamptons. Surely, his Rolodex is bursting at the seams with CEO phone numbers. But, perplexingly, he has yet to score a big win in the corporate HQ and factory races.

The CNBC list only reinforces what engaged observers in our County and State already know. We're in real trouble, folks. And the lack of business starts, development and growth are hitting the County and State budgets harder than ever. Just look at the latest County Council tax hikes (and ballot questions to facilitate even-bigger tax hikes starting next year), and the dystopian budget headlines out of Annapolis. 

We can't go on like this.

Montgomery County firefighter among 226 to be honored at National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend

A former Montgomery County firefighter will be among 226 fallen firefighters to be honored at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend in Emmitsburg, Maryland on May 4 and 5, 2024. Master Firefighter Mark R. Fisher Jr. passed away on July 24, 2014 from illness related to his response to the attack on the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Fisher was also a member of the Maryland Task Force One Urban Search and Rescue Team, with whom he responded to other disasters, including Hurricane Katrina. He was with the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service for 22 years, and also served as an instructor for the department. 

Fisher was a member of the Johnny Swamper Club, Frederick Elks Lodge No. 684, and the Loyal Order of the Moose No. 948 in Charles Town, West Virginia, and a life member of the United Steam Fire Engine Company, No. 3 Frederick. He left behind a wife, three children and five grandchildren. Fisher briefly played pro football with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was 59 years old at the time of his passing.

Two main events will be held on the memorial weekend at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park in Emmitsburg. The National Fallen Firefighters Candlelight Service will be held on May 4 at 7:30 pm ET, hosted by Fire Captain Garon Mosby of the St. Louis Fire Department. The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service is on May 5 at 10:00 am ET, and will be hosted by actor Jeremy Holm. Both events are open to the public, but will also be streamed online live for those who cannot attend in person.

Larry Hogan sets fundraising record for a Maryland U.S. Senate candidate

The unexpected chance to flip a U.S. Senate seat was expected to boost the inflow of campaign cash into the Maryland this year, but former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has exceeded expectations, by setting a fundraising record for a U.S. Senate race in the heavily-Democratic state. Hogan has raised more than $3.1 million since his surprise last-minute entry into the contest on February 9, his campaign announced yesterday. That total marks the most raised by a Senate candidate in any quarter in state history, and outpaced the campaign of Democrat Angela Alsobrooks by $1 million in half the time. Alsobrooks is locked in a contentious Democratic primary race with billionaire David Trone, who is self-funding his campaign, and spending big on advertising.

Hogan greets a voter in
Leonardtown, Maryland yesterday

“Our team is incredibly humbled and grateful for the overwhelming amount of support and positive reception we have received across the state since announcing mid-February, and we are just getting started,” Hogan said in a statement Thursday. “In a race where we are likely to face either the billionaire trying to buy the election or the candidate of the Democratic machine, there is no doubt we are the financial underdog too. Every day, our focus is on getting our message out to Marylanders who are fed up and frustrated with politics as usual. It’s time to get back to work, fix the broken politics, and send a message to Washington!”

Hogan delivers fresh Dunkin' Donuts
to volunteer firefighters in
Prince Frederick, Maryland yesterday

Hogan is in the middle of a ten-day bus tour of the state. The tour coincides with the start of mail-in balloting in Maryland, as voters begin to receive their primary ballots in the mail this week.

Photos courtesy Hogan for Maryland, Inc.

Maryland officials knew for decades that a ship could cause Key Bridge to collapse

The only thing more shocking than the total collapse of the Key Bridge in Baltimore last week was the number of speculative conjectures stated by elected and appointed officials in the hours after it was struck by a container ship. Federal and state officials almost immediately declared it had not been a terrorist attack. While there has so far been no evidence whatsoever showing the crash was intentional, there had not been adequate time to investigate sufficiently to entirely rule it out at the time they made that declaration. More importantly, the claim was made - and then repeated ad nauseum by the media - that any type of bridge would have completely collapsed in this scenario. An investigative report published by The Washington Post this past Saturday has determined that claim to be false. 

A collapse of a similar bridge over Tampa Bay in Florida following a ship collision in 1980 resulted in federal authorities alerting highway agencies to review all bridges, to find out how many might have the same vulnerability, the Post learned. An engineer with the Maryland Department of Transportation confirmed to The Baltimore Sun that year that the Key Bridge was one of the state's bridges that fell into that category. "I'm talking about the main supports, a direct hit - it would knock it down," he told the Sun. 

Despite learning this in 1980, state and federal officials took no action to construct barriers or islands around the Key Bridge's support columns. "They had all this time to realize the danger, and it appears to me they did nothing about it," Florida attorney Steve Yerrid told the Post. Yerrid was a lawyer for the pilot of the ship that struck the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay. "Maryland officials should have moved aggressively to protect their bridges from collisions, despite the costs," the Post cited Yerrid as saying.

