Free Republic

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley may be more skilled at implementing President Obama’s agenda than the White House itself. The Democratic governor is bringing the same big-spending, high-tax and class-warfare policies to the Free State. It’s going to cost residents a bundle. Tough economic times have forced ordinary Americans to cut back in order to get by. Not so Mr. O’Malley, who spends $35.9 billion in the budget released last month. That’s up from $34.2 billion last year and $32 billion the year before that. As Maryland Business for Responsive Government points out, the general fund budget fattened 11.4 percent last...

WASHINGTON - Frederick County wants to make visitors feel right at home with welcome signs highlighting some of its best aspects, but Maryland is blocking efforts to put the signs on state highways. The signs say, "Welcome to Frederick County. Open for business." Board of County Commissioners President Blaine Young said he believes politics is to blame for the state's rejection. "The state feels that government creates jobs. We feel that businesses create jobs and that's why they reject putting our signs on state-operated highways," he said. "If the State of Virginia can have 'open for business' on their welcome...

Gov. Martin O’Malley said Thursday that he was surprised and “very disappointed” when he learned that Richard Stewart, a member of the Governor’s Redistricting Advisory Committee, pleaded guilty last Thursday to failing to pay almost $4 million in federal Social Security and income taxes for a company he owned. “We had gone through the vetting process,” O’Malley said when he appointed Stewart, a Prince George’s businessman, to the five-member committee that drew the new lines for congressional and legislative districts. “It’s beyond me how anyone would take an appointment like this” and not disclose he was under investigation, said the...

Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley is threatening to ram through a sweeping new land use plan that imposes an environmentalist agenda on the state’s sprawling rural populations — a move that could spark a tax revolt and mass exodus unless it is rewritten, county officials and state legislators told The Daily Caller on Monday. O’Malley has indicated that he intends to impose what some lawmakers are calling a draconian new environmentalist agenda, known as “Plan Maryland,” through executive order and regulation, rather than through the state legislature, even though his fellow Democrats dominate both chambers. Plan Maryland’s expensive new mandates for...

Maryland is home to some of the most gerrymandered congressional districts in the country. But the decennial redistricting getting underway gives Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley and state leaders a chance to remake the partisan, unrepresentative districts created 10 years ago under Gov. Parris Glendening, another Democrat — districts that have harmed Democratic and unaffiliated voters as much as they have Republicans. And the good news is officials don’t have to spend much time reviewing voter rolls and computer data to achieve this good-government outcome. All they have to do is adopt the plan offered by Maryland Republicans. Yes, you read...

Virginia's surplus announcement has lit a match under the longtime rivalry between the commonwealth's Republican Party and Maryland Democrats. "[Virginia Gov.] Bob McDonnell and Virginia Republicans tout their accomplishments but — as often with the GOP — the facts tell another story," Maryland Democratic Party Director David Sloan said Wednesday. "McDonnell’s illusionary 'surplus' is the result of deferred bills, dismantled programs important to the middle class, budgetary obfuscation and federal stimulus spending." Sloan released the statement after McDonnell announced a $544 million surplus for the fiscal year ending in June. Maryland is also expecting a surplus of at least $300...

VIRGINIA BEACH Police have arrested two people in an attempted robbery and assault at a wig store. On May 17, a man and woman with a toddler entered the Ace’s Beauty and Wig Supply at 3972 Holland Road, police said. The woman then tried to shoplift a $75 wig. When an employee tried to stop her, the woman pushed her into a display case. Another employee tried to intervene, but was assaulted by the male, according to a news release from police. The male suspect also assaulted the female employee. The female suspect then threw the wig on the ground...

Dozens of illegal immigrants celebrated in Annapolis Tuesday as Maryland officially made them eligible for tuition discounts at colleges and universities — an issue that ignited impassioned opposition during the legislative session and is already subject to a repeal effort. Gov. Martin O'Malley made good on a long-standing promise to sign the controversial measure that extended in-state tuition rates, making Maryland the 11th state to grant such rights to undocumented residents. His action came the same day that President Barack Obama said he will renew a push for federal legislation that clears a citizenship path for illegal immigrants. "This will...

