Larry Hogan is the "un-Trump Republican," his 1st Maryland U.S. Senate TV ad of fall declares

"Never Backs Down" isn't the most original slogan to be employed by former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan in his current campaign for U.S. Senate, as Ron DeSantis would likely agree. But Hogan's first TV spot for the fall campaign season does manage to come up with a more unique qualifier for an anti-Trump candidate like himself: "The un-Trump Republican." It's not all that new or original, either (the ad cites The Washington Post, and the phrase has been employed by outlets as diverse as Al Jazeera and The New York Times, among others), but is far less often invoked than "Never-Trump Republican." The latter term has failed to convert many mega-MAGA "irredeemables" back to the Bush Republican fold so far.

Using the phrase makes clear that voters in Hillary Clinton's fabled basket of deplorables are not the target audience for this ad. The spot plays up examples of "Hogan's radically normal model for the GOP," such as blocking tax increases every year he was the executive of Maryland, lowering tolls on state bridges, and leaving a large budget surplus for his successor Wes Moore. Major challenges Hogan faced while in office are also highlighted, ranging from the pandemic and Baltimore riots that followed the death of Freddy Gray, to his own personal cancer diagnosis and recovery.

"Now more than ever, we need strong independent leadership in Washington who will never back down to the extremes and the party bosses," Hogan tweeted in introducing the ad Tuesday. "That’s exactly what I did as your Governor, and that is exactly what I will do in the United States Senate." 

Hogan's Democratic opponent, Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, has already begun an ad blitz worthy of the deep-pocketed primary opponent she vanquished earlier this year. Prior to his defeat, David Trone was an inescapable presence not only on TV screens, but in his relentless, un-skippable YouTube ads. Alsobrooks' ad focuses on her central message to juice turnout in a majority-Democrat state: that the winner of the Alsobrooks-Hogan contest may determine which party controls the U.S. Senate this coming January.

Drag Story Hour returns to Montgomery County Public Libraries this Saturday

Drag Story Hour is returning to Montgomery County Public Libraries this Saturday, September 7, 2024 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Marilyn J. Praisner Library at 14910 Old Columbia Pike in Burtonsville. According to the official Montgomery County Public Libraries event announcement, the story hour is for an audience of "preschool and kindergarten, elementary school age, babies and toddlers." MCPL states that the event is "appropriate for all ages, especially for children ages 18 months to 10 years with their families."

"Story hour just got a lot more glamorous!" the MCPL event description says. "Drag Story Hour (DSH) is just what it sounds like! Storytellers using the art of drag to read books to kids in libraries, schools, and bookstores. DSH captures the imagination and play of the gender fluidity of childhood and gives kids glamorous, positive, and unabashedly queer role models." MCPL tags the event as one that facilitates the goal of "Kindergarten Readiness."

The events have not been without controversy, reflecting a nationwide political divide on the issue. Montgomery County police, as well as volunteer citizen groups like Parasol Patrol and Rainbow Defense Coalition, have deployed to separate attendees from protesters at past story hours.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore lied about receiving Bronze Star, White House document confirms

Stolen valor has been one of the hottest political topics nationally this summer, and new information confirming Maryland Gov. Wes Moore falsely claimed to have received a Bronze Star for his service in the U.S. Army has reignited the fire. Moore admitted to New York Times reporter Reid J. Epstein that he had claimed to have been awarded a Bronze Star on his application for a White House fellowship in 2006, despite not having been issued that honor by the Army. But he told Epstein that he had no memory of making the claim until a copy of the application was sent by the Times to his office Wednesday. The Times obtained the 2006 document through a public information request.

Moore's false claim in 2006 would have put him in violation of the Stolen Valor Act of 2005, which included the possibility of a prison sentence of up to six months for falsely claiming to have received any military decoration or medal of the U.S. armed forces. But the U.S. Supreme Court struck that law down in 2012. A new stolen valor law was passed by Congress almost a decade after Moore's transgression.

The governor mounted a vigorous defense of his actions after learning of the imminent Bronze Star revelation by the Times. He has cited "mental strain" from his service as the reason he did not correct TV hosts who introduced him as a Bronze Star recipient. Most significantly, Moore has shifted blame to his former superior officer, Gen. Michael R. Fenzel, whom he said encouraged him to claim he had received a Bronze Star on the White House application. While Moore told the Times he had no memory of including the Bronze Star on the application, he said he did have a memory of not wanting to do so.

"That was him following the direction of a lieutenant colonel, and he was at the time a first lieutenant,” General Fenzel told the Times in an interview arranged by Moore. "He was following the advice of a more senior officer." Fenzel admitted that Moore should not have made the claim, even as he backed up Moore's excuse that he was only following Fenzel's advice to make the claim. Fenzel and Moore both said that Moore had been recommended for a Bronze Star, but that the Army never issued the award to him.

Unnamed "allies" of the governor told the Times that the "chaotic" nature of the Afghanistan war meant that soldiers' award paperwork was often not processed or approved. Moore said he never inquired about why he did not receive the Bronze Star.

Moore expressed remorse for not confronting the Bronze Star controversy head on during his successful 2022 gubernatorial campaign. Heat over the stolen valor issue never rose above a low simmer among Maryland media outlets that year, reducing most of the firestorm to social media posts among Republicans. 

But, in a statement released by his office Thursday, Moore characterized media investigations regarding his false Bronze Star claim as "new ways to undermine my service to our country in uniform." He called his false claim "an honest mistake" that he now regrets.  

