SACKLER FAMILY TO PAY MORE IN OXYCOTIN SETTLEMENT APPEAL, GET CIVIL IMMUNITY: OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma reached a settlement Thursday over its role in the nation’s deadly opioid crisis that includes virtually all U.S. states and thousands of local governments, with the Sackler family members who own the company boosting their cash contribution to as much as $6 billion. Geoff Mulvihill and John Seewer of the Associated Press/Baltimore Sun
- Anne Arundel County will receive an estimated $30 million over the next 18 years after participating in a national settlement agreement with manufacturers and distributors of opioids, the county announced Thursday. Dana Munro and Brooks Dubose/Capital Gazette
ETHICS COMMITTEE FINDS BREAK IN STANDARDS FOR SEN. REILLY: A General Assembly ethics committee found that Sen. Ed Reilly broke with the standards of the body when he told a constituent he was planning to pull a bill on which they both had worked because she donated to his opponent’s campaign. Dana Munro/Capital Gazette
COMMENTARY: PG CRIME TOO HIGH: In 2021, there were over 130 homicides in Prince George’s County—a number that the county has not seen in 15 years. In addition to the murders, last year saw a record rise in car jackings. Residents are scared, and it’s time to reflect on how we respond, with the link between poverty and crime in mind. Eve Shuman/Maryland Reporter
SENATE REC MARIJUANA BILL COULD BE SOONER TO IMPLEMENT: There was significant support Thursday for legislation legalizing recreational marijuana on July 1 without a voter referendum, faster than a leading House measure, during a state Senate hearing. Jeff Barker/Baltimore Sun
HOGAN IMPEACHMENT DISMISSED: In less than five minutes, Maryland lawmakers on Thursday unanimously rejected impeaching Gov. Larry Hogan, an effort started by a fellow Republican and political opponent. Erin Cox/Washington Post
- Given four minutes to make his case for impeachment Thursday, Del. Dan Cox told the Rules panel that Hogan had trampled Marylanders’ constitutional rights, damaged businesses, ignored the constitutional role of the General Assembly to provide checks and balances, and “intentionally misled the legislature” on the state’s procurement snafus during the height of the pandemic. Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters
- COMMENTARY ON COX: Now that Dan Cox’s clownish impeachment caper is over, it’s hard to imagine what Cox gained out of it other than appeasing his biggest supporters while he made a fool out of himself to everyone else. Brian Griffiths/The Duckpin
EXPLOSION IN MONTGOMERY LEAVES UNACCOUNTED, 10 IN HOSPITAL: Ten people have been taken to hospitals, several people are still unaccounted for, and three buildings have been declared unsafe with about a hundred displaced after an explosion, fire and apartment building collapse in Montgomery County, Maryland, Thursday morning. Rick Massimo/WTOP
Get your commentary published: In recent weeks, Maryland Reporter has published a wide range of opinion on issues that are before the General Assembly — or should be, writers say. Subjects like soft drinks for kiddie meals, security of mail-in ballots, car pricing on the internet, the hazards of corporate taxation and the fears of people with disabilities about assisted dying, If you have a commentary about Maryland government and politics you’d like to see published, send it along to Len@MarylandReporter.com. It needs to be exclusive to Maryland Reporter and 700 words or less.
MD RETIREMENT DIVESTING FROM RUSSIA: Maryland’s State Retirement and Pension System currently holds $28 million in Russian stocks and bonds, but state officials told the legislature’s Joint Committee on Pensions on Thursday that they are working hard to divest from Russia entirely. Elizabeth Shwe/Maryland Matters
RUSHERN WOULD DECLARE BMORE STATE OF EMERGENCY: The former executive of Prince George’s County is running for Governor of Maryland, and if elected is vowing to declare a state of emergency for Baltimore in order to address the City’s crime problem. Gubernatorial Candidate Rushern Baker and Lt. Governor Candidate Nancy Navarro made the announcement outside the Northeast Market in Baltimore Thursday. Alexa Ashwell/WBFF
MOCO TEACHERS UNION ENDORSEMENTS RELEASED: The influential Montgomery County Education Association has issued its teachers union endorsements for the Montgomery County Council. Interestingly, they have chosen not to endorse Council President Gabe Albornoz. David Lublin/Seventh State
AG RACE INTERVIEWS: The next attorney general will take over what is essentially the largest law firm in Maryland, overseeing a staff of hundreds of lawyers who must represent the people and government of the state. The Maryland State Bar Association this week hosted one-hour interviews with the AG candidates. Madeleine O’Neill/The Daily Record
MOSBYS PAY LATE WATER BILL AFTER REPORT: After the Baltimore Brew reported power couple Baltimore City Council President Nick Mosby and State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby hadn’t paid their water bill in close to a year, the $907.63 bill has been completely paid. Mark Reutter/Baltimore Brew
BILL TO GIVE VOTING RIGHTS TO STUDENTS: A proposed state law would give voting rights to student members of their local boards of education. Kate Ryan/WTOP
ASSISTED OUTPATIENT TREATMENT PROPOSED TO HELP WITH MENTAL HEALTH IN MD: A pilot program to help the “mental health pandemic” with assisted outpatient treatment ordered by the courts is being proposed by state lawmakers in Frederick County. Jack Hogan/Frederick News-Post
MISSING MINORITY WOMEN FACE DISPARITIES: Calling it a “crisis hiding in plain sight,” U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin chaired a congressional panel hearing on Thursday that shared sobering statistics Thursday on the disproportionate number of Indigenous, Black and other minority women and girls who are being reported missing in the United States, saying more needs to be done to tackle the problem. Susan Montoya Bryan for Associated Press/Baltimore Sun
KEEFER WITHDRAWS DEL CANDIDACY, CITES FAMILY: A Washington County Commissioner has withdrawn his candidacy for state delegate a month ahead of the candidacy filing deadline. Wayne Keefer said he needed to be with his family after he and his wife experienced the loss of their second child during his wife’s pregnancy. Michael Garcia/The Herald-Mail
FEDERAL LOAN COMING FOR THE PURPLE LINE: Maryland’s congressional delegation on Thursday announced a $1.7 billion federal loan to advance the construction of the Purple Line light-rail project in Washington’s inner suburbs. WJZ
CARROLL WILL INCREASE TRASH BURIED IN LANDFILL: Carroll County commissioners decided Thursday to increase the amount of trash to be buried at the Northern Landfill to 27,000 tons in fiscal 2023, compared to the 12,500 tons that was included in the plan for fiscal 2022. County officials had planned to increase the amount to 55,000 tons next fiscal year, but staff determined that amount to be unfeasible. Madison Bateman/Carroll County Times
ANDY HARRIS ON UKRAINE: Rep. Andy Harris, R-1st, is one of the co-chairs of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus. His mother was an immigrant from Ukraine, and Harris has been active in support of the besieged country, while critical of President Biden’s approach.
Happy Birthday today to former Del. Joseph Vallario, Jr., and on Saturday to Sen. Ben Kramer, Dels. Geraldine Valentino-Smith and Mike McKay
MARYLANDERS FOR AFFORDABLE RX: Marylanders for Affordable Rx is educating policymakers and the public on the real reasons behind high prescription drug costs and exposing special interests that are out to pad their bottom line at the expense of Maryland’s hardworking people. Across the country and in our state, we see special interests, like Big Pharma and the independent pharmacy lobby, push agendas that would make it harder for patient advocates like pharmacy benefit managers to negotiate for lower prescription drug costs. Learn more and help us stop special interests from increasing our Rx costs. (Paid Advertising)
