TexasTowelie
TexasTowelie's JournalCrab cakes, cookies and steak: Taxpayers paid $260K for judges' annual conference on Eastern Shore
The annual two-day conference of Maryland judges in May cost taxpayers $259,584.07 for nearly 375 rooms, food and beverages and conference facilities, according to the detailed invoice obtained by The Baltimore Sun through a Public Information Act request.
The 2018 Judicial Conference bill from the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina in Cambridge came in below the $324,595.60 maximum limit authorized by the contract awarded last year by the Administration Office of the Courts.
The highlights from the bill include:
• Of the 375 rooms booked, 358 were used on May 23 and 348 were occupied on May 24.
• Room charges: $133,061.84
• Food and beverage charges: $107,425.25
• Audio visual: $34,864.28
• The average total cost per booked room was $347 — not bad for a resort where a basic room next Wednesday and Thursday with breakfast would set one back $304 a night, not counting taxes and a $32 daily resort fee.
One of the two $6,000 coffee breaks for 358 guests and others included beverages, “house made granola bars” and “chocolate chunk and oatmeal jumbo home style cookies.”
Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/investigations/bs-md-sun-investigates-judges-conference-20180823-story.html
Hogan Holds Double-Digit Lead Over Jealous
SEABROOK – Maryland Governor Larry Hogan holds a 16 percent lead over his Democratic opponent, Ben Jealous, with less than three months remaining before the general election, according to recent poll data.
Fifty-two percent of polled voters said they would support Hogan, according to a poll conducted by Gonzales Research & Media Services. The current governor is still popular with voters as 64 percent hold a favorable view of him and 63 percent of those polled believe Maryland is moving in the right direction. Eight-hundred-thirty-one registered voters were surveyed for the poll.
“If the Maryland election for governor was held today, GOP incumbent Larry Hogan would be re-elected, becoming a near Halley’s Comet-like phenomenon,” Pollster Patrick Gonzales said in the report.
The poll also suggests that Hogan is on pace to do better in Prince George’s County. In 2014, Hogan only collected 32,619 votes, less than 15 percent, from county voters. However, he still accumulated 51 percent of the vote to win the general election.
Read more: http://www.thesentinel.com/pgs/news/state/item/5031-hogan-holds-double-digit-lead-over-jealous
Towson pharmacist guilty of federal drug charges after admitting to trading sex for pills
A pharmacist who practiced in Towson pleaded guilty on Friday to federal charges of distributing oxycodone after admitting to trading sex for pills, according to federal prosecutors.
Richard Daniel Hiller, 64, admitted in a plea agreement to filling fake prescriptions for oxycodone for several women in exchange for sexual favors.
On “numerous occasions” between 2014 and 2017, Hiller invited two different women to the pharmacy before it opened, according to the plea agreement. He performed sex acts with them in the rear of the pharmacy before filling their bogus prescriptions, according to the plea agreement.
With a third woman, he gave her oxycodone — often without a prescription — after asking her to send him nude photos and videos of her, according to the plea agreement. He also groped and kissed her. Hiller also filled prescriptions that he knew she fraudulently obtained from different doctors.
Read more: https://www.fredericknewspost.com/public/ap/towson-pharmacist-guilty-of-federal-drug-charges-after-admitting-to/article_fe4eb463-12fd-5a72-8c77-aa556eadedc0.html
Biden, Ocasio Cortez join the fray in First State's Democratic U.S. Senate primary
Sen. Tom Carper and Kerri Harris are calling in some heavy hitters to help reach voters as the final push toward next month’s U.S. Senate primary election begins.
Former Vice President Joe Biden is weighing in on the Democratic primary on behalf of Sen. Tom Carper. He’s recording a robocall for the incumbent that’s set to reach voters next week.
"If there's someone who knows me and knows Delaware, it's Joe," Carper said. "Together we've served the First State and fought to improve the lives of countless Delawareans.
Challenger Kerri Harris’ campaign has events scheduled in Newark and Wilmington next Friday featuring popular New York Congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.
Read more: http://www.delawarepublic.org/post/biden-ocasio-cortez-join-fray-first-states-democratic-us-senate-primary
Republican, Democratic Senate candidates Harris and Truono debate
Two candidates vying for Sen. Tom Carper’s seat this November spoke out on issues concerning the public at a special debate in Hockessin on Monday night.
Meant to shake things out between party opponents ahead of September’s Primary, Carper and Republican candidate Rob Arlett were not present at the Greater Hockessin Area Development Association-sponsored forum.
Originally planned as a pre-primary debate between candidates on the same ticket, the evening instead came down to Republican Gene Truono and Democrat Kerri Harris sounding off on questions submitted by the public.
Carper was delayed due to a rescheduled Senate session following the death of former Nevada Sen. Paul Laxalt, while Arlett had a scheduling conflict, according to GHADA president Mark Blake.