Ironically, Moore may politically benefit from having the issue explode to the surface again now. While Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz faced strong criticism over clearly false claims he had made about his rank and combat experience after becoming Vice-President Kamala Harris' running mate, his defenders slammed critics for questioning the service of anyone who had worn a military uniform, especially for as long a timespan as Walz did in the National Guard. And that defense appears to have worked for now. According to the mainstream media, American voters just aren't all that hung up on veterans embellishing their service records, and the issue has receded into the background of overwhelmingly-favorable media coverage of Walz.

Moore's statement suggested he has recognized that shift in the political zeitgeist himself. "Over the last few weeks, our country has grown used to seeing what it looks like when a veteran's integrity is attacked for political gain. But those who seek to cast doubt on our records misunderstand something fundamental about true patriots, who have put on the flag of our country and put everything on the line to be called Americans: We don't get shaken. We put our heads down, and we do the work. And that is what I will continue to do."

Alsobrooks, Hogan tied in Maryland U.S. Senate race poll

Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) and former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R) are in a dead heat in the contest for the U.S. Senate seat of Ben Cardin (D), a new poll showed Tuesday. Hogan remains a popular governor across party lines in the state, and Alsobrooks received praise and national exposure with a speaking slot at last week's Democratic National Convention. While the race is considered by many to be the most important in deciding which party will next control the Senate, there haven't been enough polls to provide a consistent measure of the state of the race. The AARP poll showed Alsobrooks and Hogan tied at 46% each. 8% of the voters polled remain undecided, a statistically-significant number in light of the poll result.

Alsobrooks (above) and Hogan (top) celebrated
International Dog Day Monday by tweeting
photos of their pets

"We have always known that this race was going to be decided on the margins, and this new poll today confirms that," Alsobrooks tweeted in an appeal for fundraising support. "I've been clear from the start that we are the underdogs in this race," Hogan said in a statement reacting to the poll. The former governor said the close race shows that he has a chance to potentially defy the odds once again in a state that is considered blue, but has elected a GOP executive three times in the last 22 years.

One of the most notable statistics from the poll is that more than a quarter of voters who support Kamala Harris for President told AARP's pollsters that they are voting for Hogan. Former President Donald Trump has clashed with Hogan for many years, as the former governor has been among the most vocal "Never Trumpers" in the GOP. 

Despite the intraparty disagreements over Trump, the Maryland Republican Party was thrilled by yesterday's poll results. "Larry Hogan's independent Republican message is resonating against Angela Alsobrooks' extreme far-left agenda," Maryland GOP Executive Director Adam J. Wood said in a statement. "We have a real opportunity to elect Maryland's first Republican U.S. Senator in nearly 40 years, and these polls show that every single vote is going to matter."

Both candidates had campaign stops in Montgomery County this week. Alsobrooks was at Riderwood on Monday, and in Kensington for an event on antisemitism that night, while Hogan toured an AstraZeneca biotech facility in Gaithersburg earlier the same day.

Photos courtesy Alsobrooks for Senate, Hogan for Maryland, Inc.

Montgomery County police officer found guilty in January 6 case

A Montgomery County police officer was found guilty today by a U.S. Circuit Court judge in Washington, D.C. of charges stemming from the violence at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Officer Justin Lee, 25, of Rockville, was found guilty of two felony offenses: assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and civil disorder. Judge Trevor N. McFadden also found Lee guilty of the misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building. Lee will be sentenced by Judge McFadden on November 22, 2024.

The Montgomery County Police Department issued a statement today in which it said that Lee was not yet employed by the County police force on January 6, 2021. It stated Lee's actions at the Capitol did not come to light through its standard background investigation when Lee was hired. Lee was relieved of his police powers while the case went to trial. The MCPD stated that Lee's employment by the department will now be terminated following today's guilty verdict. 

Lee was identified in 2023 by law enforcement officials who were reviewing video footage from the Capitol on January 6, 2021 after they first noticed his Maryland flag gaiter. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia specifically accused Lee of throwing two objects at officers who were trying to prevent people from entering the Capitol. One incendiary device produced a smoke cloud. Lee was also accused of pointing a flashlight beam at officers. 

Rockville Planning Commission to discuss building heights, housing targets for Town Center tonight

The Rockville Planning Commission will hold a work session on the draft 2024 Rockville Town Master Plan tonight, August 14, 2024, at 7:00 PM, at Rockville City Hall. Key points of discussion will be the maximum building heights to be allowed in the "core" and "edge" areas of the Town Center, the target number of housing units to be developed over the life of the plan, and the parking policies and standards for the Town Center area.

Area covered by the Town Center
Master Plan is outlined in black

The current draft of the plan allows buildings up to 200' tall in the core zone of the Town Center, and up to 75' in the edge zone, where the latter transitions from the urban Town Center to the single-family homes of the West End. It projects a housing goal of 2000 new units within the Town Center by 2040. During the public feedback process for the plan, several people suggested setting a housing unit target higher than 2000 units. There are currently only 608 housing units in the development pipeline for Town Center, which has led City planning staff to believe that it would not be realistic to propose a target higher than 2300 to 2500 units.

The number of units has been a hot topic of debate, as many have suggested that there are not enough people living in the Town Center to support the businesses there. Likewise, parking has been highly controversial, as many residents and business owners alike have cited parking issues as a deterrent to business in the Town Center.

Following tonight's discussion, commissioners will instruct staff to implement or report back on potential revisions to the draft plan. The commission will then review the updated draft at its September 11, 2024 meeting. If commissioners are satisfied with the draft at that time, they will have the option to vote to approve the plan, and transmit it to the Mayor and Council for their review, revision, and approval.

Virginia destroys Montgomery County, Maryland on 2024 Fortune 500, Global 500 lists

Montgomery County and Maryland continue to find mis-fortune in the world of business, as Virginia - and Northern Virginia in particular - have completely wiped the floor with both in Fortune magazine's 2024 Fortune 500 and Fortune Global 500 lists. The magazine published the latter list this past Friday. For 2024, seven Virginia-based companies rank in the Global 500; Maryland has only one: Lockheed Martin. 

