The prospect of a swift Senate confirmation vote on Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor is good news for the federal judge from New York. But it's less clear whether a pair of delayed Obama nominees from Maryland will get approved soon, too.

If all goes according to plan, Sotomayor will land her seat on the nation's highest court by early August, just over two months after President Barack Obama submitted her nomination to the Senate.

Federal Judge Andre M. Davis of Baltimore and Maryland Labor Secretary Tom Perez haven't been nearly so lucky. Obama sent their names to the Hill more than two months before Sotomayor's, but they've been in a holding pattern for weeks, circling the Senate chamber while Republicans use Sotomayor as an excuse to delay the inevitable approval of their appointments.

Last winter, Obama picked Davis to fill a seat on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond that has been vacant since 2000. That was also the first year that Davis was nominated for the lifetime appointment (the nomination died in the final months of the Clinton administration).

Like his fellow Marylander, Perez was also selected last winter, in his case as head of the Justice department's Civil Rights division.

By early June, both men had been cleared by the Senate Judiciary Committee for a vote by the full, Democratic controlled Senate, where their confirmation should be a mere formality.

But the story didn't end there.

Continue reading "Davis, Perez still holding as Sotomayor prepares to land" »

Posted by Paul West at 12:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Harvesting the rewards of incumbency, freshman Democratic Congressman Frank Kratovil has expanded his financial edge over potential Republican challenger Andy Harris, according to new campaign finance reports.

Their latest Federal Election Commission filings show Kratovil out-raising Harris by nearly two-to-one. The Democrat is sitting on more than twice as much money in the bank than his Republican rival.

The contest for Maryland's first congressional district, which includes the entire Eastern Shore and portions of Baltimore, Anne Arundel and Harford counties, already ranks among the most closely watched in the nation. In 2008, Kratovil benefited from a strong Democratic trend, but the district clearly favors a Republican and the Stevensville congressman is considered one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the House.

Kratovil padded his money lead in the pre-election year, thanks to the advantages of incumbency. That historic edge appears to be particularly lucrative this year, with sweeping legislative battles in Washington affecting powerful interests across large swaths of the U.S. economy.

In particular, the fights to overhaul the nation's health care and energy sectors helped the Eastern Shore Democrat raise $296,928 in the three-month period ending June 30. That almost precisely matches the amount he collected during the first three months of the year.

Donations from political action committees, representing a wide range of special interests, again accounted for a clear majority of the congressman's campaign take.

Kratovil received more money from PACS--$162,564--than Harris received from all sources combined.

Harris, a Baltimore County state senator, collected $118,299 over the same period, between April 1 and June 30. Most of that--about $91,600--came from individuals, while just over $26,600 was from PACs.

Multi-billion-dollar lobbying/legislative wars over health care and energy brought Kratovil contributions from PACs affiliated with insurance companies, drugmakers, nurses, electric power companies, the nuclear industry and others.

Other PACS contributing to Kratovil included those representing agribusiness, defense contractors, labor unions and telecom companies. Kratovil sits on the Agriculture and Armed Services committees.

The National Automobile Dealers Association PAC gave Kratovil $3,500 in late June. The Eastern Shore congressman is one of the leading proponents of legislation designed to help Chrysler and General Motors dealers who have been ordered to give up their franchises. President Barack Obama strongly opposes the measure and its prospects of becoming law are cloudy, at best.

Kratovil also benefited from the support of Democratic colleagues, from Maryland and elsewhere. Among those whose committees gave during the period: Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski and Reps. Elijah Cummings and Dutch Ruppersberger of Baltimore and Chris Van Hollen of Montgomery County.

Harris, who is hoping to avenge his narrow loss to Kratovil last time, continues to attract money from fellow anesthesiologists around the country. He also drew contributions from PACs tied to medical and conservative groups.

Continue reading "Kratovil widens money lead over Harris" »

Posted by Paul West at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

As the Senate hearing for Judge Sonia Sotomayor drags into the late innings, the national pastime has again been pulled into the proceedings.