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy also put to rest the idea that "no bridge could have survived this crash." She said the bridge designs of today have "redundancy" built in, so that the loss of one pier doesn't cause a total collapse. In contrast, Maryland officials knew that the Key Bridge was among the thousands of "fracture critical" bridges in America. "Fracture critical" means that "if one key piece fails, part or all of the bridge would likely collapse," the Post reported.

America's crumbling infrastructure is often in the news, but rarely in state and federal budgets. We know that trillions of dollars that could have been spent on new bridges and highway maintenance, high speed rail, utility networks, healthcare, poverty, housing for the homeless and other essential needs have instead gone to costly wars overseas, as just one example of nonsensical spending priorities.

Senator Chuck Schumer is reportedly having difficulty finding $10 million to correct major infrastructure issues at the National Institute of Standards and Technology campus right here in Gaithersburg, deficiencies that are currently threatening national security and the health of NIST employees. But the U.S. government had no difficulty finding $75 billion for the Ukraine War, at least $3 trillion for the Iraq War, $2.3 trillion for the Afghanistan War, $2.2 billion of weapons for rebels against the government of Syria, $17 billion on a military adventure in the former Yugoslavia, a $100 million drone base in Niger...the list goes on and on, and most of the money goes into the private profit pockets of the military-industrial complex. None of those outlays has resulted in a successful geopolitical victory for the United States.

At the same time, Maryland elected officials have spent big and repeatedly raised taxes since 1980. The completely-preventable collapse of the Key Bridge forces us to now evaluate just which frivolous things - and campaign donors - our representatives have spent all that tax revenue on instead.

In many photo-ops over the last week, our elected officials have striven to give us the impression they are here to save us from an economic catastrophe that also cost at least six human lives. As the Post report proves, they were actually the problem in the first place, having failed to act to modify or replace the Key Bridge for 44 years.

Maryland Supreme Court to hear case on sale of Moses African Cemetery on January 8, 2024

Maryland's Supreme Court is now scheduled to hear the case regarding the attempted sale of a Bethesda property containing Moses African Cemetery on January 8, 2024. The case of Dr. Olusegun Adebayo and the Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition (BACC) vs. the Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County (HOC) centers on the HOC's alleged violation of a state law that requires descendants of those buried in a cemetery to be notified of the potential sale of that land. 

A Montgomery County judge granted an injunction against the sale of the Westwood Tower property to Charger Ventures, but was overruled by an appeals court decision. Charger Ventures then withdrew its purchase offer. Adebayo and BACC have appealed to the state's highest court now, which will have the final say, unless the plaintiffs seek a further appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court following this ruling.

"This is the first time that a state supreme court is being asked to limit the power of developers and state agencies regarding the selling and desecration of African burial grounds and our ancestors," BACC said in a statement Monday. "The decision by the Maryland Supreme Court will have national and perhaps, international ramifications. The court will decide whether Black bodies can be sold to private or public agecies and the land laundered for non-burial purposes without oversight by the court or descendant families. BACC is on the front lines of fighting for both the living and our ancestors. Please plan to join BACC on January 8th and by your presence declare: Black Bodies are Not for Sale! People over Profit!"

BACC is organizing bus transportation to the Supreme Court in Annapolis for the January 8 hearing. To get a sense of how many people are interesting in riding the bus, BACC has created an online form at bit.ly/baccbus. If you cannot attend, but want to help fund the bus trip and other efforts by BACC, an online donation portal has also been created.

Hans Riemer endorses Will Jawando in Maryland U.S. Senate race

Former Montgomery County Councilmember Hans Riemer has endorsed current Councilmember Will Jawando in the Maryland U.S. Senate race for the seat of retiring Senator Ben Cardin (D). Jawando and Riemer served together on the Council from 2018 to 2022; Jawando is now in his second Council term. "In my many years of knowing Will Jawando, going back to our work together supporting President Obama, and my four years serving side-by-side with him on the Montgomery County Council, I have always been impressed by his devotion to public service and dedication to meeting the needs of his most vulnerable constituents," Riemer said in a statement this afternoon.

"I am honored to receive the endorsement of my friend and former colleague @HansRiemer," Jawando tweeted in announcing Riemer's support. "Hans has spent his career fighting for so many of the same priorities my campaign is centered upon. I look forward to working with him on delivering for the state of Maryland."

Photo courtesy Will Jawando for U.S. Senate

Tropical Storm Ophelia makes landfall, already impacting Maryland/Washington, D.C. area

Tropical Storm Ophelia has made landfall near Emerald Isle, North Carolina, but the outer rain bands of the storm had already entered the Washington, D.C. area overnight. What will the impacts of Ophelia on the Bethesda-Chevy Chase-Potomac area be? The National Weather Service predicts rainfall amounts from 2-4" in the Montgomery County/Washington, D.C. area. High winds with gusts up to 45-55 MPH are also anticipated.

