Strange Bedfellows

The folks over at Insidecharmcity.com have an interesting post summarizing the expenses for Maryland’s congressional delegation during the first three quarters of this year.

You can see how the four Democrats and one Republican who represent Baltimore County in Washington spent taxpayer dollars including:

• Rep. Frank Kratovil, a Democrat who represents the 1st District, spent $18,000 for direct mail pieces.

• Rep.Dutch Ruppersberger, a Democrat who represents the 2nd District, paid for Onstar memberships.

• Rep. John Sarbanes, a Democrat who represents the 3rd District, paid for “home security expenses.”

• Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, a Republican who represents the 6th District, paid a company for web and internet services on top of what is provided by Congress.

• Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Democrat who represents the 7th District, whose food and beverage expenses included $3,900 for an event at Morgan State University.

Insidecharmcity.com also includes links to the original House reports and detailed expense reports for each congressman.

UPDATE:

Makeda Scott, communications director for Rep. John Sarbanes called at 4:30 p.m. to explain the “home security expenses” referenced on Insidecharmcity.com.

“It’s actually for security for the front door of the district office in Towson,” Scott said.

Joseph “Prince of Darkness” Steffen offers his take on Al Redmer’s entry last week (officially, anyway) into the 7th District Senate race, where he’ll square off in the GOP primary against two-term Republican Del. J.B. Jennings.

Two’s company and three’s a crowd as Steffen, the former staffer for Gov. Robert Ehrlich who was caught up in the whole political firing brouhaha, muses about the possible entry of  Republican former Del. Ken Holt, who has been named as a possible candidate for several races in 2006 and again in the coming 2010 election cycle.

“Still, the possibilities for a raucous 7th District primary campaign are rife and if, as is being chattered about, well-heeled former Delegate Ken Holt enters the race as a bit of a dark horse, the possibilities will be even rifer. (Rifer?),” writes Steffen on his political blog, Darkness Rising.

The folks over at Maryland Politics Watch had an interesting post Monday about Rep. Frank Kratovil and his vote Saturday against the House version of health care reform.

One Montgomery County union official sent out an e-mail blasting Kratovil’s vote.

“The way I see it, if not for President Obama and Labor’s help, Congressman Kratovil would not have won,” wrote Bob Stewart, Executive Director of the county chapter of Municipal and County Government Employees Organization. “Remember also that this is the Congressman who was ‘hung in effigy’ in August by the Tea-baggers, birthers and assorted other right-wingers. Running scared and showing fear by voting how they want him to will probably not get them to vote for him next year.”

You can read the rest of Stewart’s e-mail at Maryland Politics Watch.

Pay and benefits for elected officials have been on the minds of many lately, and a lot of folks are upset by the issue.

The folks over at Maryland Politics Watch have an interesting take on “The real scandal of legislative pay” in Maryland — it’s too low.

They also have an interesting post on which legislators in Maryland are “Too rich for furloughs,” including Sen. Andy Harris, a Republican who represents the 7th District in Baltimore County.

Both posts make for interesting reading. Don’t forget to leave your thoughts about the posts, or pay and benefits for elected officials, in general, in our comments section.