County Republicans Sellout in Secret Ballot on Chairmanship

Dear Editor,

Without question, the Rain Tax played a major role regarding the results of the November 4th election. Hogan’s huge victory in Baltimore County and the major sweep to victory by Republican legislative candidates in the 6th District were surely inspired by the repudiation of the Rain Tax.

Some Republicans seemed to have missed the point. In the recent election for Chairmanship of the Baltimore County delegation to Annapolis, a number of Republicans appear to have forgotten the voters’ message. These lawmakers supported radical Democrat Steve Lafferty, the creator and “King of the Rain Tax” for the position of Chair. What would happen at a community meeting when a voter would ask the following:

“I voted for you, Delegate, because you promised you were against the Rain Tax. Now, you vote in a secret ballot to support the man for Chairman who created that monster. Why should I ever vote for you again?”

Every action a public official takes and a vote he/she casts as a legislator is important. When a legislator votes to elect a “Tax and Spend” radical Democrat to a position of leadership, he or she is sending a message to every homeowner and business taxpayer that insider politics is more important than the voters. Sadly, the only payoff the Republican Delegation receives for the sellout was the Chairmanship of a couple of leadership positions in the county subcommittees.

To make the situation worse, one Republican delegate requested that the vote should be taken through a secret ballot. This is like putting a Lone Ranger mask on transparency. Why would the legislators want to hide their vote from the people who elected them? If delegates were proud and confident that they were casting the right vote, they should not have voted for a secret ballot on Lafferty.

In my opinion, the appropriate strategy for the Republicans would have been to stand united and vote against Delegate Lafferty’s radical agenda. The 10 Republican legislators could have sent a powerful message to the people of Baltimore County indicating that they intended to fight to eliminate the Rain Tax by rejecting the creator of that tax. Voters made it clear that they are looking for honest representation, courage and the elimination of “insider politics as usual.” Poor judgment exercised by some Republicans will be clear every time Delegate Lafferty casts a vote against Governor Hogan’s policies.

Serving the People,

Delegate Pat McDonough