Politics

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is planning trips to Iowa and New Hampshire. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., is considering a rough timeline for a potential presidential announcement. And allies of Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., are openly talking up her White House prospects. More than two years before the next presidential election, a shadow primary is already beginning to take shape among at least three fierce Republican critics of former President Donald Trump to determine who is best positioned to occupy the anti-Trump lane in 2024.

Lawmakers began the legislative session considering a measure that would offer paid family and medical leave to all Marylanders, but a key House committee is now considering whether to instead a establish a commission that would work out the finer details of a statewide paid family and medical leave insurance program. As originally introduced, House Bill 496, sponsored by Dels. C.T. Wilson (D-Charles), Kriselda Valderrama (D-Prince George’s) and Ariana Kelly (D-Montgomery), would have allowed all Marylanders, both part-time and full-time employees who have worked 680 hours in the past year, to take 12 weeks of paid leave following childbirth or to take care of themselves or a family member experiencing serious health issues.

A Maryland Democratic Party official and longtime party donor has resigned after an email she sent questioning the electability of Black candidates in the state’s governor’s race, the state party chair announced Monday. Barbara Goldberg Goldman, who was the deputy treasurer for the party in Maryland, “has tendered her resignation and I have accepted it,” Yvette Lewis, the state party chair, said in a statement.

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.