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May 21, 2025

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News Maryland News

Van Hollen Endorses Mizeur in First District

March 16, 2021 by Spy Desk

Heather Mizeur, Democratic candidate for Congress in Maryland’s First District, today announced the endorsement of Senator Chris Van Hollen.

“I’m proud to have earned Senator Van Hollen’s endorsement,” Mizeur said in a statement. “During my time in the Maryland General Assembly, I worked closely with then-Congressman Van Hollen as we combined forces to serve our constituents — ensuring that the people who most needed their government to work for them didn’t fall through the cracks.

“Since then, I’ve watched proudly as Chris has championed in the U.S. Senate so many of the causes I care most about: stronger environmental protections, affordable health care, and an economy that works for everyone,” Mizeur said.

“Heather Mizeur is the bold, innovative leader we need in Congress for Maryland’s First District,” Van Hollen said in a statement. “Throughout her career, she has led the charge on policies that have made Maryland a fairer, stronger, more equitable state by building consensus and bringing people together.

“Heather successfully fought to move our state forward on issues like marriage equality, affordable health care for our children and families, and protecting our environment,” Van Hollen said. “She is a tenacious fighter for Maryland and can take on Andy Harris to flip the First. Heather is in this race to win, and I’m proud to stand by her.”

Senator Van Hollen’s endorsement is the first major show of support for any Democrat running to challenge Andy Harris, and comes on the heels of Mizeur’s announcement that she had raised nearly $250,000 in the opening weeks of her campaign. Van Hollen will headline a fundraiser for Mizeur on March 17.

Mizeur spent a decade working in the U.S. Congress, including four years as domestic policy director for U.S. Senator John Kerry. A former Takoma Park city councilmember and small business owner, she was elected to the General Assembly in 2006. Mizeur was known for her work to expand health care for children and families, reform the criminal incarceration system, advance civil rights protections, safeguard the environment, and bring new technology jobs to Maryland.

In 2014, Mizeur ran a spirited campaign for the Democratic nomination for governor, building a statewide grassroots movement. In 2017, she founded Soul Force Politics, a non-profit organization working to bridge the divisions in American political and civic life. Heather and her wife, Deborah, live and work on their farm in Chestertown.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Maryland News Tagged With: andy harris, chris van hollen, Congress, first district, heather mizeur, Maryland

Md. Senate President Emeritus Resigns After 50 Years in Office, 33 as Chamber’s Leader

December 24, 2020 by Maryland Matters

Citing the increasing toll that metastatic prostate cancer has had on his body, Senate President Emeritus Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) announced on Wednesday that he is retiring from the legislature, effective immediately.

In a letter to his successor, Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City), Miller said “my heart and my mind remain strong, but my body has grown too weak to meet the demands of another legislative session.”

Miller recently told a reporter that he has gone “from a cane to a walker to a wheelchair.”

Speaking to reporters on a midday Zoom call, Miller said, “I thought I could continue on. … But the cancer is in all my bones.”

“My body is wracked with pain,” he added. “Physically I’m not able to do the job.”

The legislature is due to begin its 2021 session in three weeks.

“I Bid an Affectionate Farewell to You All”

A student of history who made history, and a voracious reader (the walls of his study are lined with the hundreds of books he has devoured over time), Miller said he steps down “with tremendous sadness.”

Senate President Emeritus Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) tells a story to his colleagues on the first day of the 2020 legislative session. Photo by Danielle E. Gaines/Maryland Matters

“During my tenure in the Senate of Maryland and my time serving as President, it was the great honor of my life in large part because I have seen the Senate rise above partisan and other differences time and time again,” he wrote. “I have seen the Senate come together and unite to get the work of the people of Maryland done.”

The 78-year-old lawyer and lawmaker said he has seen many changes in Annapolis during his years in the State House. There is, he said, a “different breed of elected officials” that bring “new ideas.”

“Now, instead of people staying late at night in the bars or whatever, they’re drinking their water because they have to jog the next morning. It’s a younger group, with some very progressive ideas. It’s a good time for me to step down, quite frankly.”

Miller’s resignation brings to a close a 50-year tenure representing Southern Maryland and Prince George’s County in the state legislature — a single term in the House of Delegates, then 12 terms in the state Senate — highlighted by the 33 years he served as Senate president.

He remained a member of the chamber in 2020, representing the 27th legislative district and serving on several influential panels, including the Budget and Taxation Committee and the Legislative Policy Committee.

Although he relinquished the gavel in 2019, Miller retained the president’s spacious corner office in the Miller Senate Office Building, and he continued to have executive protection. A large portrait of him was hung on the walls of the historic Senate Chamber during last year’s session, just a few feet from his desk in the fourth row.

