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News Election 2022

Keasha Haythe Runs for Talbot County Council

June 30, 2022 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Talbot County Council candidate Keasha Haythe, a Talbot County native and Easton resident, could be the first female African-American on the county council, She is running on a platform of education, business and economic development, and environment.

A graduate of Easton High School with an associate degree in business administration from Chesapeake College and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Arizona State University, she has served on local and state boards and commissions and is currently a small business development director for the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation.

“As an economic development professional for more than 20 years and a small business owner, I know how critical business growth and retention are to our economic success, I am dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and small business owners and will be an advocate for businesses.”

Haythe is looking forward to working with traditional industries to have policies and programs that make economic sense for the county. As a proponent of education and economic prosperity going hand-in-hand and founder of the Foundation of Hope, she is committed to supporting education funding and programs that provide students with clear pathways in business and industry through technical training or college preparation. “Having a strong, prepared workforce is critical for individual and business growth.”

As a waterman’s granddaughter, she is also committed to tackling environmental stewardship and restoration by supporting our farmers and watermen. “We must have a balance of policies that promote environmental stewardship – but don’t threaten our way of life,” she said.

Haythe and her husband Marcus live in Easton. They have three children, Marcus Jr., who has served in the U.S. Army, and Miniah and Isaiah.

She will be holding listening sessions throughout the county to hear concerns, ideas and discuss her agenda. For more information visit Keasha4Talbot.com

Rep. Harris would Support a National ‘Heartbeat’ Abortion Ban

June 29, 2022 by Spy Desk 10 Comments

WYPR – 88.1 FM Baltimore reports that Maryland’s lone Republican congressman U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, who represents the first district, said he would support a national abortion ban if a fetus has a heartbeat.

If the legislation was passed by Congress, abortions after six weeks into a pregnancy would be illegal nationwide. The six week mark is often before many women know they might be pregnant.

Read for the full story here.

CDBG and ERAP Grants Making a Difference in Talbot County

June 29, 2022 by Amy Blades Steward Leave a Comment

Talbot County Government is serving those most in need in the county through two important programs – the Maryland Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) and the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) both of which are administered through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. Mary Kay Verdery, Grants Administrator for Talbot County, is helping to manage the programs which are helping low-income families in a variety of ways.

The Maryland Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) is a federally funded program designed to assist county and municipal governments with activities directed toward neighborhood revitalization, housing opportunities, economic development, and improved public facilities and services. CDBG funded projects must be for eligible activities under Program regulations and must meet one of three national objectives:

Benefits persons of low-and moderate-income
Eliminates slum and blight
Meets an urgent need of recent origin that threatens public health and safety

CDBG funds are provided primarily as gap funding for projects selected by the jurisdiction to meet community needs. CDBG funds provided must meet a national objective and additional Maryland objectives and applications are accepted on a competitive basis. The maximum amount Talbot County may request, for a single project or cumulative projects, is $800,000.

“The CDBG funds can be used for acquisition of property, demolition of structures, rehabilitation of structures (both residential and non-residential), construction of public facilities, and public services. The funds are directed toward the low to moderate-income families and affordable housing and economic opportunities,” states Verdery.

In the past seven years, CDBG grants have helped such organizations as The Neighborhood Service Center, Talbot Interfaith Shelter, St. Michael’s Senior Center, Habitat Choptank, Early Headstart, Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center, St. Michaels Community Center, Upper Shore Aging, and Mid-Shore Pro Bono.

For the FY23 grant cycle, five local non-profit organizations submitted formal letters seeking County Council consideration. Of the five letters of interest received, two projects were found to be the best fit for CDBG funds, and the other three were referred to other sources for potential funding. Because CDBG funds are primarily a gap funding source, applicants must be ready to go with the project they submit because DHCD wants the funds to be spent in a certain timeframe. Applications are ranked based on various factors such as public purpose, project impact, project management, and local commitment/leveraging of other funding sources.

Talbot County has partnered with Habitat for Humanity Choptank (Habitat Choptank) on a FY23 CDBG application which is seeking $100,000 to renovate a home located in the historic area of Easton at 122 S. Locust Lane. Funds will be used to support the demolition, stabilization, and interior and exterior rehabilitation of an existing single-family home located in the historic area of Easton, known as “The Hill.” The property was purchased by Habitat Choptank in January 2022. Habitat Choptank’s affordable home program serves those in Talbot County who earn between 35% and 65% of the HUD-defined Area Median Income which equates to between $35,385 and $65,715 annually. Additional funding opportunities for this project include a Community Legacy grant and Town of Easton American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds.

