HOGAN PITCHES LESS PARTISAN LANDSCAPE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, sounding almost like a presidential candidate but not quite, pitched a vision of a less-partisan political landscape to a politically-connected crowd in New Hampshire Wednesday morning. Pamela Wood/Baltimore Banner

• Hogan appeared at Politics & Eggs on Thursday morning, a popular stop for presidential hopefuls at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire, a sign his exploration of a presidential bid is intensifying. Ovetta Wiggins/Washington Post
• Hogan, in his most forceful language to date, charges that the controversial move last month by GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida to fly migrants from Texas to the progressive bastion of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts was a “terrible idea” and a “publicity stunt.” Paul Steinhauser/Fox News
• Watch the whole speech and question session on YouTube from WMUR

BIDEN VISITING HAGERSTOWN FRIDAY, LOCATED IN COMPETITIVE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: President Joe Biden will be arriving at the Hagerstown Regional Airport on Friday to visit the Volvo Group powertrain plant, where he will deliver remarks on “building the economy from the bottom up and middle out.” Julie Green/Hagerstown Herald-Mail

• Biden’s visit will be in the heart of the sixth congressional district, a once staunch Democratic district that was redrawn earlier this year to be more competitive for Republicans. U.S. Rep. David Trone, a Democrat, faces a tough race this year. Jeff Mordock/Washington Times
• The visit spotlights a hot race, the most competitive in the state. Although General Assembly leaders initially sought to pack a large number of Democrats into the 6th District — as they did more than a decade ago — they changed course following a successful legal challenge by Republicans. Their redrawn map, rushed through just before they adjourned for the year, puts fewer Montgomery County voters and more voters from Frederick County into the 6th, making it far more competitive. Bruce DePuyt/Maryland Matters
• “I am proudly joining President Joe Biden in our district tomorrow to showcase our country’s job creation and economic growth under his leadership,” Trone said. “Whether it’s through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or Inflation Reduction Act, we’re here in Hagerstown to put people over politics and build a brighter tomorrow for Marylanders.” Robert Lang/WBAL NewsRadio

BALLOT COUNTING HEARING FRIDAY MORNING: Maryland’s highest court will hear arguments Friday morning over whether it’s appropriate — and constitutional — for elections officials to confidentially tally mail ballots as they arrive ahead of this fall’s general election. Pamela Wood/Baltimore Banner

• The debate between Donald Trump-aligned Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Cox and the election board concerns a state law that prohibits election officials from counting mail-in ballots until two days after the election. Karina Elwood/Washington Post
• An attorney for the Maryland State Board of Elections is asking the state’s highest court to ignore a portion of an appeal by a gubernatorial candidate, claiming the issue was not argued in a lower court. That portion claims that the actions of the elections officials to begin counting early amounted to overriding a veto by Gov. Larry Hogan, when he decided to veto a bill that would have granted the ability to count those ballots earlier. Bryan Sears/The Daily Record

BIDEN PARDONS POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA CHARGES: President Joe Biden on Thursday announced that he would pardon thousands of Americans convicted of “simple possession” of marijuana and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby reacted to the announcement with praise. Mosby’s office has not prosecuted such cases since 2019. “Prosecuting marijuana possession cases has no public safety value, disproportionately impacts communities of color, erodes public trust and is a costly and counterproductive use of our limited resources.” WBAL radio

FORUM SPOTLIGHTS COMPTROLLER RACE: In one of the most competitive races in Maryland, the two candidates for state comptroller began a virtual forum Thursday with a civics lesson. Del. Brooke Lierman (D-Baltimore City) and Harford County Executive Barry Glassman (R) talked about how the comptroller is one of three independent elected officials statewide, sits on various boards, and serves as the state’s tax collector. William Ford/Maryland Matters

SUN ENDORSES LIERMAN, BROWN, MIZEUR: There were no surprises in Baltimore Sun editorial endorsements this week, all Democrats: Brooke Lierman for state comptroller, Anthony Brown for attorney general, and Heather Mizeur in the 1st Congressional District. 

