Madaleno, Kaiser Rip Arora; Others Apologize for Him

The fracas surrounding Del. Sam Arora continues. Sam, you may recall, is the delegate who was ardently for same-sex marriage before he was against it before he was for it before he, well, you get the idea. As the Gazette reported, two openly gay and lesbian legislators ripped Sam for his actions during the session.

Sen. Rich Madaleno:

"I think Sam Arora distinguished himself as someone not to be trusted, and I don't think he will have a long career in the House of Delegates," said Madaleno (D-Dist. 18) of Kensington, the Senate's only openly homosexual member." . . .

"When you co-sponsor a bill where the lead sponsor is the majority leader from your county who worked very hard to get you elected and you change your mind on the day of the vote, you damage, potentially fatally damage, your credibility," he said, referencing the bill's lead sponsor, House Majority Leader Kumar P. Barve (D-Dist. 17) of Gaithersburg.

Going forward, that could impact Arora's ability to get things done for his district, Madaleno said.

"For me, I will always have a doubt when he makes a commitment on any issue whether or not I can trust that commitment," he said.

Del. Anne Kaiser:

"I think it's definitely true that Sam hurt his reputation within the legislature and potentially within his district," she said, noting that her parents and other family members and friends supportive of the bill who live in Arora's district felt betrayed. "The sense was, ‘What is he going to back out on next?' His word was damaged."

However, Del. Ben Kramer--Sam Arora's colleague in District 19--attacked Sen. Madaleno for his comments:

"I do think that Sen. Madaleno saying that in a public forum was inappropriate and unnecessary," he said. "I can understand that Sen. Madaleno has a perspective based on a particular issue, but I don't think that it is accurate or reflective of Del. Arora's abilities or potential in the legislature."

So I guess Sen. Madaleno is really just overwrought and too sensitive? Or was it just bad form for another member of the club to call out Del. Arora for turning his back on his constituents and colleagues after campaigning for same-sex marriage, trumpeting his sponsorship of the bill to constituents, and telling colleagues he was for the bill just two days before the vote?

Meanwhile, Del. Kathleen Dumais--the floor leader for the bill--apologized for Sam:

Del. Kathleen M. Dumais said Arora handled the matter appropriately by discussing his dilemma with committee and chamber leaders.

"That gave us all the opportunity to talk him through [it]," she said. "I think that gives him credibility as opposed to not."

Dumais (D-Dist. 15) of Bethesda, who is vice chairwoman of the Judiciary Committee, believes Arora eventually has to tell constituents what led him to reconsider his stance. But she noted that such re-evaluation is not uncommon, particularly on emotionally charged issues.

"When we sit in committee and listen to hours of hours of hours of testimony on these tough issues, it gives you a different perspective than when you're out on the campaign trail and these things sound wonderful," she said.

Sam has moved on to extent of declaring same-sex marriage a relatively unimportant issue in a written statement:

"Every day I'm honored to work for the people of my district by working to protect education funding and make our communities safer," he wrote in the statement. "With all due respect to Senator Madeleno [sic], I'm finding the folks in my community are less concerned about Annapolis politics and more concerned with issues like caring for our seniors and improving Pepco."

Again, recall that this is a man who proudly campaigned on his support for same-sex marriage, took campaign donations on that basis, and then touted his sponsorship of the bill to constituents. And note that there is nothing on his current position on same-sex marriage.

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Anne Kaiser's End of Session Letter

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

I’m writing to you just minutes after the 2011 Maryland General Assembly’s legislative session ended. For nine years, I have proudly served you as our community’s common-sense voice in the Maryland House of Delegates. But I have to tell you: this session was the most emotionally draining, the most challenging -- and in some ways, the most disappointing thus far.

I am not at all a single-issue person. Over the years, I have honed my knowledge of our state’s tax policies; I have pushed for education reforms; I have marshaled key legislation aimed at preserving Maryland’s status as having the best schools in the nation. In fact, I think it’s fair to say that others in the chamber see me as having great expertise in education policy.

But on Friday, March 11th -- my heart sank when the House of Delegates could not come up with enough votes to pass marriage equality legislation. This bill would have legalized same-sex marriages in our state. The proposal practically sailed through the Senate, but hit several roadblocks in the House -- including opposition from several legislators who had pledged their support on the campaign trail.

As a gay woman who has been in a committed relationship for the last eight years -- I’m sure you can imagine my heartbreak and disappointment. You see, like thousands of others in long-term, committed same-sex relationships in our state, my girlfriend and I want to get married in Maryland and in my parents’ lifetime.

I wanted to start with this issue -- obviously because it is personally important to me -- but also because many people have asked me why the House of Delegates didn’t cast an actual up-or-down vote on the issue. Ultimately, we believed that putting up a vote on the issue would have unnecessarily locked legislators into a position that would be hard for them to change in the future.

Knowing that this issue has gained unprecedented public support in just the past few years, we thought it would be best to give members of the House more time to consider this issue before insisting they cast a vote. I fully expect that the legislature will consider marriage equality next year. I’m proud to have worked on the bill, but I’m saddened that we were just a few votes shy of the votes needed for passage.

I am really proud that the entire District 14 delegation -- Senator Karen Montgomery, Delegates Eric Luedtke and Craig Zucker -- stood for marriage equality. Together, we represent nearly 120,000 people who reside in Ashton; Brinklow; Brookeville; Burtonsville; Calverton; Cloverly; Colesville; Damascus; Laytonsville; Olney; Sandy Spring; as well as parts of Silver Spring and West Laurel.

Each and every voice in District 14 just got a little louder since I was appointed to a leadership position in the House of Delegates, as one of two Chief Deputy Majority Whips. In this role, I help the Speaker of the House round up votes on key priorities of the House of Delegates, including the budget, school funding issues and raising the alcohol tax.

State Budget Highlights
Like our nation’s economy, Maryland’s economy is still on somewhat shaky ground even though the economic recovery has begun to take hold.