Pictured are the before and after photos of one of Habitat Choptank’s projects in St. Michaels, Maryland.

“Our Brooks Lane Neighborhood Project in St. Michaels involved Habitat Choptank partnering with Talbot County in the use of CDBG funds to support the site work/infrastructure needed to build seven quality affordable homes on land that was donated to Habitat Choptank. This project built more than homes for first-generation home buyers…it built a neighborhood and a community of hardworking families. Our continued partnership with Talbot County around the rehabilitation of 122 S. Locust in the Hill District of Easton is a testimony to the County’s commitment to building community through neighborhood revitalization, providing another avenue to make high-quality affordable homes available at a time when they are so desperately needed while preserving and honoring the resiliency of this historic community,” comments JoAnn Hansen, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity Choptank.

Talbot County has also partnered with Building African American Minds (BAAM) on a FY23 CDBG application for $347,138 for the construction of an Academic Center located at 31 Jowite Street in Easton. The new three-story, state-of-the-art facility is located in the Town of Easton in a low-to-moderate income service area. The facility will continue to provide after-school and summer programs for first through fifth-grade students from Easton Elementary School and Easton Middle School. In addition, BAAM will expand programming to offer a workforce development program for youth and the community. Partnerships and programing include Chesapeake College and other community organizations that will provide educational programming for youth, parents, and the community in areas such as financial literacy and budgeting, job skills/enhancement training, GED courses, wellness, and arts programming.

“I am appreciative of the County’s support of BAAM’s CDBG grant application. If granted, these funds will help us with the construction materials needed to build our new Academic Center. Our new Center will be a state-of-the-art facility that will host all of our current programming and allow us to expand services. I am so thankful for all the support that BAAM has received over the years from our donors, partners, youth, and their families, and am excited for the opportunities and new partnerships that our new Academic Center will offer,” states Dina Gomes Daly, Executive Director, BAAM.

“I enjoy most the opportunity to work with so many different aspects of the community – the full spectrum from young children to seniors. Now, we have this opportunity to provide the ERAP funds to individuals so that we prevent eviction and homelessness. These are projects where you get to help the community,” Verdery adds.

The Talbot County Council received $2.4 million in the spring of 2021 to administer the Department of Housing and Community Development’s grant for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) to ensure housing stability for families and individuals at risk of experiencing homelessness or utility cut-off. A sub-recipient agreement was finalized in August 2021 between Talbot County and Neighborhood Service Center (NSC), the County’s Community Action Agency, to administer the funds. The deadline for spending the first round of ERAP program funds is September 30, 2022. The funds cover rental and utility assistance and other housing and service-related costs and program administration costs. The Neighborhood Service Center (NSC) completes the screening to determine eligibility, issues the funds, and provides report information to the County. The second grant award of ERAP funds for Talbot County is $1.6 million and will be distributed beginning July 1, 2022.

“The hardest part at the very beginning was just getting the word out that we had these funds available. But once we were able to reach out to the local rental communities, we were able to contact a lot of individuals in the unserved or minority communities,” Verdery comments.

“The Neighborhood Service Center, since 1969, has worked hard to reduce poverty and homelessness by helping individuals and families become self-sufficient. In these unusual times, it takes out-of-the-box thinking and unfortunately a lot of money to keep individuals and families in their homes because the normal channels were closed due to quarantine regulations. Without the ERAP funds, we would have depleted all of our reserves almost immediately, putting many current programs in jeopardy. Talbot County has always stepped up to donate time, money, and resources, but this was a time when the need greatly surpassed what locals could donate,” states Frank Divilio, Talbot County Council member and board member of the NSC.

For further information on applying for CDBG grants annually, contact Mary Kay Verdery at 410-770-8002. Citizens can log onto the NSC website (nsctalbotmd.org) for applications and instructions for the ERAP Program or call the NSC at 410-822-5015.

