Extra Buzz, Oct. 13, 2017
Alternative Facts from RCC
Did you know that the City of Frederick had a fire and emergency services division? Or, that the number of residents living in poverty has grown by two-thirds? [Whatever the heck that means.]
No?
Well, you've surely heard that there's been a dramatic increase in MS-13 gang activity, and that it's become "impossible to remove criminal illegals" from the city, or to accommodate all the "non-English speaking students" jamming up city schools?
News to you, you say? Maybe that's because, like much of the rest of the info on a flyer designed to help Republican candidates in the Frederick city election, it's FAKE NEWS. By the way, what the heck is a "criminal illegal?" A criminal illegal what?
Seriously, it's embarrassing how fake it is. Fortunately for them, none of the Republican candidates authorized the promo that's chock-full of alternative facts. But their purported cheerleaders, the Frederick County Republican Central Committee, churned out a flyer aimed to have you shaking in your boots to live in crime-ridden City of Frederick. Gee, with friends like those ...
It's bad enough that the RCC doesn't know that the county's in charge of schools, along with fire and emergency services. Most offensive, however, is the intention to instill unwarranted fear and anger into the populace by borrowing a strategy from the current Commander-in-Chief. Seems the duplicitous Democrats want to hand your city over to “criminal illegals” and create a “sanctuary city.” And those three Dems on the board running for aldermen and mayor? They are part of a conspiracy, apparently, with Safe Haven, a progressive social justice group that protested against Frederick County’s partnership with federal immigration officials, known as 287(g).
Bull hockey. Worse yet, they KNOW it’s bull hockey.
Safe Haven brought up the issue, the daily paper asked the Democratic aldermen what they thought about it. It’s a nothing burger. Mayoral Democratic candidate Michael O’Connor has repeatedly said that the idea of a sanctuary city is a nonstarter. “No one has proposed it. It’s not being talked about by anyone that I talk to, so there is no debate," he told The Frederick Extra. "It’s a non-issue. The simple answer is no."
The RCC certainly doesn’t speak for Republican Mayor McClement, currently seeking a third term. “Throughout the City, it is not our policy to ask anyone to provide immigration status, it never has been, and it is not my intention to start now. Even our Police Department does not ask anyone for proof of citizenship when making any type of stop or arrest," he said in The Frederick Extra.
And those Republican aldermanic candidates who are actually running a campaign, haven’t it made it an issue, either.
So, where’s all this nonsense coming from? And why?
This is just a preview of the tactics you’ll see in the 2018 campaign season, when voters elect a county executive, county council, state senators and delegates. Put the immigration bad hombre act front and center, whether it makes sense or not, because, hey, it worked for Donald Trump. We’ve already seen Councilman Kirby Delauter, running for CE, try to make the nonissue an issue. His ploy nearly resulted in fisticuffs.
The RCC already dropped the ball when it failed to find enough aldermanic candidates to participate in the primary election. Without a primary, Republican candidates are struggling for a foothold into the general election. Hayden Duke’s been campaigning all season, and Alan Imhoff at least has name recognition and served as an alderman. The rest of the crew was added at the 11th hour, and, there was a last-minute substitution when Bruce Blatchley had to drop out, and Bryan Chaney took his place.
Get it together, RCC. Quit the slap dash, inaccurate and grasping-at-straws Hail Marys. You do your candidates, your party, and city voters a disservice by disseminating such blatant baloney.
Trone Picks Winners
Gazillionaire Congressional candidate for the 6th District, Democrat David Trone sure knows how to pick ‘em. [We left out candidate Ben MacShane in the first report. Mea culpa.] In the city’s second financial reports, all six Democratic candidates for aldermen and the Democratic mayoral hopeful received healthy donations of $1000 and $2,500 respectively.
Alderman Kelly Russell, running for a third term, said ‘thanks, but no thanks’ and returned the check.
Speaking of campaign finance reports, O’Connor’s winning the dollar race, with $19,537.97 to McClement’s $7,815.44.
Not much more of note to report except that we hope Republican candidate newcomer Bryan Chaney isn’t campaigning on fiscal responsibility - or the ability to do basic math. He reported $200 in contributions on his finance form, but three individual donations add up to $550. Come on now. It ain’t rocket science.
2018 Candidate Buzzzzz
Added to our list of who’s in, and who’s rumored to be in, for 2018 is Ryan Trout, a Democrat who moved back to Frederick to run for state delegate in district 3A. If he does file, the former chief of staff for Sen. Ron Young (D-Dist. 3) and one-time delegate candidate will likely be pitted against incumbents Del. Karen Lewis Young (D-Dist.3A) and Del. Carol Krimm (D-Dist.3A)
Remember when we posited that Board of Education member Colleen Cusimano might toss in for county council? Now we’re hearing state delegate, district 4, may be more to her liking.
We have to say, though, we’re more intrigued by the news that there’s a movement afoot to encourage BOE President Brad Young to give Sen. Michael Hough (R-Dist. 4) a run for his money. Young, a Democrat and Hough would first have to defeat any primary challengers, but that would be a fun race to watch, wouldn’t it?
And no buzz would be complete without a little Kathy Afzali news. Did you know the Republican candidate for county executive considers a move from state delegate -- one of six in Frederick County, earning about $45K annually – to county exec – at $90K a year – a step DOWN.
From her latest campaign email: "One of the most common questions I am getting is, 'Why would you want to run for county executive and move down from the state?' Yes, it is more common for state elected representatives to seek higher office, i.e. comptroller, governor, congress, etc. It is uncommon for someone to seek lower office."
Hm. All we can say is, don’t trip on your way to the basement, Del. Afzali.