This past May's Fortune 500 list, which is limited to American companies, was equally bad for MoCo and the Old Line State. Virginia has 24 Fortune 500 firms, more than half headquartered in Northern Virginia. Maryland has just four. Montgomery County remains down to only two, after Discovery fled to Knoxville and New York City in 2019. 

Perhaps the most humiliating aspect of Discovery's exit was that the Montgomery County Council was not engaged with the company's leaders at all, and was laser-focused on outlawing the use of animals in circuses during the very days that New York and Tennessee were sealing their deal with Discovery.

Montgomery County not only has failed to retain, much less grow, its stable of Fortune 500 companies in recent years, but hasn't attracted a single major corporate headquarters in over a quarter-century. "We don't need the Lockheed headquarters," former County Councilmember Nancy Floreen infamously declared in 2010. The Council's wish could come true: Lockheed recently announced it is shrinking - not growing - its footprint in Montgomery County, selling off its Rockville campus. 

Lockheed seems intimately aware that MoCo's elected officials are putting all their effort into helping their developer sugar daddies continue to transform the County into a bedroom community, rather than attracting and keeping high-wage jobs and corporate headquarters like theirs. The aerospace firm is marketing its Rockville campus as a site for townhomes, not corporate offices or research facilities. If that pitch isn't "peak 2024 Montgomery County," I don't know what is. Of course, even former County Executive Ike Leggett sounded the alarm that we were becoming a bedroom community before he left office, an incredible moment of political bravery and candor that surely did not sit well with the Montgomery County cartel.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin hasn't released a statement yet regarding the Fortune Global 500. But he did issue a press release to announce $126 million in State grants to fund preparation of business-ready sites across the Commonwealth. It's important to remember that the paradigm of Virginia crushing Montgomery County and Maryland in economic development predates Youngkin and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. The issue isn't necessarily partisan, either. While Montgomery County's Republican residents have been denied any representation on the County Council through clever gerrymandering of Council districts since 2002, Virginia's booming business growth and 21st-century corporate HQ haul have come under one GOP and two Democratic governors. And several of America's top states for business have Democratic governors.

In contrast, Montgomery County and Maryland continue to self-sabotage their own "fortunes" in economic development. We have to be honest that this sabotage has been fully intentional. A new Potomac River crossing could have long ago given us direct access to Dulles International Airport, the only airport in the region with the flight frequency and global destinations demanded by CEOs and top executives. We've never completed our master plan highway system, when so many large companies are rightly focused on logistics, and seek states that invest in infrastructure like Virginia has. "Business-ready sites? What's that?" Most of our County elected officials have been tasked by their developer sugar daddies to convert as many existing or planned office and retail properties to luxury housing as possible. And they are delivering, as a quick drive around the Montgomery Mall, Wheaton, Germantown, Tower Oaks, or King Farm areas in recent years will reveal.

As a result, our County economy has been moribund since shortly after the MoCo cartel seized a majority of seats on the Council in 2002. The destruction of our business sector that began in December of that year has only accelerated over time. They're laughing at us in Arlington, Fairfax, Herndon, Manassas, and Richmond. But as more and more of the region's highest regressive tax burden shifts onto the shoulders of Montgomery County residents, the only smiles here are on the faces of the MoCo cartel, and the elected officials they totally control.

Raskin: Congress would overturn a 2024 Trump victory even if it provokes "civil war"

Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin (D - 8th District) has vowed the U.S. Congress would overturn a potential victory by Donald Trump in the November presidential election, even if the move would provoke "civil war conditions" in the country. Raskin made the declaration in a February video that was tweeted by his former Republican colleague from New York, Lee Zeldin, on August 5. "It's going to be up to us on January 6, 2025 to tell the rampaging Trump mobs that he's disqualified," Raskin states in the video. "And then we need bodyguards for everybody, and civil war conditions."

Raskin, who represents a large part of Montgomery County and a small part of Prince George's County, cited Section III of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution as the tool to disqualify Trump, should he win a second term. That provision disqualifies elected officials who have taken an oath to defend the Constitution, but then engage in insurrection against the U.S. government, from holding federal elected office. It was added after the U.S. Civil War as a mechanism to prevent politicians on the Confederate side from holding federal office again. 

"It could not be clearer what [Section III is] stating," Raskin said in his remarks, which were excerpted from a larger discussion about the right to vote at the Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington, D.C.. The month after Raskin made these comments, a majority of justices on the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Congress was the only body that could disqualify a candidate under Section V of the 14th Amendment. Raskin challenged the validity of some electoral votes in Trump's 2016 victory, but was gaveled out of order by Vice-President Joe Biden, who was presiding over the election certification proceedings.

Montgomery County Council cuts Elrich out of picture on life science center launch

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich joined WMATA General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke and elected officials at the North Bethesda Metro station yesterday to formally launch the search for a developer to build a Life Science Center at the transit stop. But you wouldn't know this from watching the Montgomery County Council's video on the press conference. Elrich's speech was completely omitted from the Council report, which included excerpts from comments by Clarke, Council President Andrew Friedson, and even U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen. The snub was particularly notable, as Elrich has been the main driver of the Life Science Center from its inception.

If it were up to the Council alone, the site adjacent to the Metro station would have been yet another residential housing development. Elrich was the rare County elected official to acknowledge that MoCo needs more high-wage jobs as much as it does new housing, when he proposed the biotech use for this site several years ago. Yet the Council attempted to take all the credit for itself in its Monday video, similar to Congresspeople who vote against infrastructure projects in their districts, only to later claim credit for them once they come to fruition.