LATEST POLL GIVES MOORE WIDE MARGIN FOR GOV: Maryland Democratic gubernatorial nominee Wes Moore holds a 32-percentage-point lead over Republican opponent Dan Cox in the governor’s race, according to a University of Maryland-Washington Post poll. Emmett Gartner/Capital News Service in The Salisbury Daily Times

COMMENTARY: HAIRE LACKS CREDIBILITY ON LANDFILL DONATIONS: Anne Arundel County Executive Republican nominee Jessica Haire’s reliance on contributions from a development company leave standing questions about her personal integrity and honesty for not only Democratic and independent votes but also Republicans, former Del. Herb McMillan writes in the Annapolis Capital Gazette. McMillan, who finished second to Haire in the 2022 county executive primary, raises concerns about a 30-year, billion dollar landfill project those developers proposed and Haire said she had only learned about recently. Herb McMillan/Capital Gazette.

PROFILE OF ANNE ARUNDEL INCUMBENT STEUART PITTMAN: In the race, County Executive Steuart Pittman, a Democrat, is seeking a second term. As a boy, Pittman loved horses and now hopes to create a better future for Anne Arundel County, which he envisions will include more affordable and accessible housing, and more resilience to climate change. Dana Munro/Capital Gazette

COST OF PUBLIC FINANCE ELECTION SYSTEM IS $3.46 MILLION IN MoCo: This year’s primary election cost Montgomery County taxpayers about $3.46 million for the public campaign finance system that subsidizes candidates running for county executive and County Council. Louis Peck/Bethesda Beat.

STATE LOOKS TO BALTIMORE COUNTY EDUCATION DEAL WITH TEACHERS UNION: Teachers, their unions and school systems across the state are taking note of the deal to give Baltimore County gives teachers a raise as they consider their own local education systems. Baltimore County’s $76 million compensation package plan looks to improve teacher pay and increase teacher retention rates which impacts other teacher jobs in the region drawing  from the same talent pool. Timothy Dashiell/Capital News Service in Baltimore Post-Examiner

BLACK CAUCUS LOOKING AT EQUITABLE BROADBAND, TECH ACCESS: During the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s (CBCF) Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) several organizations including the National Black Caucus of  State Legislators (NBCSL) and their Executive Roundtable learned more about tech equity and efforts to expand broadband access. Catherine Pugh/The AFRO

JUDGE RODOWSKY DIES, REMEMBERED FOR DISTINGUISHED CAREER: Lawrence F. Rodowsky, a judge who served on Maryland’s highest court and influenced state law through his rulings, died of heart failure complications Saturday at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring. The former Guilford resident was 91. Jacques Kelly/Baltimore Sun

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@BryanRenbaum

Gov. Larry Hogan has said he is not interested in running for U.S. Senate, however he has not ruled out running for president in 2024.

Hogan’s decision to leave that door open raises questions about how a moderate-leaning Republican from a deep-blue state might fare in a GOP presidential primary where former President Donald Trump is still considered the most influential person in the party and is teasing another run for office.

Hogan is Maryland’s first two-term Republican governor since the 1950s. He ran for office focusing on issues related to tax and regulatory reform. And Hogan has largely avoided discussion of controversial social issues such as abortion and immigration since first being elected in 2014.

But Hogan will not have that luxury if he decides to run for president. Abortion, immigration, and the debate over teaching critical race theory are just a few of the hot-button social issues that could dominate a GOP presidential primary.

So could Hogan’s past criticism of Trump and the governor’s steadfast support for getting vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, both of which are unpopular with some segments of the GOP base.

All that considered, how might Hogan fare in a primary field that is likely to be dominated by the more conservative members of the party?

“I think a GOP primary now will be very different than a GOP primary two or three years from now. And I think we are already beginning to see some emerging trend lines inside the GOP where some primary voters despite their fealty to Trump also have a desire to win,” former Lt. Gov. and former Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele told MarylandReporter.com. “And they are looking at some of the Trump-style candidates that are emerging in this space. And there is concern inside the party about how some of these people might fare in a general election.”

As for the hot-button social issues, they might not be as dominant in the primary as some pundits predict, Steele said.

“I do not think those issues play the way that people, particularly in the press, would want to play them up. Abortion is a settled issue in the state of Maryland…Larry has had to deal with immigration issues here given the immigrant population who work in our seasonal industries…I think Larry and candidates like him, particularly those who have governed for eight years and have had to deal with these issues more directly-will be more than prepared to talk about them.”

Richard Vatz, a professor of political science at Towson University, said it is unlikely that Hogan would gain significant traction among GOP presidential primary voters.

“The prospects of Gov. Hogan’s securing the Republican presidential nomination in 2024 are not promising. While his generally successful governorship would argue for serious consideration, his lack of a national footprint, save his serving as chair of the National Governors Association, militates against being his party’s nominee. Maryland is also not a historic springboard for the presidency.”