Talbot County Council Awarded “Community Action Vision and Value Award”

June 29, 2022 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Left to Right: Sharon Strauss (MCAP Board Member), Marilyn M. Neal (MCAP Vice Chair and Executive Director, Neighborhood Service Center), George Newman (MCAP Chair), Frank Divilio (Talbot County Council Member), Corey Pack (Talbot County Council Member) and Angela Martin (MCAP Executive Director)

At the 2022 Maryland Community Action Partnership Human Services Conference held during May 11 – 13, 2022 in Ocean City, Maryland, the Talbot County Council was awarded the Community Action Vision and Value Award. This year’s conference theme of “Future Focused: Advance, Build, Connect” highlighted improvements within communities as a result of community action services and partnerships. The Talbot County Council was nominated by Marilyn Neal, Executive Director, Neighborhood Service Center, for “continued support for Neighborhood Service Center in its mission toward eliminating poverty by empowering individuals and families to become self-sufficient.”

Council member Frank Divilio stated, “The last few years have been especially challenging. Many of these challenges are the same ones that the Neighborhood Service Center helps the public with daily. I am thankful that we already had many channels set up to help the community and appreciate everyone working together to keep us afloat. While we faced many challenges, I am beyond grateful for the programs that we already have in place and watching them expand rapidly to fill the needs.”

The Neighborhood Service Center located at 126 Port Street in Easton serves as the County’s Community Action Agency, providing services and assistance to low-income families and elderly residents of the county since 1969. Programs include After School Youth Program, Emergency Food Pantry, Electric Universal Service Program, Emergency Services Program, Maryland Energy Assistance Program (MEAP), Mobile Food Pantry, On-the-Job Training for Homeless Individuals, and Rapid Rehousing. Additionally, the Neighborhood Service Center operates Webb’s Hope, a low-income rental property located at 36 West Street in Easton.

Talbot County has supported and partnered with Neighborhood Service Center on a variety of grants through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development including:

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) – Homeless Initiative for the acquisition of 6 South Street in Easton and renovation of three apartments ($414,000). Project completed in October 2018.

Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) – provides direct financial assistance and housing stability services to renters struggling to make payments for rent and utilities. Assistance can be for rental arrears, prospective rental payments, prospective and arrear utility and home energy costs, and “other expenses related to housing incurred due, directly or indirectly, to COVID”.

ERAP 1 – $2,439,498. Expenditure period commenced July 1, 2021 and will conclude on September 30, 2022.

ERAP 2 – $1,678,514. The award end date for ERAP 2 funds is December 31, 2022.

For more information about the Neighborhood Service Center please visit www.nsctalbotmd.org or 126 Port Street, Easton (410-822-5015).

Edith Ramirez Joins Mid-Shore Pro Bono as Community Outreach and Communication Coordinator

June 29, 2022 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Edith Ramirez

Edith Ramirez of Greensboro, Md. has recently joined the Easton office of Mid-Shore Pro Bono as the Community Outreach and Communications Coordinator.

Her responsibilities include raising awareness about Mid-Shore Pro Bono’s civil legal services to individuals in need throughout the Eastern Shore, and to donors interested in forwarding the nonprofit’s mission.

Ramirez is bilingual in English and Spanish. She most recently worked in customer service in Dover, Del., and is a graduate of North Caroline High School, where she was a member of the National Honor Society.

“Learning about resources available in our community has always been important to me, especially growing up as the daughter of a single, immigrant mother,” says Ramirez. “I’m passionate about helping to provide an equal chance to underserved individuals and families in my new role.”

“Edith is a pleasure to work with,” said Mid-Shore Pro Bono Executive Director Meredith Lathbury Girard, Esq. “Her experiences bring warmth to our clients and earnestness to our communications. We’re especially grateful to have her among our other interpreters so that we can make a difference in the lives of clients from different cultures.”

Mid-Shore Pro Bono delivers a mission of helping Maryland’s Eastern Shore residents obtain access to legal assistance, with offices in Easton, Chestertown, and Salisbury, with more at www.midshoreprobono.org.

One Mission Cambridge Hosts Open House

June 28, 2022 by Amy Blades Steward Leave a Comment

Since its opening on June 6, 2022, One Mission Cambridge has served over 140 people in need. The first week alone, the coalition of Christian churches and ministries called to meet the physical and spiritual needs of men, women and children in the Cambridge area, served over 90 people and had to order 3,000 pounds of extra food to meet the needs of the community. The organization will host an open house on July 16 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at its location at 614 Race Street in Cambridge. The open house is open to everyone in the community to learn about the mission center and celebrate it.

Pictured is Krista Pettit of One Mission Cambridge in the center’s facility at 614 Race Street in Cambridge.

