Citizen Held To Higher Standard Than Maryland Governor
Aug 7, 2008 Political
A Maryland man, Walter Abbott, was arrested earlier this year for sending an email to Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley threatening to “choke the life out of him. Abbott is a business owner who is losing work because of illegal immigrants. He took exception to the governor’s pro illegal immigrant stance and support for CASA de Maryland. In the email Abbott stated:
“If I ever got close enough, I’d wrap my hands around your throat and choke the life out of you, you piece of sh*t American sellout.” Baltimore Examiner
Abbott was charged with threatening a public official and conveying a threat. His initial bond was $2 million but it was reduced. He was placed on home detention and that was eventually removed and he was allowed to work, with stipulations, prior to his trial.
His trial was to begin yesterday but has now been postponed until October. Abbott faces up to six years in jail and a $5,000 fine for his threat.
Given that the Governor has police officers around him all the time, it is unlikely that Abbott could have ever acted up the threat and his claims are that he was blowing off steam over losing work because of illegals. This will play out in court as it should but is this a case of hypocrisy?
Governor Martin O’Malley is a hothead and has been known to express his anger. In fact, O’Malley made a public threat to two radio show hosts, on the air, for everyone to hear. In 2002, after a family was firebombed and killed by a drug dealer who the family had reported, O’Malley was getting beaten up by the media. He was the mayor of Baltimore at the time. He got into his car after a meeting and heard the discussion between Rob Douglas and Chip franklin then of WBAL (both have taken other jobs). He became angry and ordered his driver to take him to the studio.
O’Malley demanded to address the issue on air to the surprised staff at the station and was afforded that opportunity. He got into some heated discussions with the hosts and took particular offense when Douglas remarked that if the residents keep voting in the same nitwits year after year they get what they deserve.
O’Malley decided that after the exchange it was a good time to leave and he parted with this:
“On that note, that probably is a good way to exit,” he said. “And gentlemen, if you enjoyed that, come outside after the show, and I’ll kick your ass.” Baltimore Sun
What is the difference between this threat by a public official and the one toward a public official? O’Malley is just as wrong in threatening the show hosts as Abbott was for threatening O’Malley. O’Malley was not arrested, held on a $2 million bond, and then placed on home detention. O’Malley never faced six years in jail and a $5,000 fine. In fact, he went on to win the Gubernatorial election.
O’Malley is a public official and one expects better behavior from those elected to lead. Regardless, how can they punish Abbott for his threat while ignoring the threat of the then mayor? It is a double standard and the whole issue smacks of hypocrisy.
O’Malley has armed guards and the show hosts did not so the threat to them was even more likely to be carried out than the threat to O’Malley. If O’Malley’s defense is that it was just a comment of frustration then they must allow for that in Abbott’s case.
Personally, I wish Chip Franklin would have taken him up on the offer because I think Franklin would have beaten him half to death and shut that smug mouth of his up. I would have paid money to see Franklin kick O’Malley’s ass all over Baltimore. [Note to law enforcement: This is not a threat from me. I am merely expanding upon O’Malley’s desire for the fight and what I would like to have seen as a result of it]
I hope the defense brings this up in court. Even if it does not make much difference in the trial it would be nice to have them point out the blatant double standard and demonstrate how the elected elite get away with those things for which we are held accountable.
Tags: chip franklin, hypocrisy, maryland governor, O'Malley, rob douglas, threat, trial, wbal
Maryland Democrats Play Politics with Education
Dec 12, 2007 Political
The state of Maryland has a Superintendent of Schools who is appointed by the school board and has a term that is deliberately offset from the regular terms of political appointees. This was done to keep the position from being used as a political tool and to try, to some degree, to keep politics out of the process. Nancy Grasmick has served in the position since 1991 being reappointed by school boards put in place by Democrats (and one Republican). Several years ago Ms. Grasmick tried to take over 11 Baltimore City schools that were failing miserably and as she was required under NCLB. The City Mayor was Martin O’Malley and now, unfortunately for Maryland, he is the Governor of the state.
O’Malley fought the takeover and was successful. He only fought it because it made him look bad (he still claimed education improved while he was Mayor) and his actions were taken with little regard for the children (the very people he claims to be in support of) and those schools are still in trouble to this day. O’Malley has a long memory and he wants Grasmick out of her position. He has made that clear on a number of occasions but it is not up to him. The decision rests with the school board and this one, a lame duck one, was appointed by a Republican Governor and they have a say until July of next year. The Democrats in Maryland tried to halt the board’s action and circumvent the process to appease the Governor:
Miller and House Speaker Michael Busch had sent a letter to the board Monday asking that it defer a decision on a superintendent until July, after Gov. Martin O’Malley’s appointees constitute a majority on the board. WBAL
The board appointed Ms. Grasmick to another four year term despite the efforts of the Democrats to play political games with the position. The board recognized the ploy and decided that it is not the Governor’s job to appoint the Superintendent so they were not going to let him. Of course, this did not sit well with the governor, who hates Grasmick, and it did not sit well with the leaders of the Maryland Legislature. They are now going to do what Democrats always do when they do not get their way, they are going to change the rules.
Miller and Busch (two first class jackasses) will try to make it so that the Superintendent will serve at the pleasure of the board so that she may be more easily dismissed from her position. As it stands right now, the law only allows for removal in cases of misconduct. If they succeed in changing this then the O’Malley appointed school board (which will take office in July) may dismiss her for any reason it wants and allow the Governor to appoint (through his school board) someone else. This whole process is designed to affect ONLY one person with whom the Governor has a problem. It is designed to allow him to exercise control that was deliberately left out of the process. It is a gross misuse of power and should not be tolerated by any citizen of this state. The Democrats have a super majority in Maryland so they can push through whatever they want (which is how we got the largest tax increase in Maryland history). If they succeed in doing this they should be chased down and beaten with sticks to knock some sense into them.
The Legislature of Maryland has been abusing its power for a long time. They are accountable to no one and now that they have a spoiled, whiny, crybaby, Democrat as Governor they will continue to abuse power so long as the citizens refuse to hold them accountable. If they succeed with this I think they might have hell to pay because Ms. Grasmick’s husband is well connected and he might be able to make life tough for them.
People of Maryland, remember the tax increases and this episode when you vote in the next election. I am sure there will be others before the horror that is O’Malley and the abomination that make up the Legislature are up for reelection.
Get rid of all of them.
Tags: corruption, Democrats, grasmick, martin o'malley, Maryland, wbal