ONE DEM DROPS OUT OF GOVERNOR’s RACE: Maryland’s large field of Democratic candidates for governor got smaller Tuesday, as Baltimore-based entrepreneur Mike Rosenbaum dropped out of the race. Rosenbaum declined to comment through a spokesman. But he released a statement saying: “I have concluded that a campaign for governor is not the most effective way forward in achieving the kind of change I believe is necessary for Maryland to thrive.” Pamela Wood/The Baltimore Sun.
- This move reduces the field of candidates for the Democratic nomination to eight. Rosenbaum said he plans to return to the private sector. “My campaign was launched around the vision that Maryland can andmust do more to help Marylandersachieve economic security and become a model for how to rebuild our systems to enable every person to have dignity,” Rosenbaum said in a statement released by the campaign. Ovetta Wiggins/The Washington Post.
- Rosenbaum was a novice candidate but an ebullient presence on the campaigntrail, offering detailed proposals for jump-starting the state economy and building wealth among struggling Maryland families.Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters.
THE GOVERNOR’s RACE: Who is in, who is out. The Baltimore Sun.
DEM GOVS GIVE HOGAN CREDIT FOR BIDEN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL: For weeks, Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has sought to claim credit for the bipartisan federal infrastructure package that President Biden recently signed into law. On Tuesday, some of his fellow governors — all Democrats — vouched for him. The National Governors Association, which Hogan led from the summer of 2019 to the summer of 2020, kicked off a three-day infrastructure summit in Annapolis on Tuesday. Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters.
DEL. SHOEMAKER TAPPED FOR JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Republican Del. Haven Shoemaker, of Carroll County, has been appointed to the Judiciary Committee by the House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones. That standing committee considers legislation relating to criminal and civil laws, judicial administration and court structure, administrative law, correctional facilities, penalties, immunities and procedures, as well as drunk and drugged driving and other motor vehicle offenses, family law, juvenile justice, the legal profession and public safety. Madison Bateman/The Carroll County Times. [Shoemaker is running for state’s attorney in Carroll County.]
MO CO CENTRAL COMMITTEE CHAIR TAPPED TO REPLACE DEL. DUMAIS: The Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee chose one of their own — the panel’s chair, Linda Foley — to fill a District 15 vacancy in the House of Delegates. Foley, a former journalist and former national president of the Newspaper Guild union, will take the seat vacated by former Del. Kathleen M. Dumais (D-Montgomery), who was appointed as a Circuit Court judge last month. Danielle Gaines/Maryland Matters.
ENOUGH ALREADY WITH ‘GIVING TUESDAY’: I don’t know about you but I got 95 separate emails about ‘Giving Tuesday’ including my own about Giving NewsDay. It’s kind of worn out its welcome. Nevertheless I’m grateful to Tuesday’s 17 online donors and the nice check that arrived in the mail. We still have 30 days left in our annual matching grant campaign. All donations to our nonprofit news site are doubled. Thanks. Len Lazarick/Maryland Reporter.
LAWMAKERS RECONSIDER PENSION PROVISION: A decade-old provision stripping pension benefits from some family members of convicted lawmakers could be reversed. The nine-member General Assembly Compensation Commission is looking at the provision — described as harsh by some — as part of a quadrennial review of salaries and benefits for 188 members of the state legislature. Bryan Sears/The Daily Record.
OPINION: ANTISEMITISM LIVES IN ANNAPOLIS: Political consultant Chevy Weiss opines in an op-ed in the Sun that while growing up in Baltimore, “I did not experience any antisemitism, but in recent years I have — overtly. In my job as a political consultant, for example, one Maryland leader unabashedly told me that, despite my successful record helping clients win tough races, henceforth my only value in politics would be soliciting donations from wealthy Jews.”
B’MORE TO INSTALL, UPGRADE INTERNET, WI-FI: Baltimore will offer public internet access inside and outside recreation centers and install an additional 100 community Wi-Fi hot spots with a $6 million investment in federal funding announced by Mayor Brandon Scott on Tuesday. Emily Opilo/The Baltimore Sun.
ARUNDEL USING ARPA FUNDS FOR SMALL BIZ INTERNET UPGRADES: The Anne Arundel Economic Development Corp. doled out $460,800 in grant money to 144 businesses, the organization announced earlier this month. The Digital Services Grant Program was designed to help small businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic that heavily rely on in-person business, such as salons, gyms, dance studios and art classes. Each business that was eligible and applied by the Oct. 1 deadline received $3,200 to put toward strengthening their digital presence and offerings. Dana Munro/The Capital Gazette.
EX-CITY PROSECUTOR CHARGED WITH MISUSING POWERS: A former prosecutor in Marilyn Mosby’s office has been charged with using his law enforcement powers to spy, harass, stalk, extort money and falsely obtain records from six victims, including two ex-girlfriends. Mark Reutter/Baltimore Brew.
MO CO COUNCIL DISTRICTS TO INCREASE BY TWO: The Montgomery County Council on Tuesday voiced support for several changes in a proposed redistricting map, but members said they can’t address concerns of North Bethesda residents who are unhappy about the proposed new political lines. The next County Council map will have two new council districts, increasing from five to seven, and redrawn boundaries of existing council districts. Ana Radelat/Bethesda Beat.
FREDERICK COUNCIL VIOLATED OPEN MEETINGS ACT: The Frederick County Council violated the Maryland Open Meetings Act during two closed sessions in August, the Maryland Open Meetings Compliance Board has ruled. According to the board’s opinion, which Council President M.C. Keegan-Ayer (D) acknowledged during a meeting Tuesday, the council failed to provide “any meaningful information” about the topics discussed in closed session as part of its meeting summary, and the body failed to maintain adequate closed-session minutes. Jack Hogan/The Frederick News-Post.
VAXX OR TESTING: FREDERICK STUDENTS REQUIRED FOR EXTRACURRICULARS: Beginning today, students in Frederick County Public Schools who want to participate in extracurricular activities must either present proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or agree to weekly testing. Jillian Atelsek/The Frederick News-Post.
TENSIONS HIGH OVER HARFORD COUNCIL REDISTRICING: Tensions between representatives from two cities — Aberdeen and Havre de Grace — and the Harford County Council are rising again ahead of next week’s final public hearing on county redistricting. On Nov. 2, the Harford County Council introduced a bill to create a new map of council districts different from the one presented by the council-appointed redistricting commission. Callan Tansill-Suddath/The Aegis.
SUN MAY MOVE PRINTING TO DELAWARE: Baltimore Sun Media is considering a plan to move the printing of its newspapers from Baltimore to a printing plant in Wilmington, Del., owned by the newspaper there. The shift, proposed to occur by the end of January, likely would result in the loss of more than 100 jobs, most of them full-time. Christopher Dinsmore/The Baltimore Sun.
