Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Blue Alert Act would create a national network to help catch violent criminals who injure or kill police officers, similar to the Amber Alert system.
U.S. Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin marked National Police Week with a visit to Rockville’s new police station Monday, where he touted a national law enforcement initiative called the Blue Alert Act of 2013. The Blue Alert Act would create a national network similar to the Amber Alert system to help catch violent criminals who injure or kill police officers. Maryland is already among 18 states to implement such a system. Gov. Martin O’Malley signed an executive order creating Maryland’s Blue Alert system shortly after the death of Maryland State trooper Wesley Brown. Brown was murdered outside a Forestville restaurant in June 2010. “We have no national coordination,” Cardin said. “We don't have a way to share best practices. What you're doing in …
Monday, May 6, 2013
Supporters of organized labor say the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee took the wrong position on a controversial measure to limit collective bargaining for local police.
The drama and protest surrounding a two-year-old Montgomery County law that inhibits the power of county police leaders to negotiate decisions that affect rank-and-file officers seem ceaseless. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown (D) are joining labor unions in a protest and picketing of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee's Spring Ball on May 11. The unions are upset with the committee's decision to support Question B last November, which put the county law on 2012's ballot for voters to decide. (The law was affirmed, easily.) Brown, a native of Prince George's County, is expected to announce his candidacy for governor May 10. "The committee took this position despite being asked to remain neutral …
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
A new poll released by Goucher College shows that Marylanders see negative effects on local and national economies but not always their own finances.
A majority of Marylanders say they are concerned about the effects of the federal sequester on state and national economies even if they aren't sure it will affect them personally, according a poll released Tuesday afternoon. The poll released by the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center at Goucher College found that 75 percent of those surveyed said the automatic federal spending cuts that went into effect March 1 will negatively impact the state economy while 68 percent said the cuts would hurt the national economy. National Issue, Local Effect Closer to home, only 47 percent of those surveyed said the cuts would negatively impact their own personal finances. Mileah Kromer, director of the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center, said the …
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Cardin sees the move as a step forward for the committee.
U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) will now head up the Senate committee that oversees all discretionary spending legislation. The committee is one of the more powerful of Senate and the chairperson has the final say on what spending bills will see themselves on the Senate floor. “This is great news for my friend and colleague Barbara Mikulski, and tremendous news for Maryland. Senator Barb has been shattering glass ceilings her entire career and all Marylanders are proud of her as she prepares to lead the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee," U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) said. "As our nation’s fragile recovery continues to pick up steam, Chairman Mikulski will help ensure that we find a path forward that keeps the federal …
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Judy Gross continues to fight for her husband Alan’s release and has sued the U.S. government for failing to protect him.
It’s been three years since 63-year-old Potomac resident Alan Gross was arrested and jailed in a Cuban prison, but his wife, Judy, hasn’t given up the fight. A day before the third anniversary of Gross’ arrest, religious and political leaders joined Judy to protest her husband’s imprisonment outside the Cuban diplomatic mission, according to a WUSA9 report. Gross was sentenced to 15 years after a Cuban court convicted him of working for U.S. government intelligence. Gross and his supporters maintain he was in Cuba working as a U.S. contractor to bring cell phones and computers to the country. Judy Gross has advocated for her husband since his arrest and now fears for his health, according to the report. “According to Judy Gross, her …
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Sen. Ben Cardin announced a presidential declaration that gives Maryland federal aid and Gov. Martin O’Malley urged Maryland citizens to stay off the roads Monday at a press conference at MEMA.
President Barack Obama signed a pre-landfall state of emergency declaration for Maryland. The declaration provides federal resources from FEMA and Health and Human Services to state aid, Sen. Ben Cardin announced at a press conference at Maryland Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Reisterstown Sunday night. “Federal partners are here at your request,” he said. Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are working alongside state agencies at MEMA’s emergency operations center, which is fully staffed in preparation for Hurricane Sandy. Federal employees from Mississippi, Texas, South Carolina, Indiana and Kansas have come to Maryland’s aid, Cardin said. Military …
Monday, August 20, 2012
The former Alaska governor releases a written statement in support of Dan Bongino's bid against incumbent Sen. Ben Cardin.
Dan Bongino, the Republican candidate for Senate from Severna Park, got some support from Alaska on Monday when former Gov. Sarah Palin endorsed him. "Though political pundits often dismiss conservative candidates running in deep blue states, I don't believe in ignoring good candidates simply because they're fighting uphill battles against the odds," Palin said in a press release. "In fact, I find such candidates incredibly brave and especially worthy of encouragement." The odds of Bongino defeating incumbent Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) this November are slim. Real Clear Politics and Roll Call both mark Maryland's Senate race in their safely Democratic columns, and Cardin has outraised the former secret service agent by more than 10 to one when…
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Early unofficial results are in for Maryland's primary.
Update, 10:31 p.m.: Rep. Chris Van Hollen continues to hold the lead in the Democratic congressional primary with almost 90 percent of the votes. While, Democratic challenger George English has about ten percent of the votes. On the Republican side, Ken Timmerman continues to lead with almost 45 percent of the votes, followed by Dave Wallace with slightly more than 36 percent of the votes. In the Maryland senate race, incumbent Sen. Ben Cardin still holds a commanding lead of the Democratic primary with 73 percent of the votes, with the closest challenger, Maryland State Sen. Anthony Muse pulling in almost 16 percent so far. Original Story: The night isn't over, but with early, unofficial results reported incumbent Rep. Chris Van Hollen …
Confused Voter
11:30 am on Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Wow! I remember being so confused about effects bargaining, and there being no facts. All I read were allegations made by the police chief. It appears that everyone here was influenced, because you BELIEVE the union was wrong. What if Leggett allowed lies? Even if all he did was exaggerate the problem, then you all have been duped, and you paid the bill to boot. I think this protest is timely. … more ›