The Speaker of the New York Assembly was indicted yesterday on corruption charges related to payments to his private law practice for which where he performed little or no legal work. It prompted this anecdote on the front page of the New York Times: Al Smith, the storied governor of New York in the 1920s …more >
My first bill hearing will be on February 3. Under the No Wrong Door pilot program, individuals with a range of needs that cross departmental lines would be assisted by one case worker. The result: greater efficiency for public and private providers; needed services for those in need that would put them on the road …more >
In his Inaugural address today, Governor Hogan declared, “I am prepared to create an environment of trust and cooperation, where the best ideas rise to the top based upon their merit, regardless of which side of the political debate they come from.” The proof will be in his policies. As a freshman member of the …more >
Nothing is a secret in Annapolis. A lobbyist asked me today about legislation of mine that is still in the drafting stage. I have discussed the concept with a few people but have yet to introduce the bill. The lobbyist had a friendly insight: the name of someone who might have problems with my bill. …more >
In the opening scene of “Selma,” Oprah Winfrey’s character seeks to register to vote. Asked to recite the preamble to the US Constitution, she knows it. How many trial judges in Alabama? Without hesitation, the correct number. Name them, says the clerk. Silence. Application denied. The end result of the civil disobedience and violence that follow is …more >
President Obama had lunch at Charmington’s in Remington yesterday. It’s too hipster for my tastes. The kind of place where you can order alfalfa sprouts on mashed yeast. The President wasn’t there for the cuisine, however. He made the case for requiring paid sick leave for workers in companies with at least 15 employees. The …more >
Yesterday, I quoted Burke on the need for a legislator to vote his conscience. Today, a new member asked me when to tell the chairman she would be doing just that. “Don’t surprise anyone,” I responded. “Let the chairman know in advance.” That principle is not limited to conscience votes. Your word is your bond, …more >
Speaker Busch asked me to give the opening prayer today to “set the tone” for the session. That prayer follows: On a special occasion, we say the Shehecheeyanu prayer. At the start of a holiday, When first seeing the Temple Mount or the Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem. Today is a special occasion. For the handful …more >
I’m sure I was nervous 32 years ago today. I was about to become a member of the Maryland House of Delegates. Excited best describes my emotions today. There are lots of interesting issues I’ll be working on this session – with the added challenge of enacting them into law with a Republican governor and …more >
I have been accused of introducing bills after reading an article in the New York Times. “Don’t Look to States for New Ideas” is the headline for an op-ed in today’s paper. Justice Brandeis called the states the laboratories of democracy. The minimum wage and welfare reform are prominent examples. Ideas grown in the petri …more >
