It’s about Maryland, Stupid -- Craig Wolf Closes the Gap on Brian Frosh for Attorney General

By Mark Uncapher

A new Gonzales Research poll in the past week has shown Republican candidate for Attorney General Craig Wolf closing in on Brian Frosh.  In less than a month, Wolf has slashed Brian Frosh’s lead by 23%.  When undecided voters are asked to make a choice, the difference between the candidates drops to just 6%.  Frosh is at 40% and Wolf at 34%.  

Clearly Craig Wolf’s message is resonating with more Marylanders and producing a shift in attitudes against Frosh.  Frosh simply pays too much attention to partisan Washington battles and not enough to Maryland state issues.  As the state faces a surge in murders, overdoses and gang violence, Marylanders want an Attorney General who addresses state problems.

Wolf expresses this succinctly: “I object to the Attorney General spending so many taxpayer dollars on lawsuits that really don’t affect Maryland. As Attorney General, I will focus on public safety, not politics and partisanship.”

Given this, it is no surprise that Wolf earned the endorsement of Maryland’s Fraternal Order of Police.  In contrast to four years ago when Frosh received the same endorsement, law enforcement officers have grown weary of Frosh’s neglect of the state in favor of the national stage.  

And the Fraternal Order of Police are not the only ones in law enforcement to reverse themselves on Frosh. Wolf has received endorsements from 19 of Maryland’s 24 sheriffs — both Republicans and Democrats and most of Maryland’s States’ Attorneys.

Brian Frosh has long taken an especially extreme position on criminal justice matters in opposing giving law enforcement the necessary tools they need.  As a State Senator and as Chair of the Maryland Senate’s Judicial Proceedings Committee, Frosh was a recurring opponent of efforts to bring the perpetrators of sexual violence to justice.

In the State Senate, Brian Frosh:

• Voted against legislation establishing mandatory minimumsfor sexual abusers of children in 2006.[1]
• Voted against legislation strengthening penaltiesfor sexual abusers of children in 2007.[2]
• Killed a bill that would increase mandatory minimums for thoseconvicted of 2nd degree child rape in 2010.[3]
• Opposed a bill significantly increasing the amount of timea victim of sexual abuse has to file for damages.[4]
• Killed a bill making it a crime for therapiststo sexually abuse their patients.[5]
• Opposed a bill strengthening “person of authority” lawsto protect students from school employees[6]

When Maryland’s General Assembly passed Jessica’s Law, Frosh was again in opposition. Jessica’s Law provides for a mandatory 25-year minimum sentence, with no possibility of parole for a first-degree conviction of an adult for the rape of a child under age 12.  It is named for Jessica Lunsford, the nine-year old Florida girl who was kidnapped, raped and murdered by paroled sex offender John Couey. 

Out of step with his fellow Democrats, only two senators joined Frosh in opposing Jessica’s Law, which passed unanimously in the House.

In contrast to Frosh, Republican Attorney General candidate Craig Wolf spent five years as Assistant States’ Attorney for Allegany County, where he specialized in the prosecution of child abuse, rape, and domestic violence cases. As a prosecutor with the Department of Justice, he successfully prosecuted some of the first online child pornography cases and supervised a large-scale investigation into the international trafficking of women and children.

In a reprise of the famous mantra of the 1992 Presidential election, “It’s about the Economy Stupid,” a lesson is to be drawn for this year’s races for attorney general and governor.  The current mantra should be “It’s about Maryland, Stupid.” Maryland voters want elected officials who work on solving state problems and are not just grandstanding on national matters over which they have very little real impact.

[1]http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?ys=2006s1/votes/senate/0032.htm

[2]http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?ys=2007RS/votes/senate/0576.htm

[3] https://houserepublicancaucus.com/2010/04/12/winners-and-losers-of-the-2010-general-assembly-session/

[4] http://marylandreporter.com/2013/04/09/lynettes-law-supporters-disappointed-therapy-abuse-will-not-become-crime/

[5] http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/anne-arundel/bs-md-ar-sex-offense-law-20121101-story.html

[6]http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/anne-arundel/bs-md-ar-sex-offense-law-20121101-story.html