T H E M I N O R I T Y R E P O RT - I N T E R I M 2 0 1 3 - I S S U E 1

THE MINORITY REPORT

Annapolis, MD

Interim 2013 | Issue 1

May 31, 2013

HOUSE REPUBLICANS HIT HARD ON PRISON CORRUPTION SCANDAL

Corruption in Marylands Correctional system was hardly new news to the House Republican Caucus when indictments following a federal investigation into the states prison were unsealed in April. As he took office in 2007, Governor OMalley was well aware of the corruption in the prison system but has chosen to focus his energy on the issues that would aid his Presidential bid, not solve the serious public safety issues in our state. Meanwhile across the aisle, House Republicans have been working with officials in the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) to address issues that contributed to this scandal by introducing legislation that would: Increase penalties for possessing and smuggling illegal cell phone into prisons Create substance abuse treatment programs for inmates Reform the hiring and supervisory procedures for correctional officers Despite having the support of DPSCS, Democratic leadership in the General Assembly chose to ignore these much-needed legislative initiatives session after session, and their inaction combined with the inaction of the OMalley/Brown Administration contributed to depth and breadth of the corruption now found in our correctional system. Following the federal indictment, the House Republican Caucus went on the offensive and hosted a press conference on May 9th where they revealed the photo to the left that illustrates the proliferation of illegal cell phone use in jail. The photo depicts Black Guerrilla Family Founder Ray Alevas and top BGF Member Eric Brown. The photo was taken in prison by another inmate with a cell phone camera. House Republicans called for a full and independent investigation into the entire Maryland correctional system.

On May 10th, members from both the House and Senate Republican caucuses toured the Baltimore City Correctional Facility and spoke first hand with DPSCS Secretary, Gary Maynard, about what was needed to reform our corrections system.

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Meanwhile, Governor OMalley continued to ramp up his Presidential campaign and has been noticeably absent from the conversation, other than a weak attempt to market the shameful indictments as a success story and the recent anemic announcement that he was forming a task force to further investigate prison corruption nearly one month after the federal indictments were issued. The stage is set for an interesting meeting on June 6th of the Joint Legislative Policy Committee, where select House and Senate Members will hold a hearing on the corruption scandal. The House Republican Caucus is committed to asking the tough questions, holding the right people accountable and working towards reform. To learn more about this issue in advance of the June 6th hearing, visit the following links: May 9, 2013: House Republican Caucus Press Conference Video and Press Release May 9, 2013: WJZ Baltimore: OMalley criticized by Md. GOP on prison corruption investigation May 9, 2013: Washington Post: Md. Republicans call for independent investigator for state prisons May 10, 2013: WBAL Baltimore: GOP lawmakers want Gov. Martin O'Malley to rebuild Baltimore jail complex May 28, 2013: Washington Post: Gov. OMalleys task force idea fails to quiet criticism of Md. jail scandal

ABOUT THE HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS

The Maryland House Republican Caucus is comprised of the 43 Republican members of the House of Delegates, all of whom are dedicated to fighting the good fight for issues of individual liberty and personal responsibility. They are led by House Minority Leader, Nicholaus Kipke and House Minority Whip, Kathy Szeliga. House Republican Caucus Website: www.houserepublicancaucus.com House Republican Caucus Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/mdhousegop House Republican Caucus Twitter Page: www.twitter.com/mdhousegop
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