In Wisconsin, Ohio and other states dominated by a much more conservative bent, governors and legislators have targeted public employee unions and severely watered-down their collective bargaining rights. Other states have cut health care programs, education, and delayed needed infrastructure projects.

In Maryland, we have kept our promise to ensure adequate pension plans for teachers, police officers and other public employees. We have put our money where our mouths are by investing in public education, biotechnical research, and infrastructure. I believe these decisions will position our state to recover much more quickly from the national economic downturn.

Maryland Schools #1 in the Nation -- Three Years in a Row!
I serve as chair of the Education Subcommittee, and in that position, I play a key role in the decisions our state makes to strengthen our schools. We still have a huge education achievement gap to address; bullying is all too rampant in our schools; and there are still too many temporary/portable classrooms, especially in our inner-city schools.

For three years in a row, Education Week magazine has ranked Maryland schools as the number one in the nation. But we have a moral obligation to keep improving our public schools before we can look ourselves in the mirror and say we are providing a top-notch education for all our state’s public school kids.

To continue the fight against bullying, I introduced a bill that would have required schools to inform parents of the health risks that children might experience as a result of being bullied. While the bill passed by an overwhelming vote of 120-17 in the House, it unfortunately stalled in the State Senate. I plan to reintroduce the bill next year. And in the meantime, if your child has been a victim of severe bullying, please contact my office.

I also introduced a bill to create a standard set of qualifications for substitute teachers across the state. While it’s true that substitute teachers don’t spend much time with our children, we must take advantage of all of the 185 days of the school year if our children are to succeed. Establishing fair standards and qualifications for substitute teacher is a modest, common sense step we can take to improve public education at very little cost to the taxpayer.

Your New District 14 Team Delivers
One of the most important things your legislators can do in Annapolis is to ensure that worthy projects in our communities earn the state funding they need to come to fruition. I was proud to work with my District 14 colleagues on a number of great projects for our community.

A few years ago, our team secured $100,000 in state funding for the Damascus Heritage Museum for a permanent building to replace the temporary one in place now. Several reasons prevented the construction from being completed on time and the state typically rescinds funding that has not been spent within a specified time period. Fortunately, we got that timeframe extended so that this outstanding and worthy project can be finished. We expect the building will be completed and open to the public in the near future. Stay tuned.

The state will also be dedicating an additional $100,000 (in addition to the $150,000 allocated in prior years) to renovate Falling Green -- a historically significant house located on property owned by the Olney Boys and Girls Club. I am especially proud to help support this project because in doing so, we will not only restore a part of our county and region’s history -- but will also provide much needed office space for the Boys and Girls Club.

Did you know that more than 7,000 children play sports (football, baseball, soccer, softball, lacrosse, etc.) through the Olney Boys and Girls Club?

And speaking of sports… the issue of concussions has earned a great deal of media attention in recent years. As chair of the Education Subcommittee, I was proud to play a key leadership role in making high school and youth sports safer by increasing awareness of the risks of concussions.

A new law that takes effect in October will require a coach who has reason to believe a youth has suffered a concussion on the field -- to consult with a qualified health care professional before that child can play again. We must take the repercussions of concussions very seriously.

Now, we in Montgomery County absolutely love our community theaters. And the crown jewel of local theater is undoubtedly our award-winning Olney Theater. We should give a standing ovation to our state’s budget because it includes a $150,000 allocation to offset the cost of recent capital improvement projects that have contributed to the growing excellence of our theater.

Energy and the Environment
While our collective energy costs are rising, the energy companies we depend on have faced circumstances that have reduced their reliability. In part due to harsh storms and overgrown trees in sections of Montgomery County, some people have complained specifically about PEPCO’s reliability. That’s why I voted in favor of a bill that requires all energy providers to meet reliability standards and pay fines when they do not.

Of course, we know that on a global scale, we must find alternative energy sources and those sources must be cleaner and renewable. I supported Governor Martin O’Malley’s initiative to establish wind farms off Maryland’s coastline. I hope this initiative will be successful next year.

For the first time in my legislative career, I decided to test the waters -- so to speak -- in the environmental arena. Of course, funny enough, the one environmental issue I pursued was directly tied to education. I introduced a bill to require our state to examine the feasibility of making modest investments in hybrid-electric school buses. It didn’t pass this year, but I will try again next year.

Tax Issues
There’s really no other way to say it: it’s amazing -- and sometimes it’s shocking -- how unfair certain federal and state tax policies are. I introduced a bill to close a gaping loophole in current law that allows corporations to abdicate paying their fair share of taxes by essentially creating phantom companies.

The legislature considered raising the gas tax and also the tax we pay when we purchase beer, wine and hard alcohol.

Did you know our state’s gas tax hasn’t increased since 1992 and our tax on beer and wine has remained flat since 1972? It’s amazing to think that the legislature hasn’t increased the tax on hard alcohol since 1955. Eisenhower was president then!

While the legislature decided against increasing the gas tax, we did feel compelled to increase the alcohol tax. The tax on alcohol will rise from 6 percent to 9 percent with the increases going to fund needs for the disability community and, for just one year, money for school construction, including $9 million for Montgomery County Public Schools.

Like you, I want to keep more of my money in my pocket. None of us likes paying more taxes -- but as the famous quote goes -- taxes are the price we pay to live in a civilized society.

Leadership and Closing
It is my pleasure and honor to represent our communities in the Maryland General Assembly. As a citizen legislator, I would not be as successful without your guidance and I thank each one of you for your calls, e-mails and letters.

I was delighted this year to be appointed by House Speaker Mike Busch as one of two Chief Deputy Majority Whips, meaning that I am now part of the House leadership.

Thank you for trusting me to represent your values and your perspectives in our citizen legislature. As corny as it may sound, since I was five years old (just ask my brothers), I knew I wanted to launch a career in public service.

I wish you a happy and healthy spring and summer! Bring on the warm weather and break out the barbecues! If I can ever be of service to you, please call me. And speaking of barbecues, I’d love to drop in on yours -- please consider inviting me! I promise to bring something delicious!

