Politics

While two Republicans – an incumbent and a challenger – will be facing off in the July 19 primary as the only two candidates in the race for Harford County state’s attorney, the lack of a Democratic challenger has made the contest no less contentious. The race heated up this week when the Harford County Deputy Sheriff’s Union released a letter saying they had no confidence in current Harford State’s Attorney Albert Peisinger Jr., and that they voted to endorse his challenger, Alison Healey, for the office.

The Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision limiting the EPA’s ability to rein in power plants’ greenhouse gas emissions won’t affect Maryland’s own accelerating emissions reduction goals — but makes such efforts by states all the more important in addressing the threats of climate change, advocates said. “The importance and urgency of Maryland’s actions to fight climate change went up dramatically today,” Maryland League of Conservation Voters Executive Director Kim Coble said.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday sent a constitutional challenge to Maryland’s ban on semiautomatic assault-style weapons back to a lower court with instructions that it apply the justices’ broad interpretation of the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms that they issued last week. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had upheld the ban, saying it promotes Maryland’s goal of protecting public safety without encroaching on what the Supreme Court has held to be the constitutional right of law-abiding citizens to possess handguns for self-defense.

Mayor Brandon Scott on Thursday signed a bill to establish the Baltimore City Police Accountability Board. The signing comes three days after the Baltimore City Council passed the bill. “Proud to sign CB #22-0234 into law this afternoon alongside @MarkConway4th & @Nick_Mosby,” Scott said in a tweet. “This creates a comprehensive mechanism to hold officers accountable, protect our communities, & build trust between police & residents — all things that will help us build a safer Baltimore.”

State Del. Brooke Lierman leads Bowie Mayor Tim Adams in the Democratic race for comptroller, according to a new survey from Goucher College Poll in partnership with The Baltimore Banner and WYPR. Of the 403 Democrats who said they were likely to vote, Lierman has 28% support while Adams has 14% support.

Baltimore is paying $1,394 in travel expenses for each of four Baltimore City Council members to attend the Maryland Association of Counties annual conference in Ocean City for three nights in mid-August. The city’s paying twice as much, $3,008, for the City Council President Nick Mosby, who’s staying an extra night at a pricier place.

A new statewide poll shows a close race between two Frederick County contenders seeking the Republican gubernatorial nomination this year. State Del. Dan Cox had 25% in a Goucher College poll, compared to 22% for Kelly Schulz, a former state secretary of labor and commerce. However, with a margin of error of about 4.8%, the results indicate a statistical tie between the two candidates.

Roy C. McGrath, Gov. Larry Hogan’s former chief of staff, is facing a new federal charge of allegedly falsifying and backdating a document that he said was from the governor about a large severance payment he received from his previous job. Federal prosecutors announced the new charge against McGrath, 52, of Naples, Fla., late Tuesday.