One Mission Cambridge’s location has proved ideal to serve some of the community’s most vulnerable populations. The building includes a storefront on Race Street with a large communal space in the rear of the building. By consolidating some of the area’s food pantries, One Mission Cambridge can offer a food pantry store where people can shop for what they need in a dignified manner. In addition, the center offers community navigation with computers onsite for people to research jobs and complete job applications and look up resources to help them connect to community services. Whether you need food items, to get a replacement Social Security card or photo ID, or just need a friendly face to talk to, the center is open for walk-in services.

“When you are in a crisis, you are overwhelmed with navigating the process to get on the other side of it. We are the stopgap – stepping into the process and providing support,” comments Krista Pettit, leader of One Mission Cambridge’s efforts.

In the back of the storefront, there is a private meeting room to offer Christian counseling and support groups. Further back, a large community space is available to host community dinners for about 120 people. These dinners hope to start in the fall on the first Monday of each month and will include a sit-down dinner, along with a Bible reading and discussion, as well as music and art enrichment.

One Mission Cambridge is about the Body of Christ working together – combining resources and people. The organization’s name “One Mission” comes from all the churches having the same mission: to love God and to love their neighbors. All Christian Churches are invited to participate in this exciting organization. The organization was born in the summer of 2021 when a volunteer subcommittee brought people from the community together and interviewed nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, and community members who utilize various agencies to determine the unmet needs in the community and what services could be provided. The survey revealed that people in the community have a heart for others, there are a lot of great organizations helping people, and there needs to be a place for people to talk, listen and provide guidance on getting help and encouragement.

One Mission Cambridge, the coalition of Christian churches and ministries, is called to meet the physical and spiritual needs of men, women and children in the Cambridge area. Its storefront location is ideal for serving some of the community’s most vulnerable populations.

To date, over 15 churches are working with One Mission Cambridge. Krista Pettit, who began working on the project as a volunteer with Grace United Methodist Church and St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, recognized the need in the community when talking with other churches. The organization wants to partner with everyone providing services in the Cambridge area, including area food pantries, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and churches who, according to Krista, are doing tremendous work in the community. Volunteers are also needed and interested persons can attend the open house to inquire, contact Pettit directly, or sign up via the website at onemissioncambridge.org or call 410-901-3959.

One Mission Cambridge will be open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, from 1 to 6 p.m. and the second Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. These hours were selected as times when other organizations aren’t open and to allow people who work to utilize the services.

Visit One Mission Cambridge on Facebook or Instagram or their website onemissioncambridge.org or call 410-901-3959. Donations can be made to One Mission Cambridge, P.O. Box 815, Cambridge, MD 21613.

Spy Reminder: Last Day to Register for Maryland Primary is June 28

June 27, 2022 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

The Maryland State Board of Elections (SBE) reminds those who wish to register to vote, change party affiliation, and update their address before the 2022 Primary Election that the deadline to do so is Tuesday, June 28.

Those using the online registration system must submit their completed voter registration application to register, change party affiliation, or update their address by 11:59 p.m. on June 28. To ensure applications are completed and received by 11:59 p.m., SBE advises voters to access the online system no later than 11:50 p.m. on June 28. Those who prefer not to register to vote online may print the registration form (English version and Spanish version) and submit it at the office of their local board of elections by 5 p.m. on June 28 or return it by mail. Registration forms returned by mail must be postmarked by June 28.

Voters may also register to vote in-person during early voting and on Primary Election Day, July 19. Early voting runs from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. beginning Thursday, July 7 and continuing through Thursday, July 14. Voters can register to vote and vote early at any early voting center in the county in which they reside. A complete list of early voting centers for the Primary Election is available online.

Voters wishing to register to vote and vote in person on Primary Election Day – July 19 – can do so at their polling place.

Voters who wish to cast their ballots by mail or via one of Maryland’s 288 ballot drop boxes must request a mail-in ballot from the State Board of Elections or their local board of elections. Requests for a mail-in ballot for the Primary Election must be received by July 12, 2022.

Each of Maryland’s 288 ballot boxes are available for use until July 19 at 8 p.m. Voters can return their mail-in ballots using any official ballot box in their county of residence. A complete list of ballot box locations is available online.

The local boards of elections continue to look for voters to serve as election judges. Interested voters can learn more and apply here.

Maryland After Roe Is Extinguished

June 25, 2022 by Maryland Matters 1 Comment

Michelle Siri, a candidate for lieutenant governor, speaks at an abortion rights rally in Wheaton on Friday evening. She is running with John King, standing to her right. Photo by Josh Kurtz.

