VAN HOLLEN SUFFERS ‘MINOR STROKE:’ Maryland U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen is recovering from a “minor stroke,” he said in a statement late Sunday night. The senator said he was admitted to the George Washington University Hospital after experiencing lightheadedness and acute neck pain while giving a speech in Western Maryland. Christine Tkacik/The Baltimore Sun.
- On Sunday, he said, an angiogram “indicated that I had experienced a minor stroke in the form of a small venous tear at the back of my head.” Van Hollen said he was informed there are “no long-term effects or damage as a result of this incident.” Meagan Flynn/The Washington Post.
- Van Hollen, 63, is running for re-election to a second term without major competition this year. Danielle Gaines/Maryland Matters.
DEM LEADERS WANT MARYLAND TO BE EARLY PRIMARY STATE: As the Democratic Party looks to reshuffle early presidential primary states for 2024, party leaders want Maryland to be considered as a host for influential early contests. The Maryland Democratic Party submitted a letter of intent to the Democratic National Committee to be considered for an early primary in 2024, a national party official confirmed. Bennett Leckrone/Maryland Matters.
2-YEAR-OLD ETHICS COMPLAINTS AGAINST HOGAN IN LIMBO? Complaints with the Maryland State Ethics Commission focused on whether Gov. Hogan budgeted state tax dollars for highway projects near properties owned by the Hogan Cos., particularly an interchange in Brandywine in Prince George’s County. The interchange had been on the books as a potential project for years but was advanced to the construction stage in Hogan’s very first budget. The complainants asked the ethics commission to determine whether Hogan in fact used the state budget process to benefit his private company in violation of state ethics laws. More than two years after the complaints were filed, it’s not clear what — if anything — happened to them. Pamela Wood/The Baltimore Banner.
UNIONS PROTEST TO KEEP HAGERSTOWN HOSPITAL OPEN: Members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 3 gathered at Western Hospital Center in Hagerstown on Friday in opposition to Gov. Larry Hogan’s plan to shutter the facility. Hannah Gaskill/Maryland Matters.
- Labor union leaders opposed to plans they say will privatize the state’s aging hospital system have opened up a new front in their efforts to prevent closures across Maryland. Leaders of AFSCME Council 3, at a Friday event that was both an employee and campaign rally, sought to stave off efforts to close two other hospitals in the state. Bryan Sears/The Daily Record.
WES MOORE WINS W. MD. DEM STRAW POLL: More than 300 Democrats gathered at the resort Saturday for the 18th annual Western Maryland Democratic Summit, the first to take place in person since the fall of 2019, pre-Covid. Most every Democratic candidate for statewide office turned up, along with several members of Congress. Author and former nonprofit CEO Wes Moore won the straw poll for governor. Baltimore City Del. Brooke E. Lierman won the straw poll for comptroller and retired Judge Katie Curran O’Malley won for attorney general. Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matter.
- In the governor matchup, former attorney general Douglas Gansler finished second in the field with 71 votes; former U.S. labor secretary Tom Perez took third with 48 votes; and former U.S. education secretary John B. King Jr. placed fourth with 45. Moore garnered 153 votes. Ovetta Wiggins/The Washington Post.
OPINION: SCHULTZ GETS SERIOUS WITH COX: epublican rivals for governor Kelly Schultz and Dan Cox are having a moment: The Shultz campaign, representing the Hogan wing of the GOP, is taking Cox, representing the Trump wing, a lot more seriously as the primary nears. Len Lazarick of MarylandReporter and Don Rush/Delmarva Public Media
OPINION: WHO IS COX’s SECURITY DETAIL? It turns out that the security guy for Dan Cox is Josiah Cox, one of Dan Cox’s sons. This should not be a surprise considering Dan Cox can’t afford to pay anybody to join his campaign staff. Josiah Cox was wearing an earpiece. We’ve confirmed with a police officer that does private security on the side that while doing private security, they never wear an earpiece while working solo. And there is more on Josiah Cox. Brian Griffiths/The Duckpin.
PRIMARY DEBATES: Please join Maryland Reporter’s Len Lazarick as he moderates the virtual online debates for the candidates for Maryland attorney general. Republicans Michael Peroutka and Jim Shalleck debate Tuesday, May 24, 7 p.m. Register here to get the link.Democrats Anthony Brown and Katie Curran O’Malley debate on Wednesday, May 25, 7:30 p.m. Register here. Josh Kurtz of Maryland Matters moderates the debate of Democratic comptroller candidates Tim Adams and Brooke Lierman Tuesday, May 31. Register here. Here’s the flyer. The League of Women Voters is the lead sponsor along with MarylandReporter.com, MarylandMatters.org, Maryland Nonprofits, Maryland Latinos Unidos and the University of Baltimore’s Schaefer Center for Public Policy, the online host.
RAISING BIG BUCKS FOR CONGRESSIONAL RACES: Candidates in competitive congressional races in Maryland are raising millions ahead of the July 19 primary while Democratic incumbents in what are considered safe seats are using their fundraising power to support the party and its candidates elsewhere, Federal Election Commission filings show. Maryland has just two high-profile House contests this year. Tatyana Monnay of the Capital News Service/Maryland Reporter.
ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS PROTEST RESEARCH FIRM: Members of the General Assembly, animal rights advocates and labor activists protested on Friday outside a Rockville building that will soon serve as the “East Coast headquarters” for an Indiana-based drug research firm. Last month, the Humane Society of the United States claimed to have infiltrated a lab run by the firm, Inotiv. It later released a video and a report on what it said was the mistreatment of animals. Bruce DePuyt/Maryland Matters.
ABORTION RIGHTS SUPPORTERS PROTEST IN B’MORE: Hundreds of abortion-rights supporters gathered Saturday in front of Baltimore City Hall to demand safe and legal access to abortion. The message was clear: “Bans off our bodies.” Ngan Ho/The Baltimore Sun.
DEFENSE FUND SET UP BY FRIEND OF MOSBYS: A legal defense fund Baltimore City Council President Nick Mosby has attempted to distance himself from was established by Robyn Murphy, a local consultant who is friends with Mosby and his wife, State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby. Emily Opilo/The Baltimore Sun.
VAN HOLLEN SEEKS RAMPED UP PRODUCTION OF INFANT FORMULA: Emily Black of Pikesville set out one afternoon last week to buy formula for her infant son. Four hours and five stores later, she still hadn’t found it. Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland was among Senate Democrats who wrote Friday to the Infant Nutrition Council of America, a trade group, calling upon member companies to “do all you can to increase infant formula production and distribution, and prevent future supply chain disruptions.” Alison Knezevich/The Baltimore Sun.