BALTIMORE -- The latest Gonzales Research & Marketing Strategies poll shows that Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley is currently ahead of former Republican Gov. Bob Ehrlich, but his lead has steadily dwindled. According to the poll that surveyed likely voters earlier this month, 47 percent said they would vote for O'Malley and 42 percent said they would support Ehrlich, while 6 percent were undecided. The poll also gave the governor a 48 percent approval rating. The last three polls found O'Malley's lead dwindling from 11 percent to 8 percent. Currently, the most recent Gonzales poll gives O'Malley a five-point advantage. The...

On Monday, during a gubernatorial debate between current Maryland Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley and former Republican Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., the subject of illegal immigration arose and Gov. O’Malley used a term that surprised even this jaded observer. When referring to the millions of illegal aliens now residing in the United States, O’Malley called them “new Americans.” Apparently, for the open borders Democrat, anyone whose first act in this country is to violate the law and disrespect our sovereignty, deserves the same status as someone who faithfully observes our immigration laws by waiting years to come here legally, and...

Recently, there have been several pieces in the Baltimore Sun concerning the news that Constellation Energy is pulling out of their project to build a third nuclear reactor at Calvert Cliff's in Calvert County. They currently have two reactors in this rural county on the west shore of the Chesapeake Bay, and have been trying to secure a permit and federal loan for the proposed third reactor since 2007. The government originally promised Constellation a $7.6 billion loan, but Obama's anti-nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Agency is demanding an $880 million fee to proceed on the deal. These federal loans are...

BOWIE, Md. - President Barack Obama’s message to thousands of African Americans who came to see the man they voted for two years ago was simple: Get out and vote for the Democratic ticket in next month’s mid-term elections, even though he’s not on the ballot. “Don’t make me look bad, now,” he quipped.

During a speech by President Obama at Bowie State University, a protester shouted “you’re a liar!” interrupting his speech and prompting Obama to comment back, “We know Fox sent you.” After the protester shouted, he was shoved and cursed out by Obama and Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley supporters. Take a look:

If anyone wants to know why we don't trust the wolves (government statists) to guard the hen house (our economic prosperity) look no farther than the O'Malley administration. Martin O'Malley has been campaigning all over the state and lying to everyone about a non-existent economic recovery in Maryland. As it turns out, O'Malley's Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (DLLR) was hiding an internal report all along that showed that economic growth has "stalled." One young staffer mistakenly posted the report on the DLLR website, but was told to immediately remove it before people would discover the truth about O'Malley's...

A few minutes ago I received the press release below, not yet posted at the Catholic Action League web site. I had to read it several times because I kept saying to myself, "It can't be so!"But, sadly, it is. Caritas Christi, a network of six hospitals owned by Archdiocese of Boston, will soon acquire Landmark Medical Center.  Landmark will continue to operate as a secular hospital, meaning abortions and sterilizations will be performed there.Caritas Christi itself is scheduled to be acquired by Cerebus Capital Management, but that sale has not yet been approved by the Holy See and various oversight agencies.  Cardinal...

Gov. Martin O’Malley rode through enemy territory Saturday as he and his family took part in the annual Dundalk Fourth of July parade, a ritual that draws pols from U.S. senators to party central committee candidates. As his green Cadillac convertible turned into Belclare Road at the start of the parade, the governor was greeted by a few loud boos and some polite applause. Republican ex-Gov. Bob Ehrlich, who hopes to retake the job O’Malley won from him four years ago, walked the entire parade route and was routinely lavished with spontaneous, prolonged applause, whistles, shouts of encouragement, bear hugs...