Everybody saw it coming.

And yet, the Supreme Court decision Friday to strike down Roe v. Wade, the historic 1973 decision guaranteeing abortion rights across the country, may be reordering Maryland politics just 3 1/2 weeks before the state’s primaries.

“It’s going to be a different world,” Del. Ariana Kelly (D-Montgomery), a leading abortion rights advocate in the General Assembly, said in an interview Friday. “Yesterday and tomorrow, totally different worlds.”

Maryland has fairly robust abortion protections, enshrined in state law 30 years ago by a statewide referendum. Abortion rights supporters took to the streets Friday evening in Wheaton, Annapolis and elsewhere, expressing their disgust and horror with the Supreme Court ruling.

But even with Maryland’s status as one of a dozen states that preserve abortion access up to the point of viability (usually 22 to 24 weeks into a pregnancy), abortion rights supporters moved with a new sense of urgency Friday, vowing to elect more pro-choice candidates and to press for even stronger protections in state law, including a state constitutional amendment to preserve abortion rights.

Separately, local leaders began setting policy and funding decisions in response to the court ruling.

Dozens of Democratic officeholders and political candidates issued statements decrying the Supreme Court ruling and vowed to preserve and protect abortion rights in Maryland, cognizant of the likelihood that the number of abortion seekers coming to Maryland will increase dramatically, with close to half of U.S. states set to outlaw the procedure in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling.

The Republican reaction in Maryland ranged from overjoyed to circumspect.

With mail-in ballots already arriving at voters’ homes, early voting set to take place between July 7-14, and the primary on July 19, abortion could be uppermost on voters’ minds in the days ahead. Democratic primary voters have a full menu of abortion rights supporters to choose from in the races for statewide office — governor, attorney general and state comptroller. So the choice there may be who is best-equipped to expand abortion protections in the state.

“An overwhelming majority of Democrats support women’s reproductive rights… and there is little daylight if any between any of the Democratic candidates who are currently running for governor on these issues,” said Mileah Kromer, a political science professor at Goucher College and director of the Goucher Poll.

That point was brought home Friday evening, when Democratic gubernatorial contender John King, who has been endorsed by the group Pro-Choice Maryland, and his running mate, Michelle Siri, shared the stage at the Wheaton rally with former Del. Aruna Miller, running mate to another candidate for governor, Wes Moore. Similarly, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich was just a few feet away from one of his Democratic primary challengers, County Councilmember Hans Riemer, and both spoke.

The leading Republican candidates for governor had notably different reactions to the Supreme Court ruling.

Former Maryland Commerce Secretary Kelly Schulz, the favorite of the GOP establishment, issued a statement promising to preserve the status quo if she is elected.

“Today’s decision by the Supreme Court changes nothing with regard to abortion in Maryland,” she said. “As I have repeatedly said, while I am personally pro-life, the issue is settled law in Maryland and has been for 30 years, since Marylanders voted on it. Despite fear-mongering from others, as governor, I’ll do nothing to change current Maryland law.”

Schulz has largely hewed to the position of her political patron, Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R), who she is trying to succeed. When Hogan was first campaigning for governor in 2014, he said he was personally opposed to abortion but would not seek to change state law.

But is that line still cogent in the current political environment?

“I think that she’s going to be pushed on the issue more than Hogan was pushed on it during his eight years or during his two elections, just because of the decision today,” Kromer said of Schulz.

Hogan may not have helped Schulz’s cause when he vetoed a bill this year to expand the types of medical practitioners who can perform abortions — which the legislature overrode — and then withheld funding to provide training for those medical professionals. It served as a reminder that even with abortion protections in place, a governor can have an impact on how the laws are administered.

“I think Kelly Schulz’s statement was particularly interesting,” said Alexandra Hughes, former chief of staff to House Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County) and the late Speaker Michael Busch (D). “Fundamentally, [she] is a political pragmatist. Her problem is, there are a lot of suburban and urban women who are not buying this Susan Collins ‘walk the line’ thing.”

Schulz’s principal GOP primary opponent, Del. Dan Cox (R-Frederick), posted a minute-long video on Facebook praising the Supreme Court decision.

“Thank God, thank President Trump, thank the Supreme Court for doing what is right,” said Cox, who has been endorsed by Trump in the primary. “My wife and I for years and years have been fighting for the unborn. That’s one of the reasons why we’re in politics.”

