POLINOTES: Report: Arundel state lawmakers don't support working families | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

Only about a third of Anne Arundel's state lawmakers scored well on the Progressive Maryland Education Fund's annual legislative scorecard released this week and designed to show how lawmakers support working families.

The organization ranks lawmakers on their leadership and on their voting record for nine bills the group considered important for working families, including the recent measures to expand access to health care through Medicaid and the graduated state income tax scale that more heavily taxes corporations and the wealthy.

All the votes were taken during the 2007 special legislative session and the 2008 regular session. The scorecard, its methodology and an explanation of the votes it scores are available at www.pmef.org.

Of area legislators, three were among the top scores: Sen. Jim Rosapepe, D-College Park, tied with four others for first place in the Senate, and Del. Barbara Frush, D-Beltsville, tied for fourth among delegates and Del. Virginia Clagett, D-West River, tied for fifth.

The report also singled out five local lawmakers with the dubious distinction of "2008 Champions of Wealthy Special Interests" - Sens. Bryan Simonaire, R-Pasadena; Ed DeGrange, Sr., D-Glen Burnie, Janet Greenip, R-Crofton, and Dels. Don Dwyer, R-Glen Burnie, and Tony McConkey, R-Severna Park.

The points awarded ranged from 3 to 97, and Anne Arundel had scores on both ends of the spectrum. The average point score for state lawmakers was 66, with Democrats scoring 83 points on average and Republicans 24.

Here is how Anne Arundel's state lawmakers fared:

Don Dwyer: 3.

Tony McConkey: 7.

Janet Greenip: 11.

Bryan Simonaire: 11.

Ed DeGrange: 20.

Ron George: 20.

Bob Costa: 35.

James King: 35.

Nic Kipke: 35.

Steve Schuh: 38.

John Astle: 60.

Pam Beidle: 63.

Theodore Sophocleus: 63.

Joseline Pena-Melnyk: 86.

Michael Busch: 93.

Ben Barnes: 94.

Mary Ann Love: 94.

Virginia Clagett: 95.

Barbara Frush: 96.

Jim Rosapepe: 97.

Sachs to head review

A group headed by a former Maryland attorney general will examine state trooper surveillance of anti-war and death-penalty opposition groups to try to prevent such actions in the future, the governor said Thursday.

Gov. Martin O'Malley called for the review, naming former Maryland Attorney General Stephen Sachs to lead it. It will take 30 to 60 days and will examine state police practices over 14 months in 2005 and 2006, before Mr. O'Malley was governor.

Mr. Sachs, who served as attorney general from 1979 to 1987, said the purpose of the review is "to discover the unvarnished truth about what happened and what didn't happen." He also said his goal was to help the governor take steps to ensure Maryland residents can exercise their constitutional rights "unhobbled by officials."

Whole lotta love

At a Congressional hearing on the Chesapeake Bay this week, representatives were falling over themselves to praise outgoing Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest.

"Congressman Gilchrest has been a tireless advocate in his efforts to raise and focus our attention to the importance of protecting and restoring the Chesapeake," said Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, who chaired the subcommittee. "The people of this region can only hope that whoever his successor is, Republican or Democrat, that person will be as dedicated to restoring this precious body of water as Rep. Gilchrest has been."

The district's Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat, also offered praise.

"Mr. Gilchrest has been - what is it? The gatekeeper? The lighthouse keeper? - He has been the repository of unique expertise and advocacy," she said.

Mr. Gilchrest, R-Kent, has represented Maryland's Eastern Shore and parts of Central Maryland since 1991. He lost a bruising primary fight this year to state Sen. Andy Harris.

The soft-spoken former schoolteacher was flattered.

"I want to thank my colleagues for their kind condolences on the loss of my election," he said. "Being a politician is one of the few rare moments were you can hear your own eulogy and I thank the people for their kind words."

Senior Republicans

Robert Duckworth, the county Circuit Court clerk, will be the guest speaker at the Anne Arundel County Senior Republican Club on Monday.

Mr. Duckworth has served as clerk since 1994. His talk begins at 2 p.m. Monday at the North County Area library branch, 1010 Eastway in Glen Burnie.

The meeting is open to the public, and people of any political persuasion are invited to attend. Contact club President Frances Jones at 410-789-2192 for more information.

District 32 Dems

The District 32 Republican Club will hold its next meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Severn United Methodist Church, 1215 Old Camp Meade Road, Severn.

It is a working/planning meeting with an update on the club's ongoing voter education program. New members and interested parties are welcome to attend. For more information, visit www.md32gop.org or call club President Gerald Starr at 410-859-8026.

Greens to meet

The Anne Arundel County Green Party will meet from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the back room of 49 West Coffeehouse, 49 West St. in Annapolis.

The public is invited.

Meeting topics include the Green Party presidential campaign and how to participate in hearings of the Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment. For more information, e-mail Virginia at vfsmith@earthlink.net or visit www.arundelgreens.org.

Elephant Club

The Elephant Club breakfast meeting is set for Thursday from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at Our Shepherd Lutheran Church, 400 Benfield Blvd., Severna Park. There will be an open mike. The public is invited but there is a $4 fee. For more details, visit www.elephantclub.us or call 410-437-2213.

Sarbanes honored

Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Baltimore, was one of 37 members to be honored by the the Century Council, a national nonprofit organization funded by distillers.

He received an award for commitment to fighting drunken driving and underage drinking. The freshman congressman teamed with the council to start its "Ask, Listen, Learn" initiative at Annapolis Middle School.

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Compiled by staff writers Barbara McLaughlin and Erin Cox from staff and wire reports.