Vatz added: “More significant, Gov. Hogan’s unambiguous and aggressive anti-Trumpism, including his support for the former president’s impeachment and conviction, earns him credit for rejecting political expediency but probably not much support from national Republicans. The GOP presidential candidate for 2024 will have to beat Trump as well as high profile candidates who support his arguable success in domestic, economic, and foreign policy.”

Todd Eberly, a professor of political science at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, said Hogan would likely fare better among the general electorate than among GOP presidential primary voters.

“The base of the Republican party, the folks who turn out and vote in primaries, is very loyal to Pres. Trump. Hogan has broken with Trump openly on several occasions. GOP voters are less likely to take COVID seriously, but Hogan confronted it rather vigorously with mask mandates and shutdowns. It’s a familiar Catch-22 in contemporary politics. Hogan’s experience as a Republican governing a Blue state makes him a great candidate for a general election. But the very things that make him strong in a general election, work against him in a primary election.”

Sen. Johnny Ray Salling, R-Baltimore County, said it is difficult to predict how Hogan might fare in a  GOP presidential primary.

“That is a tough call. It is hard to make a call on that.”

Salling said he is not sure how “well-known” Hogan is outside of Maryland despite the governor having previously served as chair of the National Governors Association, and that a lack of national name recognition could have an adverse effect on a potential campaign.

But again, the outcome is hard to predict, Salling explained.

“The Trump supporters will not like him but he still might get some votes.”

Hogan’s communications director, Michael Ricci, directed MarylandReporter.com to An America United Executive Director David Weinman for comment about the governor’s future political plans. Weinman did not respond to the request by the deadline for this story.

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@BryanRenbaum

U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Wednesday slammed lawmakers and pundits who have disseminated disinformation about the novel coronavirus and the vaccines that are aimed at preventing people from becoming seriously ill or possibly even dying from that contagion.

His remarks follow a Tuesday Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committee hearing in which Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci sparred over NIH funding for controversial research related to COVID-19 that took place at a Chinese laboratory.

During the hearing, Paul accused Fauci of lying and Fauci forcefully denied that claim. Paul has said he will send DOJ a criminal referral regarding Fauci’s testimony. Paul is an eye doctor by training and is one of a handful of GOP lawmakers who have publicly stated that they will not get vaccinated against COVID.

Paul and several of his Republican colleagues have been accused of spreading conspiracy theories about the virus and vaccines. Fauci is routinely lambasted in conservative media circles.

“It has been absolutely disgraceful to see members of Congress in the House and the Senate, to see right-wing talk show hosts and others-attack the credibility of the scientists at a time when it is more important than ever that American public hears the truth,” Van Hollen said at a virtual news conference that was attended by government health officials and private medical professionals.

Van Hollen added: “More than shameful, it is downright dangerous. Because we are continuing to see the spread and the spike of the Delta virus.”

Former White House COVID-19 senior advisor and former Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Andy Slavitt noted that most of the recent COVID hospitalizations and deaths were “almost entirely preventable” because they largely occurred among people who had not been vaccinated. All of the 130 reported Maryland COVID deaths in June came from people who were not vaccinated.

Slavitt emphasized that there is a critical distinction between reasonable concerns about the safety of vaccines and the deliberate spread of disinformation.

“People have valid questions about whether they want to take the vaccine or not. No one is suggesting that people should be talked into taking a vaccine or doing something against their wishes. Nobody. What we are arguing is that people should have access to real, truthful, honest information so that they can make that decision.”

Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said she is very concerned about the rising number of COVID cases nationwide, particularly among those who are not vaccinated.

“Unfortunately our efforts have slowed. And our rollout of vaccines are meeting a tremendous amount of resistance. It is just, unfortunately, setting us back farther than where we absolutely need to be by now.”

Jeff Heubner, a family physician in Madison, who serves on the Board of Directors for Doctors for America, said whatever side effects the vaccines may cause pale in the comparison to the damage caused by the virus.

“They are minuscule compared to what COVID can do. COVID can ravage every part of your body, even if you don’t die from it.”

Physicians also are recommending people who have gotten COVID-19 should still get the vaccine because it’s unclear how long the anti-bodies will last.

A study from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio has found that people who’ve already had COVID-19 may not necessarily benefit from vaccination but the study was very small and still left a lot of questions on the table.

Tim Walters, the co-founder and chairman of the protest group he called Reopen Maryland, defended that point of view in an interview with MarylandReporter.com.