Sincerely,

Anne R. Kaiser

p.s. If you would rather receive this letter and other occasional updates via e-mail, please send us a message at: anne.kaiser@house.state.md.us.

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Del. Anne Kaiser's Floor Speech for Marriage Equality

Mr. Speaker-

It will come as no surprise to you that I support this bill -- and I do so unequivocally, unabashedly. My green vote today is a vote for equality and equal protection under the law. It is a vote against bigotry. Against fear. It is a vote in favor of love and stability.

Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker -- members of this body believe that what I want -- and what thousands of other Americans want, which is to marry the person they love -- is somehow immoral or against god. Strong religious beliefs seem to be a main theme in the opposition.

Throughout this entire marriage equality debate, I have asked countless people to share with me a single legal argument against marriage equality. There are none.

Mr. Speaker -- some people who oppose this bill have even gone as far to say that if this bill passes -- I might someday be allowed to marry a toaster… a robot… or even a household pet. These arguments have sickened me -- and sadden me -- and have been so offensive I can barely stand it. As if my marriage to my girlfriend might bring about some dramatic end to civilization as we know it.

Mr. Speaker -- I want something so very simple. And so does my girlfriend of eight years. We want to be married. We want our relationship to be formally recognized by the state. We want all the rights and privileges that come along with marriage. And, we want to get married in Maryland -- the state where we have made our lives together and where I have spent my entire life.

I want to get married during my parent’s lifetime. My mother is 75. My father is 78. Please don’t tell my mother I “outted” her age on the House floor. My mother -- a mother of a Jewish lesbian -- is just like your mother. She doesn’t like her age being bandied about publicly. And I can assure you that she didn’t bank on having a lesbian daughter. But she has one. And even though she is 75 years old -- born only 15 years after women in our country earned the right to vote -- she too stands for equality.

She did what so many mothers do when she heard her daughter was gay. She cried at first and then she told me she loved me. And then she told me she loved me again. And then she made me lunch. Those Jewish mothers can be a little repetitive, especially when they are telling you they love you. But over time she understood that I deserve the same rights, the same equal protection as any other person. I deserve to marry the person I love.

I come from a family that values marriage. And like me and many of you, my mother doesn’t understand how my marriage to my girlfriend would in any way weaken or make less meaningful her marriage to my father. They have been married for over 50 years. My mother’s parents were married for 67 years. My aunt was married for 55 years. I come from a family that values marriage.

Mr. Speaker -- it’s obvious to me that this is an issue that has divided this house along party lines, and in some ways, along racial lines as well as religious lines. For at least five percent of the members of this body -- this is a deeply personal issue. For so many more, who have gay or lesbian relatives or friends -- it is also a deeply personal and important vote today.

With the push of our button today, we have the ability to ensure equality to thousands of Marylanders -- to confer more than 400 benefits and legal protections that come with marriage. We have the opportunity to demonstrate to the rest of our country that Maryland stands for equality. We have the chance to put fear and hatred in its place. We have the chance to endorse love.

I am voting green today, Mr. Speaker. Because I just don’t understand why anyone in this body would oppose the economic benefits that would come to our state if this marriage bill passes. I am voting green today because there is no legal argument that the opposition has. I am voting green today because I want a family that is recognized under the law.

I cast my green vote not only for myself, not only for my constituents, not only for my Mother and Father -- but for all Marylanders who stand for equality. I urge every member who believes that he or she is opposed to this legislation, ask yourself this simple question: what would be so horribly detrimental if the lady from Montgomery County could marry her partner? What would be so detrimental if the lady from Baltimore City could marry her partner? Or the gentleman from Southern Maryland could marry his partner?

Whatever happens today, I will still love my girlfriend. She will still love me. Our parents and friends will still love us.

I urge the body to vote in favor of equality, civil rights, equal protection and love.

Thank you Mr. Speaker.

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LGBT Delegates Make the Case for Marriage Equality

Dear Colleagues,

It will come as no surprise to any of you that this is a crucial week for the six of us. As you know, the House will soon consider the Civil Marriage Protection Act (Senate Bill 116), a bill that will allow same-sex couples to marry in Maryland. Importantly, it will also reaffirm religious communities' constitutional right to solemnize only those unions that fit within their faith traditions. First and foremost, we write to ask you - on behalf of our families and thousands of families headed by same-sex couples in our state - to vote yes on this legislation. Just as important, though, we are writing to refocus this debate back to what this bill will actually do. Quite simply, it will secure for our families the protections that marriage - and only marriage - provides to loving and committed couples who have pledged to spend the rest of their lives together.

The General Assembly will consider many other important bills and initiatives during this legislative session, but few will be as important to a group of Marylanders as the Civil Marriage Protection Act will be for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. The estimated 15,600 families headed by same-sex couples in our state are remarkably similar to all other families. As anyone who attended the House or Senate hearing can attest, we come from all walks of life and reflect the great diversity for which Maryland is known. Same-sex couples live in every single one of Maryland's counties. Fully one-fifth of LGBT families include children under the age of 18. Our households are financially interdependent in ways that any couple in the state would recognize. We are proud to live in Maryland.

Our families need the same protections because we face many of the same challenges. We stretch our paychecks to put food on the table, keep a roof over our children's heads and plan for emergencies. We struggle with the skyrocketing costs of health care, college tuition, and gas for our cars. And though we shoulder many of these same responsibilities, we cannot count on the same kind of safety net should life throw more at us than we can handle.

Marriage is at its best and most effective during some of life's worst moments. The protections it affords to families are especially crucial when one's spouse is in the back of an ambulance, or rushed into emergency surgery, or dies unexpectedly. For us, as for all of Maryland's families, a marriage license will mean far more than the paper on which it is printed. For us, it means the possibility of shared health insurance, more stable homes for our children, and fewer conversations about legal documents with attorneys. We would never want the responsibility of voting on you and your spouse's will, power of attorney, or advanced medical directive, but you've been put in that position this week for our families. We have faith that when faced with the option, you will vote to allow same-sex couples the opportunity to fulfill the commitments of mutual support and shared responsibility that we have already made to one another and to our children.

