By Andrew P. Napolitano
The president's men trash the Constitution to pursue antagonists
After three years of lackluster bids and lukewarm interest from developers, a company has been chosen to build a slots casino at a debt-ridden state-owned resort in Western Maryland.
With just a week left in the 2012 General Assembly session, Maryland lawmakers have hundreds of bills left to consider. But only a handful of proposals will get most of their attention.
Maryland state budget analysts Tuesday suggested nearly $800 million in potential cuts as part of a "doomsday" budget that Senate leaders have vowed to consider if lawmakers cannot agree on a mix of cuts and revenue increases in this year's spending plan.
State Senate Minority Leader Nancy Jacobs said Thursday she is stepping down as leader of her party's Senate delegation to consider running for higher office.
State Sen. Robert J. Garagiola, Montgomery Democrat, has taken an official first step toward unseating GOP Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett in the state's newly configured 6th District, and on Thursday criticized the 85-year-old incumbent for not being more responsive to constituents.
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley's executive order calling for a study on natural-gas drilling has upset some political opponents, who note that a similar proposal failed in this year's General Assembly.
Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat, throughout his tenure has spoken of "One Maryland," in which lawmakers and residents work across party and jurisdictional lines to accomplish common goals.
"It's about time," Mr. Edwards said. "I think it's going to be a big shot in the arm for the economy."
Some stakeholders near other casino sites worry that expansion could oversaturate the state's gambling market, but Mr. Edwards said Rocky Gap would benefit greatly from table games and would be shielded from competition by its remote location.