The attempt to cut Elrich out of the launch announcement was only the latest cheap shot by the Council at the Executive. Some on the Council resorted to subterfuge and outright deception in their successful effort to deep-six Elrich's proposal to restore funding for the Office of the People's Counsel. Councilmembers are still pondering whether to create a competing ballot question for the one that will give voters the option to oust Elrich with a two-term limit in the November election. Perhaps they are weighing the possibility of opening the executive seat to one of the ambitious Councilmembers, versus reducing their own future executive terms by one. 

Virginia continues to crush Maryland in job creation

The economic development outlook remains bleak on this side of the Potomac River, as Virginia absolutely crushed Maryland in job creation last month. Just eight days after CNBC declared Virginia "America's Top State for Business," the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the state added 15,000 new jobs in June. That gave Virginia the third-highest job creation number out of all fifty states last month. By comparison, Maryland barely surpassed a third of that total, generating only 5,600 new jobs in June.

Maryland's unemployment rate rose to 2.8% in June, while Virginia's dropped to 2.7%. The biggest area of job growth in Maryland was in the government sector. In contrast, Virginia's largest job growth was in the private sector, in Professional and Business Services. While Maryland has only added 27,800 jobs total since January 1, Virginia was able to add more than half of that in the last month alone.

Montgomery County used to be a major engine of economic growth not only in Maryland, but in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region. It has now ceded that role to Northern Virginia, as MoCo increasingly becomes the bedroom community for workers who are employed elsewhere in the region. In fact, a new Bethesda-to-Tysons express bus has just been proposed to serve those workers commuting to Virginia in the morning. Tysons - and Northern Virginia as a whole - continue to add major corporate headquarters, while Montgomery County hasn't added a single one in over a quarter century.

It's that high-wage job growth that allowed Virginia’s general fund revenues to end fiscal year 2024 $1.2 billion over the official revenue forecast. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin cited "robust job growth" as the driver of that better-than-expected revenue.

In contrast, Montgomery County remains focused on the revenue-sapping activity of adding bedrooms, instead of boardrooms. Aside from presiding over a strong biotech sector that was created by wiser leaders years before they ever took office, MoCo's elected officials continue to put all of their economic development eggs into the residential housing construction basket.

Instead of building a new Potomac River crossing to Dulles International Airport, completing our master plan highway system, creating shovel-ready job sites, and focusing on attracting Fortune 500 companies and aerospace and defense firms to vacant office parks from Clarksburg to Bethesda to White Oak, our County Council is focused on building more luxury apartments and townhomes.

Montgomery County Council President Andrew Friedson told an audience of real estate developers hosted by Bisnow on July 18 that “[i]n Montgomery County, we’re really trying to change the narrative. We have to view housing as the economic infrastructure that we have to build communities.” That's definitely not the narrative guiding Northern Virginia, Texas, or California. We're in real trouble, folks.

Montgomery County Council won't put property tax hike question on ballot this fall

Robin Ficker

The Montgomery County Council voted 6-5 on Tuesday to reject a Charter Review Commission proposal that would have made it easier to raise property taxes above the current County Charter limit. This means the proposal will not be put before the voters as a ballot question in November 2024. Currently, under the successful Robin Ficker ballot initiative approved by voters in the past, the Council must vote unanimously to raise property taxes above the charter limit. The CRC proposal, the latest attempt to do an end run around the popular "Ficker Amendment," would have dropped the unanimous vote requirement.

Councilmembers who voted against the CRC proposal were Marilyn Balcombe, Andrew Friedson, Natalie Fani-Gonzalez, Evan Glass, Sidney Katz, and Dawn Luedtke. The Councilmembers who voted for the proposal to remove the unanimous vote requirement were Gabe Albornoz, Will Jawando, Kristin Mink, Laurie-Ann Sayles, and Kate Stewart.

Montgomery County's high property taxes are one of several highly-regressive tax burdens on working families and residents who are on fixed incomes. Along with high property assessments, the annual payments have essentially become a second mortgage for many cash-strapped residents. The Ficker Amendment has provided relief from even-more-nightmarish tax bills since it was passed. That's because, as it is, the Council has raised property taxes on residents every year except for FY-2015.

Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin questions Secret Service director about Trump rally assassination attempt

Maryland U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin (D - 8th District) called the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump "a grave assault on our democracy" in his opening remarks at a contentious U.S. House of Representatives committee questioning of U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle this morning. Cheatle faced heated questioning from members of both political parties seeking answers to security failures at the July 13, 2024 Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump and two rally attendees were wounded in the shooting, and a third attendee was killed. It was the first attempted assassination of a current or former U.S. President since 1981.

"We are united in condemning all political violence," Raskin said in his opening remarks, after U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R - KY 1st District) began the hearing by declaring bipartisan concern about the tragic events. Raskin pledged to seek explanations of the "shocking security failures" at the Trump rally, but - in terms of speaking time - his remarks placed greater emphasis on mass shootings in general, and the availability of AR-15 semi-automatic rifles in America. Before concluding his opening statement, Raskin called for a ban on the AR-15, "and other assault weapons."

Raskin recited the media narrative that has developed in the days since the assassination attempt, in regard to the shooter having been identified as a suspicious person long before the start of the rally. "Why was [Trump] allowed to take the stage with a suspicious person having been identified in the crowd?" Raskin asked.

Cheatle responded that a suspicious person is not the same as a threatening person in the view of the Secret Service. If Secret Service agents had been advised that the shooter had been deemed a threat, she said, Trump would not have been allowed to take the stage. 

Raskin asked if the Secret Service had denied any requests by the Trump campaign for additional security resources for the July 13 rally. "There were no assets denied for that event in Butler," Cheatle said. She confirmed to Raskin that the serial number on the shooter's weapon was the key to identifying him, as he was carrying no identification.