You will hear arguments during the course of this debate that, in our opinion, distract from what this bill does and what our conversation should be about. On the one hand, some proponents of marriage equality will speak of the recognition and respect that marriage confers on a relationship. Though this is undoubtedly true, we cannot legislate what is, at its core, a matter of the heart. We certainly seek to be thought of as any other family, but what is more important - and what is actually at stake with this bill - is that we are treated as any other family by the state and its laws. And on the other hand, some opponents of marriage equality will change the subject and seek to debate "the definition of marriage." But not only does this bill not affect any couple already married in Maryland, reframing the debate abstractly distracts from the very tangible protections that we seek for our families.

There will also undoubtedly be a debate about whether the state could design some institution other than marriage. We believe that any attempt to create a separate set of rules for our families will be far more complicated than ending the exclusion of our families from marriage and inevitably lead to unequal treatment. In the decade since civil unions were first created, this belief has been borne out by experience. Before Vermont passed marriage equality legislation, their civil union law was explicitly limited to not include all the protections of marriage. And in New Jersey, despite the promise of equal treatment, many private employers have declined to offer health benefits to the civil union partners of their employees. Marriage equality is a far simpler and more powerful solution.

We understand that for many of you this will be a close call and a tough vote - personally, politically, or spiritually. We know that for many of you with LGBT family members and friends, it is an issue as personal as it is for us. For those of you who have committed to supporting the Civil Marriage Protection Act, we thank you and ask you to stand strong with us. For those of you who are not yet sure if you can support us, what we ask you for is the opportunity to talk face-to-face about the challenges our families face and how this legislation will help us meet them. What we ask is for the opportunity to protect our families as you would protect yours. Thousands of families headed by same-sex couples need your vote on this legislation. Colleagues, we need you. Please vote yes on Senate Bill 116, the Civil Marriage Protection Act. Vote yes because you know it is the right thing to do. Vote yes because you want to stand on the right side of history. Vote yes because every family in Maryland needs the protections that marriage provides.

Your colleagues,

Luke Clippinger
Bonnie Cullison
Anne Kaiser
Maggie McIntosh
Heather R. Mizeur
Mary Washington

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Six Delegates Make a Direct Plea for Marriage to their Colleagues

Watch this testimony from Dels. Bonnie Cullison, Maggie McIntosh, Mary Washington, Heather Mizeur, Anne Kaiser, and Luke Clippinger.

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District 14 Democratic Team Lit Piece

The District 14 Democratic Team - Senate nominee Karen Montgomery, Delegate Anne Kaiser and Delegate nominees Eric Luedtke and Craig Zucker - is distributing this lit piece for the general election.

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MoCo Primary 2010: House 14 Precinct Results

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Anne Kaiser's Walk Piece

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Anne Kaiser's Sandy Spring Mailer

This mailer, which discusses Paint Branch High School, went out to the southern part of District 14.

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Datt Attack

District 14 House candidate Neeta Datt is going after Delegate Anne Kaiser and her teammate, Craig Zucker, for accepting Bo Newsome onto their slate. She contends that Kaiser and Zucker are “sacrificing core Democratic values for personal political gain” by gathering endorsements from progressive groups and then teaming up with the non-progressive Newsome. Kaiser and Zucker have already taken some heat for choosing to run with Newsome and Datt is trying to capitalize on that to round up some votes.

Following is Datt’s press release.

PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEETA DATT, CANDIDATE FOR DELEGATE FOR DISTRICT 14 EXPOSES CANDIDATES KAISER, NEWSOME & ZUCKER

September 1, 2010

Wheaton, Maryland – At a picnic hosted by the Montgomery County Progressive Alliance on August 28, Neeta Datt, Candidate for Delegate for District 14, told the crowd of approximately 75 people gathered, that candidate Robert Newsome wasn’t a Progressive and that by joining on a slate with him, candidates Anne Kaiser and Craig Zucker were sacrificing core Democratic values for personal political gain.

“Robert Newsome is on the record as opposing a woman’s right to choose, opposing the right of gays and lesbians to marry, and opposing universal health care,” Datt said. “He also supports the death penalty and supports the use of public money for private religious schools. He’s definitely not a Progressive and I have to wonder if he’s really a Democrat.”

Earlier in the campaign, Candidates Anne Kaiser and Craig Zucker formed a slate and courted the endorsements from traditionally more liberal organizations. Only after they had received these endorsements, did they add Robert Newsome to their slate. Said Datt, “they knew they wouldn’t have received these endorsements with Mr. Newsome on the slate. It was a calculated political manipulation intended to deceive the endorsing organizations and voters alike. These are not the type of leaders we want to send to Annapolis. We need leaders who will stand on principle and who won’t compromise their values regardless of the circumstances.”

Asked later what prompted her to make these statements, Datt explained, “I believe in transparency. The voters deserve to know who they are voting for. The voters deserve to know who they can really trust and who is a principled leader. The voters deserve to be represented by leaders with integrity. So, the voters deserve to have the information they need to make a fully-informed decisions. All I did was give them information by stating the facts.”

For More Information Contact:

Shuchi Batra, Esq.
Media Director
Friends of Neeta Datt
batra@sbatralaw.com

Cathy Greene, Esq.
Campaign Director
Friends of Neeta Datt
cgreene40@msn.com

Neeta Datt, Candidate, Delegate for District 14
Friends of Neeta Datt

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Primaries to Watch V, Part Two

By Marc Korman and Adam Pagnucco.

Here are races Eight and Seven!

8. District 14 Delegate Open Seat
Previous Rank: #8

Marc
Incumbent Anne Kaiser and 2002 candidate Craig Zucker are widely considered locks for two of the three Delegate seats. Zucker should probably be sweating a little just because of the uncertainty created by two open seats.

