snippets from the shore

[OnBackground]

It doesn't take much to get Maryland political watchers talking about who might run for big offices in the state. While everyone is talking about which folks, beyond former Rep. Kweisi Mfume, or Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-md.steele20mar20,1,1692747.story?coll=bal-mdpolitics-headlines) might actually get into the race to replace Sen. Paul Sarbanes, just a couple of weeks ago a column came out with lots of <a href="http://www.gazette.net/200510/weekend/issues_ideas/264630-1.html">fun speculation</a>.


The Post has a good piece on how Maryland lawmakers use their campaign funds for purposes that might not meet with your (or Common Cause's) seal of approval. In particular, Silver Spring area (D20) delegate <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50459-2005Mar19.html">Sheila Hixson</a> is said to have used funds from her supporters to pay for her Michigan alumni association membership and:

<em><blockquote>During the past six years, Hixson, who works as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill while not busy with her Maryland legislative work, has reported using more than $9,000 in campaign funds to pay dues at the National Democratic Club, an organization that advertises itself as "a great place to meet with lawmakers and Hill staff, to entertain clients."</blockquote></em>