But the bulk of the answers sought by Raskin and other committee members were not provided by Cheatle. She repeatedly referred to being only "nine days out" from the incident, and being unable to answer critical questions until the completion of a Inspector General investigation, as well as an internal Secret Service investigation she confirmed is also taking place. It is not currently clear when either investigation will be complete, raising the possibility that existing security weak spots and lapses might not be identified even by the time a new president is elected, much less to protect candidates before Election Day.

Raskin asked Cheatle what her response would be to an American citizen who asked her, "What went wrong?" on the day of the rally. Cheatle again avoided answering the question with her "nine days out" excuse. Under questioning from Rep. Jim Jordan (R - OH 4th District), she also claimed to be unprepared to answer many obvious questions that she could have expected to be asked at today's hearing, including the type and number of requests for additional resources made by the Trump campaign. Exasperated as his initial question time expired, Jordan noted that Cheatle hadn't answered any of the pertinent questions asked by himself or Raskin.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore endorses Kamala Harris as Biden quits race

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race. Moore lauded President Joe Biden's decision to not pursue reelection on Sunday, but did not immediately join the many other prominent Democrats who quickly endorsed Harris shortly after Biden gave her his support. "I am proud to voice my full support and offer my full endorsement to Vice-President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic Nominee for President," Moore tweeted this morning.

Moore said that he had spoken to both Biden and Harris yesterday. He noted that Harris was one of the first officials to call him after the collapse of the Key Bridge in Baltimore earlier this year. In his statement, Moore said Harris could attract a "unique coalition" of support, and urged Democrats to quickly "rally around her" for the nomination. 

Former president Barack Obama, to whom Moore is often compared when future Democratic presidential nominees are discussed, also declined to immediately back Harris yesterday. Moore has been one of the leaders to appear on the short list of possible candidates to replace Biden in a "mini-primary" ahead of next month's Democratic National Convention in Chicago. His name has been less-often mentioned as a potential running mate for Harris since Biden dropped out yesterday. Leading candidates to be Harris' running mate are Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Arizona U.S. Senator Mark Kelly, North Carolina Gov. Roy Moore, and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.

Moore and the many other Democrats who had been expected to run for the White House in 2028 will have to weigh their options in deciding whether to accept a VP slot in 2024, or to wait another four years. Endorsing Harris would allow Moore to leave all options open aside from running as Biden's replacement this year. The Democratic National Committee is expected to announce more details on its plan for the nomination process in the coming days.

Virginia is named #1 state for business; Maryland is...31st

CNBC released its annual America's Top States for Business list this morning, and as usual, our neighbor across the Potomac has cleaned our clock once again. The cable network declared Virginia the top state for business in America. Maryland ranked 31st on the list for 2024. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is already taking a victory lap this morning. "I am thrilled that our great Commonwealth has been named America’s Top State for Business," Youngkin said in a statement. Rest assured you won't be seeing a press release from Maryland today on the subject.

You won't be surprised to know that other states in the top 10 include Texas and Tennessee. But southern, right-to-work states didn't completely dominate the top tier, as union redoubts Minnesota, Michigan, and Washington came in at #6, #9, and #10, respectively. Pro-labor policies don't make for an anti-business state all by themselves.

Delaware surprisingly finished below Maryland. The First State is usually associated with corporations, but is apparently a better place to incorporate your business than to actually operate a business - in CNBC's evaluation. Of course, Elon would strongly disagree.

Why is Maryland failing? It isn't only our failure to attract Fortune 500 companies to the state.

Virginia has the third-best infrastructure in America, according to CNBC. Maryland's infrastructure is ranked way down at 37th-best in America. Ouch. This isn't surprising when you consider that Virginia has built countless miles of new highways; installed Express Lanes on I-395, I-495, and all the way down to Fredericksburg on I-95; expanded Metro subway service through Fairfax and Loudoun Counties to Dulles Airport; now has three passenger airports in Northern Virginia alone, including the vast array of international business destinations only accessible via Dulles Airport; and has greatly expanded - at its own expense - Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express rail service. CNBC also took note of Virginia's "shovel-ready" site availablity. 

Over the same period, Maryland has built - well, not much at all. Maryland finally managed to replace the Nice Bridge over the Potomac River after many delays, only to see the Key Bridge in Baltimore collapse because state leaders for decades failed to make the necessary safety improvements they were warned to in 1980. The Purple Line delays speak for themselves. Gov. Wes Moore recently revived the plans for the Baltimore Red Line, but the state lacks any money to build it in the foreseeable future. 

Likewise, there's no cash for commuter rail in Southern Maryland or a new Bay Bridge, and any financial drain from the operation of the Purple Line is already directed to take money from other transportation projects to cover the shortfall. Maryland continues to kick the solutions for congestion on I-270 and I-495 can down the road. 

Montgomery County likes to cancel transportation infrastructure as much as it likes to ban things. Unless you are a bike lane, you are likely to be canceled by the County Council. The Council's transportation fails include announcing the cancellation of the Montrose Parkway East in White Flint on the very day that Amazon reps were touring the White Flint area during the Amazon HQ2 competition. Our talented County Council also canceled all of the major transportation infrastructure that was required to support its approval of massive housing development in Germantown, Clarksburg and Damascus - - the Corridor Cities Transitway light rail system, and the M-83 Highway. The Rockville Freeway? Removed from the master plan decades ago.

Maryland infamously continues to block construction of any new bridges over the Potomac River, denying itself congestion relief that might negate the need to widen the Beltway and I-270, as well as providing direct access to Dulles Airport that would be essential to attracting major corporations to the I-270 corridor. That highway extension of I-370 to VA-28 has an existing right-of-way from Gaithersburg to the Potomac River crossing site, but none of the intelligence, will, or leadership to build it.