Let's start with the breaking news: In a revelation that can only come as a disturbing development to many in Baltimore, the likely Supreme Court justice revealed today that she is among the countless New York Yankee fans who have made themselves at home at Oriole Park over the years.

Ever since Sotomayor first took the Hill this week, well-worn comparisons between umpires and judges have featured repeatedly at her confirmation hearing.

On Monday, in her opening statement, she made a blatant pitch for support from the fans at home by boasting of her involvement in the 1995 major league baseball strike case.

Today, mere hours after Orioles outfielder Adam Jones drove in the winning run for the American League in the 2009 All-Star game, the judge took another swing at a baseball question, courtesy of Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin of Maryland.

Those who have watched every pitch may have noticed that friendly Democratic senators frequently offer President Barack Obama's nominee a chance to recover between rounds of hostile questioning from Republicans.

Continue reading "Cardin lobs softballs, yanks Ripken into Sotomayor hearing" »

Posted by Paul West at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)
        

Republican National Chairman Michael Steele promised today that he would depart from the "cut and paste" history of Republican speeches to the NAACP and, instead, tell it his way.

Steele, appearing before the group's 100th anniversary convention in New York City, proposed a "new partnership" between the civil rights organization and the Republican Party. But his prepared remarks offered few specifics and came dangerously close to some cutting-and-pasting of his own.

In 2005, Republican National Chairman Ken Mehlman, a Baltimore area native, made headlines with his speech to the NAACP's national convention that apologized for his party's history of playing the race card in appealing for white votes.

"Some Republicans gave up on winning the African-American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization," Mehlman said. "I am here today as the Republican chairman to tell you we were wrong."

Lifting a page from that playbook, Steele offered a comment in the same vein, though bland by comparison with his predecessor's remark.

"The GOP and NAACP have very often missed real opportunities to communicate and engage each other," Steele said.

In another familiar refrain from past speeches by Republicans to African-American groups, Steele called for expanding "economic liberty" and "empowering government more than the people." He referred, obliquely, to school choice and putting in place "the tools necessary" to sustain black middle class economic growth and bring others out of poverty.

"My goal: to advance freedom in the African-American community," said Steele, noting his membership in the NAACP's Prince George's County chapter.

He had begun his address by attempting to contrast his remarks with those of previous Republican speakers at NAACP gatherings.

"I spent some time looking at previous remarks by Republicans before this body, and I was struck by the litanty of phrases that Republicans often "cut and paste into a speech," phrases like "'Party of Lincoln,' four or five times. Reminders that Teddy Roosevelt was a Republican and he invited Booker T. Washington to the White House and the Civil Rights Act was passed by a Republican Congress over Democrat filibusters," according to Steele's prepared text.

He went on to highlight "an inextricable link" between the Republican Party and African Americans, his own successes as the first black lieutenant governor of Maryland and as the first African-American to chair the Republican National Committee (mentioned twice in the course of a relatively brief speech).

He also hit perhaps the most familiar theme that Republican leaders have used over the past quarter-century in their appeals to black voters: that the strong allegiance of African-American voters to the Democratic Party hasn't always been the wisest way to go.

Steele deplored the nation's lack of progress in addressing problems of high inceration rates, AIDs infection, school-dropout rates, unamployment and poverty among African-Americans.

Continue reading "Michael's Steele's complete Republican guide to NAACP speeches" »

Posted by Paul West at 12:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Michael Steele
        

Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin threw a spotlight on past racism and anti-Semitism in Baltimore in his opening statement at today's Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

The Maryland Democrat, a member of the Senate Judiciary committee, recalled that the elementary school he attended in Baltimore, Liberty School No. 64, was part of a segregated system "that, under law, denied every student in Baltimore the opportunity to learn in a classroom that represented the diversity of our community."

Cardin, 65, said his parents warned him to avoid certain, unnamed parts of town "for fear of safety, because I was Jewish." Baltimore's community swimming pools, he recalled, had signs that said "No Jews, no blacks allowed."

