Mega-notes: With updates on the Capital Beltway, calls for peace in Annapolis, the Senate primary, immigration, Keith Olbermann and other miscreants, and Ravens fever

A blow for Beltway funding

Efforts to ease congestion along Maryland portions of the Capital Beltway took a hit this week when the U.S. Department of Transportation denied the state’s application for a grant.

State transportation officials said last year they would seek a total of $3 billion in federal aid to help pay for replacement of the American Legion Bridge as well as the widening of Interstate 270 through the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant.

State and federal officials did not say why Maryland’s application for funding for Beltway relief was rejected.

“While we were disappointed in not receiving a grant for this project this round, we remain excited about the grant received from this same grant program for MDTA’s I-895 at Frankfurt Avenue Interchange project that will bring tremendous benefits to the Baltimore region,” a state transportation spokesperson said in a statement.

The next opportunity for the state to apply for grants under the program opens later this year.

“MDOT looks forward to continuing to work with USDOT on this next funding opportunity for these much-needed improvements for the American Legion Bridge and I-270 corridor,” the spokesperson said.

Calls for a cease fire in Gaza

The war in the Middle East continues to reverberate in Annapolis.

About two dozen people rallied at Lawyers Mall on Friday urging lawmakers to back a cease fire in the war in Gaza.

More specifically, they asked legislators to support a joint resolution – HJ0002 – sponsored by Del. Gabriel Acevero (D-Montgomery) that calls for a “long-term ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine, the return of all hostages, and delivery of adequate humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.”

The war, which began after a terrorist attack by Hamas during a music festival in Israel on Oct. 7, has claimed the lives of more than 1,200 Israelis.

Israeli forces then attacked Gaza that’s occupied by Palestinians. According to PBS News Hour, more than 25,000 Palestinians have been killed.

Samya Mohammad, a member of the Islamic Maryland Action Network, which organized the rally, said the group represents about 350,000 Muslims in the state.

Randa Mutasib, who traveled to Annapolis Friday, held a picture of her cousin who was killed in the war.

“We need to support the resolution. Every voice matters,” she said.

Besides Acevero, who spoke, Dels. Caylin Young (D-Baltimore City) and Ashanti Martinez (D-Prince George’s) attended and are co-sponsors of the resolution. The other co-sponsors are Dels. Tiffany Alston (D-Prince George’s), Diana Fennell (D-Prince George’s), Veronica Turner (D-Prince George’s), Kent Roberson (D-Prince George’s), Sheree Sample-Hughes (D-Lower Shore) and Terri L. Hill (D-Howard).

As of Friday afternoon, a hearing hadn’t been scheduled before the House Rules and Executive Nominations Committee.

Acevero noted that the General Assembly approved a joint resolution in 2022, which showed that the state “stood in solidarity With the People and Government of Ukraine.”

“This is one of the ways that we can indicate to Arab Americans, to Palestinian Americans, to Muslim Americans, that we see them and that we recognize that this violence needs to stop,” Acevero said. “Islamophobia needs to be addressed. Antisemitism needs to be confronted. Anti-Arab hate needs to be condemned, and we’re going to continue to do so.”

Later in the morning, some of the rally attendees sat in the House of Delegates chamber in the gallery.

U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D), the chair of the Foreign Relations Committee who doesn’t plan to seek re-election, visited chamber and spoke at the dais. One person yelled from the gallery, “Cardin, when are you going to call for a ceasefire?”

House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) ordered the gallery to be cleared.

Already this legislative session has seen the creation of a 20-member Jewish Caucus in the General Assembly. Last week, the caucus members brought families of Israelis being held hostage by Hamas to visit with their colleagues.

Senate race updates

The top two Democratic candidates seeking to replace Cardin in the Senate continue to scrap for the advantage in the May 14 primary.

Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks opened a campaign office in Baltimore on Friday evening with U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-8th), state Comptroller Brooke Lierman (D) and state Sen. Cory V. McCray (D-Baltimore City) in attendance.

The campaign posted a video of Alsobrooks on X (formerly known as Twitter) swinging at a punching bag to emphasize she’s “a fighter [and] will fight for every single Marylander in the U.S. Senate.”

On Wednesday, after Alsobrooks received an endorsement from End Citizens United // Let America Vote, a national advocacy group looking to take money out of politics and fight to strengthen voting protections, the campaign of Rep. David Trone (D-6th) released a statement that the endorsement “contradicts” the group’s mission. The campaign said Alsobrooks remains the only Democratic candidate to accept money from political action committees (PACs), lobbyists and developers.