Last spring, at the height of the pandemic, Walters was leading mass protests. He urged Marylanders not to comply with the restrictions that Gov. Larry Hogan had put into place such as wearing masks. And it was around that time that Walters, who said he does not believe face masks provide a significant degree of protection from the virus-contracted COVID and became ill with what he called “double pneumonia.”

Walters has since recovered from COVID. Though the illness has done little to change his views on state mandates designed to reduce transmission and the efficacy of vaccines.

“No. Absolutely not. In fact, it adds more confidence in the fact that to this day doctors are still telling people that they do not know how long the antibodies last. I get tested every 90 days. At the 10-month mark, I still had antibodies. And I fully anticipate that I still have the antibodies. So that then drives with: Why would I go with a vaccine that does not keep me from getting it, does not prevent me from passing it, and may lessen the symptoms? But we will never be able to know that for sure.”

And Walters said he has no intention of ever getting vaccinated against COVID.

“The intent of all vaccines…this is not a true vaccine by the way…is to put a trace amount of whatever it is so that your body produces the antibodies. So, why would I need to produce the antibodies if I still have the antibodies?”

Earlier this month Fauci told CBS’ “Face the Nation” that 99.5% of  COVID-related deaths were among people who had not been vaccinated.

Maryland has one of the highest vaccination rates in the nation, with more than 75% of the state’s population having received at least one of dose of the vaccine. Nationwide, about 49% of the population has received at least one dose of the vaccine.

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Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott said Wednesday that a hypothetical Senate race between Gov. Larry Hogan and incumbent Democrat Chris Van Hollen could turn out to be quite competitive.

Lott’s remarks follow a recent Washingtonian report that said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has reached out to Hogan as a possible candidate to challenge Van Hollen in next year’s election. Maryland has not elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate since Mac Mathias in the 1980s.

Hogan’s communications director, Michael Ricci, did not respond to a request to verify the report by the deadline for this story. Van Hollen’s office did not respond to a request for comment on the report.

The Senate is divided 50-50 with Democrats having the upper hand due to Vice President Kamala Harris’s ability to cast a vote in the event of a tie.

Van Hollen has served in the upper chamber since 2017. He was elected with 61% of the vote after having served seven terms in the House of Representatives.

Hogan is the first Republican to be re-elected governor of Maryland since Theordore McKeldin in the 1950s. Hogan won 51% of the vote in 2014 and 55% in 2018.

The state’s constitution bars Hogan from seeking another term, so if he wants to run for higher office he has to either aim for the White House, which he has not ruled out, or run for Senate.

Former Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) [sdsu.edu]

Lott, 79, served on the House Judiciary Committee with Hogan’s father, the late Rep. Larry Hogan Sr., during Watergate. Hogan was the only Republican on the committee who voted to recommend to the full House all three articles of impeachment against then-President Richard Nixon. Some say that that decision may have cost Hogan the GOP nomination for governor in 1974.

Lott described Gov. Hogan as a “moderate Republican” who would be a “potentially strong candidate” for Senate. Still, Lott said that defeating Van Hollen would be a hard lift for any Republican.

“Van Hollen, he would be pretty tough too. I think philosophically he would be closer to where the state is. And he has been a popular senator. So he would be tough to beat.”

So, what are the odds that Hogan could pull a third statewide upset in deep blue Maryland?

Former Republican National Committee chairman and former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele said he is not exactly sure about Hogan’s odds against Van Hollen. However, Steele said that such a race would be “exciting as hell” to watch.

Steele ran for Senate in 2006 and lost to Democrat Ben Cardin.

Steele said that even though there is no information beyond mere chatter to suggest that Hogan might run for Senate he nevertheless finds the prospect intriguing.

“If it should come to that, I think it was would be a barnburner of a race. It would be exciting. It would be very different.”

Steele said that should Hogan decide to run he would do well to keep in mind that a Senate race is very different than a gubernatorial race even though both are statewide contests.

“Larry talked about and ran on the taxing policies of the O’Malley-Brown administration over their eight years and the negative impact that had on the state…When you are running for federal office, now you are not just talking about the economic impact on your state, but all 50 states. So it is a very different kind of conversation.”

And the issues at stake are also very different, Steele said.

“This cycle you are going to be talking about issues around the filibuster. You are going to be about issues around federal funding for infrastructure, ongoing COVID relief. It is a different kind of magnifying glass on a lot of issues that you just can’t talk about in the context of a state or a local conversation.”