The infrastructure picture in Maryland is so bad, we couldn't even keep the ancient White's Ferry operating. Remember when former Maryland Gov. Bob Ehrlich built an entire highway, the InterCounty Connector, all by himself? It is now, rightfully, named for him. Our leaders today are super low-energy, by comparison.

Former MD Gov. Bob Ehrlich

Where else does Maryland fall short for business, according to CNBC? We're nearly the worst in America for the "Cost of Doing Business," landing at 47 out of 50. "Right into the buckle - that's gotta hurt, Gene." Montgomery County has the highest tax burden in the Washington, D.C. region, and our County and State tax structures are simply not competitive with Virginia.

CNBC shares the growing consensus that the economies of Montgomery County and Maryland are moribund. Maryland's economy ranks 30th out of all 50 states on their list. And that's probably being very generous of them. Grading on a curve.

Maryland's score for "Workforce" is nearly as bad, at 28 out of 50. This is shocking given that we have some of the most highly-educated populations in America in several counties. But CNBC finds our workforce to be worse than average.

Virginia is #1 for education. Maryland is #14. This isn't surprising if you've watched the slow motion 100-car-pileup decline of Montgomery County Public Schools since the departure of Dr. Jerry Weast, the last MCPS superintendent who - for whatever faults he had - was actually professionally-qualified for the job.

Maryland ranks way down at #37 for "Business Friendliness." Virginia is #5 in that column.

If you're an elected official in Maryland,
don't turn on CNBC today

The news isn't all bad. Maryland rises to 16 out of 50 in quality of life. Texas is dead last in that category. But Virginia is only 3 points behind us at 19th. The Commonwealth was also 19th in cost-of-living. That means they beat us there, too. 

CNBC also ranks Maryland in the top 10 states for Technology and Innovation, at #8. This is pretty surprising, too, but likely the result of Montgomery County's only economic bright spot, the biotech sector. Virginia has superior tech infrastructure, and has been home to many more notable tech firms, but somehow ends up at 15 in this category.

We already know that Montgomery County hasn't attracted a single major corporate headquarters in over a quarter century. But it's becoming more surprising by the day that Gov. Moore has been unable to attract such HQs or significant manufacturing facilities to the state. One of his biggest calling cards and selling points was that he was a successful Wall Street businessman. He regularly hobnobs and fundraises among the financial elite on Martha's Vineyard and in the Hamptons. Surely, his Rolodex is bursting at the seams with CEO phone numbers. But, perplexingly, he has yet to score a big win in the corporate HQ and factory races.

The CNBC list only reinforces what engaged observers in our County and State already know. We're in real trouble, folks. And the lack of business starts, development and growth are hitting the County and State budgets harder than ever. Just look at the latest County Council tax hikes (and ballot questions to facilitate even-bigger tax hikes starting next year), and the dystopian budget headlines out of Annapolis. 

We can't go on like this.

New retail development proposed for "impossible" Rockville property

Attempts to redevelop a lucrative but hard-to-access piece of land along Rockville Pike have failed for nearly twenty years. Previous proposals for a furniture store and a shopping center on the former gas station site at 900 Rockville Pike stalled, and ultimately went nowhere. Property owner Danshes, LLC is hoping the third time will be the charm. 

Location of the property

A public hearing by the Mayor and Council will be held tonight, July 8, 2024 at 7:00 PM at Rockville City Hall on a proposed amendment to the approved 2006 furniture store project plan. It proposes a 27' tall retail building in lieu of the furniture store, with 4400-square-feet of retail space, and a surface parking lot at the south end of the property. 33% of the property would be green space, and 15% of that would be "public use space." 

Proposed new retail use and parking lot

Of interest to residents, no restaurant tenants would be permitted in the new development without a change-of-use approval, so the new development would be retail-only. And the "unknown" future tenant will be a single retail business, according to a May 2023 letter from the architecture firm designing the proposed retail center.

One of the major obstacles to redeveloping the property after the closure of the gas station was its location. While it is a prime property on one of the busiest commuter routes in Maryland, it is hemmed in on three sides by Edmonston Drive to the north, by the CSX and Metrorail tracks to the east, and by the Edmonston Crossing development to the south. The Edmonston Crossing property includes a popular strip mall and office building.

Questions of ingress and egress, existing and proposed curb cuts, and liability and congestion issues of a shared curb cut with Edmonston Crossing were all controversial in the past. Forcing Edmonston Crossing to bear the full weight of all of the new traffic in and out of 900 Rockville Pike was an issue for the Edmonston Crossing property owner, and new curb cuts onto the Pike or so close to a bridge and busy intersection on Edmonston were opposed by transportation agencies.

The new proposal once again suggests using the existing curb cut for Edmonston Crossing. According to City planning staff, the owner of Edmonston Crossing continues to oppose the impacts of this vehicular access plan. But City staff are currently arguing that their review of "historical records" leads them to conclude that "drivers visiting the subject property can reach the site from the recorded public access easement, which can be accessed from multiple curb cuts [at Edmonston Crossing] south of the subject site." Those curb cuts further south of the Edmonston Crossing property include ones near Taco Bell and Best Buy. However, those vehicles would still ultimately have to travel through the Edmonston Crossing property to reach the easement.

A 2011 Rockville Planning Commission decision, ordered by the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, approved the use of Edmonston Crossing's curb cuts over the objection of that property's owner. But the development of the furniture store stalled, and that approval expired.