For the third seat, the crystal ball is a little cloudy. Eric Luedtke continues to chug along with door knocking and many solid endorsements. I have heard anecdotally that Jodi Finkelstein is impressing lots of people, including the Washington Post of course. Bo Newsome’s campaign had a late and real slow start, but benefits from being on the slate of incumbents plus Zucker.

It is hard to say with any certainty who breaks through here. I give the edge to Luedtke who started early when he was planning a State Senate run and is hitting so many doors, but I am probably biased.

Full disclosure, I donated to Kaiser, Luedtke, and Zucker. Neeta Datt’s son and I attended high school together. I have volunteered for Luedtke and Kaiser.

Adam
Kaiser is definitely a lock. Zucker has been a smart pick for nearly a year. Of the remaining candidates, Luedtke has the best combination of money (although not much), endorsements, door-knocking and mail. Bo Newsome may be technically on a slate with Rona Kramer, Kaiser and Zucker, but they are effectively letting him sink or swim on his own. The other candidates’ financial performances are truly woeful. One candidate whose fundraising record is unknown is Vanessa Ali, who never sent in her August 10 report and has racked up $150 in late fees.


7. District 14 State Senate Challenge
Previous Rank: #5

Marc
From where I am sitting, which is far, far away from District 14, Delegate Karen Montgomery is not picking up the momentum she needs to topple Rona Kramer despite a steady stream of door knocking. The incumbent State Senator is taking Montgomery seriously, has formed a full slate, and has the full-throated support of Ike Leggett and others as a result. To win, the challenger will need to rapidly amp up her campaign to try and demonstrate why Kramer is out of touch with primary voters.

Adam
Both candidates are working hard at crunch time. Both are mailing, both are knocking and both have allies. The unions have stepped up to help Montgomery with the first of what could be multiple independent mailers, but Kramer can always write checks to herself to counter them.

Kramer is holding an ace that has not yet been seen. It is widely known that Montgomery was in China during the critical 2007 special session and missed votes on tax hikes, slots and the budget. But it appears that she missed the 2006 special session too. She was recorded as having an “excused absence” on the only two bills to make it to the House floor during that session: a bill to crack down on sex offenders and a bill to limit increases in electricity rates. Given the recent problems with Pepco, that latter missed vote could make for a damaging mailer.

Our informants are split down the middle on this contest and many are calling it a toss-up. But when the incumbent holds the money advantage, these kinds of races usually go in their favor.

More tomorrow!

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Anne Kaiser's Brighton Woods Mailer

This mailer went out to the northern section of District 14, where the Girl Scouts' Camp Brighton Woods is located. Anne's photo with the scouts is hands down the cutest picture of this cycle!

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First Independent Expenditure in District 14

The mailer below was produced by Progressive Maryland, the Maryland League of Conservation Voters and SEIU Local 500. It promotes Senate candidate Karen Montgomery, Delegate Anne Kaiser and Delegate candidates Craig Zucker and Eric Luedtke. It also goes after Rona Kramer. Interestingly, the groups refer to Kaiser and Zucker as a part of their "progressive team" despite their membership on a slate with Kramer.

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Anne Kaiser's First Mailer

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Door Knocking Can be Hazardous to Your Health

This is Delegate Anne Kaiser's car. Or, more accurately, this was Delegate Anne Kaiser's car. Kaiser was out door knocking on Sunday when the storm hit. She took refuge in her car to wait it out, but unfortunately, a giant tree branch had the same idea. Kaiser's lap was full of broken glass but at least the branch did not make it all the way in.

Next time a storm blows through, could someone tell nearby trees that Kaiser has been endorsed by both the Sierra Club and the Maryland League of Conservation Voters?

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Primaries to Watch IV, Part Two

By Marc Korman and Adam Pagnucco.

Here are races Eight and Seven!

8. District 14 Delegate Open Seats
Previous Rank: #8

Marc
The dust is still settling in District 14 where eight candidates are running for three seats. The safe money seems to be on two term incumbent Anne Kaiser returning to Annapolis. She even worked hard in 2006 when there was little primary suspense. Confidence is high for Craig Zucker as well, who is slating with Kaiser and State Senator Rona Kramer.

As I wrote previously, there has been a strong push for an African American candidate in District 14 (Ike Leggett’s home district). Kramer, Kaiser, and Zucker are adding 2006 County Council candidate Bo Newsome to their team. Newsome received 7.56% of the vote in District 14 when he ran for Council, a distant sixth. Though he did do better in District 14 than he did Countywide, where he registered 5.91%. However, Newsome did get the Washington Post endorsement and ran what was considered a credible campaign. Being on the slate will be a big boost for Newsome, but it does not give him a free pass by all of the other candidates in the field.

Those other candidates are led so far by Eric Luedtke. Luedtke has been running hard for months, bringing home endorsements, and most importantly knocking on lots and lots of doors. Others in the field include Jodi Finkelstein, Vanessa Ali, Neeta Datt, and Gerald Roper.

Full disclosure, I donated to Kaiser, Luedtke, and Zucker. Neeta Datt’s son and I attended high school together.

Adam
Kaiser and Zucker are going to win, so the question in this race applies to the remaining Delegate seat. I am a bit puzzled about why Kaiser and Zucker chose to align with Newsome. It makes sense for Rona Kramer, who would like to have African-American votes in her race against Karen Montgomery. It also looks like payback by Kramer against Eric Luedtke, who briefly explored a run against Kramer last fall. But Kaiser and Zucker do not need Newsome, or even a slate of any kind, to win. And since Luedtke is a favored son of many parts of the county’s progressive community, there has been pushback against what is perceived by some as an attempt to keep him out of Annapolis.

But in the end, the slate’s actions probably don’t matter all that much. Luedtke has the endorsements and is doing the work necessary to win. The other third-seat Delegate candidates have not put together solid campaigns yet and it’s getting late – maybe too late.

7. District 19 Delegate Open Seats
Previous Rank: #6

Marc
With Delegate Ben Kramer opting for reelection, District 19 had to settle for two open seats. Most of the five non-incumbents running have been hustling for months. Hustle is what they will have to do from now until September 14th. There is no favorite in this race and each candidate brings their own strengths and weaknesses.

