Gov. Moore, State Leaders Talk Upcoming Priorities
With the dawn of the new session, Maryland leaders including second-year Gov. Wes Moore (D) have outlined some of their priorities for the next year.
Moore is calling to improve government services in part by upgrading Maryland’s outdated government computer system and providing safeguards regarding the role of AI in state government decisions. This is expected to cost billions over the next decade, limiting the ability of officials to implement changes amid the ongoing budget crunch.
“Think about it this way: My iPhone asks me to update it like every eight weeks. But we have not updated the way that government works in the past eight years,” said Moore. “How can we win the next decade if the tools that we have to win the decade are the tools for the last decade?”
Another area where the governor has pledged to move the state forward is attracting new data centers, offering the promise of high-paying jobs and providing an economic anchor to the state as data becomes more important.
Board of Elections Member Arrested for Role in Jan. 6 Insurrection, Resigns Position
Republican State Board of Elections appointee Carlos Ayala of Salisbury, Maryland was arrested by the FBI on Jan. 9 for his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.
Images from that day show Ayala in a U.S. flag sweatshirt and carrying a homemade flag bearing the words “We The People.” He has been charged with multiple crimes, including disorderly conduct in the Capitol Building. He resigned from his position on the Board of Elections on Jan. 11.
The Board is committed to maintaining the security and integrity of our elections in Maryland in a nonpartisan manner,” said Board of Elections Chair Michael Summers. “The State Board will remain steadfast in our election process and serve as a trusted source of information for all Marylanders during this presidential election year.”
Virginia, Maryland Congressional Leadership Call to Protect NASA Funding
Maryland’s Democratic congressional members have teamed up with Virginia Democratic Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and Virginia Rep. Bobby Scott (D) to call for the Senate and House Appropriations leadership (referred to as the “Core Four”) to protect funding for NASA in the face of budget shortfalls.
NASA is headquartered in Goddard and the congressional letter cited numerous ongoing projects of national importance as key reasons to ensure the viability of NASA into the coming years.
“NASA Goddard faces constraints because of impending budget cuts and the associated Agency plans to allocate funding. While much attention has been devoted to efforts to return humans to the Moon and, ultimately, a crewed mission to Mars, we are concerned that missions across the NASA science divisions have received uneven support and that the Science Mission Directorate will disproportionately bear the brunt of the budget cuts,” the Maryland and Virginia leaders declared in a statement. “These cuts will inhibit NASA Goddard’s ability to continue conducting critical research and testing, impacting many NASA facilities nationwide. As a result, NASA Goddard and its partner NASA facilities risk losing jobs, innovation, scientific discovery, and technological advancement in Maryland, our nation, and the world.”
Hoyer Files for Reelection, Andrea Crooms Files as Challenger Candidate
Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-District 5), first elected in a 1981 special election, announced his intention for another term on the Hill on Jan. 8.
In his announcement, he pledged to continue his work on the Appropriations Committee to bring federal dollars for Maryland projects. He also plans to adamantly support President Biden’s reelection.
“During this coming election, the values, character, and very soul of America are at risk. Freedom, which makes our nation exceptional, will be on the ballot,” Hoyer said in a statement. “That freedom, that democracy, has been preserved by the blood and ballots of patriots so that, in Lincoln’s words, this nation ‘…should not perish from the earth.’”
Gov. Wes Moore (D) said he was thrilled that Hoyer will seek another term, saying the congressman’s impact on the state “is truly immeasurable.”
“Few people have made as big of a difference in the lives of Marylanders as Congressman Hoyer,” Moore said.
Hoyer faces several challengers in the Democratic primary, including Prince George’s Department of Environment (DOE) Director Andrea Crooms. Lindsay Donahue, who filed in late October, has withdrawn from the race.
Crooms explained why she thinks she is the perfect fit for the job during a recent Democratic Party function.
“The DOE is me leading at a county level,” said Crooms. “I’ve led at a municipal, state, federal level. I know how the Executive Branch works and how the legislative branch can best empower and offer oversight to the executive branch to ensure they invest in our communities.”