Jim Whalen of Edmonston Properties LLC and Investment Properties, Inc., the owner of Edmonston Crossing, continues to dispute the view of the applicant and City staff regarding the public access easement. Whalen "argues that a narrow strip of private property separates the public right of way from the public access easement at the northernmost curb cut, granting him the right to exclude visitors to the subject property [900 Rockville Pike] from using that curb cut." the staff report states. In contrast, City staff have countered that the public access easement was a part of previous development approvals dating back more than 50 years.

How did the previous gas station business at 900 Rockville Pike operate with regard to access, you might ask. It had two curb cuts, one onto the Pike, and one onto Edmonston Drive. The two curb cuts that directly access the property have ceased to be viable since that business closed. 

A curb cut on Edmonston Drive was
closed off over a decade ago

A previous curb cut onto Edmonston was ordered closed by transportation officials in the past, the staff report indicates. And the Maryland State Highway Administration has said that the existing curb cut along Rockville Pike is too dangerous, because it is accessible from a right-turn lane on the Pike, and therefore recommends the use of the proposed public access easement instead. It's unclear how that existing right to direct Pike access is not grandfathered in for 900 Rockville Pike, with the result that SHA forces a dispute with the Edmonston Crossing property owner.

This curb cut along the Rockville Pike side of
the property remains in place, but the MDSHA
doesn't want the new development to use it

Access is not the only transportation-related challenge for the 900 Rockville Pike site. The new retail use proposed is smaller than the one proposed in 2016. Part of the reason for the approximately 2000-3000 fewer SF of the new project is the taking of more of the MD 355 right-of-way for a future Bus Rapid Transit line that would pass by the property.

Staff are recommending approval of the plan amendment, but have attached a list of 21 conditions that it suggests the Mayor and Council mandate for release of the required permits for the project. These include closure of the Rockville Pike curb cut, limiting of all trash or service vehicles to "SU-30 equivalent or smaller" trucks, compliance with all provisions of the WMATA right-of-way and easement requirements at the rear of the property, and termination of any existing City of Rockville right-of-way easements (likely for the service road that was for decades envisioned to one day run alongside the Pike between Twinbrook Parkway and Dodge Street; several segments of this were constructed, but the vision was abandoned in the latest Rockville Pike Plan).

If the Mayor and Council direct City staff to prepare a resolution of approval for the amendment at the conclusion of tonight's public hearing and meeting, they would likely vote on the resolution at their August 5 meeting. Should they not give such instruction to staff, the amendment would be placed on the August 5 agenda for further discussion, postponing any such vote until September 30.

Can the applicant pull it off this time, and successfully redevelop a prime site that at least one Rockville real estate observer declared an "impossible property" after previous attempts fizzled out? Will the owner of Edmonston Crossing take legal action to defend his rights and interests, if the Mayor and Council accept staff's analysis of the access easement and approve the amendment? Stay tuned!

Montgomery County Council stonewalls Black cemetery advocates

The Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition recently contacted all members of the Montgomery County Council, asking each elected official to denounce the desecration of Moses African Cemetery in Bethesda, and the desecration of African-American cemeteries in general. None of them agreed to do so, and only one even replied to the inquiries. "Thank you for your email regarding Moses African Cemetery," Councilmember Marilyn Balcombe's chief of staff wrote in an email response to BACC. "This is a very complex issue which has a long history. It is not within the purview of the Council to advocate while there is both past and ongoing litigation."

"BACC rejects the logic of any and all councilmembers who remain silent," the organization said in a statement Wednesday. "First, we do not understand what the issue is regarding commenting on issues involving litigation. Through Amicus Briefs and other means, public and private entities weigh in all the time on lawsuits. Secondly, the Moses African Cemetery covers several parcels including ones not involved in litigation, allowing any Councilmember concerned about intervening in a court case to comment about the fate of portions of the cemetery not involved in litigation. In particular, the developer, 1784 Holdings, is erecting a light storage facility next to McDonalds on River Road despite the absence of a full archaeological and forensic survey investigating whether additional bones and funerary objects remain. 1784 Holdings had previously removed several possible funerary objects and is storing them in a warehouse in Gainesville, Virginia. A proper investigation of these objects has not been conducted, The Council could call of a third party, impartial investigation now."

"BACC believes the Council must reverse course and take a strong stand against desecration. No other local official at any level has spoken out. The council has an opportunity to lead if it can shake off its bureaucratic mindset."

Losing to Virginia on another factory, is Montgomery County in the hunt for IKEA manufacturing site?

Montgomery County and Maryland were beaten in the economic development game again by Virginia yesterday. Will they be players in the next big manufacturing competition, for an IKEA factory on American soil? Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin's office announced Tuesday that his state had won the competition for a 400,000-square-foot Condair Group AG manufacturing facility. The press release indicated that Virginia and South Carolina were the two finalists. Meanwhile, the Financial Times reported this past weekend that IKEA is scouting for factory locations in the United States, due to increasing disruptions in international shipping lanes.

Virginia could already have a [LÖVBACKEN table] leg up in the IKEA race, as the Swedish furniture giant previously operated its only U.S. factory in Danville, Virginia from 2008 to 2019. It ultimately closed that plant, shipping its 300 jobs back to Europe. Montgomery County has plenty of room for an IKEA plant in the I-270 corridor, where there is also potential direct rail access to the CSX Metropolitan Subdivision for domestic or port shipping purposes. Of course, Baltimore, Hagerstown and Cumberland are among the struggling Maryland cities that could use an IKEA plant to help revive their once-mighty industrial areas.

There's no indication of Montgomery County or Maryland having been in the hunt for the Condair plant. The $57.2 million investment by Condair in Chesterfield County, Virginia will create 180 good-paying industrial jobs with full benefits. Instead of Condair products being exported out of the Port of Baltimore, they'll be headed out of Richmond Marine Terminal in Virginia, according to the press release.

