Jennifer Dougherty

Federal budget and welfare policies will take center stage at Roscoe Bartlett's (R-Frederick) town hall meeting on Monday with U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.).

"Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are vital government programs," said Bartlett in a statement. "We must act now to preserve them for current recipients and reduce our public debt to ensure that younger generations can enjoy prosperity and security."

Bartlett, who currently represents Maryland's 6th Congressional District, said he was excited to be hosting the discussion with Ryan, who authored the book "A Roadmap for America's Future."

Del. Sue Hecht (D-Frederick County)DENVER - State Del. C. Sue Hecht (D-Frederick County) says 6th District congressional candidate Jennifer Dougherty (D-Frederick) can win in November, but it’s going to be an uphill battle.

“I’ve known Jennifer for many years and she’s a fighter and she’s very smart. People are wanting a change and I think this is a time where all the stars can aline,” Hecht told PolitickerMD.com during a reception for U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Mechanicsville).

Hecht said she recognized the challenges Dougherty faces.

“It’s the most conservative most difficult district for a Democrat to run in in Maryland,” she said. “It’s absolutely an uphill battle for any Democrat. It’s not just Jennifer.”

Rep. Roscoe BartlettU.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Frederick) released a new radio ad calling for “environmentally responsible offshore drilling.”

"We American's are a proud independent people," said Bartlett in the radio spot. "But now we must free ourselves from foreign oil. And we know we can through an aggressive energy plan that provides for environmentally responsible offshore drilling and investments in new technologies and alternative energies. We can free ourselves, but the Democrat lead Congress is standing in our way."

Bartlett’s Democratic opponent, former Frederick Mayor Jennifer Dougherty, says Bartlett "doesn't have a good energy plan."

I am not saying Roscoe Bartlett is just like Alaska’s Republican Senator Ted Stevens. No way.

You know Ted Stevens. He was just indicted for failure to file accurate and proper financial disclosure forms – those being the legal papers that would tell anyone who would like to know where our congressional “leaders” get and keep their wealth, among other things.

After all, Ted Stevens is alleged to have engaged in some interesting financial hanky-panky with an oil services company and some expensive home repairs on a still ratty looking A-frame he calls a residence somewhere south of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (It is, however, somewhat closer to Ted’s infamous “Bridge to Nowhere” pork-barrel project.)

Roscoe’s pickle is nothing like that. Ted Stevens is innocent until proven guilty and so is Roscoe, who is apparently so innocent he has a multitude of reasons why he filed multiple false financial disclosure forms for about 5 years. The same things just keep happening over and over. And over and over.

Franchot believes Dougherty is going to "pull off the biggest political upset in recent Maryland history." : Politicker Photo

FREDERICK - Comptroller Peter Franchot is making a bold prediction: Jennifer Dougherty is going to "pull off the biggest political upset in recent Maryland history" in her bid for Congress against eight-term U.S. Rep. U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Frederick).

"We're gonna wake up on November 5th and one of the headlines is going to be Jennifer's victory," said Franchot, who joined Dougherty on a walking tour yesterday in Frederick, where the Democratic House candidate served as Mayor.

In an effort to clear up a potentially damaging political situation, U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Frederick) says that three properties he sold since 2004 were not reported in his financial disclosure because he never made any capital gains.

The confusion originally began when The Frederick News Post reported that Bartlett failed to disclose an estimated $1 million in income from property sales since 2004. Bartlett has declined to voluntarily release income tax returns that could potentially clear up the matter. Bartlett is not legally required to do so.

Earlier last week, Jennifer Dougherty, Bartlett's Democratic opponent,called on Bartlett to further explain the matter.

"This could be a serious legal matter involving more than $1 million in real estate sales," said Dougherty in a statement. "I hope he will do everything he can to clear this up." The former Frederick mayor pressed Bartlett to "face me or the public."

Bartlett Press Secretary Lisa Wright responded by acknowledging the error and announced Bartlett had hired a Certified Public Accountant to further clear up the matter.

Jennifer Dougherty, who is running for Congress in Maryland’s 6th District, is asking her opponent to “face me or the public.”

Dougherty’s call came after U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Frederick) failed to disclose an estimated $1 million in income from property sales since 2004. Bartlett has declined to voluntarily release income tax returns that could potentially clear up the matter. Bartlett is not legally required to do so.

“This could be a serious legal matter involving more than $1 million in real estate sales,” said Dougherty in a statement. “I hope he will do everything he can to clear this up.”

U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Frederick), who currently holds Maryland’s 6th Congressional District seat, reported raising $66,408 in the second quarter and has $336,915.18 cash on hand.

Bartlett has raised $199,175.01 to date for this election according to Federal Election Commission reports.

Bartlett has held the 6th district seat since 1992. His opponent, former Frederick Mayor Jennifer Dougherty (D) currently has $41,194 cash on hand.

The John Sarbanes for Congress campaign released a video from one of the Maryland Democratic Party's 'Unity Picnics' -- this one at Banneker Historical Park in Baltimore County on July 13.

Attendees included Senator Ben Cardin, Represenatives Sarbanes and Elijah Cummings, congressional challengers Frank Kratovil and Jennifer Dougherty, and state Chair Michael Cryor.

The Democratic State Party has organized free picnics around the state to celebrate party unity after a long and divisive primary season.

Robin DeibertSixth district Democrat Robin Deibert, who ran unsuccessfully in the Feb. 12 primary, is eating the $10,000 loan she made to her campaign.

Well, most of it anyway.

Deibert filed papers with the Federal Elections Commission to terminate her campaign account at the end of the second financial quarter.

While she had $10,000 in debt from a personal loan, she still had about $3,800 in her campaign account. Closing the account means the cash on hand goes toward repaying her loan, so she finishes up losing only $6,200 on her failed bid.

With 10% of the vote, Deibert placed a distant third to former Frederick Mayor Jennifer Dougherty, who won with 44%, and 2006 Democratic nominee Andrew Duck's 37%.