As did other senators, Cardin related the Sotomayor nomination to that of a trailblazing Baltimore native: Thurgood Marshall. Denied admission to the University of Maryland's law school, because he was black, Marshall went on to become the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court.

Cardin, whose vote in favor of Sotomayor is a foregone conclusion, called her "well-qualified," praised her "well-rounded background," and complimented President Barack Obama for nominating her.

Here is a transcript of Cardin's comments, as transcribed by FDCH e-Media:

Continue reading "Cardin highlights Baltimore's racist, anti-Semitic past at Sotomayor hearing" »

Posted by Paul West at 2:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

Catherine Curran O'Malley grew up in a political family as the daughter of former state Attorney General J. Joseph Curran. And now she has political family of her own as the wife of Gov. Martin O’Malley. But apparently the first lady never did develop a penchant for the quadrennial bedrock of a politician’s life — the campaign trail. As she admitted on Baltimore’s Center Stage on Friday for her guest appearance in the Stoop Storytelling series, she found campaigning was for the birds.

“Every four years from the time I was a little kid until now, something horrible would occur,” O’Malley said, eliciting the first big laugh. “It was called the Democratic primary.”

A good politician’s wife, Katie O’Malley repeated the caveat that most people she encountered on the campaign trail were “very nice” and “receptive.” But the voters who stuck out most in her mind were the not-so-genial ones. There was the guy who said (and she recalled in a sneering voice), “You’re father’s trying to take my gun away.” Her father had to make up for that frightful experience by buying her a Slurpee. When she got older and bolder and told a menacing man that her father’s campaign didn’t want his family’s 13 votes anyway, she was taken off the trail and put on envelope-stuffing duty.

The worst encounter, though, happened during another election cycle on the Fourth of July parade route in Catonsville.

Continue reading "Katie O'Malley reveals horror stories from the campaign trail" »

Posted by Laura Smitherman at 12:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)
        

Democratic Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith Jr. said he changed his mind about running for comptroller because he didn’t think the statewide job would be a good fit for him. The sudden nature of announcement has political types guessing about his future, and about how he might spend his more than $1 million bankroll.

Among those who should keep an eye on the money: former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., a Baltimore County native who is waiting on the sidelines, possibly contemplating his best route for a return to politics.

Speculation is building about what position Ehrlich will run for, if any, in 2010. While he'd instantly be the most viable Republican in any race he decides to enter, the former congressman and Arbutus native is nothing if not a pragmatist. He doesn't get into races he doesn't think he can win.

Some believe Ehrlich is pondering a run for comptroller, a job that would put him back in Annapolis and allow him to serve as a thorn in the side of his arch-rival, Gov. Martin O'Malley. That's a role that was perfected by Ehrlich's ally and role model, former Gov. William Donald Schaefer, who ended his career as the irascible comptroller and all-around gadfly. Political columnist Blair Lee IV recently wrote that Ehrlich's chances of getting into the comptroller's race are 50-50.

Others wonder whether Ehrlich might be interested in becoming Baltimore County executive, the job Smith now holds but is leaving because of term limits. A clear front-runner has not yet emerged, and Ehrlich, with his name recognition and broad base in the county, would be a more-than-viable contender.

But in both scenarios, Smith's recent decision comes into play.

Smith and Ehrlich don't get along. The county executive was miffed that Ehrlich never returned phone calls when he was governor and didn't include him in decisions.

It was no surprise that when the 2006 election rolled around, Smith threw all his support -- as well as money and his campaign apparatus -- behind O'Malley, a longtime ally. In 2002, Ehrlich carried Baltimore County by 65,000 votes en route to a victory over Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, basically his margin of victory statewide. In 2006, Smith helped keep the margin down to about 8,400 votes. Ehrlich still carried the county, but by nowhere near enough to carry the state.