"When an international brand like Condair makes the decision to locate in Virginia, the positive ripple-effects of economic investment, job creation and cargo growth are felt throughout the Commonwealth," Virginia Port Authority CEO Stephen A. Edwards said in a statement. "The Port of Virginia will be among the beneficiaries of Condair’s location in Chesterfield County, which is not far from Richmond Marine Terminal. We are ready to collaborate with Condair to help it leverage the assets of this port — America’s most modern gateway — to ensure it has access to world markets." 

"Virginia is the perfect location for the international company Condair to establish its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility," Youngkin said in a statement Tuesday. "We applaud the 21st century manufacturing jobs that this project will bring to Chesterfield County."

Local UFCW unions endorse Alsobrooks in Maryland U.S. Senate race, Trump embraces critic Hogan

Three local United Food & Commercial Workers unions endorsed Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) in the race for Ben Cardin's Maryland U.S. Senate seat yesterday. UFCW Local 400, UFCW Local 27, and UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO represent over 30,000 members who are registered voters in Maryland. Those members work in a wide variety of fields, including grocery stores, retail, health care, food processing, meatpacking, chemical processing, cannabis, and gaming, as well as in the public sector. UFCW Local 1994 represents many Montgomery County government employees, for example.

UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO President Gino Renne

“Angela Alsobrooks is a champion for working families, and a relentless advocate for justice and equity,” UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO President Gino Renne said in a statement Thursday. “Her commitment to the people of Maryland and her proven track record of leadership make her the ideal candidate for the U.S. Senate. I am proud to endorse Angela Alsobrooks, confident that she will fight tirelessly for our rights and our future.”

Alsobrooks receiving the endorsement of
local 1199 SEIU union in February

The choice of labor to support Alsobrooks is not necessarily a surprising development in the general election contest, which pits the Prince George's leader against former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) in a statewide election that may determine which party controls the U.S. Senate. Alsobrooks has already garnered many union endorsements in the race, including several local SEIU unions, and the Amalgamated Transit Union. Thursday's endorsements give her the backing of 13 labor organizations, based upon the list on her campaign website.

Former Gov. Larry Hogan receiving endorsement
of Ocean City and Worcester County firefighters in
Ocean City

Hogan has received six union endorsements himself, many representing first responders in the state. Among those supporting the Republican are the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (M.E.B.A.), the nation’s oldest maritime labor union representing officers of the United States Merchant Marines, Ocean City Career Firefighter Paramedics Association IAFF Local 4269, Worcester County Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 4916, the International Union of Police Associations, the State Law Enforcement Officers Labor Alliance (SLEOLA), and the International Longshoremen’s Association Local 333. The latter represents more than 2,000 maritime workers at the busy Port of Baltimore.

One endorsement Hogan didn't necessarily expect was that of President Donald Trump, whom the former governor has heavily criticized for years. But he got it anyway Thursday, only a week after Trump surrogates declared Hogan's Senate hopes dead, after the Marylander asked his fellow Americans to respect the verdict in Trump's New York trial. 

Trump's habit of embracing even his harshest critics at the drop of a hat can be seen by some as shrewd, and by others as nonsensical. But Trump's transactional relationship style has served him well for decades in business and politics, making his endorsement of Hogan not entirely shocking. On balance, the Trump nod may even help Hogan, if "Lockdown Larry"-averse MAGA voters end up begrudgingly following their leader's directive.

Photos courtesy Alsobrooks for Senate, UFCW Local 1994, Hogan for Maryland, Inc.

Black cemetery advocates raise Juneteenth flag at Jamie Raskin's office

Leaders and members of the Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition traveled to Congressman Jamie Raskin's office last week, to protest Raskin's "continued refusal to take congressional action on the desecration, flooding, pouring of concrete on our ancestors, and cover-up of crimes against African people in Moses African Cemetery." Raskin previously visited the site of the burial ground, which is located under Montgomery County government-owned parcels of land on the Westwood Tower property, and directly across the Willett Branch stream from the rear parking lot of Westwood Tower. However, he has refused to meet with the group since or take action at the federal level on the cemetery issues, BACC says.

At Raskin's office last week, the group raised the Juneteenth flag in honor of Pvt. William H.H. Brown, who served with the United States Colored Troops who fought for the Union side in the U.S. Civil War. Brown is among the many former slaves buried in Moses African Cemetery. BACC has also created a video with a Civil War reenactor playing Pvt. Brown. "We told the White Union officers, if they would give us the gun, we would free ourselves," the actor portraying Brown says in the video. "We won our freedom. Now Montgomery County, Maryland is desecrating our sacred remains."

The BACC has called on the public to boycott all official Montgomery County government-sponsored Juneteenth events, in light of our elected officials' inaction on the cemetery matters. It has planned a full program of alternative Juneteenth events it encourages residents to attend instead. See the event announcements below for full details:

NIST begins joint research on Secure Digital ID for public benefits

The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg has embarked on a collaborative project to adapt NIST's digital identity guidelines to the administration of public benefits programs. These include programs that help beneficiaries pay for food, housing, medical and other living expenses. The initiative gained momentum due to large-scale fraud related to COVID-19 pandemic benefits.

NIST is teaming up with the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University, and the nonprofit Center for Democracy & Technology, on the project. The partners are attempting to balance security concerns with potential impacts on privacy, "due process," and "potential biases in systems that disproportionately impact communities of color and marginalized groups."

"To improve benefits delivery to the U.S. public, it is vital that agencies balance access and security," Undersecretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director Laurie E. Locascio said in a statement this morning. "Different populations have different needs, barriers and circumstances that must be considered, and this collaboration will bring together a diverse set of communities to do just that."