Former Rep. Albert Wynn said a race between Hogan and Van Hollen would probably be very close but that Van Hollen would likely prevail.

“Chris picks up both the centrists and the liberal wing of the party. You are not going to have a split party around Chris Van Hollen. He is going to do well with women, especially Democratic women.”

Wynn, a Democrat, who represented Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties in Congress from 1993-08, added: “I think Chris has done enough and is well-connected enough that he will be able to mount a fierce campaign.”

Maryland Democratic Party spokesperson Zachary Holman pressed Hogan for an answer as to his future political plans in a statement on Wednesday.

“Maryland families deserve a Governor who is solely focused on helping them recover from the pandemic, not talking with Mitch McConnell in secret about climbing the political ladder,” Holman said.  “Larry Hogan needs to give Marylanders an answer on whether he’s going to spend the next year and a half doing his job, or trying to put Mitch McConnell back in charge of the Senate.”

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@BryanRenbaum

U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said Thursday that it is unclear whether legislation that passed the House of Representatives and requires universal background checks for certain firearm transfers can get enough GOP support to make it though the upper chamber.

Democrats have a 51-50 majority in the Senate due to Vice President Kamala Harris who is able to cast a vote in the event of a tie. But it generally takes 60 votes to begin debate on most as issues-the magic number needed to break a legislative filibuster.

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden outlined the administration’s plan to tackle the rising tide of gun violence. It includes cracking down on illegal gun sales and utilizing community prevention strategies.

June is Gun Violence Awareness Month.

“There are ongoing conversations to try to get enough Senate Republicans on board to endorse that legislation. But whether we get 10 Republican senators to overcome a filibuster, I don’t know,” Van Hollen said in response to a question from MarylandReporter.com at a virtual roundtable discussion on gun violence prevention that included input from both state officials and gun safety advocates.

Van Hollen reiterated his support for abolishing the filibuster, saying it has prevented the Senate from moving forward on many key pieces of legislation.

“I think that the great danger to our country right now is in our inability to pass important things like public safety laws.”

However, Van Hollen said that even if the background checks legislation is unable to get enough support to pass, there are still other ways of tackling gun violence prevention such as funding youth education programs and making sure that educational opportunities are more widely available to people in underserved communities. Both are part of Biden’s plan.

“We are still trying to get Republican support and we are going to keep at that as we also work on this other approach.”

The need for programs aimed at stopping gun violence before it takes place was duly emphasized by the participants of the discussion panel.

“Our goal is to prevent these of types acts from happening because they are devastating to families and they are devastating to our school children,” Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy said. “One day you have your classmate there and the next day they are gone.”

Braveboy said gun violence is on the rise both in Prince George’s county and throughout Maryland.

“We are seeing young people engaged in gun violence in particular. Our carjackings increased from 2019 to 2020 by over 180%. We saw a huge increase in carjackings. And in many of those cases the suspects are juveniles.”

Braveboy, whose office has spearheaded several pilot programs aimed keeping youth out of the system, said that while it is often necessary to prosecute those who commit violent crimes-she nevertheless “cares” about those who are in jail and does not want punishment to be overly punitive because many inmates will later rejoin society and it is to society’s benefit to have them become productive members of the community.

George Hodge, president and founder of the Prince George’s County-based non-profit youth empowerment organization, Community Kinship Coalition-emphasized the importance of mentorship programs to steer young people away from crime.

“The impact of having professional facilitators empower them and let them know that they can be accepted where they are and that the sky is the limit as far as they can go-is essential.”

There were 287 gun-related homicides in Baltimore City in 2020, according to the city’s police department. There were 514 gun-related homicides throughout the state in 2019, the year for which the most recent data is available, according to a report by the Maryland State Police.

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@BryanRenbaum

U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., said Tuesday that he believes more Republicans will eventually decide to back legislation that would remove the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.

The ERA prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. Congress approved the ERA in 1972 and it has since been ratified by 38 states, which is the minimum needed for adoption. However, the legislation required ratification no later than March 22, 1979. On that date only 35 states had ratified the ERA.

It not was until 2020 when the Virginia legislature ratified the ERA that the magic number was said to have been reached. Though some legal scholars have cast doubt on the legitimacy of Virginia’s ratification because it took place decades after the statutory deadline and have also noted that five states revoked their ERA ratification, which is considered legally questionable.