Montgomery County and Washington D.C. are under a National Weather Service-issued Wind Advisory from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM today. The NWS forecasts northeast winds of 20 to 30 MPH, with gusts up to 55 MPH expected. Gusts up to 50 mph are possible along the immediate shore of the Chesapeake Bay and Tidal Potomac. Ocean City, Maryland is experiencing street flooding and wind gusts up to 50 MPH.Secure any outdoor furniture or objects light enough to blow away, or bring them indoors.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has
declared a State of Emergency

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has declared a State of Emergency. "If you can avoid driving or being out during the storm, please do so," Moore said. "We are expecting an extended period of strong winds, heavy rainfall, and elevated tides." Flooding, falling limbs, downed trees and power outages are expected.

Ophelia is currently located 25 miles WNW of Cape Lookout, North Carolina. Its sustained winds measured at Cape Lookout are currently 61 MPH, with gusts up to 73 MPH. The storm is moving NNW at 9 MPH, and will affect the D.C. region through Sunday.

Heavy rainfall and sustained wind gusts will combine for conditions that favor trees falling, causing damage and power outages. Charge cellphones and make sure you have batteries for flashlights and radios.

WMATA reports Metrobus routes D33 Westbound and E4 Westbound are temporarily detouring at Military Road and 14th Street NW, and resuming their routes at Military Road and 16th Street NW, due to weather conditions. Pepco is reporting a few, small power outages in Gaithersburg at this hour.

Tracking map courtesy National Hurricane Center

Will Jawando endorsed by Baltimore, Prince George's officials in Maryland U.S. Senate race

Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando picked up the endorsements of four more Maryland elected officials in his campaign for the U.S. Senate seat of Ben Cardin (D), who will retire in January 2025. Baltimore City Councilmember Kristerfer Burnett, Prince George’s County Councilmembers Krystal Oriadha and Wala Blegay, and Riverdale Park Town Councilmember Karen Mejia all put their support behind Jawando, who is positioning himself as the true progressive in the highly-competitive Democratic primary. Jawando's leading primary opponents are Total Wine founder and Congressman David Trone (D - MD 6th District), and Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks.

Convincing three more Prince George's officials to support him over their own county executive is a coup for Jawando, as Alsobrooks is facing questions about her newfound support for criminal justice reform, relative to her own prosecutorial record and statements during her service as Prince George's County State's Attorney. Jawando is seeking to follow the insurgent path of new Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, who stunned many by blowing past moderate establishment figures like Comptroller Peter Franchot to capture Government House in November 2022. 

“I am honored to receive the endorsement of these four fantastic public servants," Jawando said in a statement Wednesday. "This campaign is based upon the belief that we can build a shared prosperity for all Marylanders, and with their support, achieving this dream is increasingly possible. They represent the next generation of leaders in our state who are stepping up and doing their part to build a better future where no one has to be worse off for their neighbor to do better."

"Over the coming weeks and months, my campaign will continue to expand into both Prince George’s and Baltimore city and county. The race is early, and anyone who tells you they know how things will shake out is mistaken. I have gained a sense from speaking with residents across our state that there is a deep frustration with the status quo, and they are looking for a U.S. Senator who can deliver for their communities. This is what I have done in Montgomery County, and it’s why I am running for the Senate."

Will Jawando reports raising over $525,000 in Maryland U.S. Senate race

Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando (D - At-Large) has raised over $525,000 in 60 days for his Maryland U.S. Senate bid, his campaign announced Friday. The haul represented donations from over 1,300 individual donors, most of whom are Maryland residents, his campaign noted. Jawando faces an uphill battle in the money race, squaring off against self-funding multimillionaire Congressman David Trone, and Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, who touted a $1.7 million war chest ten days ago. As a result, Jawando is positioning himself to the left of those frontrunners, as Congressman Jamie Raskin successfully did against Trone in the 2016 Maryland 8th Congressional District race. 

Raskin recently announced he would pass on the U.S. Senate race, much to Trone's relief. Jawando also sees Raskin's decision as clearing the left lane for his campaign.

“Over the past few months, a number of my good friends have speculated about running for Senate, but now we know there will be only one progressive in the race," Jawando said in a statement Friday. "I am proud to be that candidate, and grateful for all the support we have gained so far..There may be other candidates in this race who have more personal wealth and establishment support, but I am proud to be running as the only grassroots, true blue progressive. I couldn’t be more excited about where we are and I’m so grateful to everyone who donated."

Bethesda dispensary ramps up for today's legalization of recreational marijuana in Maryland

Marijuana dispensaries fortunate enough to have obtained licenses for recreational marijuana sales beginning today, July 1, 2023 in Maryland have been ramping up their inventories, and putting new policies in place. Health for Life at 4909 Fairmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda announced its operating hours will expand, beginning today. The new hours will be 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM Monday through Wednesday (although recreational sales will only be made from 10:00 AM onward; the first hour is for medicinal marijuana purchases only those days), 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM Thursday through Saturday, and 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sundays. 

Another change is that Health for Life will now be open on weekends, where it has previously only operated on weekdays. Bethesda apartment and condo dwellers may be in for an unpleasant surprise if their buildings don't have a no-marijuana-smoking policy in place, and neighbors light up their new purchases. The stench factor, along with the potential issue of recreational users operating vehicles, are among the impacts that state and county officials have failed to fully prepare the public for.

Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando enters Maryland U.S. Senate race

Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando (D - At-Large) is the first candidate to enter the race to fill outgoing Maryland U.S. Senator Ben Cardin's seat. Jawando, an author and veteran of the Barack Obama administration, had previously run for U.S. Congress before winning his council seat in 2018. While the race for the coveted seat is expected to draw many Democratic entrants, Jawando caught his potential rivals flatfooted Tuesday, when he formally announced his campaign one day after Cardin announced he would not seek reelection in 2024. Despite many signs and rumors that Cardin would bow out, only Jawando had a campaign and announcement video immediately prepared to go, getting a jump on fundraising and media attention.

Jawando centered his announcement on disputing the idea that "if some people get ahead, everyone else has to be left behind." He promised to run on the goal of bringing a "shared prosperity" to all Marylanders. Jawando cited some of the issues he has worked on during his four-and-a-half years on the County Council, including sponsoring a rent stabilization bill that would be more restrictive to rent increases than a competing Council bill supported by some of his colleagues, and his high-profile campaign for criminal justice and policing reforms.

Entering the race just months after being reelected to a second term on the Council, Jawando will be one of the most-intriguing candidates to watch. His fate will largely be decided by what the Democratic electorate is seeking in this election cycle. Will the race follow the same path as the year when Chris Van Hollen won his U.S. Senate seat, with deference to the veteran, center-left, well-financed politician whose "turn" it is for promotion to the next-highest seat, at the expense of younger, more-progressive candidates of color?

If so, U.S. Congressman David Trone (D - 6th District) will be in the driver's seat. He is expected by many political observers to enter the Senate race, and the Total Wine founder is known above all else for his willingness to spend vast sums of his personal fortune. As a hefty fundraiser for national Democrats, Trone will have many a boldfaced name to campaign for him. And with a centrist profile, he has repeatedly defeated Republicans in the 6th, something the Democratic establishment would like in a state where a moderate Republican can be competitive in a statewide race.

But let's not forget that former Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot was a similar, formidable centrist at the starting line of the 2022 gubernatorial race. He had the highest statewide profile, the biggest fundraising potential, and after building a bipartisan image with friend Gov. Larry Hogan (R) over eight years, was widely expected to easily clinch the primary and general election victories.

Virtually no one had heard of Wes Moore at that time. A young, bestselling author with no experience in public office, Moore quickly garned attention, straw poll victories, and - soon thereafter - money and big name endorsements across the state. It turned out that Democratic primary voters were looking for a fresh face, and an inspiring message, not the "safe" candidate whose turn it was next.

Of course, Moore brought a wealth of experience in international finance, and a Hollywood-ready resume of overcoming personal setbacks and service to his country as a combat veteran. The thin presidential bench national Democrats are facing in coming election cycles helped Moore immensely, too, as he has instantly given hope to many that they have another Obama on their hands. Like Jawando, Moore was also in the Obama administration orbit that has launched so many Democratic candidates to election victory in recent years. 

Jawando faces a number of challenges that Moore did not, however. Moore did not have a voting record in public office, allowing him to be a blank slate to supporters, and to never get too specific in his agenda prior to being sworn in as governor. Jawando has drawn much criticism from Republicans and moderate Democratic and unaffiliated voters for what they view his sustained attacks on law enforcement. His established friendship with Moore could be a potential edge, but would Moore endorse Jawando over more-powerful Democratic rivals? And can Moore ignore the fact that, were Jawando to win, the councilman would be on an Obama-like trajectory to run for the White House in 2028, the same year many expect Moore to be a frontrunner in the presidential race, and in the same lane as Moore?

One certainty: no candidate is going to win this Senate seat in a cakewalk. Everyone knows that if a Democrat wins the seat, it will essentially be his or hers for life. Even a governor can only serve two terms in Maryland. This is literally the opportunity of a lifetime, and it won't come again until Van Hollen retires, which could be decades from now.

Every Democratic official with any profile in the state has to be considering a run. Congressman Jamie Raskin (D - 8th District) had long been considered the frontrunner for this Senate seat. He has a passionate following among progressive Democrats that allowed him to defeat Big Money Trone to win his seat. The only uncertainty for Raskin would be if he is too progressive for a statewide race. Although he has announced his cancer is in remission, he also acknowledged that the treatments have left him exhausted, and he has to weigh whether or not he is ready to enter a tough statewide race at this moment - versus an easy reelection to his current seat in Congress, with his desirable committee assignments placing him in a powerful position if Democrats win back the House next year.

Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks is expected to enter the Senate race. Her hiring of former Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan's campaign manager suggests she may be positioning herself as a more moderate candidate. Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski could be a formidable entry, as well, with the Baltimore machine and appeal to younger voters among his advantages.

The Republican side of the race at this hour can only be described by one word: bleak. Former Gov. Larry Hogan said yesterday that even his wife is begging him to run for the Senate seat, but once again, professed to have no interest in serving on Capitol Hill. Trone and Olszewski would like nothing more than for Hogan to enter the race, as Democrats would be under pressure to shift to the center.

