My 2023 End of Session Letter to Constituents.

April 19, 2023

It is a privilege to serve you in the Maryland House of Delegates. The 2023 Legislative Session came to a close at Midnight on April 11. The legislative session, as it always does, includes both wins and losses. During the last election, I spent countless hours door-knocking constituents' homes. While many politicians focus on polling, there is no substitute for hearing someone's views in their own words when they open their doors! Constituents told me about several issues of concern, such as the high cost of living, violent crime, the deterioration of our education system, and the overall direction our State and our country were heading. Constituents were also frustrated by lip service from politicians who said all the right things to get elected but did the opposite once elected. I want you to know that your concerns were voiced throughout this entire legislative session. My commitment to uphold and fight for our shared values and beliefs was unwavering. As your representative, it is my duty to ensure you are kept informed and up to date. Below I outline several bills which have the potential to both help and harm our quality of life. I will explain each and include how I voted and the significance of its passage or failure.

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

HB 233/SB 226 - Criminal Law - Child Pornography - Accessing and Intentionally Viewing

This bill was a priority legislation from our group of Conservative Republicans and probably was our biggest win of the session. The legislation closes the loophole in the law that makes it legal to view child pornography by streaming video. The current law in Maryland is that while downloading child pornography is illegal, streaming and viewing is not. This bill languished in committee for nearly 80 days as the Judiciary Committee seemed reluctant to move it. After enormous public pressure was applied, the bill was finally voted out of the committee. Though the House Bill did not make it, the Senate Cross-file passed and is on the Governor's desk for a signature. I voted YES.

SB1 - Criminal Law - Wearing, Carrying, or Transporting Firearms - Restrictions

Maryland has made a determined and oppressive attempt to reclaim its authority after the Supreme Court Bruen ruling abolished the State's restrictions on concealed carry. The legislation was revised just before its public hearing, leaving people with no time to read it or provide meaningful input. This bill is a de facto gun ban. It violates Second Amendment rights by creating a gun-free zone across Maryland. It carves out certain areas, such as schools, hospitals, and any place serving alcohol, where it is always unlawful for permit holders to carry firearms. It also prohibits wearing, carrying, or transporting firearms on private property and public accommodations without express consent. Penalties for violations are severe even when no crime has occurred. I voted NO. The bill passed but will indeed be challenged in court.

HB 750 - Gun Theft Felony Act of 2023

After several failed attempts in recent years, Republicans are still trying to pass a critical piece of legislation that would make stealing firearms a felony. Unfortunately, despite our persistent efforts, this bill could not reach the Floor for consideration.

Click the READ MORE link below!

Is it fair for 2 million Marylanders who still believe in Freedom, Transparency, and the Representative Republic to have their voices silenced?

Let's be honest here. Mr. Kurtz is not alone by any stretch of the imagination. But, unfortunately, it is an overwhelming belief held by many in the Legacy Media during our 90-Day Session in Annapolis.

Here is what he wrote on April 13, 2023, that was printed in MarylandMatters.org

As for legislative Republicans, who increasingly eat up floor time, especially in the House, to chant MAGA bromides, perhaps it's time to dispense with feel-good rants about trans health and Communist China and parental rights, which are destined to go nowhere in a legislature with Democratic supermajorities and attempt to shine a light on the clubby and corrosive practices that continue to define Annapolis.

Not to be the skunk at the garden party or anything…

Then Mr. Kurtz followed up that masterpiece with this article. https://www.marylandmatters.org/2023/04/14/winners-and-losers/

Here was the response from a few of us in the Maryland House of Delegates that still believe in defending our Constituents, Freedom, and a Transparent process. We also knew we were the Republican Legislators he felt should just shut up and be run over!