Since the 1970s there have been several attempts by Congress to both extend and remove the ratification deadline. Cardin is the lead sponsor of the latest measure to remove the deadline, which has bipartisan support due to moderate GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine having signed on board. The ERA has traditionally been opposed by more conservative-leaning Republicans.

“Because it is the right thing to do,” Cardin said in response to a question from MarylandReporter.com at a virtual news conference. “Maybe I am being naive about this. But it is the right thing to do.”

Cardin said the legislation is about basic fairness.

“Do you want gender equality to be subject to constitutional protections and higher standards? I think there are a lot of Republicans who would answer that question: ‘yes!’ And they get distracted by those who are really either from the 18th century, as far as their views are concerned about women, or they are seeing things in this constitutional amendment that do not exist.”

Cardin relayed the he has spoken with about a “dozen” GOP senators about the legislation and said he believes that he has “gotten their attention.”

Both Murkowski and Collins voiced their support for the legislation in pre-recorded statements.

“We are still at it. We are going to be at it until we have removed the time limit to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment,” Murkowski said. “We need more support on the Republican side… We all know that there should not be a time limit on equality.”

“It has been nearly 50 years since Congress passed the ERA with overwhelming support from both sides of the aisle,” Collins said. “If not for the deadlines for ratification, I am confident that the requirement for 38 states would have been achieved long ago.”

National Organization for Women (NOW) President Christian Nunes said ratification of the ERA is the “top priority” for her organization.

“The Equal Rights Amendment will help ensure equality in pay, job opportunities, education for women and girls, and will help address sexual assault and harassment at the national level.”

Nunes added: “The progress that we have made so far towards women’s equality can be lost at any time…The ERA is a fundamental legal remedy to protect and prevent sex discrimination for both women and men and all genders.”

Maryland ratified the ERA in May 1972.

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@BryanRenbaum

Maryland’s U.S. senators said changes should be made to the federal tax code so that wealthy Americans are not able to avoid paying their fair share of income taxes.

However, the lawmakers stopped short of calling for a wealth tax, as some progressives have proposed.

The comments by Democrats Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin were in response to a ProPublica report that was published last week. The report relayed how billionaires such as Michael Bloomberg, Jeff Bezos, and Warren Buffet were able to pay little or no federal income taxes during certain years by making use of various legal loopholes in the Internal Revenue Code. The report was based on more than 15 years worth of confidential tax records that were obtained by the nonprofit news organization.

“It has long been clear that the wealthiest of the wealthy are not paying their fair share while everyday Americans shoulder the burden. That’s why I support closing a variety of tax loopholes that allow millionaires and billionaires to avoid income taxes,” Van Hollen told MarylandReporter.com in a statement. “It’s time we fix our broken tax system to ensure everyday Americans aren’t paying a greater share of their income in taxes than the rich, and we should invest in policies that will grow prosperity and opportunity for working families across our nation.”

Cardin sits on the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax legislation. He told MarylandReporter.com in a statement that the “tax system must be made more fair for working families and small businesses.”

Cardin said he supports “reforming the tax code to make sure people and businesses pay their fair share,” and that the “ultra-rich should not pay substantially less taxes as a percentage of their income than most working Americans.”

Cardin emphasized that compromise is the key to coming up with a viable proposal.

“Finding a fair path for reform that can pass both the Senate and House is essential.”

But Democrats would likely have to pass such a proposal without any Republican support, which is a daunting task given that the party only has a majority in the Senate due to Vice President Kamala Harris and Harris can only cast a vote in the event of tie.

A spokesperson for U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, an influential Republican from Pennsylvania who sits on the Finance Committee with Cardin, told MarylandReporter.com that Toomey strongly disagrees with ProPublica’s (supposed) endorsement of expanding taxation to include “unrealized appreciated assets.”

“The ProPublica report advocates that the United States tax unrealized, appreciated assets as if they are income. Senator Toomey does not support this radical left-wing idea that the United States has never adopted (even some European countries that have experimented with this type of tax have abandoned it). Taxing unrealized appreciated assets, in principal, is unfair, unmanageable, and would have a chilling effect on investment and economic growth. The real story here is the criminal disclosure of private taxpayer information.”

In the ProPublica report, the publication declined to disclose how it obtained the tax records. The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating who gave the nonprofit publication the private tax records.

President Joe Biden’s income tax plan calls for raising the top marginal rate on Americans who make more than $400,000 a year from 37% to 39.6%. It also calls for both doubling the tax on capital gains and for the first time taxing unrealized capital gains at the time of the owner’s death. His tax plan is currently stalled in the Senate.