If I had to give one candidate the edge, it would probably be Sam Arora due to his resources and door knocking thus far. I do not live in District 19, but I have not heard of any of the challengers doing as much as Arora yet. That said, Cullison and Hutchins have the Apple Ballot and Hoan Dang has been out and about for months. If you live in District 19, expect to hear your doorbell a lot.

Full disclosure, I donated to Sam Arora.

Adam
Ben Kramer will go back to the statehouse because of his name recognition from last year’s special election, his twin base in Leisure World and Kemp Mill, his famous surname and his family fortune. That leaves three competitive candidates for two seats.

Bonnie Cullison has lots of endorsements, is the only woman in the race other than late filer Vivian Scretchen and is a good speaker with a personality that should appeal to voters. She is the only candidate in the district who can claim to be a leader on the county’s number one issue – education. Her campaign took a long time to come together but we hear she is now out on the doors. Additionally, MCEA will be heavily invested in sending its former President to Annapolis. Jay Hutchins is a very likable person with a good biography and lots of endorsements, including the Apple Ballot. But some think he is not yet working hard enough to fend off Sam “Hunk of the Hill” Arora, who is coming on with a real head of steam. Arora has bundles of money, a whole bunch of campaign savvy and is out-hustling everybody. Any two of these three could win. One question still lingers: how will the intensely competitive Senate race affect the Delegate race?

More tomorrow!

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Delegate Anne Kaiser Announces Campaign Kickoff

District 14 has two open Delegate seats, but no one believes that Delegate Anne Kaiser is in any danger. She is the district's most popular and effective state legislator. But Kaiser is taking nothing for granted. She is running on a slate with Senator Rona Kramer and Delegate candidate Craig Zucker and has scheduled a campaign kickoff event headlined by County Executive Ike Leggett. Following is her announcement.

The pleasure of your company and the honor of your support is requested at the

Eighth Annual Jazz Reception & Dinner & Election Kick-off

In honor of
Delegate Anne Kaiser

Featuring the Dave Cosby Trio

With special guest:

The Honorable Isiah “Ike” Leggett
COUNTY EXECUTIVE, MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Thursday, June Third
TWO THOUSAND TEN
SIX THIRTY TO EIGHT THIRTY IN THE EVENING

The Olney Theatre
2001 OLNEY SANDY SPRING ROAD
OLNEY, MD

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS: $1,000
PLATINUM: $500
GOLD: $250
SILVER: $150
BRONZE: $75

NAME
ADDRESS
PHONE
E-MAIL
NUMBER OF GUESTS (INCLUDING YOU)
THE FAVOR OF A REPLY IS REQUESTED BY JUNE 1.
REMIT CHECKS PAYABLE TO KAISER FOR DELEGATE TO:
3100 NORTH LEISURE WORLD BOULEVARD, SUITE 501, SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND 20906.
FOR DIRECTIONS, PLEASE CALL: 301-890-4422.
BY AUTHORITY: KAISER FOR DELEGATE, DOUG WALLICK, CHAIR; MARIAN KAISER, TREASURER.

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Kramer, Kaiser and Zucker Form Slate in District 14

Senator Rona Kramer, Delegate Anne Kaiser and Delegate candidate Craig Zucker have announced that they are running as a team in District 14. Kramer faces a challenge by Delegate Karen Montgomery. The remaining Delegate seat being vacated by Herman Taylor has attracted MCEA Board Member Eric Luedtke and possibly more candidates who have yet to announce. County Executive Ike Leggett, who lives in District 14, has endorsed the slate.

Following is the slate's press release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, May 17, 2010

State Senator Rona Kramer, Delegate Anne Kaiser and Candidate Craig Zucker Form District 14 Leadership Team
Slate Receives Endorsement of Montgomery County Executive Isiah “Ike” Leggett

(Olney, MD) -- Today, State Senator Rona Kramer (Democrat-Olney), Delegate Anne Kaiser (Democrat-Burtonsville) and candidate Craig Zucker (Democrat-Brookeville) announced the formation of a District 14 legislative slate called the District 14 Leadership Team.

“We are looking forward to working as a team to make sure District 14 gets the resources and representation it needs and deserves,” said the candidates in a joint statement.

Each member of the Leadership Team has pledged to protect working families, businesses, and community priorities throughout the district. Senator Kramer and Delegate Kaiser provide strong leadership in Annapolis with their positions on two powerful committees. Senator Kramer serves on the powerful Budget and Taxation Committee and Delegate Kaiser on the House Ways and Means Committee. Zucker also brings a wealth of experience to the team as the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Maryland Comptroller.

“I am proud to support this group of outstanding individuals. The District 14 Leadership Team has the talent, experience, and vision that we need during these difficult economic times. They will provide strong leadership for the people of District 14,” said Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett.

“Our communities will benefit by having Rona Kramer, Anne Kaiser and Craig Zucker representing District 14 in Annapolis,” said Joy Turner, Sandy Spring activist.

Maryland’s 14th legislative District is comprised of the communities of: Ashton, Brinklow, Brookeville, Burtonsville, Calverton, Cloverly, Colesville, Damascus, Fairland, Goshen, Laytonsville, Montgomery Village, Olney, Sandy Spring, Silver Spring, Spencerville and Sunshine.

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:

Senator Rona Kramer
Rona Kramer has been in the Maryland Senate since 2003. She serves on the Budget and Taxation Committee, (capital budget subcommittee; past chair and current member pensions subcommittee; public safety, transportation & environment subcommittee), Joint Audit Committee, Executive Nominations Committee, Spending Affordability Committee.

She has been successful in the passage of many bills to protect senior citizens throughout Maryland, as well as, environmental protections, individual rights, and support for those with developmental disabilities.

Raised in Montgomery County, she attended Kennedy High School; University of Maryland, College Park, B.A., 1976; University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D., 1979.