PRESS RELEASE
April 18, 2023

One Party Politics is Destroying Maryland

In an April 13 editorial, Maryland Matters founding editor Josh Kurtz compares himself to a skunk in a garden party. We completely agree and would like to praise his self-reflection! He felt compelled to tell Republicans they take up too much floor time in a state where we ironically spend 92% of our time passing Democrat-sponsored legislation. Protecting parental rights and combating child genital mutilation or castration are crucial causes, not just "feel-good rants." We invite Mr. Kurtz and other confused progressives to venture outside their echo chambers and join the rest of us in the purple and red parts of Maryland. 

It is not in the best interest of taxpayers and citizens if we sit down and shut up, and we, therefore, have no intention of complying with Mr. Kurtz's request. We were not elected to remain silent.

In Montgomery County, an area considered progressive and open-minded, parents are disturbed by the unfitting instruction taught in Pre-K. It is utterly outrageous that four- and five-year-olds must learn gender-fluid theories in their curriculum. Similarly, Baltimore County residents express intense anger about introducing elementary school children to explicit sexual acts! Parents and teachers have pleaded for us to stand against this questionable teaching method. We cannot let this madness continue! 

It would be remarkable if Annapolis journalists acknowledged the sharp rise in homicides across Maryland's inner cities and why there is an apparent lack of consideration for crime bills. Additionally, wouldn't it be refreshing to have honest coverage about all the legislators recently accused of misconduct or felonies?

Are you concerned about the quality of education? We have heavily funded schools yet still can't get out of their slump - with Fox 45 being one exception to this prevailing silence among Democrats and the traditional press. Governor Wes Moore himself benefited from prestigious private schools while denying the same to the children in the 23 failed Baltimore City schools! Who speaks for students' civil rights in chronically failing and often violent schools? Indeed not the "Press," as they ignore his chummy relationship with the Teachers Union. The Teachers Union and Wes Moore almost killed the BOOST program, the one successful school choice program for disadvantaged kids.

Only Republicans were advocating for the civil rights of these students stuck in drastically inadequate schools. 

We certainly enjoyed the speech by a Democrat Delegate defending Democrat legislators being unruly on the House Floor in Tennessee, where they are the minority party. Days later, it was followed by those trying to silence the minority party in Maryland. Republicans rightly pushed back in the final minutes of the 2023 legislative session as Democrats refused to tell lawmakers and the public what changes were made to a bill that removes probable cause for motorists smoking pot while driving. 

In the closing moments of Sine Die, Republicans stopped the "Drug KingPin" Bill. Astonishingly, Democrats were attempting to reduce criminal punishments for traffickers distributing heroin, fentanyl, and other deadly narcotics that are leading Marylanders to their untimely deaths by the thousands- not to mention how these substances have also resulted in an increase in violent crime and homelessness across communities. You're welcome!

If you prefer single-party rule, then Cuba, China, and California might be the right fit. However, if Maryland is to retain its democratic republic form of government where meaningful dialogue takes place and Republican voices are respected in Annapolis - mutual respect must reign supreme.

We invite you to step out of your high tea garden party. Join us for some Eastern Shore chicken, Southern Maryland crabs, burgers on the grill, and a cold one- no Bud Light.

The Resistance! ~ Republican Delegates Lauren Arikan, Brian Chisholm, Mark Fisher, Robin Grammer, Matt Morgan, Ryan Nawrocki, and Kathy Szeliga

Today is the last day of the 2023 Legislative Session.  There will be much more to come on that topic.  Today I wanted to make you aware of the letter that several other conservative legislators sent to the Department of Justice, the Federal Election Committee, and the Special Prosecutor of the State of Maryland regarding the potential campaign violations of ACT Blue.   

PRESS RELEASE

April 10, 2023

Contact: Louisa Baucom 443-386-5191

MARYLAND LEGISLATORS ASK FOR AN INVESTIGATION INTO POSSIBLE CAMPAIGN FINANCE FRAUD AND MONEY LAUNDERING

Today, Maryland Legislators have sent a letter to State Prosecutor Charlton T. Howard, along with the Federal Election Commission, The Department of Justice, and the Maryland State Board of Elections, requesting an investigation into potential campaign finance irregularities. The allegations stem from a recent video released by James O’Keefe that appears to show massive contribution fraud by individuals in Annapolis.

