Politics & Government

Maryland Gov Hopefuls Get In On Dem Ball Boycott

Four Democrats thought to be competing for governor have joined labor unions in picketing the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee's Spring Ball.

This year's Spring Ball for the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee would be an apt time to wrangle answers from those thought to be competing for Maryland governor in 2014. All of the early contenders have announced they'll be outside picketing the event, though, not inside campaigning. 

Takoma Park's Del. Heather Mizeur (D-Dist 20), Howard County Executive Ken Ulman (D) and Attorney General Doug Gansler (D) are expected to join Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown (D) in a boycott and picket of the ball on May 11, according to a release from local unions reported by political blog Maryland Juice. All four of the politicians are thought to be running for governor.

Brown, a native of Prince George's County, is expected to announce his candidacy Friday. 

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“Real Democrats walk picket lines,” said Jos Williams, president of the Metropolitan Washington Council of AFL-CIO, in a statement.

That's a dig at county leaders, all Democrats, who worked to chip away at the local police union's power to collectively negotiate management decisions within Montgomery County Police Department in a 2011 law. The law was put to a referendum last November, called Question B, and affirmed by voters. 

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No matter, though, for the union, FOP Lodge 35, which said the committee had no business publicly supporting the measure. 

"The committee took this position despite being asked to remain neutral on the referendum, which has been the traditional practice in disputed matters between the party and government," Williams said. 

The union, along with Montgomery County Young Democrats, have organized the boycott and picket in protest to the committee's decision. Up-and-coming leaders, a few of whom do not even represent Montgomery County, have joined the cause in droves. 

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) along with State Sens. Brian Frosh (D-Dist 16), Rob Garagiola (D-Dist 15), Roger Manno (D-Dist 19), Karen Montgomery (D-Dist 14) and Jamie Raskin (D-Dist 20) and Dels. Charles Barkley (D-Dist 39), Aisha Braveboy (D-Dist 25), Bill Frick (D-Dist 16), Tom Hucker (D-Dist 20), Ben Kramer (D-Dist 19) and Eric Luedtke (D-Dist 14) also are expected to join the boycott. 

“We’re very heartened by the leadership shown by those who are supporting us and their messages of solidarity,” Williams said.

The Washington Post Editorial Board recently wrote a scathing reaction to the boycott, saying the outrage over the law from unions was unwarranted.

An excerpt: 

The police lost the referendum resoundingly; in one of the most pro-labor localities in the United States, about 60 percent of Montgomery voters elected to uphold the law. But rather than accept the voters’ judgment, the county’s unions have upped the ante by attacking the Democratic Central Committee, which backed the law.


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