It's a potpourri this week, with significant but unsensational (mostly) stories coming out of Maryland -- the floundering Trump war machine soaks up most of the attention. Health insurance costs get a double dose of coverage, as do arguments about ICE facilities in the state. Flailing about on the current war is hurting Trump most, Politico Playbook reports: "according to the latest NYT/Siena poll. 64 percent of voters say going to war was the wrong decision, more than double the share who think it was right. Trump is at 31 percent approval for his handling of the war and 37 percent overall job approval."

The Monday message from People's Action about doings in Congress reminds us in Maryland that our national reps are vulnerable to the big-money PACs -- most recently,  a power-financed one from Big Crypto that is bringing senators (one of ours, included) into line to vote crypto's way on the Clarity Act, as it is called. 

HERE IN MARYLAND

Getting and Keeping Health Insurance a Challenge for Young Marylanders

For many young adults, the transition to independent health insurance involves navigating extensive processes with limited support. “There’s a lot of financial education that young people need to stay on top of,” said Shlomo Rosenstein, a health insurance broker based in Columbia. “So many little details that could really play a big part of their lives down the road.” Capital News Service

State Officials Demand Transparency As Businesses Get Billions In Trump Tariff Refunds: Maryland among states arguing that relief must extend to the consumers who ultimately paid tariffs passed on by businesses. Kevin Hardy/Maryland Matters. (5/14)

Key Bridge Collapse: Dali Builders Reject Claims Of Power Failures: The builders of the cargo ship that destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge are pushing back against Maryland’s claims that they share responsibility for the collapse, arguing that the vessel’s owners and operators failed to properly maintain the ship in the decade after it left the shipyard. Maggie Trovato/The Baltimore Sun. (5/14)

Federal Judge To Decide Fate Of Proposed Ho Co Ice Facility: The company that tried to renovate an Elkridge, Maryland, office building into a U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) facility made its case in federal court Thursday. Dennis Valera/CBS Baltimore. (5/14)

United Healthcare Asks For A Hike In Small Business Health Insurance PREMIUMS: UnitedHealthCare is proposing an average 7.9% premium spike for people using small market plans under the main company and three of its subsidiaries: Optum Choice, MAMSI Life and Health Insurance Company and UnitedHealthcare Mid-Atlantic. Scott Maucione/WYPR. (5/14)

Combating Climate Change:  MD Lays Out $42 Million Initiative For Eastern Shore: The initiative, called “Roots for Resilience: Strong Roots for a Changing Landscape,” will direct $42.5 million in federal grant funding toward nature-based climate solutions across the region, including wetland restoration, living shorelines, tree planting and sustainable forest management. Lily Tierney/The Star Democrat. (5/14)

Moore Signs Crackdown Laws On Squatter Problems: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed two bills into law on Tuesday aimed at cracking down on the state’s squatter issues, including a bill that targets alleged online squatting rings and makes the manufacturing or possession of a fraudulent lease a felony. Gary Collins/Baltimore Sun. (5/14)

Moore Signs High-Rise Sprinkler Law After 2023 Silver Spring Fatal Fire: Gov. Wes Moore signed a bill requiring sprinklers in certain renovated older high-rise apartments, a measure inspired by a deadly 2023 Silver Spring fire that killed 25-year-old Melanie Diaz. The victim’s family pushed for the change, saying it will help save lives. Jacqueline Kalil/Bethesda Today. (5/14)

Maryland's Closed Primaries Mean A Million CAN'T Choose Candidates: Maryland’s closed primary election system allows only voters registered as Democrats or Republicans to participate in primary elections. More than 1 million Maryland voters — about one-quarter of the electorate — are registered as independents or with third parties, leaving them unable to vote in many of the primaries that effectively decide who holds office.Tinashe Chingarande/The Baltimore Sun.

Maryland Must Reissue 400,000 Mail Ballots: Maryland will have to reissue roughly 400,000 mail ballots after voters reported receiving ballots for the wrong party. The state started sending mail ballots this week ahead of the June 23 gubernatorial primary to those who had requested them. Brenda Wintrode/The Baltimore Banner.

Election Reforms Bills That Passed This Session: The Maryland General Assembly passed an array of election reforms this year to try and curb election interference and increase voter access ahead of the General Election this November. State Sens. Cheryl Kagan and Katie Fry Hester are behind a majority of the changes that were signed into law by Gov. Wes Moore on Tuesday. Sarah Petrowich/WYPR-FM.

Maryland Sheriffs Pulling Out Of ICE Agreements: Maryland sheriffs vowed to fight legislation passed this year prohibiting formal agreements between local police agencies and federal immigration officials, and giving sheriff’s departments 90 days to get out of any deal they were in. But as the 90-day clock expires Monday, it turns out that at least seven of the nine counties that had the so-called 287(g) agreements with ICE have pulled out of those plans and an eighth said the agreement will not be enforced, even though it’s still on the books. William Ford/Maryland Matters.

Psc Delays Policy To Force Cost Of Gas Line Extensions On New Customers: The Maryland Public Service Commission is delaying a policy that would make new gas customers pay the full cost of pipeline extensions to their properties, a proposal that had enraged natural gas companies. The about-face on a policy that was set last summer is among the first major decisions by the commission’s new chairman, Kumar Barve, and it caught climate groups and consumer advocates by surprise. Christine Condon/Maryland Matters.