Read more: http://www.middletowntranscript.com/news/20180823/republican-democratic-senate-candidates-harris-and-truono-debate
After New Jersey candidate said 'diversity is a bunch of crap,' his campaign donations tripled
Need more proof that President Trump's takeover of the Republican Party is done, complete, finito?
Consider the candidacy of Seth Grossman, a Republican running for an open congressional seat in New Jersey against Democrat Jeff Van Drew.
On June 11, the Inquirer and Daily News reported that the former Atlantic County freeholder said that "the whole idea of diversity is a bunch of crap and un-American." He also spoke of a time "when America was great" and "one parent alone earned more than enough money to comfortably support a family."
Grossman's remarks, which the New York Times, Washington Post and CNN followed, didn't immediately cost him the support of the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Read more: http://www2.philly.com/philly/columnists/clout/clout-seth-grossman-congress-election-diversity-tripled-campaign-donations-20180824.html
A NAFTA deal between the U.S. and Mexico is said to be near
ERIC MARTIN AND JENNIFER JACOBS
Bloomberg News
MEXICO CITY –– The U.S. and Mexico are close to resolving their differences on the North American Free Trade Agreement and may wrap up as soon as Monday, said three people familiar with the progress, clearing the way for Canada to possibly return to talks to update the three-nation trade deal.
The nations achieved significant breakthroughs in the past several days on the critical issues of automobiles and energy, according to the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Talks are expected to continue Sunday.
President Donald Trump was optimistic Saturday, writing on Twitter that the U.S. could have a “big Trade Agreement” with its southern neighbor soon. The terms of any deal struck by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer would need Mr. Trump’s approval.
It remains unclear how U.S. and Mexican negotiators would make public the completion of work on their issues, given that Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo has signaled that the nation won’t make an announcement on NAFTA until Canada also signs on to a new deal.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/news/world/2018/08/26/A-NAFTA-deal-between-the-U-S-and-Mexico-is-said-to-be-near/stories/201808260218
Wagner says his tax returns could be used by unions to recruit his employees
Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner shed more light this week on his decision not to release his tax returns, saying at a town hall meeting Monday in Erie that his income might encourage employees of his waste-hauling business to unionize.
Wagner’s decision not to release his tax returns goes against at least two decades of tradition for major-party general election candidates. He has complied with state laws requiring less-comprehensive financial disclosures but has said his finances are no one else’s business.
Wagner restated his compliance with state rules in response to a question about his tax returns at the town hall, which was recorded and posted online by the Pennsylvania Democratic Party.
Then he brought up the unions, saying, “If I disclose those tax returns, union representatives get a hold of my tax returns, go around to my employees’ homes at night and say, ‘Hey Mrs. Jones, how much does your husband make?’ She goes, ‘Well he makes this.’ ‘Well this guy makes a lot more.’”
Read more: https://triblive.com/state/pennsylvania/14000121-74/wagner-says-his-tax-returns-could-be-used-by-unions-to-recruit
Wolf agrees to one debate with Wagner, event to be moderated by Alex Trebek
HARRISBURG — Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf is agreeing to participate in just one debate before the Nov. 6 election with his Republican rival Scott Wagner, an event to be moderated by “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek.
Wolf’s campaign said this week that will be his only debate, and gave no explanation as to why. That prompted Wagner’s campaign to accuse Wolf of being “afraid to defend himself in front of Pennsylvanians.”
In the 2014 campaign, then-Republican Gov. Tom Corbett participated in three debates with Wolf. In their last debate, Wolf thanked Corbett for participating, and called it “a great democratic exercise.”
Wolf is seeking a second four-year term in office and has led Wagner in polls and fundraising.
Read more: https://triblive.com/state/pennsylvania/14003576-74/wolf-agrees-to-one-debate-with-wagner-event-to-moderated-by-alex
Victim's parents 'disappointed' in judge's ruling in Penn State hazing hearing
The attorney for the parents of Penn State hazing victim Timothy Piazza, has issued this statement on the outcome of the latest preliminary hearing on criminal charges flowing from Piazza's death.
Magisterial District Judge Carmine Prestia Jr. threw out involuntary manslaughter charges, marking the third time that state or county prosecutors have lost bids to attach homicide charges to Piazza's death.
Thomas R. Kline's statement:
"Also, the addition of the conspiracy (to commit hazing) charges is a significant enhancement against many defendants and is indeed a significant advancement towards accountability for those who caused Tim's death."
Kline, in a follow-up telephone interview with PennLive Friday, also said he believes Prestia's ruling on the manslaughter charges - which takes the greatest potential punishment off the table for prosecutors - bolsters the argument for tougher hazing statutes as proposed by Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Centre County.
Read more: https://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/08/piazza_familys_attorney_weighs.html
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