Cox also took a swipe at Schulz, saying “my opponent wants to enforce taxpayer-funded abortions. She will do nothing to stop illegal actions against these precious babies.”

Democratic fissures

The upcoming primaries may expose certain Democrats who have opposed abortion rights.

Lily Bolourian, executive director of Pro-Choice Maryland, said the organization has in recent days retooled its endorsement policy to only focus on the strongest advocates on abortion rights. And, she said, the group is determined to defeat as many anti-abortion Democrats as possible.

“There is no room in the Democratic Party or in any progressive movements for anti-abortion elected officials. Period,” she told Maryland Matters. “It’s unacceptable, and we intend to continue building power to target any politician who voted against the Abortion [Care] Access Act.”

That’s a reference to Kelly’s legislation expanding the array of medical providers who can perform abortions. When the bill initially passed the House, 89-47, six Democrats voted against it: Dels. Dalya Attar of Baltimore City, Anne Healey of Prince George’s County, Shaneka Henson of Anne Arundel County, Cheryl Landis of Prince George’s, Mary Ann Lisanti of Harford County, and Geraldine Valentino-Smith of Prince George’s.

After Hogan vetoed the bill, the House voted 90-46 to override the veto. Attar, Henson, Landis, Lisanti and Valentino-Smith voted against the override. Healey did not vote. It takes 85 votes to override a gubernatorial veto in the 141-member House of Delegates.

“Democrats who voted against the abortion access bill are going to get pressed about it on the [campaign] trail,” Hughes predicted.

Landis and Valentino-Smith are not seeking election this year. Lisanti is running for state Senate in a competitive primary with former Del. Mary-Dulany James. Henson is one of two Democratic incumbents running in a two-member district, without opposition, so she will be safe in the primary.

It’s unclear whether Attar faces a competitive primary, in a district where Dels. Samuel Rosenberg (D) and Tony Bridges (D) are also seeking reelection. Former Del. Bilal Ali and Chris Ervin, a trucking company owner and civic activist, are also competing in the Democratic primary.

But Pro-Choice Maryland is clearly targeting Healey, who was first elected in 1990. The group has endorsed Ashanti Martinez, a research and policy analyst with CASA, the immigrants’ rights group, and he launched a digital ad earlier this week slamming Healey.

“It’s tough to understand why, in one of our state’s most progressive House districts, Anne Healey, a purported Democrat, is aligning herself with the positions of the far right,” a narrator says in the ad.

Healey could not be reached for comment Friday. But the Women Legislators of Maryland caucus released a series of statements from the caucus leaders, including one from Healey, the immediate past president.

While eight statements were full-throated denunciations of the Supreme Court decision, Healey’s was somewhat more measured.

“Regardless of what the Supreme Court said today, abortion in Maryland remains a private, medical decision,” she said. “The law we have in place makes sure that only the pregnant woman herself has the final say. I voted earlier this year to secure this policy as part of the Maryland Constitution. I would do so again.”

Her statement was in reference to a bill sponsored by House Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County) this year that would have set up a November referendum to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution. The bill passed through the House but stalled in the Senate, to the consternation of many abortion rights supporters in and out of government. (Henson, Landis and Lisanti also voted in favor of the speaker’s bill.)

Healey is running on a ticket with the other incumbents in District 22, including Sen. Paul Pinsky (D), who spoke at the abortion rights rally in Wheaton on Friday evening, and Del. Nicole Williams (D), a vocal abortion rights advocate. But the delegation in that district has traditionally not been as close as lawmakers in many other districts.

The Abortion Care Access Act passed 28-15 in the state Senate this year, and the vote to override Hogan’s veto was 29-15. In both cases, two Prince George’s County Democrats — Sens. Michael Jackson and Ron Watson — voted against the measure.

Jackson, who also represents Calvert County, has nominal opposition in next month’s primary. Watson is in a three-way race against Raaheela Ahmed, a former member of the Prince George’s County Board of Education, and Sylvia Johnson, a business owner, in a district that has traditionally elected some anti-abortion legislators.

Asked Friday if he is concerned that abortion could become a late-breaking or defining issue in his primary, Watson replied, “I’m not worried about it. We have a lot of important issues we have to deal with in this upcoming legislative session.”

It takes 29 votes in the 47-member Senate to override a governor’s veto, so the veto-proof majority is in jeopardy this year. Sen. Obie Patterson (D-Prince George’s), an abortion rights supporter, is retiring, and his likely successor, former Sen. Anthony Muse (D), has opposed most abortion rights measures during his legislative tenure.