AG Anthony Brown Sues Trump On Average Of Once Per Week: Attorney General Anthony Brown first sued Donald Trump on Jan. 21, 2025, the day after he was inaugurated to his second White House term, over the president’s attempt to ban birthright citizenship. As the State of Maryland’s attorney, he has sued Trump and his administration on average once a week, not including the legal briefs or cases where he joined other states. That’s 62 times, so far. Nationwide, more than 650 lawsuits have been filed against the Trump administration. Jean Marbella/The Baltimore Sun.

50%: The decline in the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population since 2010, according to a new study. The main cause of the decline is a mystery, though invasive blue catfish are at least a part of the problem. (Maryland Matters) via Pluribus

THE REGION AND THE OTHER 49

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: Illinois Senate Democrats are fast-tracking a set of eight bills aimed at regulating AI before the end of session this month. One measure seeks to prevent AI systems from creating catastrophic harm. Another would regulate chatbots used by both minors and adults. Others seek to require disclosure when consumers are interacting with a chatbot and establish rights and protections to prevent against algorithmic profiling. (Pluribus News)

Next Door GUN POLITICS: Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) signed legislation effectively banning the manufacture, sale and transfer of assault weapons. The law prohibits the sale of magazines with the capacity of more than 15 rounds. The National Rifle Association and state groups sued to block its implementation. (Cardinal News) via Pluribus

PA: Pa. grapples with implementing Medicaid work requirements  | Pennsylvania Capital-Star

Congress: US House members scrutinize ‘big, beautiful’ law’s loan limits for nursing degrees | News from the States

GLOBAL, NATIONAL AND THE FEDS

The Monday morning D.C. scandal sheet from Megan E, federal affairs director for Progressive Maryland's national affiliate, People's Action.

Hello People's Action!

More than 60 years after bloody Sunday, thousands of people gathered in Selma, Alabama on Sunday as part of the All Roads Lead to the South march to protest the Supreme Court’s gutting of the Voting Rights Act and several Southern states, including Alabama’s, efforts to redistrict out their state’s Black caucus members. 

Politico reports on a new poll about the impacts of special interest groups and Trump endorsements on Congressional candidates this cycle. Telling voters that a candidate is backed by a Medicare for All focused group makes Harris Poll-surveyed voters more likely to support them by 46% and moves Trump voters to support the candidate by a net positive of 10%. People are identified by their presidential vote in 2024 so independents are not separately identified from party affiliated voters. 

Voters view pro-AI and pro-Crypto groups support for candidates negatively. The article quotes the pollster as saying,  “Cryptocurrency falls to the bottom by being toxic to both Democrats and Republicans.” And yet… 

Last week, the Senate Banking Committee passed the Clarity Act out of committee. The bill passed the Committee with all Republicans voting for it and 2 Democrats, Senator Alsobrooks (D-MD) and Senator Gallego (D-AZ). After the crypto industry PACs affiliated with Fairshake PAC spend $10 million to boost Gallego’s election in 2024, he became the ranking member on the new Banking subcommittee on digital assets.   Fairshake threatened to spend big in Alsobrook’s primary before she and her opponent promised to be pro-Crypto. According to one market expert, the act provides a "clearer federal regulatory framework for digital assets in the United States" but also allows banks to engage with the multi-$trillion crypto market. Though many believe crypto is safer than real money, there are lots of hackers out there who have already shown they can loot crypto fans almost at will. 

As Democrats are increasingly distancing themselves from AIPAC money, Fairshake is open for business to buy politicians in both parties. The crypto industry raised nearly $245 million in the 2024 election cycle. The industry accounted for more than half of corporate money. While crypto is spending on some Democrats, Crypto spent more than Elon Musk to get Trump elected. 

Congress is trying to get a lot done this week before the Memorial Day recess. In addition to pro-Crypto legislation, they are trying to pass their $72 billion ICE & border patrol funding bill along party lines. The Senate parliamentarian ruled out some of the provisions so Senate Republicans have had to rewrite sections. They still plan to include $1 billion for Trump’s ballroom, which is very unpopular with the American people with prices soaring. There are a handful of Republicans in both Houses of Congress who don’t want to vote for it. 

The House is also trying to pass a Republican Housing bill under suspension of the rules which requires a 2/3 majority. This bill would then be reconciled with the Senate-passed Scott-Warren bill. Trump recently said he wants that bill passed but then over the weekend he said he wants the SAVE Act to be attached to it, which is what we call a “poison pill” certain to kill the bill’s passage. 

Trump still appears to have tight control over the Republican primary. Sitting Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) lost the primary over the weekend by failing to even make the top two candidates heading to a run-off. Trump enacted revenge for Cassidy voting to impeach Trump related to Jan. 6th. Cassidy had tried to suck up to Trump over the last year by confirming Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. as Secretary of Health & Human Services despite Cassidy’s (he's a doctor) belief in science and vaccines. But Trump endorsed his opponent nonetheless. “Cassidy is the first previously elected senator of either party to lose in a primary since 2012.” It’s not good news for the Senate to become more MAGA. 

Tomorrow, we’ll see if libertarian Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) can survive his primary with Trump campaigning hard against him (to the tune of a whopping $30 million!). Massie has been very critical of Trump and was the lead Republican on the bill to release the Epstein files. 

Apparently, Pharma and corporate insurers have moved on from PBMs to make Hospitals the new villain for industry. From Politico: “The Pharma and insurance lobbies are working to steer lawmakers’ ire toward hospitals — painting them as the chief culprit for high costs.” 

In solidarity, Megan

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