Republican challenger Robert Ehrlich now leads Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley in the rematch of their 2006 gubernatorial contest, according to a new poll released Friday. Mr. Ehrlich has opened up a 3 percentage point lead over the Democratic governor in one of the nation's more liberal states, according to an automated survey of over 750 likely voters by the polling firm Magellan Strategies. It is the first poll to show the one-term former GOP governor ahead in the race. According to the Magellan poll, Mr. Ehrlich was preferred by 46 percent of state voters to 43 percent for Mr. O'Malley,...

Rome, Italy, May 31, 2010 / 11:34 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The first big phase in the renewal process of the Catholic Church in Ireland begins next fall. On Monday, "high profile" Church officials with "great specific experience" from the UK, Ireland and North America were named to head the Apostolic Visitation the Holy Father promised Irish Catholics last March. A statement delivered personally by Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi to journalists in the Holy See’s Press Office on Monday outlines Pope Benedict’s nominations for the Visitors to the four metropolitan archdioceses of Ireland and the country's seminaries and religious houses.He...

Former Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. confirmed Tuesday that he will challenge Gov. Martin O'Malley this fall. Ehrlich, the state's only Republican governor in a generation

Boston, Mass., Mar 20, 2010 / 09:03 am (CNA).- The Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Sean O'Malley, yesterday criticized organizations such as the Catholic Health Association and Network for supporting a health care bill that will halt decades of government neutrality on the issue of abortion."Health care is such an important issue for the United States. It’s very disturbing to see that there seems to be a rush to push through legislation without carefully weighing all of the consequences," wrote Cardinal O'Malley on his blog."I think it’s unfortunate that some Catholic groups have not paid close enough attention to what...

WASHINGTON, DC, February 17, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The best way for the Church to ensure pro-abortion Catholic politicians do not receive Communion would be through a change in the Church’s Canon Law, or an official directive from the Pope himself, Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston told LifeSiteNews.com. LifeSiteNews.com caught up with O’Malley in Washington, DC last month, where he was among the concelebrating bishops for the Vigil Mass for Life at the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. LSN asked O’Malley what he considered the appropriate pastoral response to pro-abortion politicians receiving Communion. "Well, I think that the only way...

The leading Republican with clear plans to challenge Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley this fall has dropped out of the race. In a long note posted today on his blog, Hogan cites the looming possibility of Republican former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s gubernatorial bid as the reason his own bid is ending:

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. -- A former state delegate who served in Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich's administration plans to announce Wednesday that he will challenge Gov. Martin O'Malley in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. < break > The former majority whip served as secretary of veterans affairs under Mr. Ehrlich. He has been a sharp critic of Mr. O'Malley's fiscal policies, disagreeing with Mr. O'Malley's decision to raise the sales tax during a 2007 special session.

RICHMOND | The governors of Virginia and Maryland, both Catholics, said Tuesday that it would be wrong for the church to suspend or reduce social services in the nation's capital if the District approves gay marriage. Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley criticized the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington's response to the District's gay marriage proposal during a joint appearance on Washington radio station WTOP. The D.C. Council is expected to approve gay marriage next month. The archdiocese says that unless the proposal is amended to add a religious exemption, its Catholic Charities won't be able to continue...

"To call a spade a spade," a phrase whose origin can be traced back to Plutarch, is defined by Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable as to be "outspoken, blunt, even to the point of rudeness." The question of when Catholics should be outspoken, in this sense, has arisen over the heated reactions to the funeral of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy.   A number of commentators took issue with the funeral, specifically over the participation of Sean Cardinal O'Malley of Boston and Theodore Cardinal McCarrick, retired, from Washington, D.C., who read from the letter written by Kennedy to...

The Kennedy Funeral: Boston's Latest Scandal t | t | t | t by Phil Lawler, September 3, 2009   A week after the death of Ted Kennedy, the relevant question is not whether the Massachusetts Senator deserved a Catholic funeral, but whether he deserved a ceremony of public acclamation so grand and sweeping that it might, to the untutored observer, have seemed more like an informal canonization. We cannot know the state of Ted Kennedy's soul when he finally succumbed to brain cancer. We are told that he was visited regularly by a priest in his last days; we...

Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley last night issued a forceful defense of his decision to participate in the funeral of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, an appearance that has drawn sharp criticism from some conservative Catholics because of Kennedy’s ardent support for abortion rights. O’Malley, writing in his blog, also revealed the substance of a conversation he had with President Obama near the altar of the Mission Church as the congregation assembled for Saturday’s funeral. He said he told Obama that the Catholic bishops are “anxious to support a plan for universal health care, but we will not support a plan that...

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) on Wednesday said it was residents' "patriotic duty" to get seasonal flu shots in coming weeks to make it easier for health officials to determine if outbreaks are related to H1N1, or swine flu. If residents do not get vaccinated against seasonal strains and later get sickened by them as a result, there will be little way to determine if those falling ill this fall and winter have been infected by less worrisome strains, or by the more contagious H1N1 virus, O'Malley said. The governor characterized that scenario as serious because it could stress supplies...

SCANDAL AT MISSION CHURCH IN BOSTON The Catholic Action League of Massachusetts today decried the scandal which occurred this morning at Boston's most historic Catholic shrine --- the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, known as Mission Church --- where a Mass of Christian Burial was used to “celebrate the life” of one of America's most notorious opponents of Catholic morality, the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Senator Kennedy fought for more than three decades to keep the killing of pre-born children legal and unrestricted in the United States. Surgical abortion has claimed more than fifty-one million human...

For those of us on the O’Malley beat, there were lots of interesting moments yesterday, but none more so than the lengthy greeting that Cardinal Sean O’Malley had with PresidentObama. O’Malley, of course, is the Roman Catholic archbishop of Boston and has been sharply critical of Obama’s support for abortion rights (“This man has a deplorable record when it comes to prolife issues,’’ O’Malley told me after the election). I asked O’Malley’s spokesman, Terry Donilon, what the two men talked about, and he e-mailed back, “If he chooses to speak about it, he will in the blog, but it was...

From Lifesite: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/aug/09082801.htmlTo respectfully contact Cardinal O'Malley with concerns: phone: 617 782-2544 email: sdiago@rcab.orgYou may also wish to consult: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042903.htmlPlease do it. Write a couple of paragraphs. If you're just WAY too busy, just write a line. Just don't remain silent. Phone calls are good, too. They get people's attention. Please pass this request on to all your sympathetic contacts-- you don't have to be Catholic to express concern.

WASHINGTON, June 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement from American Life League president Judie Brown regarding Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley's announcement that archdiocese-affiliated Caritas Christi Healthcare has withdrawn ownership of CeltiCare Health Plan. The announcement comes only two days after A.L.L. announced it would launch an investigation into the scandal.(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081105/DC44231LOGO ) "Praise God! After months of tireless effort from American Life League and pro-life heroes in Boston and around the country to expose a potential scandal only days away from becoming a tragic betrayal of Catholicism's unwavering commitment to the dignity of the human person, Cardinal Sean...

WASHINGTON, June 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement from American Life League president Judie Brown regarding Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley's announcement that archdiocese-affiliated Caritas Christi Healthcare has withdrawn ownership of CeltiCare Health Plan. The announcement comes only two days after A.L.L. announced it would launch an investigation into the scandal. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081105/DC44231LOGO ) "Praise God! After months of tireless effort from American Life League and pro-life heroes in Boston and around the country to expose a potential scandal only days away from becoming a tragic betrayal of Catholicism's unwavering commitment to the dignity of the human person, Cardinal...

A Maryland Senate budget panel approved a bill Thursday that will give Gov. Martin O'Malley the authority to assert eminent domain in an effort to keep horse racing's Preakness Stakes in Baltimore. The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee voted 11-4 in favor of the legislation, which will allow the state to either purchase or exercise eminent domain over the rights to the Preakness and the race track on which it is run, the Pimlico Race Course. The bill would also extend the state's eminent domain authority over Laurel Park and the Bowie Race Course Training Center. Mr. O'Malley, a Democrat,...

