As the corruption investigation at the Baltimore City Detention Center continues, some officers at the jail are being ordered to take lie detector tests, and others are facing "integrity reviews." We've got the latest on the case, including a conversation with US Attorney Rod Rosenstein, who led the investigation. Plus: the 2014 Governor's race is shaping up; Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown and Howard County Executive Ken Ulman are reportedly in talks to run on the same ticket... and a weekend straw poll puts Brown in first place in the race for the Democratic nomination, followed by Montgomery County Delegate Heather Mizeur. Also: plans for Baltimore's pension fund, a death penalty repeal is likely to signed into law this week, a referendum effort is underway on Maryland's new gun control legislation, and the latest news on MD's casino gambling program.
Prison Corruption Investigation: Baltimore made national news last week when federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment charging that the inmates were running the City Detention Center. According to the indictment, the Black Guerrilla Family gang ran a smuggling operation that dealt in marijuana, prescription pills and cell phones with the help of correctional officers, four of whom were impregnated by the ring leader, Tavon White. WYPR’s Mary Rose Madden caught up with U-S Attorney Rod Rosenstein, who led the investigation. As the corruption investigation continues,the Baltimore Sun reports that some officers at the jail are being ordered to take lie detector tests; others are facing "integrity reviews." Meanwhile, Secretary of Maryland's Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Gary Maynard has moved his office to the Baltimore City Detention Center as the probe into the jail continues.
2014 Governor's Race: Two of the candidates expected to run for Maryland Governor next year are reportedly considering pooling their resources. The Washington Post reports that Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown is in talks with Howard County Executive Ken Ulman to run on the same ticket next year... with Brown running for the state's top job, and Ulman as his pick for Lieutenant Governor. Meanwhile, Brown won a straw poll for the 2014 Governor's race over the weekend at the Western Maryland Democratic Summit; the Post notes that the second-place finisher in the poll -- Montgomery County Delegate Heather Mizeur -- is also creating buzz.
Baltimore's Pension Fund: Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is set to introduce legislation today that would require city workers to put some of their salaries into the city's pension fund. The Baltimore Sun reports that the Mayor wants all non-public-safety workers to contribute 1 percent of their salaries to the fund in the coming fiscal year... and also wants them to increase those contributions every year for the next five, until they're sending 5 percent of their salaries to the fund.
Gun Control Referendum Efforts: The Baltimore Sun reports that there's now a petition drive underway to overturn Maryland's new gun control law. The measure would ban the sale of 45 types of weapons, limit ammunition clips to ten rounds, and impose a licensing requirement on handgun buyers that would have them submit their fingerprints to state police. Governor Martin O'Malley's set to sign the bill into law next month; it would take effect in October IF legal challenges and the petition drive are not successful.
Death Penalty Repeal: A referendum campaign is also possible on a bill set to be signed into law this week -- a measure that would repeal Maryland's death penalty. Governor O'Malley is set to sign it into law on Thursday, making Maryland the eighteenth state in the nation to outlaw capital punishment. The Baltimore Sun notes that Maryland's last execution was in 2005... there are currently five men on the state's death row, and the repeal won't affect their status; O'Malley says he'll deal with their future on a case-by-case basis.
MD Casino News: The Baltimore Business Journal reports that the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency granted preliminary approval for the Casino at Ocean Downs to operate around the clock from May 17th through September 30th. Meanwhile, the agency has Currently, the casino near Ocean City has been open 24/7 only on the weekends. Meanwhile, the Gaming Control Commission has greenlighted the casino at Rocky Gap Lodge in Western Maryland to open as soon as May 22nd; the Baltimore Sun notes that the facility will operate 24 hours a day, and offer more than 550 slot machines, as well as 10 table games. WYPR Senior News Analyst Fraser Smith talks with the Daily Record's Alexander Pyles about the Rocky Gap facility on today's edition of Inside Maryland Politics. In related news, the Baltimore Business Journal reports that revenues are down for the Maryland Lottery this year; Lottery Officials blame increased use of the state's casinos as a factor in the decline.
And in sports: The Orioles lost 9 to 8 yesterday to the Oakland A's in a ten inning game. The O's kick off a three-game set with the Seattle Mariners tonight.