Pro-choice Sen. Katie Fry Hester (D-Howard) is considered vulnerable in November, though Democrats tried to firm up the Democratic majority in her district in the latest round of redistricting. Democrats and abortion rights advocates have a pick-up opportunity in Anne Arundel County, where Sen. Ed Reilly (R) is retiring and Democrats are rallying around attorney Dawn Gile, who is unopposed in the Democratic primary.

In the 18th District, where an abortion rights supporter, Sen. Jeff Waldstreicher (D), is seeking a second term, Pro-Choice Maryland has endorsed his challenger, Max Socol, because of what Bolourian called Waldsteicher’s “failure to lead” on the constitutional amendment that stalled in the Senate this year.

Bolourian said her group has “absolute confidence in Max’s tenacity to push to get the strongest abortion access bills passed. My core message to anti-abortion Democrats is to expect us.”

A special session?

The House has twice launched the idea of a constitutional amendment to codify abortion rights, in 2018 and this year, but both times Senate leaders resisted. Now it is a top priority for several Democrats, including the men running for governor.

Jones reiterated that point in a statement Friday.

“It is a dark day for our country,” she said. “The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will put women’s lives in jeopardy across America. Here in Maryland, access to the full range of reproductive health services will not be limited by this decision. I will continue to put the full weight of my office behind a Maryland constitutional amendment to protect women’s healthcare and reproductive liberty. The recent decisions of the Supreme Court are dragging America backwards. We cannot and will not give up. Now is the time to mobilize for the country we all deserve.”

Earlier this week, Jones and Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) issued joint statements condemning Thursday’s Supreme Court decision on a gun rights case, and on calls to hold a special legislative session to discuss a proposed gas tax holiday. But they notably went their own way when it came to reacting to the Roe v. Wade verdict.

Ferguson’s statement said in part: “In the weeks and months to come, women will likely come to Maryland seeking reproductive care in a State that understands the importance of the right to privacy and equality. While many may now question the future of reproductive rights in America, in Maryland, that right will always be protected and enshrined in State law. We will welcome those who seek care in our State.”

Some Democrats and abortion rights advocates are now pressing the presiding officers to schedule a special session to move the constitutional amendment on abortion rights and force Hogan to fund the training this year for abortion providers. That seems unlikely for now — though matters could change.

King and Siri reiterated the call at the rally in Wheaton Friday evening.

“If folks can jump up and down out there and call for a special legislative session for a gas tax holiday, we sure as hell can have one for our bodily autonomy,” said Siri, the head of the Maryland Women’s Law Center and former president of the state’s Planned Parenthood board.

Local government reacts

Within hours of the Supreme Court decision, the Montgomery County government banned county employees from engaging in official travel to any of 25 states deemed likely to roll back access to abortion in the wake of the ruling.

“By taking action to restrict access to reproductive health care services, the following states have possibly put the health and safety of our employees at risk while on official business,” Chief Administrative Officer Richard S. Madaleno wrote in a memo to county managers.

“Our County taxpayers expect the County’s resources to uphold County values and Maryland state law,” he added.

Conference or other travel approved prior to the ruling must be canceled in those instances where monetary penalties will not be imposed, Madaleno said. The ban on official travel to anti-abortion states would not apply to members of the County Council, though they would be encouraged to follow the executive branch’s lead, a county spokesman said.

The 2023 National Association of Counties annual convention is scheduled to take place in Texas.

In an interview, Elrich, the county executive, said Montgomery intends an aggressive effort to woo companies located in states “that are about to move back to the Stone Age.”

“These tech companies that brought in all these young people to Austin, [Texas], I can’t imagine them being really comfortable there right now,” he said. “We want to encourage those companies to come to a state where everybody’s free.”

In light of the rise in remote work, Elrich said Montgomery’s campaign will target both out-of-state employers as well as employees.

Several large companies announced after the ruling that they intend to compensate workers who are forced to travel to access abortion services.

The states on Montgomery’s travel ban: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

In Baltimore on Friday, Mayor Brandon Scott (D) announced that the city would provide $300,000 in grants to organizations that offer abortion and family planning services.

“It is crucial that we invest in abortion and family planning so that we can welcome women seeking these services with open arms,” Scott said. “We are morally obligated to make Baltimore a safe haven for care-seekers, and we are committed to doing just that.”