He told Maryland Matters in an interview earlier this month that he and his staff were staying abreast of constituent matters, and he pledged to participate in the 2021 session as his health allowed.

Senate President Emeritus Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert). Photo by Danielle E. Gaines/Maryland Matters

During a freewheeling discussion, Miller offered analysis of state and national politics, in his usual insightful, blunt and colorful fashion.

Those who have observed and worked with Miller routinely say his mark on Maryland will never be matched.

“I have known Mike since I was a kid,” said Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R), “and it has been one of my greatest privileges as governor to serve alongside him.”

“He will go down in our state’s history as a lion of the Senate.”

Said former Gov. Martin J. O’Malley (D) in an interview: “Mike Miller has been there at the center of all of the great debates and all of the big challenges. He can rightly claim to have been a part of every positive thing that the people of our state accomplished for themselves and their grandkids over the last 40 years.”

Although he and Miller had an uneven relationship, marked by periods of both conflict and cooperation, former Gov. Parris N. Glendening (D) also praised his fellow Prince Georgian.

“It’s a sad day,” said Glendening. “Whether you loved the guy or hated the guy, this is a sad day. He just contributed so much. At least he’s doing it his own way, which is good.”

Many of Miller’s colleagues in the Senate have moved up the political ladder, in part due to the lessons they learned in the chamber and the campaign support he facilitated.

U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D) said Miller’s retirement “marks the end of an era.”

“Governors have come and gone, but Senator Miller, with unmatched political acumen, has steered Maryland on a progressive course and toward a more perfect union,” the lawmaker said in a statement. “…He is a dear friend and his mentorship and wisdom remain invaluable to me.”

Former Senate Minority Whip Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R-Upper Shore) described Miller as a friend and mentor.

“I felt he was very fair to the Republican Caucus,” Hershey said in an email to Maryland Matters. “He deeply respected bi-partisan process and appreciated the perspective we brought to the entire body of the Senate.”

Hershey said he would talk with Miller frequently about issues important to his district.

“I’d go to him on several issues, mostly those that affected the watermen or farmers and asked for his help. Most times he was non-committal but he would always say, ‘just do the best you can.’ And you know what, sometimes things worked out the way I wanted, and I knew it was because he found a way to help me out.”

Asked about the upcoming session, Miller urged his former colleagues to fund the Kirwan Commission’s educational reforms.

“I believe very strongly in education,” he said. “Everybody should have an equal opportunity for education. And we can make that happen if we find a way to pass the Kirwan proposal and fund it.”

In his letter to Ferguson, Miller expressed regret that national political leaders appear to have lost the ability to compromise or disagree without rancor.

Miller’s resignation came 237 years to the day that George Washington resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in the Maryland State House. Coincidentally or not, Miller quoted Washington’s address to the Continental Congress, which was meeting in Annapolis:

“Having now finished the work assigned to me, I retire from the great theatre of Action, and bidding an affectionate farewell to this August body, under whose orders I have so long acted, I here offer my Commission, and take my leave of all the employments of public life.”

Miller closed his letter with a prayer for the state:

“I must now retire from august body of the Senate of Maryland and take my leave of public life. I bid an affectionate farewell to you all and it is my greatest hope that our Almighty God bless and protect you, your families, our Nation, and our State. I pray that future generations in the Maryland General Assembly will continue to come together in the spirit of public service and unity to once again get to work on behalf of the citizens of the great State of Maryland.”

201223-Miller-Letter-to-President-Ferguson

 

By Bruce DePuyt and Danielle E. Gaines

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Maryland News Tagged With: chris van hollen, larry hogan, martin o'malley, Maryland, mike miller, president emeritus, senate, steve hershey, thomas v. mike miller jr.

Talbot Council, Congressmen Join Opposition to Coast Guard Closure

April 16, 2020 by John Griep

The county council voted unanimously Tuesday evening to send a letter opposing the proposed closure of the U.S. Coast Guard station in Oxford. Maryland’s two U.S. senators and First District Congressman Andy Harris also are opposing the closure.

The letters from the county council and the congressmen were among 102 comments received by the Coast Guard, with many of those writing in opposition to the closure of the Oxford station.

The station is among five being considered for closure, according to a notice in the Federal Register seeking comment. The notice was published in mid-February, but only recently came to the public’s attention, just days before a midnight Tuesday deadline for comments.

A 2017 GAO report said the Coast Guard, in 2013, had identified 18 stations that could be permanently closed without negatively affecting the agency’s 2-hour response standard for search and rescue missions. In its Federal Register notice, the Coast Guard said it was planning to close five stations.

