Governor

Better late than never. Well, some folks think so anyway.

The truth is, last weekend’s program featuring talk radio host Bob Ehrlich was pretty much a yawner. There was a half hour of the latest Republican talking point: “Drill Here, Drill Now. Pay Less – Drill off the Coast of Ocean City or right smack-dab in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay – We Don’t Care” (I made that last part up. But nobody said anything against it, either. Why is it always someone else’s backyard or beach off in the distance that needs to get drilled for oil?).

As best as anyone can figure opening up all this drilling might worth a few pennies off a gallon of gas – in five years. All this time BIG OIL already owns drilling leases over about 68 million acres of American land and they aren’t touching it, for some reason.

Gov. Martin O’Malley has ordered the Maryland State Flag to remain at half staff until sunset on Thursday. The order came after the death of Cpl. Richard Scott Findley, a Prince George’s police officer who was killed in the line of work on June 27.

According to the Associated Press, Findley was attempting to stop two suspects in a stolen pick-up truck when his cruiser was rammed. The officer was reported to have been stricken again while exiting his vehicle. The driver, 19 year-old Ronnie Lionel, unexpectedly died in jail earlier this week.

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell: Getty Images PhotoPennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) will be attending the Maryland Democratic Party’s Victory ’08 Unity Fundraiser, PolitickerMD.com has confirmed.

According to David Paulson, the state Democratic Party’s communication director, Rendell will “not be the only big name from out of state.” However, Paulson was not prepared to confirm who else this would include. Those “eggs haven’t hatched yet,” he told PolitickerMD.com.

Martin O'Malley: Second from left, in Galway

Gov Martin O'Malley used part of his vacation time to pick up an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws on Friday from the National University of Ireland in Galway.

J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake: A political traditionThe Daily Record's Andy Rosen has a must read item on Peter Franchot trying to move the Board of Public Work's July meeting to the Eastern Shore in order for him to make the annual J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake in Crisfield.

The annual event takes place on the afternoon of July 16, at almost exactly the time the BPW will meet. At ther public session this week, Franchot was unable to convince Gov. Martin O'Malley and state Treasurer Nancy Kopp to agree to move the next meeting to Salisbury in order to be closer to the event.

But, as anyone who knows Franchot will tell you, he didn't stop there. Read Rosen's piece here.

The state Republican Party is accusing Gov. Martin O'Malley (D-Baltimore) of what they call "double-budgeting" and "fund swaps," saying the governor is trying to pass $50 million off as significant reductions in state spending.

"First of all, Martin O'Malley and his Democratic cronies in the General Assembly should have gone through a stringent spending reduction process before passing the largest tax increase in Maryland history," said state GOP Chairman Jim Pelura in statement. "How many more offsets, ‘fund swaps,' ‘double-budgeting' and other budget sleight-of-hand tricks are in the budget that would allow reduction of taxes on Maryland's hardworking families?" Pelura added. "This is typical O'Malley sleight of hand."

ANNAPOLIS – Gov. Martin O’Malley swore in Judge Sally Adkins to the Court of Appeals Wednesday, Maryland’s highest court. Also attending the ceremony were state House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Annapolis), Comptroller Peter Franchot (D-Takoma Park) and state's Attorney Frank Kratovil (D-Stevensville). Kratovil is currently running for congress in MD-1.

Gov. O’Malley praised Adkins. “I know that you will carry the high standards with you that you established at the Court of Special Appeals, and take that to the Court of Appeals,” he said.

The Talbot and Dorcester Republican Central Committees celebrated the grand opening of their new headquarters on Tuesday.

Both events were attended by state party Chairman James Pelura, state party Communications Director Justin Ready, former Gov. Bob Ehrlich and state Sen. Andy Harris among other party leaders. Harris and Ehrlich were on a day long tour of the 1st Congressional District, campaigning and raising money for Harris’ race against state's Attorney Frank Kratovil (D-Stevensville).

Uh, oh. Someone has their nose out of joint. Apparently, radio talk show host Bob Ehrlich is upset with “Part 1” from last week. So, he devoted about a third of the “talk time” during his most recent show on one of the issues raised.

Apparently he doesn’t mind me telling you that he took a $9,962.60 junket to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in 2001. Or, that it was paid for by a “let’s drill for oil” lobby group funded by the state of Alaska while he still had a vote in Congress. He gives every indication of being sincere about ANWR oil-drilling. He wants it bad. He says so each week.

Former Gov. Bob Ehrlich speaks to supporters in Easton at a fundraiser for Andy Harris: Politicker Photo

EASTON – Former Gov. Bob Ehrlich told a crowd of about 130 on Tuesday  that he wasn’t sure if he would seek the governorship in 2010.

Ehrlich was speaking to supporters at a fundraiser for Republican congressional candidate Andy Harris at the Easton Club Tuesday, when one attendee asked if he would be running for governor in the next election. Ehrlich responded by saying, “The honest answer is I don’t know,” but added “we will make that call at sometime over the next year.”