The video shows individuals asked if they had donated thousands to Act Blue. It alleges that over $200,000 was contributed in the name of one Maryland resident.

The letter urges State Prosecutor Howard to investigate this potential misconduct and take appropriate action against those responsible for wrongdoing. In addition, the legislators emphasize the importance of oversight and accountability in the political process, so they call for a prompt investigation.

"Campaign finance irregularities are a serious matter that cannot be ignored. We must ensure that our political process remains fair and free of corruption, and any individuals responsible for such activities must be held accountable." - Delegate Matt Morgan said

Delegate Kathy Szeliga said, "It is essential that any potential misconduct be properly investigated and addressed. This reminds all elected officials of our obligation to ensure transparency and accountability in the democratic process."

"The data is alarming and needs to be thoroughly investigated to ensure confidence in our elections. Any wrongdoing must be exposed and addressed to the fullest extent of the law," said Delegate Nicholaus Kipke.

The public is encouraged to contact their local representatives with any questions or concerns.

Letter 

April 10, 2023

Charlton T. Howard, III

Maryland State Prosecutor

300 East Joppa Road, Suite 21286

Towson, MD 21286

Office of Inspector General

Federal Election Commission

1050 First Street, NE

Washington, DC 20463

U.S. Department of Justice

950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20530-0001

Maryland State Board of Elections

151 West Street,

Suite 200

Annapolis, MD 21401

Dear State Prosecutor Howard, et al, 

We are writing today to request an investigation of campaign finance irregularities in Maryland. 

We were shocked and concerned to see the recent video from James O’Keefe, which appears to expose massive campaign contribution fraud. The video can be viewed here:

https://youtu.be/RnKCPK_OACc

The people being interviewed have allegedly been used for logging multiple campaign contributions to Act Blue, totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars, yet when asked- these people have said that while they have made some donations, they were sure it was not in the quantity and amount that is recorded on the books. The video shows individuals in Annapolis, Maryland, asked if they had made these donations. In one instance, $217,000.00 was made through twelve thousand separate donations over three years in the name of one Maryland resident. 

If these allegations are true, this represents a serious issue that needs to be quickly resolved. 

It is essential for proper oversight and accountability that this potential misconduct is thoroughly investigated and addressed. We have obtained data that supports the O'Keefe claims, which we will send in a separate and private email.

We urge you to immediately investigate these claims and any other potential campaign finance irregularities. The public has a right to know that the political process remains fair and free of corruption. Moreover, any person responsible for such activities must be held accountable to ensure this kind of misconduct does not happen again. 

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. 

Respectfully,

I want to thank everyone who contacted me to alert me about the James O'Keefe video regarding the hundreds of thousands of dollars in potentially illegal donations to the Democratic fundraising software Act Blue. After seeing the emails and checking out the video, I believe the issue of illegal campaign fundraising was a severe problem requiring swift action. Yesterday, I offered a floor amendment to a Senate bill that required the Special Prosecutor for the State of Maryland to perform a study on campaign donation irregularities. 

Election integrity should be important to both sides of the aisle. Still, sadly, before I could even read the amendment, the Majority Leader accused me of advancing "conspiracy theories" in real-time. Check the video out for yourself:https://youtu.be/GWcst3anZrI

To immediately call the amendment a conspiracy theory without the slightest desire to investigate the allegations is incomprehensible. This knee-jerk reaction is unbelievable, considering the evidence in the original O'Keefe video shows Maryland citizens being utilized to funnel money to Democrat political organizations. View the original video here: https://youtu.be/RnKCPK_OACc

Even though Democrats used their super-majority to vote down the amendment, Republican members and I plan to send an official letter to the state prosecutor requesting an investigation into these campaign finance irregularities. I sincerely hope we can resolve this issue and ensure illegal campaign donations do not corrupt elections. This issue is very concerning, especially when confidence in American elections is very low. We need to do all we can to root out any unlawful activities. 

