Commentary

Twenty-nine years ago, as a Justice Department lawyer advocating the U.S. Attorney General’s position in an immigration case, I stood before a distinguished panel of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and argued in favor of a man’s deportation from the United States. The man in that case was the recipient of a probation before judgment, entered by a Maryland state court judge. Even though he was not considered to have a conviction under Maryland law, I persuaded the court that he still stood convicted under federal law. In Maryland criminal cases, first-time offenders and individuals charged with minor offenses are often given “probation before judgment,” wherein they are not convicted but rather given a period of probation.

The war in Afghanistan is over, but 2022 will mark 19 years of American troops in Iraq, 11 in Somalia and seven in Syria. But Maryland House Bill 273, the Defend the Guard Act, can help address these undeclared wars by demanding that Congress reclaim its war powers, restore accountability and ensure Maryland’s National Guard serves our communities. Defend the Guard is part of a veteran-led nonpartisan effort that includes similar legislation introduced in more than 40 states.

Having recently completed my 40th year as a card-carrying journalist, I feel compelled to share the one small nugget of wisdom I have gleaned from all those misspent hours hanging out with mayors, governors, legislators and other ne’er-do-wells of elected office. They are not all the same. This will shock some of you, I know, but like other human beings, they range from truly nice people to miserable jerks. This is not a matter of political viewpoint, age or gender. Awful people come in all shapes and sizes and party affiliations. But here’s the question: Can you spot them?

Legislators are frequent targets of social media attacks, harsh critiques and general unpleasantness. Accordingly, when legislators get something clearly right, we are obliged to take the time to offer praise. One area in which legislators have been getting it more right than wrong in Maryland is clean energy, especially with respect to the growing pervasiveness of offshore wind and attendant investments in our economy. In 2019, the state passed the Clean Energy Jobs Act by decisive, veto-proof margins of 95-40 in the House of Delegates and 31-15 in the Senate. That set the stage for the clean energy revolution we are now experiencing.

President Biden has declared January as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Yet, some of the worst government-sanctioned human rights abuses are committed against child trafficking and sex crime victims right here in the United States. I was in elementary school and only 11 years old when I met the man who robbed me of my childhood. Coming from a home and community where drugs and abuse were the norm, I was an easy target for a man with sinister intentions.

Legislators are frequent targets of social media attacks, harsh critiques and general unpleasantness. Accordingly, when legislators get something clearly right, we are obliged to take the time to offer praise. One area in which legislators have been getting it more right than wrong in Maryland is clean energy, especially with respect to the growing pervasiveness of offshore wind and attendant investments in our economy.

Every year, scores of Marylanders make New Year’s resolutions, especially to improve their health and wealth. In fact, 55% of Americans plan to make health-related New Year’s resolutions this year, while 53% have vowed to improve their financial well-being, according to a recent UnitedHealthcare survey. What are the most common resolutions for 2022? Among people making health resolutions, the survey found that 26% hope to lose weight, 24% are planning to exercise more and 21% intend to eat a healthier diet.