We applaud the Governor’s Redistricting Advisory Commission for voting to recommend a new congressional map that reflects the voices of Marylanders and meets the urgency of this moment. The proposed map is the product of a transparent, public-driven process that invited residents to submit maps, provide feedback, and help shape decisions that will directly impact how they are represented in Congress.

Now, as GOP-controlled states across the country continue to cave to pressure from the Trump administration to rig the midterm elections, it is up to Maryland’s legislature to choose to fight for our democracy.

The stakes are real and immediate. Control of the U.S. House could come down to a handful of seats, and Maryland cannot afford to sit on the sidelines while others manipulate the system to their advantage. Federal decisions directly shape the lives of Marylanders — from protecting voting rights to securing infrastructure and transportation funding, to defending workers and public services. This is about whether Maryland has a congressional delegation strong enough to serve as a meaningful check on an increasingly hostile federal government.

We urge the Maryland General Assembly to act with the boldness this moment demands and advance a map that protects fair representation. Delay or inaction is not neutral — it is a decision with national consequences. Leadership means standing up now to defend democracy and protect Maryland communities.

Marylanders are watching, and they expect their leaders to lead.

The Memo will be posted here after the email version has been sent.

We’ll lead by passing along Megan E’s abbreviated message for today.

“Hello People’s Action,

”I hope you’re all hanging in there. I’m in a convening today so this will be short but there are a bunch of mass calls and webinars [involved with People’s Action initiatives to fight back] listed below.

“The Senate is on recess. The House is trying to pass government funding bills. 

“And no, I don’t know if we’re going to invade Denmark. From Punchbowl “As tens of thousands of people lined the streets of Copenhagen Saturday to protest Trump’s threats toward Greenland, the president announced he planned to impose new tariffs on Denmark and seven other European nations for opposing his drive to acquire Greenland.”  Republicans in Congress are pretty much uniformly opposed to this plan but  almost uniformly unwilling to speak up against it (with a couple notable exceptions). “ [Megan is People's Action federal affairs director.]

We can’t beat Megan’s account of GOP fearful subservience to the Glorious Leader at this point. Denmark? Yes, invading Greenland is like invading Denmark. Copenhagen, all that. See our several articles on the one-year “Move Fast and Break Things” behavior Trump has used to keep our eyes fixed on him (in self-defense). Trump is crashing the big billionaires’ party in Davos as we write, and Bloomberg reports that many of those hardnosed billionaires are getting scammed by sharpsters selling elite access passes supposed to bring them within ring-kissing range of Himself. Alas, they’ll be out of pocket and disappointed.

Watch this (Trump) space, as if we could safely ignore it. It’s News You Can Use.

I am the daughter of Pakistani Muslim immigrants who came to this country more than 30 years ago in pursuit of education and a better life, for themselves and for their future children. If my parents had not been given that opportunity, I would not be here today advocating for the civil and constitutional rights of immigrant communities.

That is why the Baltimore County Council’s consideration of Bills 98-25 and 97-25 is especially important to me, as a policy analyst with Progressive Maryland, a community member, and as a daughter.

Renters United Maryland Announces 2026 Legislative Agenda to Ensure all Marylanders Have Stable, Affordable Housing

Annapolis, MD – On the first day of the legislative session, Renters United Maryland (RUM) is calling on the Maryland General Assembly to pass the Stable Homes, Strong Communities legislative agenda. As rent prices skyrocket and more renting families are facing eviction and dangerous, unfair housing practices, it is more vital than ever for our state legislators to act to ensure renters in Maryland have stable housing, so we can all have strong communities. 

To ensure that every Marylander has access to a safe, stable home, the 2026 Maryland General Assembly must: 

1. Pass Good Cause Eviction Enabling Legislation
2. Fund Eviction Prevention 
3. Pass legislation ensuring fair background checks for housing
4. Oppose “Evict First, Ask Questions Later” Bills

“Session after session, affordable housing is discussed as if homeownership is the only solution,” said Tonia Chestnut, President of the Enclave Tenant Association. “But renters are the backbone of our communities, and we are tired of being treated as an afterthought. At The Enclave, we see firsthand how a lack of protections allows housing conditions to deteriorate while rents continue to rise. If lawmakers are serious about addressing the housing crisis, they must move beyond talk and pass real, enforceable protections for Maryland renters.”

At a moment when political power is being reshaped across the country, Maryland voters are paying attention, and they are sending a clear message to Annapolis: they want action on redistricting.

A new statewide poll conducted for the Meet the Moment Maryland Coalition finds that a solid majority of Maryland voters support redrawing the state’s congressional maps before the 2026 election. Far from being a niche or insider issue, redistricting is increasingly understood by voters as a necessary step to protect fair representation, working families, and Maryland’s influence in Congress.

The Big Picture: Voters See the National Stakes

Across the country, Republican-controlled states like Texas, Missouri, and Indiana have already moved to redraw their congressional maps ahead of the 2026 elections—at the urging of the Trump administration—to tilt the playing field in their favor. Maryland voters are well aware of this.

In fact, nearly three-quarters of Maryland voters say they have heard a lot or a decent amount about redistricting efforts in Texas and California. By contrast, fewer than half say they’ve heard much about what’s happening here in Maryland. Still, voters are not confused about where they stand.

They understand that when other states manipulate their maps, Maryland’s voters lose power, and the state risks losing its ability to stand up for working families, protect federal jobs, and secure funding for transportation and infrastructure.

A Clear Majority Supports Redistricting

When asked directly whether they favor redrawing Maryland’s congressional districts before the 2026 election, 54% of likely Maryland voters said yes.

Support is especially strong in the communities most affected by decisions made in Washington:

• Montgomery County: 64% support
• Prince George’s County: 68% support
• Baltimore City: 68% support

While support is lower in parts of western, southern, and eastern Maryland, the statewide message is unmistakable: most Maryland voters want their leaders to respond.

The Bottom Line

Marylanders are engaged, informed, and ready for leadership. A majority support redistricting. Democratic primary voters support it even more strongly. And voters understand the national consequences of delay.

If state leaders are waiting for public permission to move forward, the voters have already given it.

The Memo will be posted here after the email version has been sent.

As the General Assembly begins its three-month gallop of a session, the new Speaker builds a distinctly more progressive team in the House while Gov. Moore vows to make the state less dependent on the vagaries of federal employment. As the legislators head for Annapolis, events in Minnesota and elsewhere bring nationwide protests against the savagery of ICE agents and the buttheadedness of its leadership (yes, the one under the oversized cowboy hat).

It all comes from the top, of course. The lunatic decrepitude of Trump is more apparent each time he realizes a fantasy (briefly) with an executive order or (violently) by directing military action against Venezuela and threatens others, including NATO allies. We frankly haven't had the fortitude to read through the transcript of his two-hour interview with NYT reporters; when we do, we'll be better able to decide just how far over the cliff he has gone.

States -- including Maryland -- are fighting back, including through the courts.  Much of Trump's worst activity is stuck in traffic and he increasingly voices fear that he will lose control of the US House in the midterms. He is afraid of being impeached but he probably needs to worry less about that than becoming irrelevant. So 2026 is brightening. It's News You Can Use.

HYATTSVILLE, MD – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the nefarious agency with a well documented record of violence and brutality, has escalated once again, as reports surface of an ICE agent shooting and killing Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year old woman driving her vehicle in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This killing follows the Glen Burnie violence, where Tiago Alexandre Sousa-Martins was shot and injured by ICE agents in Maryland, our own backyard, on Christmas Eve.