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@BryanRenbaum

U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., Wednesday emphasized the need to ensure that money from a federal program that provides financing to promising small businesses is more equitably distributed to entrepreneurs in underserved communities throughout the nation.

The Small Business Investment Company Program (SBIC) has provided more than $100 billion to tens of thousands of small businesses since its creation by Congress in 1958. Apple, FedEx and Build-a Bear are included among the now-large companies that once received SBIC financing. The program is administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

While SBICs have a better track record at providing capital to underserved communities than does the broader venture capital industry, the program’s leaders and participants are nevertheless continually striving for greater inclusion.

“We have challenges. We have challenges in all of our programs,” Cardin said at a Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship hearing.

Cardin, who chairs the committee, added: “We have the historic problems of women-owned businesses, Black, Hispanic, rural, and other underserved communities-that existed before COVID-19 and was made more difficult as a result of COVID-19 in attracting capital.”

Cardin said disparities are particularly “acute” in the venture capital industry, where 93% of start-up companies are owned by white males. Cardin noted that the majority of venture capitalists in the U.S. are located in just three cities: Boston, New York City and Silicon Valley. And Cardin also noted that in any given year less than one percent of venture capital funds go to African-American businesses, two percent to Hispanic businesses, and three percent to women-owned businesses.

“We can and must do better. And the SBIC can play a very important role in making that a reality,” Cardin said.

Stacey Wittelsberger, principal at the Baltimore-based middle market investment firm Patriot Capital, said greater equity investment would boost start-ups located in underserved communities.

“Small businesses need more access to equity, which is the most patient form of capital. Equity investments are typically less of a cash constraint than debt, allowing for more money to be reinvested into a business. Equity is also typically more appropriate for earlier stage businesses that are not yet generating significant revenue.”

Ivelisse Rodriguez Simon, who is a managing partner at the Los Angeles-based women and minority-owned private credit and structured equity fund, Avante Capital Partners, said one of the main problems with the SBIC program is that is “underutilized.”

“While the SBA is authorized to provide up to $4 billion in leveraged-SBICs annually, SBIC funds are only drawing about $2 billion in SBA-leverage each year. We should expand the program and fully utilize it to get more capital invested in small businesses.”

Simon said the SBIC should create an equity program to help provide more capital to small businesses in underserved communities.

“Each year SBICs provide only five percent of the total financing to minority-owned businesses and about three percent to women-owned businesses. This lack of diversity in investment stems directly from the lack of diversity among SBIC fund managers. There is no more than a handful or two of women and minority-owned investment managers in the 300 SBIC licenses outstanding.”

The post Sen. Cardin: ‘We can and must do better’ on small business investment equity appeared first on MarylandReporter.com.

@BryanRenbaum

U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) sparred with the president and CEO of the Gaithersburg-based biotech company Emergent BioSolutions at a congressional hearing on Wednesday over decisions the company made both before and after it was forced to destroy millions of COVID-19 vaccines manufactured at its Baltimore facility due to issues related to cross-contamination.

Robert G. Kramer has led Emergent since April 2019. He has been with the company since 1999 and has served in various positions such as chief financial officer and chief operating officer.

Kramer and Emergent’s chairman of the board of directors Fuad El-Hibri gave virtual testimony to the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis. They faced tough questions from Democrats about the destroyed vaccines, potential conflicts of interest, corporate bonuses, and the timing of stock sales.

Republicans largely blasted the Biden’s administration’s plan to ease vaccine patent protections and reiterated their call for hearings to investigate the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.

“On six different occasions, there were inspections and audits in the spring and the summer of 2020 that ended with warnings to Emergent that you needed to take urgent action to improve conditions at the facility to retrain the staff in order to prevent cross-contamination, and yet still there was cross-contamination in millions of vaccines and millions of vaccines ended up being destroyed. Is that right?” Raskin asked.

Kramer responded by saying Emergent is taking “corrective actions” to ensure that the cross-contamination episode is not repeated.

“We were aware with a number of audits. And we treat all of that audit information seriously. We always respond with corrective actions to those audits and take all possible precautions from it happening again.”

Raskin inquired as to how the cross-contamination between the Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines happened in the first place.

Kramer said that the precise answer to that question is unclear.

“We don’t know exactly how the virus of the AstraZeneca product was transferred into the media but somehow it was.”

Raskin asked how the cross-contamination was first discovered.

