Strange Bedfellows

For Del. Adrienne Jones, co-chair of the technically defunct Special Committee on Employee Rights and Protections , the pursuit of Craig Chesek is about one thing: “closure.”

That’s what she told me last week when I asked her why the state is continuing to try to enforce a subpoena ordering Chesek to be deposed by lawyers representing the committee. After all, the committee issued a final report nearly three years ago on alleged political firings under then Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich.

Chesek, an Ehrlich appointee to the Public Service Commission, is the lone holdout. He testified in 2006 but Jones and others felt Chesek failed to sufficiently answer some questions and subpoenaed him to testify a second time. (more…)

Jim Smith’s planned move to Cockeysville and expected announcement that he will run for the open Senate seat that represents the 7th District has had a ripple effect.

Specifically, Councilman Vince Gardina, who was raising money for what many thought would be a run for the same senate seat, is rethinking things.

“I’m not running if the county executive runs,” said Gardina, who added that he “never really had the gumption to run for (senate), though.”

Gardina said he has spoken to Smith about running in the district but offered no insight on a possible decision by the county executive.

Smith has said publicly that he’ll wait until after the General Assembly session next year before making a  decision.

Gardina, a five-term Democrat who represents Perry Hall, Parkville and Towson, announced in September that he would not seek re-election.

He has continued to raise money and is thought to have between $250,000 to $300,000 in his campaign account.

Now, he said he’s looking at his options “politically and personally.”

“I’m looking at possibly not running for anything,” Gardina said, adding that he might consider running for House of Delegates in the  7th District.

Del. John Olszewski Jr. returned four days of his $43,500 annual legislative salary late last year.

Olzsewski, a Democrat who represents the 6th District, released documents today showing he participated in a furlough program requested by House Speaker Michael Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller.

The 6th District includes Dundalk and Essex.

Both Busch and Miller returned five days’ salary and asked fellow legislators to also give up between one and five days’ pay at the same time 67,000 state employees were being furloughed for up to five days based on individual salary levels. (more…)

County Executive Jim Smith is moving from Reisterstown, where he has lived his entire life, to Cockeysville.

Smith says he and his wife, Sandy, are downsizing from their current large home to a smaller one. A side benefit is the new home is in the 7th District, which happens to have an open Senate seat in 2010. Smith said the move gives him the opportunity to consider running for the seat. (more…)

Al Redmer appears to be within weeks of officially making his expected entrance into the 7th District senate race.

In a September e-mail to potential supporters, Redmer wrote:

“As you have no doubt heard, I have been considering my own bid for the State Senate in District 7.  My announcement and kickoff will  occur in the next four-six weeks. (more…)

State Sen. Jim Brochin took four days without pay as part of a voluntary furlough request made to 188 state legislators late last year.

Brochin, a Democrat who represents the 42nd District, released a form dated Dec. 16, 2008, that authorizes state human resources officials to withhold four days’ pay totaling $483.36.

Brochin’s district includes Towson, Timonium and part of Pikesville. (more…)

Local elected officials who support deer hunting could be targets at the ballot box next year if one local animal rights activist has her way.

Enid Feinberg, a Phoenix resident who has opposed deer hunting in the Loch Raven reservoir, said she would like to see three county officials unseated in 2010 because of their support of deer hunting — Democratic Sen. Jim Brochin, and Del. Joseph Boteler and Councilman Bryan McIntire, both Republicans.

“Knowing what I know about them, they’re certainly high on my list,” Feinberg said.

Brochin and McIntire have been supportive of expanded deer hunting in the reservoir area. And Boteler sponsored a bill in the General Assembly last year that would have allowed hunting on Sundays on private property in Baltimore County. Boteler’s bill did not pass.

“In my opinion, hunting is legalized animal cruelty,” said Feinberg.

Feinberg said she has joined an organization called  Maryland Votes for Animals. Carolyn Kilborn, who is the only attributed writer on the Web site, was not immediately available for an interview. The site states that the group has “one overriding mission: To create an ever-growing voting bloc of animal advocates who will elect representatives willing to champion and vote for animal protection legislation, and to hold politicians accountable to their constituents.”

The organization lists a Towson mailing address on it’s Web site, but Kilborn lives in Annapolis.

“There’s no way to win for animals other than at the ballot box,” said Feinberg, who said she was speaking for herself, not for Maryland Votes for Animals.

“Our politicians are truly failing us,” Feinberg said.

Feinberg said one strategy could be the formation of a political action committee that could provide financial support to candidates who favor issues such as stronger laws against animal cruelty or are against hunting.

Maryland Votes for Animals formed a political action committee to participate in the 2010 state elections. State Board of Elections records show that Votes For Animals registered as a PAC on June 15. Kilborn is listed as the chairman of the committee, Jared DeMarinis, director of candidacy and campaign finance for the State Board of Elections.

As I noted on this blog this morning, State Del. Jon Cardin deny a request for the release of information on the number of voluntary furlough days he took in January.

Cardin, a Democrat who represents the 11th District, which includes Owings Mills, Pikesville and part of Timonium, was one of 25 state legislators from Baltimore County who gave up some of his $43,500 state salary in a first round of voluntary furloughs in January — his name was on a list of legislators who participated — but he declined to provide information on how many days’ salary he gave up.

Legislators took days off as part of a request made to all senators and delegates by legislative leaders. Patuxent Publishing Co. is asking the county’s 29 senators and delegates to voluntarily release documentation showing the number of days each volunteered to have withheld from their pay earlier this year.

Since that blog entry, Cardin called to say he has now signed a waiver allowing the legislature to release similar information related to verifying a second round of days without pay. Last month, House Speaker Michael Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller asked legislators to take another eight to 10 days without pay.

When asked if he would now provide documentation on the number of days he took without pay in January, Cardin said: “No, I don’t think so.”

Del. Jon Cardin was one of 25 state legislators from Baltimore County who gave up some of his $43,500 state salary in a first round of voluntary furloughs in January.

Beyond the appearance of his name on a list of legislators who participated, Cardin is not talking and declined to provide information on how many days’ salary he gave up.

“There are certain matters that can remain private,” said Cardin, a Democrat who represents the 11th District, which includes Owings Mills, Pikesville and part of Timonium. (more…)

Four Baltimore County legislators were not on the list of 155 senators and delegates who gave up at least one day’s pay as part of a voluntary program in January.

That doesn’t mean all of those four kept the money. Two, in fact, Del. Bill Frank and Sen. Andy Harris, both Republicans, announced they would give up the pay — just not to the state.

Instead, they both said they would make a donation to charity.

Patuxent Publishing Co., publisher of this Web site, is asking the 29 legislators who represent Baltimore County to voluntarily release information showing how many days pay they gave up in January. The House of Delegates and Senate declined to provide that information when asked last month, saying the information was a personnel matter. (more…)