If the Republican bench for the 2026 gubernatorial race sends shivers down the GOP establishment's spine, be sure you have smelling salts in hand before querying them about the GOP U.S. Senate bench. Hogan and former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele are the only Republicans capable of running a competitive race if the election were held today, and Steele lost running for this seat in 2006, albeit in the destructive, radioactive shadow of George W. Bush. 

One has to wonder if this is Hogan's last thumbing of the nose at his own party. Notorious for failing to support Maryland GOP candidates in the 2018 and 2022 elections, Hogan is now the one man standing between possible victory and sure defeat for the party in the U.S. Senate race. The irony is that Hogan has a far better chance of winning the Senate seat than the White House, whether that be as a Republican or No Labels party nominee. 

Were there to be no Donald Trump-aligned candidate in the race, Hogan protege Kelly Schulz might have a chance, having received some statewide exposure during her unsuccessful race for governor last year. Schulz fell victim to GOP voters' preference for the Trump-endorsed Dan Cox - but also to her patron Hogan's presidential ambitions. When Hogan should have been barnstorming the state with Schulz in the final weeks of the primary race, he was out-of-state campaigning for president. But the Senate question may be moot for Schulz, as some pundits are noting she could be a formidable candidate for Trone's congressional seat if he pursues the Senate race.

Beyond Hogan, there is mostly wishful thinking. The Cal Ripken/Pat Sajak rumors are as predictable at the start of election cycles as trying Rex Chapman at point guard was once a fixture of Washington Januaries. Dan Bongino? He would surely appeal to the Trumpist base in Maryland, but would find it challenging to win the general election after his outspoken support of The Donald in recent years. 

Former Gov. Bob Ehrlich would be highly-qualified for the office, and is more popular among Maryland Republicans than Hogan. Does he want to take on a brutal campaign like this? 

It's telling that even articles about Hogan declining to run don't mention other possible GOP candidates besides Steele. There's no getting around the fact that the Maryland GOP has failed to promote and elevate some of the most promising potential candidates in the party, particularly those who are female and non-white. Some have since left politics - or the state entirely, for redder pastures elsewhere. 

The only hope for the GOP, aside from Hogan coming to his senses and entering the race, is for a charismatic and reasonably-wealthy outsider to emerge from nowhere. There's a strong chance the economy could be in recession or worse by next year. A slow-motion, multicar pileup of failing banks appears to be in the realm of possibility, as are higher gas prices and exhaustion over a Ukraine war that seems to be designed to go on for years to the financial advantage of defense firms, while hundreds of thousands of troops and civilians die on both sides in the meantime.

For now, Will Jawando is coming off as the best-organized of the potential candidates, if nothing else. He doesn't even have to worry about claiming a lane at the moment, as aside from socialist Jerome Segal, he has the entire road to himself. While the other big name Democrats scramble to assemble their campaigns and launch events, Jawando can continue to vacuum up TV time and pundit chatter. 

Photo courtesy Will Jawando for Maryland

Montgomery County now collecting durable medical equipment at Shady Grove Transfer Station

Do you have medical equipment you no longer need, and is just taking up space in your home? Now it can be put to use for less-fortunate residents in need of it. Montgomery County is now collecting durable medical equipment at the Shady Grove Transfer Station at 16101 Frederick Road (MD 355) in Derwood. "Gently-used" wheelchairs, canes, shower chairs, and other commonly-used medical equipment will be accepted, and will be refurbished and donated to residents who need it. The new initiative has been made possible by the Montgomery County Department of the Environment's entry into the Maryland Department of Aging’s Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Re-Use program.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich

“There is an ongoing need for medical equipment in our County,” Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said in a statement. “Many of us have medical equipment in our basements, garages or attics that is no longer used, but is too good to throw away. This program helps our County’s efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle, while providing critical assistance to those in need. I encourage everyone to donate if they have any equipment that can still be used. This program isn’t just helping our planet—it is also helping our neighbors.”

Technicians from Maryland DME Re-Use take the donated equipment to a 56,000-square-foot facility located in Cheltenham in Prince George's County. There, it is sanitized, repaired and stored for future distribution. Equipment that is beyond repair will be broken down for parts that are saved and later used, rather than going into the trash.

To find out more about Maryland DME Re-Use, including collection site locations, acceptable donations or how to apply to receive durable medical equipment, go to dme.maryland.gov, call 240-230-8000 or email dme.mdoa@maryland.gov.

Maryland taxpayers to sink $166M into Baltimore Harborplace scheme

It's deja vu all over again in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. A great gem - a doorstep to the city, if you will! - has somehow fallen into disrepair. But it's not up to the property owner, nor the elected officials who've run the city it's the doorstep to the whole time, to sacrifice for a solution. No, it's you, the hardworking taxpayer of Maryland who must step in, and share your hard-earned dollars with very wealthy developers. Stop me if you've heard this before. 

Are we talking about Union Station in Washington, D.C.? No, it's the Harborplace development in Baltimore. But both now share a special pedigree. These properties have failed...twice. And each time, the taxpayer has involuntarily-volunteered to pick up the tab for "renewal" and "rejuvenation." 

