Free Republic

Maryland lawmakers are expecting the federal government to cover the lion’s share of the cost of the collapse and subsequent rebuilding of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge — with Congress potentially on the hook for only a fraction of the total as talk about an emergency supplemental bill increases. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) told reporters that roughly 90 percent of the bridge’s reconstruction will be paid for via the Federal Highway Administration’s emergency fund, which has about $950 million and is replenished yearly with $100 million. The state sent a letter to the federal government Wednesday saying it will...

The pilot of the cargo ship that knocked down a highway bridge into Baltimore Harbor had radioed for tugboat help and reported a power loss minutes earlier, federal safety officials say, citing new data from the freight's recorder. (excerpt) NTSB's investigator in charge, Marcel Muise, said the recovered voyage data recorder (VDR) had helped them establish a timeline of events. He said the ship had departed from Seagirt Marine Terminal at around 12:39am and had entered the Fort McHenry Channel at 1:07am, before "numerous audible alarms" were recorded on the audio from the ship's bridge at 1:24am. At about the...

The Daily Mail reports that eight states are planning to BAN the sale of gas-powered cars entirely – after Biden unveiled ambitious plans to phase them out by 2032. California was the first state to adopt the plan to ban sales of gas cars by 2035. Electric vehicles made up 7.6 percent of new car sales in the US last year. It seems clear that the government will ban gas stations at some point, and they don’t seem to care that you can’t afford an EV. The rule, first adopted by California, means that automakers and dealerships would be banned...

Dali cargo ship suffered 'severe electrical problem' while docked in Baltimore days prior to bridge collapse crash that saw it suffer 'total power failure, loss of engine failure', port worker saysThe Dali cargo ship which smashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge suffered a 'severe electrical problem' while docked in Baltimore days before, according to a port worker. Julie Mitchell, co-administrator of Container Royalty, a company which tracks cargo, told CNN the ship was anchored at the port for at least 48 hours prior to the deadly crash. 'And those two days, they were having serious power outages… they had...

"My expectation would be that ultimately there'll be insurance payments." 30 second video at link. Bonus clip: RNC Research @RNCResearch Treasury Sec. Janet Yellen claims Biden's priority is "getting the cost of living down" and "lowering energy prices." FACT: Overall prices are up 18.6%, electricity costs are up 28.4%, and gas prices are up 48% since Biden took office. https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1773031172810961263

Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) on Wednesday called for “full accountability” following the collapse of the Francis Key Scott Bridge in Baltimore that left six people presumed dead. Moore said on CNN there “needs to be a full and thorough investigation.” “What led up to this? What made the ship lose power? What made them lose the ability to be ability to steer the ship? Do we have the right infrastructure that’s in place to be able to protect the people of our state,” he said. “So I think there needs to be a full reckoning, a full accountability, and...

A Republican candidate for governor of Utah has linked diversity, equity, and inclusion to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The bridge collapsed early Tuesday after the cargo ship Dali drifted into a bridge support. Among the reactions that looked past the immediate cause, state Rep. Phil Lyman appeared to indicate that the makeup of the commissioners for the Port of Baltimore was a factor in the incident. Lyman is challenging Gov. Spencer Cox for the Republican nomination... This is what happens when you have Governors who prioritize diversity over the wellbeing and security of citizens,”...

At least eight states are planning to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars in the next decade - and others are considering joining them. Only zero-emission vehicles can be sold in participating states beginning from the 2035 model year, according to the Advanced Clean Cars II legislation. The rule, which was first adopted by California, means that automakers and dealerships would be banned from selling new gas cars in these states from that point onwards.

Team Baltimore, Team Maryland, FBI investigating, Buttiboy coming to the rescue.

Rescue workers in Baltimore are working furiously in an attempt to save the lives of dozens of people who were plunged into the frigid waters of the Patapsco River when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after being hit by a container ship. Initial reports indicate that at least a dozen cars hit the 47 degree water in addition to a 20 or so construction workers who were working on the bridge at the time. The workers were pouring concrete on to the bridge at the time of crash. At the first press conference around 6:30 am, Baltimore Fire Chief...

