Joint Statement with Del. Mark Fisher on Democratic Hypocrisy regarding HB 655
Joint Statement with Del. Mark Fisher on Democratic Hypocrisy regarding HB 655
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Joint Statement of
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Rockville, MD -- The Montgomery County Republican Central Committee, on behalf of over 105,000 Montgomery County Republicans, wholeheartedly applauds Delegate Mark Fisher (R-Calvert County) for exposing the hypocrisy of our Democratic elected officials in both Annapolis and on the Montgomery County Council, during the debate over House Bill 655.
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House Bill 655, which passed the House on March 3rd in a party-line vote, would prevent certain Republican Counties from electing District Commissioners in “At-Large” county-wide elections. This system, according to Democratic legislators, dates back to the Jim Crow era and exists to purposefully disenfranchise communities of color.
These Democratic legislators are entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts, and the Montgomery County delegation to Annapolis conveniently ignores that Montgomery County’s own At-Large representation system completely disenfranchises the County’s 105,000 Republican voters. Far worse, the Montgomery County Council and the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee recently opposed ending Montgomery County’s “At-Large” system claiming that “eliminat[ing] at-large seats actually disenfranchises voters by limiting their voice on the council to one elected member” and that district elections would be “too parochial.”
Stunningly, the Montgomery County Council debated a proposal to require the four At-Large Councilmembers to reside in certain At-Large districts while still being elected by the voters of the entire County. This proposal nearly passed in a 4-5 vote, with no suggestion that this would have been a purposeful disenfranchisement of minority communities.
This is exactly the system that House Bill 655, as amended and passed on March 3rd, would seek to end as a vestige of the Jim Crow era, and is only slightly different from Montgomery County’s current At-Large system. The hypocrisy is stunning. What is apparently “too parochial” for Montgomery County is somehow desperately needed in counties with Republican-majority local governments.
Lastly, we reject the claim by Councilmember Tom Hucker that the Council’s appointment of two Republicans to the 11-member Commission on Redistricting alleviates this problem. The rest of the Commission is dominated by a former Democratic Councilmember, major Democratic donors, and even a member of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee.
The debate can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4VXU9dCHWw
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The Montgomery County Republican Central Committee (MCGOP) is the official county party organization whose elected members represent more than 105,000 registered Republicans in Montgomery County, Maryland. For more information on MCGOP go to www.mcgop.com
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By Authority of the MCGOP, Scott Cotter, Treasurer
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