You can't entirely blame the political machines of Charm City and the District of Columbia. They know both cities are more transient than most in America. And both are rapidly gentrifying African-American residents out of their homes and neighborhoods, to make room for more luxury condos for rich, white people. Why, you probably haven't lived here long enough to realize this isn't the first time the city's gemstone was tarnished.

Except, some of us have. I remember when Union Station and the Inner Harbor were said to be in desperate need of revitalization. Some years, and many more taxpayer dollars later, we were told the effort was successful. Shops! Restaurants! Gleaming and new!

Three decades pass.

And suddenly, it's happened again.

Union Station and Harborplace are derelict! They're outdated and have fallen behind the times! Nobody goes there anymore! Wealthy development firms are standing by to save the day, but...they're going to need your help. So they're going to cut us in on the deal? We'll earn a dividend for the tax dollars we're putting up, just like the other investors?

Oh, no. And your investment is not optional. We just rammed it through in Annapolis. The taxpayers of Maryland - yes, even you in the hinterlands, are going to fork over $166 million. And Baltimore City residents, many of whom are living paycheck to paycheck, get to hand over an additional $1 million.

Why are Union Station and Harborplace "derelict and underperforming?" The tenants! Well, wait a minute. Union Station has Shake Shack, Pret-a-Manger, Au Bon Pain and CAVA, names about as hip as train station commercial retail can get. Tourist-driven Harborplace has tourist traps like UNO Chicago Grill, Johnny Rockets and Hooters - it even has The Cheesecake Factory, for Pete's sake! What else would you want to eat by the water? 

Want local, small businesses instead? Charge a rent they can afford for the empty storefronts. 

Well, it's not the tenants or the times, you see. Why don't people want to go to Harborplace or Union Station?

It's that the D.C. government let crime and the homeless take over Union Station. Columbus Circle at sunrise can resemble a giant bedroom, as the least-fortunate of Washington awake from slumber among scurrying rats and trash. Baltimore City let crime run rampant in the Inner Harbor, with tourists often the target. At some point, elected officials have to be held accountable. This is a novel idea in Washington and Baltimore.

$166 million? You could put 415 homeless people into permanent homes in the D.C. area, and even more in Baltimore, for that amount. It could be a not-insubstantial down payment on building the Red Line, especially the Dollar General version of the Red Line pols are cynically trying to pass off on West Baltimore these days. "By the time the buses start running, those voters will have been gentrified out of there, anyway," elected officials must figure. Imagine the parks you could build. Or schools that actually have air conditioning!!

But a better recipient than the general public has been found - wealthy and well-financed developers. The public involuntarily gives generously. Buildings are demolished. New ones rise in their place. The property is sold. Profits are made. Elected officials fail to execute their basic functions to provide a strong business climate, maintain city infrastructure and ensure public safety. 

And the cycle starts over again. We've seen this here in Montgomery County, where a greedy mall buyer along with County officials allowing crime to get out of control led to the demise of Lakeforest Mall in Gaithersburg. As long as our elected officials get away with directing our money to their developer sugar daddies, we'll see it again.

Inner Harbor crime:

"Inner Harbor Mayhem"

"Death at Baltimore's Inner Harbor"

"Dangerous at night"

"3 people robbed at gunpoint in Inner Harbor"

"New Jersey family attacked at Baltimore's Inner Harbor"

"If this is what a Saturday night at the Harbor is going to be like, we will not be going there"

Montgomery County loses another corporate HQ to Virginia

There goes another one. Amentum Services, a leading government contractor in the fields of engineering, project management and advanced solutions integration, is moving from Germantown to Chantilly in Fairfax County, Virginia. The latest corporate decision to choose Virginia over Montgomery County will bring 157 new jobs to Fairfax County - good jobs with high pay. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) announced the move in a press release Monday.

According to Youngkin's statement, Virginia competed directly with Maryland to woo Amentum, which has 44,000 employees working in 85 countries around the world. “Fairfax County offers the location, access to decision-makers, and talent pipeline that global providers like Amentum are seeking, and we are proud to welcome the company’s leadership and operations team to Virginia,” Youngkin said. “Amentum joins the ranks of the Commonwealth’s diversified ecosystem of more than 800 corporate headquarters across a broad cross-section of industries.”

“I want to thank and congratulate Amentum for choosing Fairfax County for its home base,” Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey C. McKay said in statement. “Our long-term investment into making Fairfax County the top choice to locate a global business continues to bear fruit, and I am thrilled that Amentum has chosen to take advantage of what we offer.” 

Amentum is the latest corporation to abandon moribund Montgomery County for Virginia, or choose Virginia over Maryland in a relocation search. It joins Amazon, Northrop Grumman, Volkswagen, Lidl, Hilton Hotels, Intelsat, Corporate Executive Board, Nestle, Lego, and Gerber, to name a few. 

Montgomery County and Maryland have had difficulty even gobbling up the crumbs under Virginia's dinner table. When Youngkin made the surprising decision to reject a Ford Motor Company battery plant recently, Maryland wasn't even a serious contender to grab the jump ball. That fumble apparently happened on the watch of former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and the 2018-2022 Montgomery County Council, as Michigan was quickly named as Ford's backup choice. 