Growing up in a family committed to public service, Senator Kramer has been a dedicated community activist her entire adult life, with the following as some of the organizations in which she has been and is still, involved: President, Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce; President, Shopping Center Management Association; Chair, Montgomery County Police and Fire/Rescue Awards Program; Board of Trustees, Montgomery College of Art and Design; Board of Trustees, Graffiti Abatement Partnership; Board of Trustees, Montgomery County Friends of the Library; Precinct chair and area coordinator, Montgomery County Democratic Party; and the Wheaton Revitalization Strategy Committee.
Website: www.ronakramer.com

Delegate Anne Kaiser
Anne Kaiser, 42, is proud to serve in the Maryland House of Delegates, representing the 14th Legislative District.

A lifelong county resident, Anne graduated from Rockville High School, earned her B.A. in Political Science from the University of Chicago and two Masters Degrees from the University of Michigan.

During eight years in the legislature, Kaiser has been the prime sponsor of 32 bills that are now law, primarily dealing with education policy and tax policy.

Kaiser, a member of the Ways & Means Committee, serves as chair of the Education Subcommittee. In that role, Kaiser led the debate on major legislative initiatives for the Governor, the Speaker of the House and our school teachers. Additionally, Anne has other leadership responsibilities including chair of the County Affairs Committee for the Montgomery County Delegation and the Joint Committee on Children, Youth and Families. She also serves as a chief deputy whip.

Anne has been active in the community for 20 years, holding leadership positions as Chair of the Mid-County Citizens’ Advisory Board, Co-Coordinator of the Montgomery County Women's Fair and as an elected member of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee. She is a lifetime member of Tikvat Israel Congregation in Rockville.
Website: www.annekaiser.com

Craig Zucker
Craig Zucker, 35, is proud to be an independent minded Democratic candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates in the 14th Legislative District.

Craig has spent more than 15 years in public service. He currently serves as Deputy Chief of Staff to Maryland State Comptroller Peter Franchot. Prior to joining the Comptroller’s Office, Craig was Director of Maryland Home Care for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). While there, he helped to improve the lives of the more than 5,000 home health care workers throughout Maryland by securing their first wage increase since 1986.

He has been involved in many community and political organizations including the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee, the Olney Theatre Center, Project Change (Olney) and the Board of Governors for the Chelsea School. Craig also served on the Mid-County Recreation Advisory Board and as a member of the Carl M. Freeman F.A.C.E.S. Advisory Board. Craig currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Manna Food Center.

Craig earned his undergraduate Degree from St. Thomas Aquinas College and his Masters Degree in Government from the Johns Hopkins University. He lives in Brookeville with his wife Jenny, and his son Benjamin.
Website: www.craigzucker.com

By Auth: Friends of Rona Kramer, Douglas E. Metz, Treasurer
By Auth: Kaiser for Delegate, Alison Praisner Klumpp Chair; Marian Kaiser, Treasurer
By Auth: Friends of Craig Zucker, Warren Fleming Chair; Jennifer Zucker, Treasurer

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Delegate Anne Kaiser's End of Session Letter

Delegate Anne Kaiser (D-14) sent the following end of session letter to her constituents.

April 2010

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

At midnight on April 12, the Maryland General Assembly finished its annual 90-day legislative session. You send me to Annapolis to represent District 14 and Montgomery County and to be a levelheaded voice for our common values in our state’s citizen legislature. I have proudly served our community in the House of Delegates for eight years.

Did you know that nearly 110,000 people reside in District 14? Our district includes the communities of: Ashton, Brinklow, Brookeville, Burtonsville, Calverton, Cloverly, Colesville, Damascus, Laytonsville, Olney, Sandy Spring as well as parts of Silver Spring and West Laurel.

With each passing year, my knowledge and understanding of the nuances of our state government deepen. I think it’s fair to say that a richer understanding of state government has resulted in my having more influence on the legislative process. This is especially true in the field of education policy which I will tell you more about a little later on.

Maryland’s State Budget: Smaller Than It Used To Be

First, though -- I want to tell you about some of the important issues we debated and what the results of those debates may mean to you and your family. The most important issue on Governor Martin O’Malley’s plate this year was to balance the state budget as our state Constitution requires. This was by no means an easy task, given the state of the national economy.

Fortunately, by working together, Governor O’Malley and the legislature were able to protect our state’s long-term priorities: education, health care and the environment.

Some people view these issues as if they are on the “liberal” side of the political spectrum, but really, I see them as fundamental issues that affect our entire community and contribute to our collective quality of life. Sometimes I wonder what kind of society we would have if we didn’t care about public education, people’s ability to pay their health insurance premiums, or clean air and water.

I think it’s important to point out, while we were able to modestly invest in some of our shared priorities, Governor O’Malley’s last two budgets were actually smaller than the budgets finalized by his predecessor.

Hire Employees, Earn State Tax Credits

In addition to voting for the balanced budget, I was proud to co-sponsor Governor O’Malley’s job creation tax credit bill that will give a $5,000 tax credit to businesses that hire people who are unemployed. Our Governor also spearheaded extending unemployment insurance benefits for people who are feeling the pressure from the global economic recession.

These tax credits are available starting in May of this year. For more information, visit the Department of Business and Economic Development website at www.choosemaryland.org.

Montgomery County Projects, Montgomery County Benefits, Montgomery County Jobs

We all know that construction projects bring a host of benefits to our community. And that’s why I supported funding for Camp Brighton Woods in Brookeville. It is a fantastic and beautiful 60 acre campground dedicated to providing recreational and educational activities for more than 9,000 girls every year.

I am proud to have introduced legislation for the Girl Scouts at Camp Brighton Woods. They will be receiving $140,000 in state funds to allow them to increase capacity by one third -- allowing more than 12,000 girls the same opportunities as their neighbors, as well as preserving woodland and providing more than 60 new jobs.

Community initiatives, such as this, are tied to an organization’s goals and their ability to match those funds. Together, Senator Rona Kramer and Delegates Karen Montgomery and Herman Taylor and I were successful in getting other local projects funded including: $100,000 for the Sandy Spring Museum and $55,000 for the Maydale Nature Center.

