MOORE DISINVITED FROM TWO TRUMP GOVERNORS EVENTS: Gov. Wes Moore said his disinvitation from the 2026 National Governors Association dinner is a “snub” to bipartisan federal-state partnerships, a move he said reflects a broader effort by President Donald Trump to divide institutions traditionally built on cooperation. “As the nation’s only Black governor, I can’t ignore that being singled out for exclusion from this bipartisan tradition carries an added weight — whether that was the intent or not,” Moore said Sunday. Matt Hubbard/The Baltimore Sun.
- The NGA will be in town for its annual meeting, which typically involves events with the president. Moore, a Democrat, is vice chair of the bipartisan organization. President Donald Trump has disinvited all Democratic governors from a White House meeting, and a dinner for governors and their spouses will not include Moore or Democratic Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado. Pamela Wood/The Baltimore Banner.
- “N.G.A. leadership has decided that this will not be an N.G.A. event, and no N.G.A. resources will be used to support transportation for this activity,” the NGA said in a statement. Brandon Tatum, acting chief executive of the N.G.A., said, “To disinvite individual governors to the White House sessions undermines an important opportunity for federal-state collaboration.” Tyler Pager/The New York Times.
MOORE STIRS CONTROVERSY, SAYS HIS REMAPPING TEAM ‘WORKING WITH JUDGES:’ When asked recently if Maryland Courts might strike down his efforts to redraw congressional districts to stamp out the state’s only Republican seat, Gov. Wes Moore told “MS NOW” that his team has been “working with judges” to prepare for legal challenges. The statement raised ethical red flags among some law professors and Republicans. Tinashe Chingarande/The Baltimore Sun.
BILL REQUIRES SPECIAL ELECTIONS TO FILL LEGISLATIVE VACANCIES: A measure that would require special elections be held at the same time as the regular statewide primary and general elections to fill Maryland General Assembly vacancies could finally get passed after 18 years since its first introduction. Katharine Wilson/The Baltimore Sun.
MOORE BLASTS HAGERSTOWN ICE FACILITY AS HOWARD EXEC BLOCKS ELKRIDGE PLAN: Gov. Wes Moore became the latest to criticize a potential ICE detention facility in Hagerstown on Friday, expressing “grave concerns” about the project in an open letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The letter came the same day that Moore gathered with other state, federal and local officials in Howard County, where County Executive Calvin Ball signed emergency legislation to block the conversion of a building in an Elkridge office park into a privately run detention center for immigrants. Joe Wicke/Maryland Matters.
BILL TO BAN LOCAL ICE AGREEMENTS READIED FOR MOORE’s SIGNATURE: Maryland legislation to ban agreements between local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration authorities, specifically Immigration and Customs Enforcement, could be on Gov. Wes Moore’s desk by this week. William Ford/Maryland Matters.
- “We are going to do everything in our power to keep people safe, but that does not mean deputizing the people who are keeping people safe to go perform functions by a rogue ICE agency,” he said. Brenda Wintrode/The Baltimore Banner.
B’MORE BRACES – AND PREPARES – FOR POSSIBLE ICE SURGE: Some Baltimore city residents have combed social media for proof of that ICE is widening its footprint in Charm City. Others are increasing efforts to inform community members to better prepare for potential interactions with agents or patrol officers. With limited infrastructure to support a surge — such as enough detention beds in the greater Baltimore region — a huge ramp-up in immigration enforcement could be a challenge. But some residents and officials say they aren’t taking any chances. They don’t want to be the next Minneapolis. John-John Williams IV and Ben Conarck/The Baltimore Banner.
HOUSE VOTES TO LIMIT USE OF ELECTRICITY RATEPAYER DOLLARS: The Maryland House of Delegates voted Friday to set new limits on the use of ratepayer dollars to pay salaries for employees of investor-owned utilities. House Bill 1 comes as legislative leaders aim to address high electric bills in the state and across the region, though it’s unclear precisely how much ratepayer relief the bill could provide. Christine Condon/Maryland Matters.
STATE BILL WOULD GIVE CARROLL MORE POWER OVER LOCAL ZONING: Eldersburg is the largest growth area in Carroll County — with a population of about 32,500, it’s bigger than any of the county’s towns or cities. But because Eldersburg isn’t an incorporated town, it doesn’t have local authority over zoning decisions. Under a new state bill backed by Carroll County’s state delegates, that could soon change. The bill would give the Board of Carroll County Commissioners the power to create new zoning districts and give the county more control over local zoning. Lily Carey/The Carroll County Times.
SEVEN INMATE DEATHS IN TWO MONTHS POINT TO BIGGER ISSUES: Maryland correctional authorities have recorded seven inmate deaths over the past two months, a pattern that criminal justice experts say points to deeper challenges inside the state’s prisons. Nora Demleitner, a longtime criminal justice scholar who has written extensively on sentencing and corrections policy said, “Staffing shortages and/or overcrowding usually contribute to deaths in custody, often combined with insufficient medical coverage.” Todd Karpovich/The Baltimore Sun.
EX-CECIL COUNTY EXEC DISTURBED BY SHERIFF’S OFFICE GRAPHIC COMMENTS: The former Cecil County executive is speaking publicly after a disturbing voicemail from 2023 surfaced online this month, containing graphic and violent sexual comments allegedly made by members of the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office while she was still in office — remarks she says left her feeling violated and exposed. Tessa Bentulan/The Baltimore Sun.
BA CO STUDENTS STAGE ANTI-ICE SCHOOL WALK-OUTS: Over the objections of Sparrows Point High School Principal Larissa Santos, around 50 students marched out of school Friday morning shouting “ICE out! ICE out!” Around two dozen high schools and middle schools in Baltimore County participated in Friday’s walkouts, but an hour before several began, Baltimore County Public Schools issued a two-hour early districtwide dismissal for “impending inclement weather.” Céilí Doyle/The Baltimore Banner.
- A 16-year-old who was arrested for “disruptive and dangerous” behavior during student-led protests in Baltimore County has been released, according to police. Céilí Doyle/The Baltimore Banner.
A MD QUANTUM COMPUTER COULD CURE CANCER AND UPEND SECURITY: Inside a warehouse turned laboratory in suburban Maryland, a team of theoretical physicists and engineers is racing to build a quantum processor powerful enough to surpass the most advanced computers on Earth. These scientists have a lofty goal: They want to rapidly accelerate a cure for cancer. But, if they’re successful, the quantum computers they create could also upend online security and pose a threat to personal data, financial institutions and even national security. Katie Shepherd and Hannah Good/The Washington Post.
