Legum’s New Line

If you were hoping that Michael Steele would bring a new approach to Republican Party politics, here’s some bad news. Less than 24 hours after being elected chairman of the RNC, Steele praised House members for their lockstep opposition to President Obama’s stimulus bill, saying “the goose egg that you laid on the president’s desk was just beautiful.”

More from CQ Politics:

Michael Steele, the new national GOP chairman, urged House Republicans at the end of their three-day retreat to stick to their stand against the $819 billion stimulus measure as they plot their strategy for the 111th Congress.

A day after he won election as RNC chairman, Steele told the gathering at the Homestead resort that the minority party had sent a strong message to President Obama by joining together to oppose the version of the stimulus passed by the House (HR 1).

“This week the emphasis will shift to the Senate, and I am hoping they listen and learn from the very important message that you sent this week,” Steele told the GOP lawmakers, who had closed ranks and cast 177 “no” votes when the bill was before the House.

The Politico reports that Steele also “jokingly told members” that “we’re living in an era of bipartisanship.”

UPDATE I: Steele repeated his “goose egg” comment this morning on Bob Ehrlich’s radio show. You can listen to the audio of the interview, his first as RNC chair, here.

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Steele’s unlikely path to power. [Washington Post]

A new report by Maryland State Ethics Commission details millions spend lobbying in Annapolis. The top spender was Pepco, which shelled out about $725,000 last year on lobbying. The top earning lobbyist was Gary R. Alexander, who made $1.2 million bending the ears of state officials. [Maryland Moment]

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) tells Maryland mayors that help is coming to local municipalities from the federal stimulus package. [Washington Times]

Speaker Mike Busch (D-Anne Arundel) warns that any bill with a price tag greater than zero will be tough to get through the General Assembly. [The Capital]

Del. John Olszewski (D-Baltimore County) introduced legislation allowing Marylanders to win cash prizes from online fantasy sports. [Insider Charm City]

Sen. Lisa Gladden (D-Baltimore City) introduced legislation requiring an official photograph of the President of the United States to be displayed in a “prominent location” in state buildings and public schools. [In Session]

Anne Arundel County considers furloughs to close $107 million budget deficit. [Baltimore Sun]

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Former Maryland Lt. Governor Michael Steele was just elected chairman of the RNC. Here are five facts about the new leader of the Republican party:

1. Steele compared stem cell research to Nazi experiments during the Holocaust.

2. Steele bused in homeless African Americans from Philadelphia to distribute literature in inner-city Baltimore that featured a “Sample Democratic Ballot” with votes for Steele and former Gov. Bob Ehrlich, along with photos of prominent black Democrats.

3. Steele once described that “R” next to his name as a “scarlet letter,” complaining that being a Republican was hurting his electoral chances.

4. Steele was endorsed by Mike Tyson during his run for Senate. When Tyson, who used to be married to Steele’s half sister, pleaded no contest to assault in Montgomery County in 1998, Steele was on hand to support him.

5. Steele defended former Gov. Bob Ehrlich’s decision to hold a $100,000 fundraiser at a country club that did not allow non-white members, saying that the club’s membership’s policies were “not an issue” because “I don’t play golf.”

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Mike Duncan, the incumbent chair of the Republican National Committee, dropped out of the race for the next RNC chairman after the third ballot. That leaves former Maryland Lt. Governor Michael Steele as one of the favorites. The other contender is Katon Dawson, current chair of the South Carolina Republican party.

The other candidates left are Ken Blackwell and Saul Anuzis.

You can keep track of the voting on Chris Cillizza’s twitter page.

Stay tuned to the New Line for coverage of Maryland’s most prominent Republican.

UPDATE I: After the fourth ballot the count is: “Dawson 62, Steele 60, Anuzis 31, Blackwell 15.” The magic number is 85.

UPDATE II: Blackwell withdraws and endorses Steele, making him the odd-on favorite.

UPDATE III: Steele wins.

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In his State of the State address, O’Malley calls for a “fair up or down vote” on abolishing the death penalty. Senate President Mike Miller, a supporter of capital punishment, vowed to block filibuster efforts. [Baltimore Sun]

The National Council on Teacher Quality gives Maryland a D- on policies involving new teachers, including an F for “identifying effective new teachers.” The rating comes just weeks after Maryland schools ranked #1 in the Education Week survey. [Inside Ed]

The Republican National Committee votes today on their new chairman. Former Lt. Governor Michael Steele is a top candidate. [Maryland Politics]

The Baltimore Examiner, the city’s second daily paper, is shutting down operations on Feb 15 — less than three years after its launch. [AP]

Roscoe Bartlett, Maryland’s only GOP member of Congress, takes to the House floor and argues that the New Deal didn’t work. [Red Maryland]

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Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD) was one of just 11 Democrats to vote against the stimulus bill in the House of Representatives. The vote is a clear sign that Kratovil won’t be shy about breaking from the Democratic House leadership.

With Andy Harris already gearing up to run against him again in 2010, Kratovil is smart to establish himself as an independent voice. In this case, however, Kratovil cast the wrong vote.