Public Education: Maryland Rocks, But Not For All Students

As you may know, three years ago, the Speaker of the House of Delegates (the guy with the big gavel and a whole lot of power) appointed me to be Chair of the Education Subcommittee. Basically, any proposed legislation that has anything to do with K-12 education must come through the Education Subcommittee.

As chair of the subcommittee, it’s my responsibility to weigh the pros and cons of proposed legislation and help the subcommittee fully examine the issue.

To provide effective leadership, I call upon the knowledge of advocates, experts and informed citizens. Once a proposed bill has enough votes to pass out of the Ways and Means Committee -- the Speaker relies on me to explain and defend the bill during full legislative sessions, when the 141 members meet together to publicly debate bills. That means that I must be knowledgeable on a myriad of education issues and understand their direct and immediate impact on schools, school budgets, teachers and students.

This year many of the top priorities of the state came through my subcommittee, including several bills introduced by the Governor to strengthen our already excellent public school system; a bill from the Speaker to address gangs in schools; and a bill strongly favored by teachers to level the playing field when they bargain with school systems during labor negotiations. I also played a key role in dealing directly with a bill that affected the Montgomery County Public Schools.

I was particularly proud to defend the Governor’s Education Reform Act, the centerpiece of his education reform efforts, which will enhance the teaching profession by making teachers more accountable and creating incentives for teachers to work in low performing schools. And, best of all, it puts Maryland in the running for $250 million in federal dollars!

Data…It’s All The Rage

Fundamentally, I believe that good, accurate data form the foundation of sound public policy decisions. Data let us know whether an idea that was implemented is working the way we thought it would.

It’s simple: good data make great policy choices easier.

Over the past several years, our state legislature has invested in Maryland’s educational data system. Last session, the Governor signed three bills (two of which I introduced) that established a data system to capture and synthesize data about teachers, courses and class sizes. But… what good is data if we don’t have the ability to crunch it and learn from it?

Complementing his Education Reform Act, he introduced and passed a landmark data collection bill, with me as his lead co-sponsor. This bill will establish a seamless data system from pre-kindergarten through post-college.

This data system will give new tools to teachers to track the individual growth and achievement of students as they progress from kindergarten through college. And -- ultimately -- it will ensure that we are spending our tax dollars wisely and enhancing our world-class education system.

Helping Parents Have A Seat At The Decision Table

In addition to chairing the Education Subcommittee -- I was also able to push through a number of my own bills dealing with education issues.

The legislature passed a proposal of mine that will help parents with children who have challenging educational issues. This bill requires the schools to provide proper documentation about that child’s educational choices in advance of required meetings with the school. This new law will ensure that parents are full partners in their child’s education. Parents must be able to have a stronger, more prominent role and not leave these important choices solely up to the schools.

I also believe in creativity and new ideas -- that is why I sponsored a bill requiring the State Board of Education to study alternative scheduling models including extended year, year–round schooling as well as other alternatives to our current practices in education. It’s quite possible that these alternative models of education may prove more successful for some students. Why not look into it? The Governor will sign this bill into law in the coming weeks.

And while I am so proud of Maryland for being ranked as having the top public schools in the nation two years in a row by Education Week magazine, you and I both know that we’re not number one for all students -- and in some ways, that’s a failure for all of us. Hopefully, these new legislative initiatives will have a positive impact on this discrepancy.

Your Ideas Sometimes Become Maryland Law

One of my favorite aspects of public office is hearing from constituents about the ideas they have about how the legislature can correct a gap in the law, address an issue or re-think an old law from yesteryear. And while the two bills I’m about to tell you about didn’t pass this year, I have passed several initiatives that were originally suggested by District 14 residents.

So, if you have any good ideas, please let me know. I am all ears!

I sponsored a bill to make it easier and more consistent for families to pay for their children to study abroad during college. I think that college students who get Educational Assistance Grants should absolutely be allowed to keep receiving their grant money even when they temporarily “transfer” to a foreign university for a specific study abroad program for a semester. Unfortunately, that’s not the law of the land right now, but hopefully it will be when I reintroduce it next year. Thanks to Steven Overly, from Olney, for bringing this issue to my attention.

High performing schools also have high-performing teachers…but they also need high-performing substitute teachers. That’s why I introduced a bill to establish uniform standards for subs. The reality is that we don’t really know a whole lot about the people serving as our substitute teachers. I intend to reintroduce the legislation next year as well. Thanks to Jim Politis, a retired school teacher from Laytonsville, for his knowledge and testimony on this issue.

A Little Election Law Mixed In There

With the 2010 election just six months away, I am delighted that I was successful this year in passing legislation to address election law gaps.

One enhancement we have made is to increase the disclosure requirements for political contributions to ballot initiatives. Beginning this election cycle, all contributions over a certain threshold will have to be publicly disclosed. The point is to increase transparency, accountability and fairness. We have a right to know how ballot initiative campaigns are funded and by whom.

In Closing…

It is my pleasure and honor to represent our communities in the Maryland General Assembly. As a citizen legislator, I would not be as successful without your guidance and I thank each one of you for your calls, e-mails and letters.

I wish you a happy and healthy spring and summer full of friends, family, baseball games and lacrosse matches. Bring on the warm weather! If I can ever be of service to you, please call on me.

Sincerely,

Anne R. Kaiser

p.s. I am proud to bring an extra piece of home to my office, by including a painting by renowned artist, Greg Mort.

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MD Del's Bill Frick and Anne Kaiser on "Political Pulse" on Ch. 16 TV‏

Maryland State Delegates Bill Frick (D. 16) and Anne Kaiser (D. 14) will be on the "Political Pulse" political talk show on:

Thurs, March 11th at 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sun. March 12th-14th, at 6:00 p.m. and
Tues, March 16th, at 9:30 p.m.

Topics that will be discussed include some of the education, budget and tax issues that are currently being debated in the on-going Maryland 90-day Legislative Session.

Political Pulse is on Channel 16 TV in Montgomery County.

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