Earlier this week, Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby (D) and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy (D) vowed that they would not prosecute women seeking abortions from other states, medical providers, or anyone who assists women who obtain abortions in Maryland.

“They’re doubling down to protect our staff and abortion providers all across Maryland,” said Karen Nelson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Maryland.

Battles ahead

Abortion rights foes in Maryland exulted in the Supreme Court ruling.

“Today we CELEBRATE!” Maryland Right to Life wrote on a Facebook post Friday.

The Maryland Catholic Conference, on Twitter, wrote: “Today’s Supreme Court decision on life is a historic moment in our nation. We renew — and invite all to join — our commitment to support both women and their children.”

Kelly, the state delegate and abortion policy leader, said Marylanders who support reproductive rights should not take Maryland’s current laws for granted. She said she fears that national anti-choice groups will start to focus more on Maryland, both with political advocacy and spending, and in intimidation of abortion providers and women seeking abortions.

“We become a target,” she said. “We are the southernmost state on the East Coast that’s considered a safe haven for abortion.”

Kelly said the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade shows how formidable the anti-abortion forces are.

“We’ve seen what this movement has been able to do,” she said. “They don’t have to expend their energy on states like Mississippi anymore. They can focus on Maryland.”

By Josh Kurtz

Bruce DePuyt and Nene Narh-Mensah contributed to this report.

Letter to Editor: Facts Matter Senator Eckardt

June 24, 2022 by Letter to Editor 4 Comments

I am a resident of Wicomico County and a part time Talbot resident. For the last eight years I have supported Delegate Johnny Mautz both as a candidate and as a member of the General Assembly.

In his current bid for the Maryland Senate (District 37) Johnny has given up his seat in the House and is now involved in the Republican primary election against the incumbent and his colleague, Senator Addie Eckardt. This was not an easy decision for him or one that he took lightly.

Out of their regard for both Delegate Mautz and Senator Eckardt many prominent Republicans including Congressman Andy Harris and Delegate Chris Adams have refrained from endorsing either candidate over the other. Their respectful position, however, has been compromised in Senator Eckardt’s recent mailing to potential primary voters, which features a dated picture of Senator Eckardt flanked by Congressman Harris and Delegate Adams displaying “Eckardt for Senate” shirts. The obvious implication being that both Harris and Adams are now endorsing her over Delegate Mautz in the July 19th primary election.

The slogan “Integrity Matters” has been bandied about in this campaign but in the real world facts matter. However, the facts of this matter reflect that the Harris/Adams picture is from an earlier election and is in no way connected with this current campaign. Also, true to their earlier commitment, Congressman Harris and Delegate Adams continue to withhold endorsing either Delegate Mautz or Senator Eckardt despite what appears in the Senator’s mailer.

The use of random pictures of other elected officials to misrepresent or imply endorsements is a classic political trick. This form of Annapolis style campaigning has mercifully not infected the Shore where issues and a candidate’s track record prevail over sleight of hand politics. Yes, integrity does matter and to the voters of the Shore it is much more than a hollow slogan.

Russell C. Dashiell, Jr.
Wicomico County

Election 2022: The Spy-Avalon Talbot County Council Candidate Profiles

June 24, 2022 by Talbot Spy and Avalon Foundation Collaboration 3 Comments

About a month ago, the Talbot Spy and the Avalon Foundation agreed to partner in providing the community with candidate profiles for those running for the Talbot County Council in the July 19th Democratic and Republican primary elections. We did so in the belief that beyond the excellent work of the League of Women Voters and other civic organizations in providing issue-based forums before election day, voters would be greatly assisted in assessing each candidate using a long-form interview format.

Interviewed by the Talbot Spy editor Dave Wheelan, with the technical support of the Avalon’s Mid-Shore Community Television MCTV, these profiles center on three primary subjects; a candidate’s background, qualifications, and priorities if elected to office.

The primary elections will decide which five candidates will advance to the general election to be held November 7, 2022.

We think that our viewers will walk away much better informed on those critical themes, but will also recognize, as did the Spy and Avalon crew, that our community is all the more enriched by having such a unique collection of dedicated citizens among us. Talbot County is very lucky indeed.

These profiles are available for viewing in two different formats. The first, appearing below, are edited versions similar to other Spy interview format where we limit the content to each candidate’s commentary. They average about 15 minutes in length. MCTV will be broadcasting these interviews in their entirety until election day and can also be watched on the Avalon website here.

Democratic Party Candidates

Jim Bruce