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February 26, 2009

Death penalty committee vote most likely on Friday

Sen. Brian Frosh told Julie Bykowicz of the Baltimore Sun that a Judicial Proceedings vote on a death penalty repeal is most likely on Friday. That's mainly because Frosh, the chairman, is concerned about two absenses on the 11-member committee today, which could affect the outcome. Democrat Jamie Raskin and Republican Nancy Jacobs have other obligations today.

Bykowicz also reports in today's Baltimore Sun that the procedural move that would bring the repeal to the floor of the Senate has been settled. If the committee votes "unfavaorable," there would be a motion on the floor of the Senate to reject that committee report, and substitute the full bill in its place.

Senate President Mike Miller is gritting his teeth, but says he'll go along with the manuever even though it violates the committee process. Miller says Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is leading repeal efforts, deserves to have his day in the legislature.

That's magnanimous of Miller, but the Senate president often shows no remorse about standing in the way of governors. Did side deals lead to Miller's decision -- over, say, a gubernatorial appointment or two to the lawmaker's allies? Or is the Senate president earning a chit he can cash in later?

Posted by David Nitkin at 10:43 AM | | Comments (2)
        

Comments

Don't care.
Won't care.
It's a done deal. What Martin O'Malley wants, Martin O'Malley gets. Why?
Every news reporter is blogging these days.

What I care about is how Martin O'Malley can get away with this BGE fiasco when he promised us relief.
No one asked why he allows a PSC chairman(Steve Larsen) to retire and collect $250.00 a month of our taxpaying dollars.
No one brings up the FACT that everyone is paying $7.50 a month on their BGE bills for not an once of energy.
Martin O'Malley, et, al has murdered my wallet. I want to know what I did to him to deserve this kind of treatment when all I ever gave the guy was a responsible taxpayer's check 4 times a year.

Posted by: Carole | February 27, 2009 9:36 AM

Maybe Miller let it go through to be nice, but knows it will fail. He has been around Annapolis and in politics far longer than Martin O'Malley. Martin was still trying to score a prom date when Miller was getting started in elected office.

Don't underestimate the neutered bull...or wait, did he got outdone by O'Malley?

Posted by: Brendan | March 2, 2009 11:46 AM

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About the bloggers
Laura Smitherman has been ensconced in the State House basement, writing about the governor, General Assembly and vagaries of Maryland politics for several years. An erstwhile business reporter, her interest in politics dates to her days in Washington when she covered Congress and national campaigns for another media outlet. She now follows a range of policy debates from slot-machine gambling to universal health care and energy regulation, while keeping an eye on the next election.

Paul West covers Washington for The Baltimore Sun, continuing a tradition that began the month the paper was born, in 1837. He hasn't been in the DC bureau that long--only since Ronald Reagan was president. He's covered Congress, the White House and presidential campaigns as the paper's national political correspondent and Washington bureau chief. He's on the lookout for news of significance to Sun readers at the other end of the B/W Parkway. That includes the activities of the state's congressional delegation and anything else that might shed some light on the inner workings of the nation's capital.

Julie Bykowicz's first days as a political reporter, in January 2009, coincided with Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon's indictment and the start of the Maryland General Assembly's 426th legislative session. She focuses on coverage of state agencies, such as social services, juvenile justice and prisons. During the session, she wrote about the death penalty, slots parlors and speed cameras, among other hot topics. Julie began political reporting after more than seven years on The Baltimore Sun's crime desk. She lives in Baltimore and works primarily in Annapolis.

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