One week to go in the 2023 Legislative Session, and I want to alert you to an important bill hung up in the judiciary committee for some unknown reason.  HB233 is legislation introduced by a friend of mine, Baltimore County Delegate Robin Grammer (R), and it was one of our priority bills going into this session. The bill stems from a constituent of Delegate Grammer's who had a horrific situation of a relative molesting her daughter. The constituent's relative was fired months earlier for watching child porn while at work. However, since the law has not caught up to the technology, streaming child pornography is not illegal in Maryland, no arrests on those grounds were made, and the mother never knew why her relative was fired. Obviously, if she knew, she wouldn't have left her 6-year-old daughter alone with the relative. This legislation has been in limbo all session, but I understand this bill is on the committee vote sheet for today. It's time to close the MD child porn loophole and throw these creeps in jail. Maryland cannot become a sanctuary for pedophiles.

Read more at the Duck Pin: https://theduckpin.substack.com/p/why-is-luke-clippinger-refusing-to

Recently I asked you to complete a pre-session legislative survey, and I wanted to highlight to you how much these informal surveys help as we fight in Annapolis to be your voice.

The outcome of the newly approved legislation draws attention to how dissimilar today's Democratic Party is with our region's way of life. Here are a few examples of the survey questions, the survey results, and the legislation passed. I added the pertinent bills and amendment links to each of the survey questions so you can see how many people answered for a given issue versus the actual legislation being passed:

Survey Question #5: Maryland's fuel tax is connected to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). As inflation increases, so does our fuel tax. Last year fuel tax went up .07 cents per/gallon of gas. This year the tax is predicted to increase another .07 per/gallon. 

Do you support decoupling Maryland's fuel tax from CPI, which would preemptively stop a fuel tax increase?

Survey Votes

756 - Yes

62 - No

98 - Uncertain

HB 422, the bill I have introduced in the past and once again this year, would have decoupled the Maryland Gas tax from the CPI. While the bill didn't make it to the floor, I offered it as a floor amendment on another bill. The amendment was rejected mostly down party lines.  https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2023RS/votes/house/0319.pdf

Clink the READ MORE link below.

I am very saddened to learn that the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home has dropped to a 1-star rating by Medicaid. I was made aware of this at a meeting on Monday evening with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony Woods. As a result, the State is terminating the contract, and Charlotte Hall will be placed under new stewardship.
Before this meeting, my office had not received complaints about Charlotte Hall Veterans Home for nearly ten years, so news of this surprised me. Unfortunately, many nursing homes have suffered due to the covid precautions over the last few years. By barring access to visitors, the connection between caregivers and family members who usually would bring any issues to light has been profoundly weakened.

The state procurement process can be cumbersome. Still, the Moore Administration, especially Secretary Woods, has a good handle on the situation and a solid plan for going forward.

I support any effort to improve resident care and will continue giving Charlotte Hall my attention.
I have always felt a responsibility to advocate for Charlotte Hall. Only a few years ago, I restored $1 million in funding previously cut from the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home budget from the House Floor. (Link to the video of floor fight.  Link to restoration) I will continue to fight for the necessary funding and resources it needs.

Moreover, I am committed to working with the new stewards of Charlotte Hall Veterans Home and other stakeholders in the community to ensure that its residents receive the services they need and deserve. We should all be doing our part to bring back a safe and healthy environment for the residents of Charlotte Hall Veterans Home. Our veterans deserve nothing less.

Read more on this issue:
https://www.marylandmatters.org/2023/03/16/moore-cancels-contract-following-concerns-of-neglect-and-abuse-at-state-nursing-home-for-veterans/

https://www.marylandmatters.org/2023/03/17/legislators-advocates-express-concern-about-complaints-at-charlotte-hall/