My statement on the killing of Tyre Nichols: pic.twitter.com/XKXw6icpVz
— Governor Wes Moore (@GovWesMoore) January 28, 2023
Maryland
Per the State of Maryland (1/26/2023): Today, Governor Wes Moore hosted nearly 100 veterans at the State House to reaffirm his legislative agenda to improve the lives of Maryland veterans, National Guard members, and their families — which includes $30 million to support his proposed Keep Our Heroes Home Act, and $5 million to provide healthcare services for National Guard members through his proposed Healthcare for Heroes Act. Governor Moore was joined at the veteran’s roundtable by Acting Secretary of the Department of Veteran Affairs Tony Woods and members of the general assembly.
“These investments show our administration’s commitment to supporting the lives of those who have made countless sacrifices to protect our nation,” said Governor Moore. “It was my honor to hear our veteran’s perspectives on their needs and how we can help them. I am proud to lead the charge in providing legislation and funding that will ensure my fellow veterans and National Guard members are taken care of, here at home.”
Meeting highlights include:
Justin Kuchta, age 39, of Annapolis, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a federal charge for threatening to murder a United States Member of Congress. The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the United States Capitol Police; and Acting Superintendent of the Maryland State Police, Lt. Colonel Dalaine Brady.
“You have the right to your own opinions, but not the right to threaten a federal official’s life,” said United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron. “We’ll continue prosecuting these threats to the fullest extent of the law.”
Arnelda was born and raised in Prince George’s County and is a graduate of Suitland High School. She is a proud member of Philos, an auxiliary organization of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.
Communications Team: The governor’s communications team is led by David Turner, Communications Director and Senior Advisor, and will include the following staff:
Update Jan. 22, 2022 — Due to poor weather conditions in the Wallops area, Rocket Lab’s first U.S. launch of the Electron rocket is now targeted for Tuesday, Jan. 24. Weather for Tuesday is 90% favorable for the 6-8 p.m. EST launch window.
Previous information: NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility will support the launch of Rocket Lab USA’s first Electron rocket from Virginia at 6 p.m. EST, Monday, Jan. 23. The 59-foot-tall Electron rocket will lift off from Launch Complex 2 at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island. The mission, named “Virginia is for Launch Lovers,” will deploy radio frequency monitoring satellites for HawkEye 360.
With 25% of all nonretired adults having no retirement savings, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023’s Best States to Retire, with Maryland coming in at #42– the 9th worst of all states.
“To help retirees find a safe, enjoyable and wallet-friendly place to call home, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 47 key metrics. Our analysis examines affordability, health-related factors and overall quality of life.”
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“We need to keep guns out of the hands of those who would do violence in our communities. It is lawful and Constitutional for states to enact legislation that protects their residents from bad actors in the gun industry,” said Attorney General Brown. “These entities should be held accountable under the law for any misconduct that threatens public safety.”
Several members of the firearms industry sued New York, arguing that the statute is preempted by federal law and is unconstitutional. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York dismissed the lawsuit. The coalition of Attorneys General is now asking the appellate court to affirm the lower court’s ruling, which found that the law is not preempted by the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, a federal law that limits civil remedies against gun industry members for harms caused solely by the misconduct of individuals who use firearms. The court also found that the law did not run afoul of either the Dormant Commerce Clause or the Due Process Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
Per the Maryland State Police: With January being Human Trafficking Prevention Month, Maryland State Police are urging the public to recognize potential warning signs to reduce the chances of others becoming victims in the future. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, a child is trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation every two minutes in the United States. There are also an estimated 24 million people trapped in human trafficking worldwide, according to the Center for Prevention of Abuse.
Victims of human trafficking become entrapped in a variety of ways. While many cases involve kidnappings, human traffickers often groom, manipulate, defraud and/or threaten victims to exploit them for commercial sex and/or labor. Three major airports, inexpensive bus transportation, train service along the East Coast, large sporting events and disposable income makes Maryland an attractive destination for traffickers.
Wes Moore was sworn in today as the 63rd governor of Maryland at a ceremony in Annapolis that included an introduction by legendary talk show host Oprah Winfrey. Moore is a native of Takoma Park, who grew up in the area until he was 6 years old, moving to New York after his father passed away. He returned to Maryland for college and attended Johns Hopkins University where he studied international relations and economics and graduated Omicron Delta Kappa and Phi Beta Kappa in 2001. From 2017 to 2021 Moore served as the CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation– a charitable organization which attempts to alleviate problems caused by poverty in New York City. Moore is the first African American to be elected Governor of Maryland.
Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller was also sworn into office today. Miller is a former member of the Maryland House of Delegates, where she represented District 15 in Montgomery County and is the first South Asian woman to become lieutenant governor.
Outgoing Governor Larry Hogan released a press release this morning touting a 77% approval rating on his final day in office. Governor-Elect Wes Moore and Lieutenant Governor-Elect Aruna Miller will be sworn in on Wednesday, January 18, at the State Capitol in Annapolis. Per the State of Maryland:
Maryland Matters: “Political notes: Hogan rides off into the sunset with approval ratings intact… Gov. Larry Hogan (R) will leave office Wednesday with the same stratospheric job approval ratings that he’s enjoyed for most of his time in office. … Hogan’s job approval ratings would be the envy of any politician, and far outstrip voters’ feelings for President Biden.”