Some folks don’t like my “inflammatory” blog-post headlines. Just to be clear: the headline of this blog post comes directly from the Washington Post. If you click on this link, you can read Bill Turque’s entire article (which includes some fair criticism of Jamie Raskin). Here are some of my favorite excerpts:
Democratic congressional hopeful David Trone has sharpened his critique of state Sen. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Montgomery), one of his primary rivals, calling the longtime lawmaker “a polarizing figure from the left”. . . Trone went on to accuse Raskin — who in recent internal polls has emerged as the leader in a crowded Democratic primary field — of being out of touch. Trone noted that Raskin has only one employee in his state senate office, while Trone’s national chain of 130 big box stores employs 5,000.
“You know what? I’d find it a little hard to connect with people and their problems, and whether they’re making 15 bucks an hour or $200,000, if you only have one employee and you’re not talking to people all the time. and you’re not working all around the country,” Trone said.
Raskin responded to the critique by recounting his legislative record, which includes passage of the Second Chance Act, designed to help those with nonviolent misdemeanor convictions return to the job market. Raskin co-sponsored the measure with Sen. Michael J. Hough (R-Frederick).
He also cited medical marijuana legislation, which he introduced with then-senator David Brinkley (R-Frederick), who, like Raskin, is a cancer survivor.
“The only thing bipartisan Mr. Trone has told us about his own forays into politics is more than $150,000 given to right-wing Republicans all over the country to buy what he calls ‘access,’ ” Raskin said in the email. “Look, I work with Republicans, I brainstorm with them, I negotiate with them, and I happen to like some of them a lot. But I don’t give them campaign money all over America to beat Democrats. . . . Bipartisan means you find principled common ground. It does not mean that you try to buy both parties.”
. . .
Trone mounted another defense of his campaign contributions to state-level Republican officials, including governors Nikki Haley of South Carolina and Greg Abbott of Texas. . . .”Every single thing that Greg Abbott stands for, every single thing that Nikki Haley stands for, I disagree with, 100 percent disagree with,” Trone said. “It’s repulsive. It’s crazy. I think they’re nuts.”
But, he said, “if you don’t have a seat at the table” afforded by donations it is impossible to promote business interests.
I can’t imagine that Trone’s painting Raskin as a scary lefty will do anything other than help Raskin win in our progressive district. As for Trone’s attempt to distance himself from the people he claims to disagree with, after helping them get elected and reelected, it is morally repugnant. So, let’s address the facts:
- David Trone is, at best, a centrist who will call progressives names when it suits him and who prioritizes his business over his claimed values.
- David Trone has no record of building relationships across aisles, because the only record he does have is of selling liquor and seeking to enrich himself.
If there were any doubt up until now, it should be completely dispelled. The man who entered the congressional race with no history of service to anyone besides himself, launched dirty tricks within days of announcing, spent $2-million on TV and mailings in the first 10 days of the race, the man who didn’t bother to vote in two of the last three primaries — this man is seeking his own glory and willing to spend whatever it takes to attain it. David Trone is MD-8’s own Donald Trump.
Deceived voters across the country are scaring the shit out of us with their support of a megalomaniac who craves attention. Surely, MD-8 voters are too smart to fall something similar in our own back yard.
When you turn out to vote on Election Day (April 26) vote not only for the one true progressive in the race who can win. Also vote to make Trone the record-holder in number of dollars spent per vote received (in a losing effort). The fewer votes Trone gets, the less likely he will pop up from the grave on April 27 or ever again.
PS. I was planning today to shine more light on Kathleen Matthews’s record of GOP support. But I couldn’t let this Post article slip by without comment. More news about Matthews must, alas, await tomorrow.
©2016 Keith Berner