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford struck a feisty tone Saturday night, responding directly to Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley’s call earlier in the day for “fringe” Republican governors opposed to stimulus funds to "step aside." "I don't see folks [here], who are really wired to step aside," Sanford said to applause from the GOP crowd in "The Crystal Room," an ornate dining room, complete with cascading chandeliers and 15-foot high green marble columns, at the upscale Willard Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Washington, two blocks from the White House. At the Republican Governors Association dinner -- in part, a thank you to...

Do you support Gov. Martin O'Malley's reported proposal to save $34.4 million by temporarily furloughing state employees and shutting down state government operations for two days?

ANNAPOLIS (AP) — Gov. Martin O'Malley said yesterday that if a referendum on slot-machine gambling fails in November, "it'll be back to the drawing board with a lot of unpopular choices, and I don't think any of us wants to go there." Mr. O'Malley said during an interview on WCBC-AM in Cumberland, Md., that the money Maryland would eventually get from slot machines would constitute about 25 percent of what's needed to balance the state's budget in coming years. The rest of the money to handle Maryland's projected deficit comes from about $1.4 billion in tax increases approved last November...

ANNAPOLIS — A Senate committee voted yesterday to increase the income tax on Maryland's highest wage earners. Members of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee voted 10-5 to increase the personal income tax on residents who earn $1 million or more, as part of a plan to repeal the tax on computer services they passed in November. "If you repeal the computer-services tax, you're going to have to backfill it with something," said Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., Southern Maryland Democrat. "It's political. It's a very political vote." Committee members rejected a proposal from Sen. Richard S. Madaleno...

DUNDALK, Md. (AP) — Gov. Martin O'Malley said yesterday he would support repealing a tax on computer services if an alternative is found, because he now thinks the tax could have repercussions on Maryland's economy. Instead, Mr. O'Malley said he supports a higher income tax on the very wealthy, which is closer to what he originally proposed during November's special legislative session to tackle the state's $1.7 billion structural deficit. "I've never been a big fan of the computer tax, and the more we look at it and the more we look at the potential downsides of the computer tax,...

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Maryland Senate shot down a proposal to make room in the state's budget to repeal a highly criticized tax on computer services on Wednesday, but rising heat from the industry has lawmakers considering ways to soften the blow. On a day when opponents rallied against the so-called "Tech Tax," Sen. David Brinkley, R-Frederick, proposed an amendment to the Senate's budget bill to make up for an estimated $214 million the tax is estimated to generate.(snip) "This was a bad idea from the start," Brinkley said. "The question now is what do we do ... How do...

ANNAPOLIS — Gov. Martin O'Malley created a new pay grade for top members of his administration, including Public Service Commission Chairman Steven B. Larsen, according to documents obtained by The Washington Times. The discovery follows recent findings that Mr. O'Malley, a Democrat, gave more than $600,000 in pay raises to 47 of his top aides, even as state workers face potential cuts in pay raises. Under the new pay grade, EX91, Mr. O'Malley will pay four employees as much as $235,000. The previous cap for high-ranking employees of a Maryland governor was $159,632, but governors frequently exceeded the figure. "The...

ANNAPOLIS — Maryland residents are worried about the economy and taxes, according to poll results to be released today that show Gov. Martin O'Malley's popularity continuing to slide. Marylanders gave Mr. O'Malley a 37 percent job-approval rating, down two points from January, while 48 percent said they disapprove of the job he's doing, according to the poll conducted by Gonzales Research and Marketing Strategies of Annapolis. Mr. O'Malley's support among Democrats dropped slightly from January, from 52 to 48 percent. The number of independents disapproving of his performance jumped 12 points over the same time, to 51 percent, which carries...

(Here are the comments about Governor Martin Owe'Malley that follows the article ...) <><><><><><> Comments from Baltimore Examiner Readers - -> Examiner Reader said: 9:38 I hope the voters of Omalley get all that is coming to them. I love when they commplain about bills. Maybe next time they will be careful who they vote for. That will never happen because Baltimore City is going to vote for another Omalley feat they lose their free handouts. PG and Montgomery county will do the same thing in fear they will lose their government jobs and have to do real work Suffer...

