Witnesses are not under oath in Annapolis. 

            Perhaps they should be.

            “The deck is stacked against many consumers,” I began my remarks to the committee on House Bill 442, the Transparency in Consumer Arbitration Act. 

            The nursing home industry was the only opponent. 

            Its witness alleged that I had introduced the bill at the request of the trial lawyers – the plaintiffs bar. 

            I assume this was designed to gain support from the more conservative members of the committee.  

            It’s not true.  The trial lawyers have never talked to me about HB 442.  They didn’t testify for it today. 

             I may have grown accustomed to some things that would have offended me when I first got to Annapolis. 

            A claim with no basis in fact is not one of them.

February 17