ROSEN DROPPED FROM HARRIS RACE: Wendy Rosen, the Democratic candidate scheduled to challenge U.S. Rep. Andy Harris in November’s election, was forced to resign yesterday amid allegations of voter fraud, reports Jennifer Shutt for the Salisbury Daily Times.
David Moon of Maryland Juice sums up the situation: Rosen is causing chaos today … this is truly astonishing. Rosen has voted in both Maryland and Florida.
Democratic leaders notified prosecutors of the allegations and said they would gather Central Committee members this month to identify a write-in candidate for the district, which includes the Eastern Shore and parts of Harford, Carroll, Cecil and Baltimore counties, writes Matthew Hay Brown for the Sun.
A senior Maryland Democrat said the party had been tipped off this weekend by someone within the party about Rosen’s potential issue, writes Ben Pershing in the Post. After checking the allegation, the party contacted Rosen on Monday morning and urged her to quit.
The Associated Press, in a story in the Frederick News Post, reports that David Ferguson, of the Maryland GOP, pounced on the revelations, saying that Rosen should be fully prosecuted. “This is another prime example of the prevalent culture of corruption in the Maryland Democrat Party.”
EARLY VOTING COST: Forty-six early voting centers will open Oct. 27 in Maryland for the 2012 presidential election, but it is not clear that the convenience is worth the $2.6 million price tag taxpayers are paying for the new benefit, Glynis Kazanjian writes for MarylandReporter.com.
MISSION TO ISRAEL: Gov. Martin O’Malley is planning a post election economic development mission to Israel — a popular destination for American politicians thought to have aspirations to higher office, reports Michael Dresser in the Sun.
The trip will also be O’Malley’s third to Israel since 2005 (not including a much-discussed “jam session” at the residence of the Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren last year), blogs Aaron Davis in the Post.
BURNS BACKS OFF: John Rydell of WBFF-TV reports on Del. Emmett Burns’ decision to back off his request that the Baltimore Ravens stifle one player from speaking out for same-sex marriage.
IRRATIONAL FEARS: Columnist Dan Rodricks of the Sun writes of the irrational fears that some opponents of same-sex marriage harbor.
GAMBLING CAMPAIGN: The Vegas-based company hoping to build a resort casino at National Harbor put up another $3 million to back a Maryland ballot question on expanding gambling, nearly matching the sum that Penn National Gaming has donated to defeat the measure, writes Annie Linskey of the Sun.
The contribution is the latest volley in an escalating battle — playing out in costly TV ads — over whether to allow a sixth casino in the state, John Wagner reports in the Post.
REDISTRICTING CHALLENGE: A court case aimed at requiring the state to provide a fuller explanation of the congressional redistricting plan, which will be subject to a voter referendum on the Nov. 6 ballot, appears to have ended, writes Earl Kelly in the Capital-Gazette.
NON-RELIGIOUS LOBBY: A national lobbying group for atheists, agnostics and other nontheistic people is expanding its fight for the separation of religion and government by organizing a state chapter in Maryland. The initial organizing call for Maryland is scheduled for this afternoon, writes Daniel Leaderman for the Gazette.
ENERGY OFFICIAL LEAVES: A top O’Malley administration energy official has left Annapolis, where he’s had mixed success pushing for wind and solar projects, for the fiercer political winds of Washington, Tim Wheeler reports in the Sun.
KEN ULMAN: Josh Kurtz of Center Maryland speaks with Ken Ulman, Howard County executive and would-be candidate for governor. “I’m the only person looking at the race for governor who’s actually governed,” he said last week during a conversation at one of the endless round of receptions for Maryland delegates to the Democratic National Convention.
Howard County Executive’s interest in running for the Democratic nomination for Governor in 2014 is very interesting. He claims that he is the only Democratic contender who has actually governed. As a Howard County resident I am shocked (but not surprised) by his immodesty. We are a small, well funded jurisdiction devoid of the serious challenges faced by Baltimore City, and Baltimore, Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties. The overwhelming bulk of our budget is managed by the Board of Education, not the County Executive. Mr. Ullman is not ready for the big leagues. He is suffering under the delusion of adequacy!