“Every voter and organization is entitled to their own opinion, not their own facts,” according to a statement from the Trone campaign. “Marylanders and the American people deserve an independent, progressive voice in the United States Senate who will advocate for real change, not more career politicians lining their campaign accounts with checks from corporate lobbyists.”

The independently wealthy congressman is self funding his campaign for Senate, meaning he doesn’t have to rely on the fundraising rituals that most candidates do.

Also on Wednesday, Trone released a “People Over Politics Reform Plan.”

Part of the proposal calls for term limits for members of Congress: a six-year limit in the House and a two-term limit in the Senate. He also called for an 18-year maximum term for federal judges and Supreme Court justices, and increased criminal penalties for voter intimidation, voter suppression and discrimination.

Republican delegates press Biden on immigration

Seven Republican state delegates are calling on President Biden to ramp up border restrictions they said are driving criminal activity and busting state budgets.

The letter — written by Dels. Matt Morgan (St. Mary’s), Brian Chisholm (Anne Arundel), Mark Fisher (Calvert), Lauren Arikan (Harford), and Robin Grammer, Ryan Nawrocki and Kathy Szeliga (Baltimore County) — follows a letter from nine governors including Wes Moore (D) asking for more federal aid and changes to federal immigration law.

The Maryland Republicans called on Biden to reject the governors’ request and “do the right thing and reinstate the Remain in Mexico policy. We also urge you to secure our borders and protect our citizens by thoroughly examining any foreigner seeking entry into our country.

“Like bailing out a sinking boat with a coffee cup, sending more money to these nine states will do little to affect the outcome of this vessel,” the delegates wrote. “The failure to close our southern border and control immigration into our nation has created the worst humanitarian crisis in more than 150 years.”

Register of Wills faces criminal charges

Anne Arundel County Register of Wills Erica Griswold (D) faces charges of misconduct in office, misappropriation by a fiduciary, and theft after being accused of allegedly cashing a $6,600 check that was intended to pay an inheratence tax.

Griswold, elected in 2022, allegedly cashed a $6,650 check last June. The Office of the State Prosecutor said the the check was allegedly made payable to Griswold, who cashed the check at an Annapolis Chase Bank location.

The unnamed remitter of the check later contacted the office asking why payment was still being requested. Over the months that followed, several employees unsuccessfully attempted to convince Griswold to repay the money, according to charging documents filed in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court.

A trial date has not yet been set.

Griswold, as Register of Wills, receives an annual salary of more than $146,000.

Ferguson: Olbermann uniformed on elections board appointment, Milli Vanilli

Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) Friday responded to criticism that he and Senate Democrats failed to properly vet a state elections board member later charged with alleged involvement in Jan. 6.

“Look, I think he’s sort of like an uninformed gnat,” Ferguson said when asked about being named the “worst person in the world” by Keith Olbermann.

Olbermann, a former TV pundit turned podcaster, took aim at Ferguson and Senate Democrats over the confirmation of Carlos Ayala to the Maryland State Board of Elections.

Ayala, a Republican nominated to the board by the Maryland Republican Party, resigned two weeks ago after the FBI charged him with alleged involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Olbermann, on his podcast, contended that Ferguson and other Democrats should have asked Ayala about the events of that day even though an investigation was not public at the time. Olbermann added that Democrats failed to do their due diligence when they neglected to do even a web search on Ayala.

Olbermann said Ferguson and his caucus were the “worst persons in the world” even worse than a recently deceased German record producer responsible for the lip syncing group Milli Vanilli.

Ferguson has since said the Senate Executive Nominations Committee will be asking Board of Elections nominees about their views of elections integrity and possibly about Jan. 6.

“I think he should have done his research,” said Ferguson said of Olbermann. “It is what it is. We’re gonna have a better system moving forward. I wish we could predict the future. Unfortunately, I don’t have a crystal ball.”

When asked if Ferguson believed he and his fellow senators were worse than Milli Vanilli, the Senate leader chuckled and replied: “It’s an excellent question. Milli Vanilli is worse.”

Purple Friday fashions topped by Anderton’s shiny sport coat

With days left before the Baltimore Ravens play their first home AFC Division championship game, lawmakers and leaders in Annapolis are donning the purple and declaring their allegiance to the team.

Scarves, shirts, ties, jerseys and other somewhat questionable fashion choices were all on display this on “Purple Friday.”

All this week, Sen. Ben Kramer (D-Montgomery) has worn a Ravens scarf. Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller (D) entered the State House Friday wearing her Zay Flowers team jersey.

No one in the House or Senate could hold a candle to Del. Carl Anderton Jr (R-Lower Shore), who attended the Friday floor session in the sparkliest purple and black sport coat.

No word from Anderton on when or if the estate of Liberace will want the jacket back.

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