The nautical definition of an “allision “ is “the running of one ship upon an object that is stationary., such as a bridge, oil rig, or anchored ship. The distinction between it and a ‘collision’ is that in the latter, both objects (then, generally ships) are moving. Under Maritime law, the moving ship is presumed at fault in an allision. Further, under the Jones Act, persons injured in an allision are automatically due compensation, as are their families, Given the accident today, I figured Freeper vocabulary needed expansion.

The morning silence shattered as the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore met its unexpected fate, crumbling into the sea in a breathtaking cascade of steel and concrete. The collision, captured in a chilling livestream, unfolded with surreal intensity as a towering cargo ship collided with one of the bridge's support beams. Smoke billowed from the vessel, mingling with the chaos as emergency responders raced against time to rescue 20 people plunged into the icy waters below. In the digital realm, the shocking footage spread like wildfire, triggering a wave of disbelief and concern across social media platforms. The Maryland...

The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland which crosses the Patapsco River has reportedly Collapsed within the last few minutes after being Struck by a Large Container Ship

Baltimore is in the throes of a policing apocalypse, and the situation is nothing short of apocalyptic. Last week, just THREE police officers were left to patrol an entire district teeming with 61,000 residents. Let that sink in. Calls for help, including reports of child assault, are going unanswered because the police simply can't keep up. It's a dire state of affairs when law enforcement is unable to respond to the most basic calls for assistance. Adding insult to injury, the department is now forced to postpone police training in a desperate bid to address the severe shortages. But how...

Maryland House Bill 1515 will tax all services!!! Call a plumber, painter, electrician, real estate, etc. Add 5% Call your representatives and tell them to vote NO Another reason not to live in MD

The small town of Ridgely, located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, announced it was suspending officers of the Ridgely Police Department ... A largely unexplained decision by a Maryland town to suspend its entire police force has left residents shocked, skeptical and on edge. The small town of Ridgely, located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, announced it was suspending officers of the Ridgely Police Department, leaving other public safety agencies to fill the void. But the town’s residents remain entirely in the dark about why it was being shut down. "What’s very concerning is that they didn’t communicate with us in an...

Maryland Democrat Senate frontrunner Rep. David Trone has apologized for using a racial slur during a House meeting, claiming he simply misspoke. Trone, a member of Congress since 2019, was talking about tax policies with Office of Budget and Management Director Shalanda Young — a black woman — when he uttered the word: “+-&_$$$.” The term has been used insultingly towards black people for over 100 years, according to the Online Etymology Dictionary. “So this Republican $#@-:&&, that, you know, it’s the tax rate that’s stopping business investment, it’s just completely faulty by people who have never run a business,”...

The quest to ascertain the extent of the shady sleaze that Hunter Biden got into when Pops was Barack Obama's Number Two continued on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. Hunter's former business associate Tony Bobulinski was before the House ... Hunter Biden wasn't there. After insisting that he wanted to publicly clear his name, he's gotten rather shy. Bobulinski was quite ready to roll, however. He is now very familiar with the smear machine that the Democrats fire up when the Big Guy and his boy need to be protected. He gave them a strong dose of truth, which can cause...

Republican Senate candidate and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is leading his Democratic rivals running for outgoing Sen. Ben Cardin’s (D-Md.) seat by double digits, new polling shows. A Washington Post-University of Maryland (UMD) poll, released Wednesday, found Hogan leading Rep. David Trone (D-Md.) 49 percent to 37 percent in a 2024 hypothetical match-up. The former governor also leads Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) 50 percent to 36 percent, per the survey. About 15 percent of Maryland voters were undecided in either hypothetical race. Trone is leading Alsobrooks by 7 points in the primary race, but roughly 4...

Gov. Larry Hogan (R-MD) enjoys double-digit leads over both of Maryland’s Democrat U.S. Senate candidates in hypothetical general election matchups, according to a poll. The Washington Post-University of Maryland poll, published Wednesday, found the moderate Republican dominating both Rep. David Trone (D-MD) and Prince George’s County Commissioner Angela Alsobrooks (D) in separate matchups.