Politics

A long-anticipated list of donors to a legal-defense fund established to benefit Baltimore political power couple Nick and Marilyn Mosby became public Wednesday — minus the names of the more than 130 donors. The list, which was released by a public information officer for the Baltimore Board of Ethics, was expected to offer a public accounting of who donated to the fund. It was established in 2021 to benefit the Mosbys in the midst of a federal investigation into their financial dealings. Nick Mosby wasn’t charged; his wife is awaiting trial.

A bipartisan consensus that Congress should act to toughen regulations on railroads emerged Wednesday as senators heard fresh testimony on the fiery hazardous train derailment last month on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. Both Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Commerce Committee peppered Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw with questions about what enhanced safety measures he would support. At times they aggressively questioned the CEO of one of the nation’s largest railroads on what could be done to prevent future derailments like the one that has upended life in the Ohio village of East Palestine.

Public outreach is a priority for the new Board of Carroll County Commissioners, sworn into office Dec. 5. Board members, who marked their first 100 days in office March 16, are holding town hall meetings in their respective districts to educate residents and learn their concerns. Commissioners’ President Ed Rothstein, the only commissioner in his second term, has been holding town halls quarterly since first elected. Rothstein said he’s pleased his colleagues are following his lead and holding their own town halls.

The General Assembly is considering expanding the state’s program for providing legal counsel to low-income tenants facing eviction to include needy homeowners facing foreclosure. Under proposed legislation, the Maryland Legal Services Corp. would administer the Access to Counsel in Foreclosure Proceedings Program, which would provide free legal representation from the homeowner’s receipt of the notice of intent to foreclose through a first appeal.

Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater shared a report on Monday that outlined what her administration will prioritize for the county in the next four years. Since the formation of Fitzwater’s transition team in December, more than 130 people were part of eight committees that explored and offered recommendations for economic development and jobs in Frederick County, education and workforce development, government innovation and more.

The Montgomery County Council voted 9-2 Tuesday to approve a position to focus on expanding broadband access countywide, including in rural areas. Sources in County Executive Marc Elrich’s office said that he will submit former County Councilmember Craig Rice (D-Dist. 2) for the position; his appointment, which requires council confirmation, has not been announced publicly yet.

Baltimore City Council President Nick Mosby closed a nearly yearlong saga over a legal-defense fund formed in his name by complying with a Board of Ethics order. The order, issued in May after the board found Mosby violated city law, directed the council president to accept no payments from the fund and to ask organizers to stop raising money on his behalf. Mosby was also ordered to request from the fund a list of all donors and donations for the ethics board.

Lawmakers in the Maryland General Assembly weighed dozens of education-related legislation this session ahead of Monday’s deadline for the two chambers to pass bills to each other. Bills passed to either the House or Senate before the cutoff, referred to as “crossover day,” face fewer hurdles to becoming law during the remaining 90 days of the session.