Maryland "closely monitoring" air quality after toxic East Palestine, Ohio train derailment

Maryland Department of the Environment
air quality monitoring station

More than a few Maryland residents have been wondering if the toxic chemicals released into waterways and the air from the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment might have any environmental or health impacts here. The Maryland Department of the Environment has been "closely monitoring the situation," MDE spokesperson Jay Apperson said Friday evening. Department officials have been focused on impacts from the air, as Apperson said the runoff into the Ohio River will not affect Maryland waterways.

There has been speculation online that pollution such as airborne particulates or acid rain caused by the derailment, and by the controversial clean-up effort of toxic substances from the train cars, could impact neighboring states. Some satellite images shared on social media depicting a plume cloud from the controlled burn-off of chemicals at the crash site showed it passing over Western Maryland at times. 

But Apperson said the state has so far found nothing of concern within our borders. MDE's air quality monitoring station in Garrett County "shows no effect on levels of gas or particulate matter" as of last night, he reported. "The department will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation," Apperson added.

Photo courtesy MDE

Maryland Governor Wes Moore looks beyond history to "a state that leaves no one behind" in inauguration speech

The inauguration of Wes Moore (D) as Governor of Maryland was a slightly more star-studded affair than those of his outgoing predecessor, Larry Hogan (R). For starters, Moore was introduced by Oprah Winfrey. Behind her in the grandstand seating area overlooking Lawyers' Mall in Annapolis was Chelsea Clinton. But Moore made a point of recognizing Hogan. Turning to the former governor, Moore said, "we are grateful and thankful for the kindness that you and your team have shown throughout this entire transition period. Thank you for eight years of great service to a state that we both love." Moore then paused deliberately, and the crowd stood to give Hogan a standing ovation.

Calling one-time Baltimore TV news anchor Winfrey a "Maryland girl at heart," Moore thanked her "for always being in my corner." He also recognized his wife and children. And then Moore became the first African-American to deliver an inaugural speech as governor of Maryland. 

The historic nature of the moment could not be ignored. Moore took an oath of office earlier Wednesday with his hand on a bible belonging to Frederick Douglass. Noting that he was speaking blocks away from the Annapolis city docks where African slaves once arrived, Moore recalled the "uneven and unimaginable progress" African-Americans have made since then. 

But Maryland is also a state "where anything is possible," Moore added in welcoming his Jamaican immigrant mother and the Indian immigrant mother of his Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller to another standing ovation. On her own history-making road to the second-highest statewide office in Maryland, Miller was sworn in with her hand on a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, the most-revered of Hindu texts.

Shifting his focus to the present and future, Moore said "this journey has never been about making history. It's about marching forward. Today is not an idictment of our past. Today is a celebration of our collective future." Nodding to the balancing act he will have to perform between the many interest groups making expensive demands of his new administration, and maintaining the state's relatively-solid fiscal standing, Moore spoke of being "disciplined" and "making hard choices." 

The new governor asked how it could be that a state with such revenue could also be a state where one in eight children live in poverty, and 250,000 people lack health insurance. In a zero-sum perspective of winners and losers, "we've come to expect that the people who have lost will keep losing," Moore said. "We must refuse to accept that," Moore declared, punctuating each word with a strike of his palm on the podium. 

Moore spoke of the need to improve the state's business climate, and to attract aerospace, clean energy, and cybersecurity firms. Hogan was successful in bringing a Hitachi rail car factory to Hagerstown, a Greenland Technologies electric vehicle plant to White Marsh, and a United Safety Technology medical supply factory to Baltimore. But Montgomery County hasn't attracted a major corporate headquarters in over 25 years, and has lost several of the few Fortune 500 companies it had during that time.

Such economic growth needs to be balanced with higher wages and security for workers, Moore argued. "Maryland can be the best place in America for employers and employees," he said.

Noting rising crime across the state, Moore said "many Marylanders have grown weary in their faith that governments can actually keep them safe." But he vowed, "we cannot and will not militarize ourselves to safety," and pointed to the fact that "Maryland encarcerates more black boys than any other state in this country." He said he is a governor who "knows what it feels like to have handcuffs on my wrists...I felt that when I was 11 years old. I also know what it's like to stand with families and mourn the victims of violent crime. We do not have to choose between being a safe state and a just one."

Moore promised Maryland will run on 100% clean energy by 2035, and create thousands of jobs in the process, by focusing on wind power. He said not every child needs to go to college to be successful, citing his path of military service and community college. "I think things worked out pretty well," he added.

Like many inaugural speeches, Moore's was short on actual policies and expense numbers. One specific plan he identified was creating a service year option for high school graduates. He also promised to be successful despite skeptics who say he will be unable to overcome "toxic partisanship." There is no such obstacle in Annapolis, however, as Democrats control every office and chamber of state government. Moore's actual challenge will be to reign in the aspirations of his own party, after eight years of the Hogan administration. And even Hogan was unable to block much of the Democrats' agenda during that time.