Smith is now poised to deny Ehrlich more victories. By bowing out of the comptroller race, Smith helps clear the way for incumbent Peter Franchot, a fellow Democrat, to retain the seat. A Democratic primary between Smith and Franchot would have been a bruising affair, leaving the victor (the incumbent, most likely) battered by negative advertisements and a lot poorer. If Ehrlich enters the race, he'll now face a stronger, better-funded incumbent -- and he knows how unlikely it is that incumbents lose, especially in such a Democratic state.

If Ehrlich decides to make a play for the Baltimore County executive seat (a job he has never really indicated he wants), Smith could deploy his formidable war chest -- he has raised over $1 million in donations that he now doesn’t seem to need -- to help the strongest Democrat vying for the county executive job. There's no doubt he would take great pleasure in once again helping orchestrate an Ehrlich defeat.

So as Ehrlich ponders his next move, he needs to ask himself not just, "Can I win?" There's another question that's nearly as important: "What will Jim do?"

-- with David Nitkin

Posted by Julie Bykowicz at 2:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

No one’s acting career will be launched by Comptroller Peter Franchot’s latest YouTube ad, but it might reconnect some Marylanders with their long-lost property. The ad is a parody of the GEICO insurance adds featuring a wad of cash and Groucho Marx glasses. Franchot’s version is intended to promote the agency’s unclaimed property program.

Franchot’s latest video ad on the much-trafficked Web site debuted Thursday before a group of residents at Charlestown Retirement Community in Catonsville. Just some captive elderly viewers and no red carpet or paparazzi — in keeping with the low-budget, viral nature of the ads. According to the comptroller’s office, Maryland Public Television produced the 3-minute, 42-second spot at no charge.

The actors include state Sen. John C. Astle, an Anne Arundel County Democrat; the official Annapolis Town Crier, Squire Frederick; and Franchot aide Joseph Shapiro. And, of course, Franchot himself makes an appearance.

Continue reading "No one is headed to Hollywood, but maybe someone will get paid" »

Posted by Laura Smitherman at 1:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

It would probably be easy to make fun of Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley's field trip to Washington today.

So, let's give it a try.

This was supposed to be one of those times when the guv could make a splash in D.C. He was all lined up to testify before Congress this morning, along with two other bigtime Democratic governors, Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania and Deval Patrick of Massachusetts.

Their assigned topic: a state's eye view of the implementation of President Barack Obama's stimulus package.

Not a very heavy lift, especially since all three are huge Obama supporters. But sometimes things don't come as easily as they might on Capitol Hill--the kind of place where, if you're not a senator or a congressman, you might as well be just another tourist from Pocomoke City, even if your title is governor.

(Of course, the exact reverse might well be true at the Statehouse in Annapolis, but that's another story.)

Continue reading "Martin O'Malley's big D.C. adventure" »

Posted by Paul West at 5:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

It’s Miller time again. In Annapolis, of course, that’s a reference to Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller. But it also could refer to Ron Miller, an information technology consultant and conservative Republican who tried unsuccessfully to unseat the other Miller in 2006 when then-Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich recruited him. Now Ron is back, announcing this week that he plans to run again next year.

Winning against Mike would be no easy feat. He sailed to re-election with 70 percent of the vote three years ago. And he ranks as the longest-serving president of that chamber in history, after first being elected to the House of Delegates in 1970 and moving to the Senate in 1975.

So why does Ron think he has a shot in 2010? In a press release, he highlighted what’s sure to be a recurring theme in GOP campaign camps — that Democrats raised taxes during the 2007 special session and have mismanaged the state’s budget. But Ron also has another arrow to aim at the Senate president — that the powerful politician is talking about raising the gas tax. (Mike Miller has long said a gas tax increase may be needed to meet transportation priorities, though in a recent interview he said he would only support such a proposal when the economy improves.)

Of course, there’s also the issue of the Miller surname.

Continue reading "Don't call it a comeback; Miller's been here for years" »

Posted by Laura Smitherman at 1:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)