ANNAPOLIS -- Frederick County's lawmakers serving on state budget committees are preparing for between $100 million and $300 million in cuts to the governor's proposed fiscal 2009 budget. The cuts come just a few months after lawmakers met in special session, passing tax increases and pushing for a skinnier budget as a way to address an anticipated $1.5 billion deficit. Delegate Galen Clagett, a Democrat representing Frederick County, attended a meeting with other leaders of the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday and said they plan to cut between $100 million and $300 million to make up for projections in revenue...

ANNAPOLIS — While Gov. Martin O'Malley is out stumping with other political leaders for their presidential picks today, lawmakers will be weighing some of the governor's top priorities in the Maryland Capitol. Senate and House committees will consider O'Malley administration proposals to curb energy use by 15 percent, crack down on mortgage lenders and increase state investments in renewable energy — hallmarks of the governor's second legislative package. The governor's proposals to conserve energy will be overshadowed by today's presidential primary, said Delegate Maggie McIntosh, Baltimore Democrat and chairman of the committee hearing Mr. O'Malley's energy legislation today. "This is...

Gov. Martin O'Malley's decision to cooperate with the Bush administration on Real ID is a mistake. The decision turns clerks at Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration into immigration officers, forcing them to ask prospective drivers about their immigration status and then assess the validity of documents - a troublesome chore even for well-trained immigration officers. Moreover, Real ID will push illegal immigrants further into the shadows, where they will be deterred from reporting crimes to police or using emergency rooms. Because those who drive will not have a license or liability insurance, the risk for all drivers will likely increase. Although...

ANNAPOLIS — Gov. Martin O'Malley told lawmakers yesterday he hopes a Democrat will win the presidential election this fall, which will save him from implementing a federal law that allows only U.S. citizens to receive driver's licenses. "I was very pleased," said Sen. Jennie M. Forehand, Montgomery Democrat, who attended the Women's Legislative Caucus breakfast where Mr. O'Malley made the statement. Mr. O'Malley, a Democrat, said he is primarily concerned about the cost of the program, known as the Real ID Act, after saying last month he would implement the law by Jan. 1, 2010. Supporters of the federal program...

BALTIMORE (AP) — Constellation Energy frustrated Maryland regulators yesterday by skipping a hearing to discuss costs passed on to consumers because of deregulation, highlighting a standoff between the state and the utility over increasing energy costs. The state's Public Service Commission scheduled the hearing to address Constellation's complaints about recent commission reports on costs and decommissioning expenses for nuclear power plants at Calvert Cliffs, which were transferred to Constellation under a 1999 settlement. An order for the hearing specifically required the attendance of Constellation subsidiary Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. (BGE) and "invited" Constellation to attend to answer questions more...

ANNAPOLIS — Gov. Martin O'Malley yesterday said he plans to do all he can to restore state regulatory power over utilities, a day after Constellation Energy announced a lawsuit to recoup $386 million it says Maryland shouldn't have forced them to give customers. "I also want to add that we will spare no expense when it comes to investing in whatever additional legal help that we need, or whatever professional experts and consultants we need, or expert witnesses in order to stand up for the best interests for the people of our state," Mr. O'Malley said. The governor, who reconfigured...

ANNAPOLIS — Gov. Martin O'Malley's top staffers pitched the governor's $1.4 billion tax plan passed during the recent special General Assembly session as a political effort akin to the one former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner passed in 2004, which elevated him to national political prominence. Mr. Warner was hailed in national Democratic circles for doing the near-impossible: increasing taxes and improving his approval rating. But after Maryland's special session closed in November, Mr. O'Malley's public-approval rating dropped — not the outcome called for in the Warner playbook. An analysis by The Washington Times and interviews with key Virginia leaders shows...