According to the report, the FY2015 operating cost for the Oxford station was a little more than $1 million. Crews there responded to 117 search and rescue missions between 2010 and 2016, about 17 annually. Of those 117 missions, eight were during winter months.

The Talbot County Council, in its submitted comment, said, “Station Oxford is necessary to provide security of the public health and safety and emergency assistance.”

The council, in a letter signed by Council President Corey Pack, wrote, in part:

“.. (T)he closing of Station Oxford would be detrimental to the safety of boaters on the Eastern Shore. Station Oxford plays a pivotal role in the safety of boaters along the waterways from northern Tilghman Island to the Little Choptank River on the eastern side of the Chesapeake Bay, and also over to Chesapeake Beach and south to Calvert Cliffs on the western side.

“Station Oxford provides timely response to any emergency on the water and plays a critical role in educating the public on boater safety. If Station Oxford is closed, the next closest station to most of the areas Station Oxford serves is Station Annapolis. This is a major concern.

Map Data © 2020 Google

“Station Annapolis is 32 nautical miles from Oxford, 25 nautical miles from St. Michaels, 45 nautical miles from Solomons, 80 nautical miles from Crisfield, and 48 nautical miles from Cambridge. In addition to the distance, Station Annapolis requires the responding crew to travel across the entire Chesapeake Bay, which can be treacherous at times and require slower boat speeds, resulting in an increased response time.

“A response time of greater than an hour is concerning. It is even more concerning when you consider that hypothermia can set in within 45 minutes. Talbot County has more licensed watermen than any other jurisdiction in Maryland, many of whom work in one fishery or another nearly year round, and the loss of a nearby USCG station in Oxford will mean that their lives will be in greater peril.

“The Eastern Shore is also known for waterfowl hunting during the winter months. Hunters routinely take out large groups on guided boat hunts during the winter. If a guided tour experienced an emergency on the water, the response time would be crucial to the group’s survival. Relying on a boat from Annapolis, in poor winter weather, could easily result in tragedy.”

Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, both Democrats, and Rep. Andy Harris, a Republican, also urged the Coast Guard to take the Oxford station off the chopping block.

They wrote, in part:

“Station Oxford is the only U.S. Coast Guard site in the Eastern Shore of Maryland, a region that consists of nine counties and makes up more than a third of the total land area of the State. We fear that the loss of the facility in Oxford would drastically increase emergency response times with the effect of undermining the region’s safety and security.

“The Eastern Shore is a vast geographic region that includes the waterways of the Chesapeake Bay, Choptank River, and Little Choptank River. Economically, the area and its waterways form one of the most critical seafood harvesting grounds in the state. In its large geographic jurisdiction are the active Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant as well as the Cove Point Liquefied Natural Gas export facility, two key national security assets. Moreover, these waters are part of the Intracoastal Waterway that vessels use for transit along the length of the East Coast of the continental United States. Thousands of watermen work and travel along the waterways, even in cold water and inclement weather. The individuals who work in this and other industries on the water will at times require assistance in a time of emergency.

“Station Oxford is all the more essential for meeting the unique security and safety needs of the Eastern Shore given that it is the only U.S. Coast Guard facility in this extensive region. Manned by approximately 20 U.S. Coast Guard personnel, Station Oxford provides critical emergency response in a timely manner that is not likely to be maintained if it were to close. Indeed, many of the public safety agencies in the area simply do not have the boats and other resources necessary for responding to emergencies on the waterways. There is no alternative facility that can meet the needs of the Eastern Shore. …

“Two other government agencies share the site with the U.S. Coast Guard: (1) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Coastal Ocean Service’s (NCCOS) Cooperative Oxford Laboratory and (2) Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR). This cohabitation of three agencies on one site has created longstanding partnerships while also allowing for greater utilization of the unique resources of the U.S. Coast Guard by state and local entities. Yet while both NOAA and DNR also provide important functions, they cannot be a substitute for Station Oxford, whose public servants stand ready to respond to emergencies 24/7 all year round. Their commitment to serving the needs of the Eastern Shore was only underscored when, during the 35-day federal government shutdown of 2018-2019, the men and women of Station Oxford continued to work even as they went unpaid and the NOAA and DNR facilities were vacant.”

The other stations being considered for closure and consolidation with neighboring stations are Fishers Island, N.Y., Salem, N.J., Shark River, N.J., and Roosevelt Inlet, Lewes, Del.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Maryland News Tagged With: andy harris, ben cardin, chris van hollen, closure, coast guard, federal government, Oxford, Talbot County Council

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