Kramer said it was brought to light during the manufacturing process in a quality control test conducted by J&J. Kramer insisted that none of the contaminated samples ever made it to the market.

With regard to corporate compensation, Raskin asked Kramer to explain the rationale for paying the company’s Executive Vice President of Manufacturing and Technical Operations, Sean M. Kirk, what amounted to more than $1 million with bonuses during the same year in which the vaccine “debacle” took place.

Kramer defended the arguably lavish compensation as a reward for hard work.

“Throughout 2020 Mr. Kirk played an integral role in interfacing with our corporate clients as well as with BARDA (Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority)  and HHS Operation Warp Speed. Sean Kirk was literally working around the clock, 24-hours a day for months on end in order to supervise and direct all of the work that was being done.”

But Raskin was not convinced.

“Wouldn’t you agree that this was a catastrophic failure in the process? And how can that be rewarded? What would it take for someone not to get a bonus?”

Still, Kramer did not back down.

“I don’t agree that it was a failure. Mr. Kirk’s work was extraordinary. The amount of work that was accomplished and the progress that was made to advance these two candidates into manufacturing development and get them in a state of readiness to be prepared to respond to the pandemic was incredible.”

The corporate compensation packages were brought to light by documents that were released by the committee on Wednesday morning prior to the hearing. Emergent received more than $220 million last year from American taxpayers.

The post Raskin spars with Emergent BioSolutions CEO over vaccine debacle, corporate compensation appeared first on MarylandReporter.com.

@BryanRenbaum

Sen. Jill Carter (D-Baltimore City) said Monday that President Donald Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis is the direct result of reckless behavior such as not wearing a mask and disregarding other recommended safety guidelines.

“He has been a poor role model for the country in not wearing a mask, holding mask-less rallies, and spreading the virus to staff. Even worse, he’s ultimately responsible, as a purveyor of misinformation and non-prevention, for the mass spread throughout the country and 204,000 deaths. You could call it irony, but arrogance and apathy put him in the position he is in,” Carter told MarylandReporter.com.

Carter added: “I don’t think the diagnosis will affect the election unless he becomes incapacitated beyond a couple of weeks or dies. That said, I wish him a speedy recovery.”

Del. Brian Chisholm (R-Anne Arundel) said it is not a given that wearing a mask would have protected the president from contracting the virus.

“There’s no proof that he got it because he wasn’t wearing a mask at certain point. There’s plenty of people who wear a mask constantly and got it. And if we are to believe what they say-the masks are designed to keep you from giving it to somebody else-not to prevent you from getting it.”

Chisholm added: “The mask doesn’t necessarily prevent you from getting it. The mask is supposed to help you from spreading it.”

Chisholm, like Carter, said he too believes it is unlikely that the diagnosis will affect the outcome of the election.

“I don’t know if there’s really anybody that is still trying to make up their mind…I think that everybody has already made up who they are going to vote for. And I think that he (Trump) is going to come out of this healthy and strong. And maybe he gets a boost from his base from that. But I don’t know if it has a huge effect on that other than maybe being a positive for him.”

Richard Vatz, a professor of political persuasion at Towson University, said it is difficult to speculate how Trump’s diagnosis might affect the outcome of the election.

“One cannot predict with much confidence, but generally all events fall short of creating much cognitive dissonance for intensive proponents or intensive opponents. It is possible that some percentage of undecideds may perceive some mellowing, and if that occurs it could be marginally advantageous for the president.”

Early Friday morning the president tweeted that he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19. The president has since spent three nights at Walter Reed National Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. where he is said to be working from the hospital’s presidential suite. The president has been treated with steroids and is said to be responding favorably to the treatment.

Trump was briefly seen on Sunday evening riding down Rockville Pike in a black SUV accompanied by two Service Service agents who were wearing personal protective equipment. Trump was wearing a mask. He waved to supporters who had gathered along the highway to show their support. Prior to the brief excursion, Trump gave an update on his condition via a video on Twitter.

Trump has faced harsh criticism for downplaying the importance of wearing masks and for sometimes contradicting public health officials. Less than a month remains before the Nov 3. presidential election. Trump’s Democratic opponent, former vice president Joe Biden, routinely wears a mask and has repeatedly tested negative for COVID. Biden’s lead over Trump has grown substantially since last week’s debate and the news of the president’s diagnosis.

White House officials that have tested positive for COVID include senior counselor Hope Hicks and press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.

Update: Monday evening: President Trump has left Walter Reed National Medical Center and has returned to the White House.

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