MIZEUR OUTRAISES HARRIS IN 2021: As he vies for a seventh U.S. House term, Republican Andy Harris faces not only a reconfigured district but a Democratic challenger who raised more campaign money in 2021 than he did, according to Federal Election Commission reports filed Monday. Democrat Heather Mizeur, a former state delegate and 2014 gubernatorial candidate, reported raising $1.3 million last year and has nearly $890,000 on hand. Jeff Barker and Jean Marbella/The Baltimore Sun.
JUDGES OPPOSE HOGAN ‘SENTENCING SCORECARD:’ Current and former judges are opposing Gov. Larry Hogan’s renewed call for legislation requiring that a state commission compile the sentences each Maryland circuit court judge renders against violent criminals, saying such a judicial scorecard threatens the judiciary’s independence from the public’s clamor to be tough on crime. Steve Lash/The Daily Record.
HOGAN TO DELIVER FINAL STATE OF STATE TOMORROW: Gov. Larry Hogan will deliver his final “State of the State” speech on Wednesday, the second time in a row he’s opting not to give the address directly to state lawmakers. The Republican plans to deliver the speech via video from the Old Senate Chamber in the State House in Annapolis, starting at 7 p.m. Pamela Wood/The Baltimore Sun.
- Maryland Public Television will present a live broadcast on MPT-HD and on its livestream of Hogan’s eighth State of the State Address at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. MPT’s State Circle, led by anchor Jeff Salkin, will provide complete coverage. MPT also will present the Democratic Party view of the state as part of its broadcast. State Sen. Will Smith, Jr. (District 20, Montgomery County) is scheduled to deliver those remarks. To live stream, click here.
GET YOUR MAIL-IN BALLOTS! The Maryland State Board of Elections announced Monday that it has started sending mail-in ballot request forms to registered voters before the June 28 primary. The forms will begin arriving in the mail later this week, the board said in a news release. The Associated Press.
McCONNELL PUSHES HOGAN TO RUN FOR SENATE: Buried deep in an analysis of what is happening in the national Republican Party and fissures breaking out here and there is this paragraph: “In the Senate, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the minority leader, is not on speaking terms with Mr. Trump, and his allies continue to court Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland, an outspoken anti-Trump Republican, to run for Senate.” Shane Goldmacher/The New York Times.
PHOTO ESSAY: SUN PRINTS LAST EDITION AT PORT COVINGTON: Baltimore Sun Media printed its last copies of the newspaper at its Port Covington plant Sunday. The company is moving those functions to The News Journal’s printing plant in Wilmington, Del. About 100 people are losing their jobs. The plant opened in 1992 after moving its printing functions from Calvert Street. Kenneth Lam and Sun Archives/The Baltimore Sun.
JUDGE DITCHES PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNCIL MAP: A Prince George’s judge on Monday ordered the county council to throw out the widely criticized redistricting map it approved this fall and instead implement one proposed by a nonpartisan committee — a decision the council said it would appeal “immediately.” Rachel Chason/The Washington Post.
- Judge William A. Snoddy wrote in an opinion that the council’s vote to approve new district boundaries as a resolution should’ve been enacted as a bill. “Under the County’s Charter, a resolution, while having the effect of law, is not a substitute for a law,” Snoddy wrote. “Prince George’s County Council shall immediately withdraw the redistricting plan and submit the [three-member county] commission’s plan.” William Ford/The Washington Informer.
- During a virtual hearing held on Friday, an attorney hired by four county residents argued that the council-backed map should be thrown out — not because of politically motivated line-drawing but because the panel failed to pass a redistricting bill, as required by law. Lawmakers approved a resolution instead. Bruce DePuyt/Maryland Matters.
CLEAN ENERGY RECEPTION: The Maryland Clean Energy Center’s 2022 Legislative Reception will feature guest legislators and speakers, with a featured panel to discuss Energy & the Built Environment: Strategies Aimed at Addressing Climate Change. This panel session will examine the challenges, opportunities, and recommendations related to building de-carbonization to achieve demand reduction goals from the perspective of consumers, industry, and utilities. Tickets are on sale now for this hybrid event on Feb. 17, with an in-person luncheon in Annapolis. All registrants will receive program recordings.
The Arundel teachers union is distributing 35,000 masks to its members.
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash
ARUNDEL TEACHERS UNION TO DISTRIBUTE MASKS: The Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County will distribute approximately 35,000 N95 masks to its members this week. President Russell Leone said the union purchased the masks after winter break with money allocated by its board of directors. Rachael Pacella/The Capital Gazette.
HARFORD MASK MANDATE ENDS: Harford County’s mask mandate will end Tuesday, according to County Executive Barry Glassman. The mandate was instituted Jan. 4 and only applied to visitors of county government buildings and county employees who interacted with the public. Jason Fontelieu/The Aegis.
BA CO ENDS MASK MANDATE: Citing “encouraging progress” in Baltimore County’s coronavirus metrics, County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. will end the indoor mask mandate put in effect last month. Starting Tuesday, patrons of county businesses will no longer be required to wear face coverings to prevent spreading the coronavirus. The county will also allow its state of emergency to expire Feb. 7. Taylor DeVille/The Baltimore Sun.
B’MORE TO REVIEW VACANT PROPERTIES: Baltimore will undertake a citywide review of its operations related to vacant properties following the death of three city firefighters last week who were battling a blaze in a vacant home. Emily Opilo/The Baltimore Sun.
MOSBY’s FIRST COURT APPEARANCE ON FRIDAY: Embattled Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby will make a virtual court appearance Friday, her first scheduled hearing since being federally indicted on perjury and false statements charges. Madeleine O’Neill/The Daily Record.
OPINION: THE POLITICS OF INDICTMENTS: Dayvon Love, in an op-ed for the Afro, opines that “too many of the conversations in the public sphere regarding the federal indictment of Marilyn Mosby center on issues of corruption and whether people believe she is guilty of the charges. This focus has crowded out the equally important conversation about the politics of this federal indictment. … The FBI and the DOJ have a history of targeting Black elected officials. This is not conjecture, this is a fact.”
CARROLL HEADS TOWARD SAVING 100,000 AG ACRES: Carroll County officials continue to work toward the county’s goal of preserving 100,000 acres of agricultural land and now have fewer than 24,000 acres to go. Madison Bateman/The Carroll County Times.
MO CO MAY EVALUATE BILL BASED ON CLIMATE IMPACT: Two Montgomery County Council members plan to introduce a bill on Tuesday requiring all future county legislation be evaluated for its effect on the climate. As the county aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% in five years — a milestone County Council member Tom Hucker said is “indisputable we’re behind in reaching” — the county plans to double down on its assessment of possible future laws. Caitlynn Peetz/Bethesda Beat.
HALETHORPE MAN CHARGED WITH THREATENING BIDEN: A Maryland man and a Kansas man have been charged with making separate threats to kill President Joe Biden, authorities said Monday. Ryan Matthew Conlon, 37, of Halethorpe, and Scott Ryan Merryman, 37, of Independence, Kansas, were arrested last week. Conlon’s case was sealed until Monday. He is also charged with making threats to blow up National Security Agency headquarters. Michael Kunzelman/The Associated Press.