Recognizing that position of near-total power, Moore promised that "we have a unique place and space to do something special." Moore is in a unique and powerful position himself, to leverage a successful gubernatorial term and sparkling resume into not-so-distant future presidential campaign conversations, in a party that has had difficulty finding the next John F. Kennedy or Barack Obama in its youthful ranks since 2016.

"Now is the opportunity we have to march forward, and to march together," Moore concluded. "And let us march on 'til victory is won. Today is not the victory. Today is the opportunity. It is our opportunity to lead with love. It is our opportunity to create with compassion. It's our opportunity to fight fearlessly for our future. Maryland, our time is right now. Our time is now to build a state that, for those who came before us, that they fought for, and it's a state that leaves no one behind. This is not a slogan. It is the fulfillment of a hope. Maryland, it's time, let's lead, and let's do it together. God bless you all, and thank you so much."

Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando added to Wes Moore steering committee

Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando (D - At-Large) was added to the transition Steering Committee for the incoming administration of Maryland governor-elect Wes Moore (D), lieutenant governor-elect Aruna Miller (D) announced Thursday. Jawando, who was just reelected to a second term on the Council earlier this month, joins Maryland Business-Clergy Partnership Co-Chairman Joe Gaskins as the newest members of the committee. 

“Councilman Jawando and Joe Gaskins are critical additions to our transition team," Miller said in a statement. "We have so much work to do together to ensure that this is Maryland’s decade. I look forward to working closely with Councilman Jawando and Joe Gaskins, and our entire transition team, to lay the foundation for a stronger, healthier, and wealthier Maryland.”

"It's a honor to serve as we work towards a stronger and more equitable Maryland!" Jawando tweeted Thursday night. Jawando and Moore are both veterans of the administration of President Barack Obama.

Photo courtesy Montgomery County Council website 

Montgomery County Council passes gun bill despite assurance of expensive court fight

The Montgomery County Council unanimously passed a gun control bill yesterday that will prevent lawful gun owners with concealed carry permits to carry their firearms within a massive swath of the jurisdiction. Because the bill designates so many types of common buildings and spaces as gun-free zones, and includes the area around them up to 100 yards, it renders the recently-affirmed right to carry a gun outside the home nearly impossible to exercise. Councilmembers may find themselves on the stand in a courtroom within the next year as a result. County taxpayers will pick up the tab to defend any legal challenge to the new law. 

The bill also adjusted language in the County's recent law on privately-manufactured firearms to match the new state restrictions on them. Despite Maryland having passed some of the most-restrictive gun laws in the nation in the previous decade, and the Council having passed a PMP bill last year, the Council acknowledged in a press release that the County is nevertheless still experiencing "an epidemic of gun violence." 

"I continue to believe that guns create immeasurably more problems, often with tragic outcomes, than they attempt to solve,” Council President Gabe Albornoz (D -At-Large) said in a statement. “This legislation will help to ensure that we do everything possible to minimize the number of guns in our public space." Albornoz led the effort to pass the PMP bill in 2021. 

"[T]his will go into effect very rapidly, and we’ll be moving in court, equally rapidly,” Mark Pennak, President of gun rights organization Maryland Shall Issue told DC News Now following the Council vote.

Maryland governor-elect Wes Moore names first cabinet members

Wes Moore introduces Fagan Harris (left) as
his Chief of Staff Monday

Maryland governor-elect Wes Moore (D) held a press conference Monday to introduce his choices for several positions in his future cabinet. He was joined by running mate Aruna Miller, as he presented five nominees who face the challenge of helping him translate campaign promises into legislation and accomplishments. 

Moore named Fagan Harris as his Chief of Staff. Harris co-founded non-profit Baltimore Corps with Moore, He is also a President Joe Biden appointee to the AmeriCorps Board of Directors. 

Another non-profit sector veteran, Tisha Edwards, was named as Moore's Secretary of Appointments. That's the political position current Gov. Larry Hogan (R) held before assuming the top office in the state. Edwards is also known for creating the Mayor’s Office of Children & Family Success in Baltimore City,

Moore stuck with Baltimore for his third appointment. Helene Grady is vice president, chief financial officer, and treasurer for Johns Hopkins University. She will serve as the Secretary for the Department of Budget and Management.

Amanda LaForge, who served as counsel to Moore's gubernatorial campaign, will now be his Chief Legal Counsel. LaForge served that role in the past for the Democratic National Committee. She was most recently Of Counsel to the firm of Sandler, Reiff, Lamb, Rosenstein & Birkenstock, PC.

Finally, Maryland Delegate Eric Luedtke (D - District 14) was announced as Moore's selection to be his Chief Legislative Officer. Luedtke will have to give up his seat and his enviable position as Majority Leader in the House. The potential for a plum job for the next eight years may make that an easy choice for Luedtke, who has represented parts of Silver Spring, Burtonsville, Olney, Damascus, Brookeville and Sandy Spring in his current office.

Photo courtesy Moore for Maryland