Kratovil’s primary objection to the bill was that it contained “wasteful spending” and that it was exempt from “pay-go” requirements the mandate “all expenditures are somehow offset in order to keep budgets balanced.” In this case, however, the spending is not “wasteful;” it’s absolutely necessary to jumpstart an economy that is hemorrhaging jobs. Further, spending intended as stimulus, by definition, cannot be offset. The idea is to provide additional economic activity to create jobs and pull the country out of recession. If this spending is offset by other reductions in spending, it doesn’t act as stimulus.

More on the Democrats who voted against the stimulus bill at ThinkProgress.

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The federal stimulus package could mean $700 million for Maryland roads and rail. [WBAL]

Despite new restrictions intended to protect the blue crab population by reducing the harvest, Maryland waterman reported catching more crabs in 2008 than in 2007. Virginia, which agreed to the same restrictions, reported a 37% decline in their crab harvest. [Baltimore Sun]

O’Malley will deliver his “State of the State” address today at noon. [WMDT]

The Maryland Board of Public Works approved the purchase of 4400 acres of environmentally sensitive land. The state paid $57 million. [AP]

Some state libraries are considering banning children because they can’t afford to test each book for lead, exposing them to possible liability under a new federal law. [Capital News Service]

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A report released quietly today by the General Assembly’s Office of Policy Analysis details the bleak state of Chesapeake Bay restoration funding. The little noticed report reveals serious problems in some of Maryland’s most high profile efforts to clean up the bay. Among the report’s findings:

1. Disappearing revenue. The 2009 budget included $50 million for the creation of trust fund dedicated to Chesapeake Bay restoration. The funds were to be administered by the new BayStat program to the most cost effective clean up proposals based on hard data. The figure was subsequently reduced by $25 million, and then again by another $5 million, leaving a total available appropriation $20 million. But of that $20 million, only $9.6 million actually materialized from the gas and rental car tax that funds the program.

Out of the available $9.6 million, the report estimates that around $9.5 million was already committed to the Maryland Department of Agriculture to reimburse framers that plant cover crops. So, the Office of Policy Analysis estimated there was just $100,000 left that could be allocated through BayStat. In 2010, the budget estimates there will be $13.1 million in unallocated funds available. But it is unclear how much, if any, will materialize.

2. Less transparency. In previous years, the budget included an appendix which details exactly how much is being spend on Chesapeake Bay restoration (“Appendix Q: Summary of Chesapeake Bay Restoration Expenditures By Agency). That appendix was not included this year, making it difficult to evaluate overall trends in funding.

3. Missing reports. The BayStat program is required by law to release a report each year detailing how it spent their money the previous year and what its plan is for distributing funds in the current year. Those plans were not submitted.

The full report is available here.

It was inevitable that the economic downturn would have some impact on Chesapeake Bay funding. Maryland’s long term economic future, however, depends on restoring the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

There has been a major effort to save the bay for 25 years, with little to show for it. One reason is that we haven’t followed through on our commitments. It’s essential that we start to change that now.

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Maryland unemployment rate hits a 15-year high at 5.8%. Last month, the state lost 9,800 jobs. [Inside Charm City]

The Capital, Annapolis’ only daily newspaper, will close it’s printing plan and eliminate 111 jobs. The paper will now be printed in Laurel at a plant owned by the Washington Post. [WJZ]

Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon’s fundraising lags, raising the possibility that she may face a primary challenger in 2011. [Baltimore Sun]

State Senate Majority Leader Edward J. Kasemeyer (D-Columbia) sounds pessimistic note on local economy. Kasemeyer says the recession could continue for up to five years. [Maryland Gazette]

Attorney General Gansler prepares for his first argument before the United States Supreme Court. [Maryland Daily Record]

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The 2008 election just ended, but State Sen. Andy Harris (R) is already planning for a rematch against newly minted Congressman Frank Kratovil in Maryland’s first district. Roll Call reports:

State Sen. Andy Harris said he intends to meet with the National Republican Congressional Committee sometime in the next two weeks to talk about a rematch against freshman Rep. Frank Kratovil (D) in 2010.

“I’ll stop by and let them know that I’m certainly still interested in the 1st Congressional district in Maryland,” Harris said Monday afternoon.

Harris knocked off moderate Rep. Wayne Gilchrest in the 2008 GOP primary, and he then went on to lose by a razor-thin margin in a contest that he didn’t concede until a week after Election Day.

“We were within a percent in what was a terrible year for the Republicans, and I’m hoping 2010 will be a better year,” Harris said.

Andy Green writes in the Sun: “The 1st District is way beyond marginal for Democrats — it was specifically designed to be a Republican seat. So it’s certainly conceivable that we’ll have another tough election there next year.” This is true, and it’s possible the national environment will be more favorable to Harris in 2010. Kratovil, however, will have two years to show what he can do for the people of Maryland’s first district. Considering Kratovil’s considerable abilities, I think Harris will have a much tougher time of it two years from now.

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