Politics

Maryland comptroller and current Democratic gubernatorial candidate Peter Franchot talked to C4 and Bryan Nehman about his gas tax holiday proposal that is planned to be signed within the next two days. “One of the offshoots of the unbelievable invasion of Ukraine is that gas prices are spiking,” Franchot said Franchot, who is also the chair of the revenue estimating committee, said his idea of a gas tax holiday came from wanting to help Marylanders amid the rising costs and cited the surplus as a way to help pay for the holiday.

Voters in Maryland support legalizing recreational marijuana by a 2-to-1 margin, a new poll from Goucher College found, including majorities of Republicans, Democrats and independents alike. The finding largely confirms previous polls, which have shown steadily rising support for allowing the legal sale of the drug, and bodes well for a proposed referendum on legalizing recreational marijuana for adults that’s been backed by Speaker Adrienne A. Jones and other lawmakers in the General Assembly.

The death of three city firefighters while on duty at a vacant house fire in January put the spotlight on Baltimore’s housing problem. On Friday, Mayor Brandon Scott’s administration directed millions of dollars toward blight prevention, by creating affordable housing initiatives and implementing a number of vacancy recommendations. Scott’s plan for getting rid of vacant homes includes ways to make more affordable housing in communities like the ones here in Park Heights.

The government on Friday filed documents saying the court should deny Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby’s request to have all charges dropped. The basis of the government’s argument to dismiss the motion claims the arguments are factually untrue. “The defendant’s motion to dismiss and to disqualify counsel are a mishmash of unsupported allegations, inaccuracies, misstatements and baseless personal attacks,” the court document reads.

When Wes Moore, a Democratic candidate for Maryland governor, raised over $4 million and topped a crowded primary field in fundraising last year, the campaign tapped into millions in out-of-state contributions to help build its foundation. Along with the out-of-state funding, Moore, a political newcomer, raised more money than any candidate from Maryland donors, propelling his campaign to be one of the most well-financed in the race.

The Maryland General Assembly advanced bills on Friday that would ban the sale and ownership of unserialized firearms, or “ghost guns.” The Senate preliminarily approved a ghost gun bill introduced by Attorney General Brian Frosh (D) and Sen. Susan C. Lee (D-Montgomery) during a floor session on Friday morning, while the House of Delegates gave final approval to a bill with different provisions. In the Senate, Sen. Johnny Ray Salling (R-Baltimore County) and Sen. J.B. Jennings (R-Baltimore and Harford) asked questions about the policy, but there was no debate.

A federal grand jury in Baltimore issued a superseding indictment against Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby (D) on Thursday, adding new details about false statements on a mortgage application for a second vacation home in Florida. The new indictment includes details of money-shifting between Mosby and her husband, Baltimore City Council President Nick J. Mosby (D). According to federal prosecutors, Marilyn Mosby submitted a false gift letter with the application for a $428,400 mortgage for a condominium in Long Boat Key, Fla.

After four hours of debate and a series of failed attempts to amend it, a sweeping climate change bill won preliminary approval in the Maryland Senate on Thursday. The Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022 would set a statewide goal, for 2030, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% of emission levels recorded in 2006. For 2045, it would set the emissions goal to net-zero.