Thomas V. “Mike” Miller has been Maryland senate majority leader since 1987. Over 30 years, he has been proof positive that, while Maryland is deep blue, it is hardly progressive. Miller has been a consistent obstacle to progress, by (for example):
- opposing taxes on the wealthy
- advocating for slot machines (i.e., state-sponsored theft from the poor)
- opposing legislation to remove parental rights from rapists, and
- killing this year’s effort to make Maryland a “sanctuary state” (safe for immigrants).
This week Miller stepped over the line from what might be called “conservative Democrat” to “right-wing activist.” Read on, Dear Marylander.
In Annapolis, a statue honoring Roger Taney had stood since 1872. As chief justice of the Supreme Court, Taney authored the infamous Dred Scott decision in 1857, barring African Americans from US citizenship. As recently as July 2015, Maryland’s GOP governor, Larry Hogan, defended the statue, calling efforts to remove it “political correctness run amok.”
On Tuesday, however, Hogan showed himself capable of learning, declaring a change of heart and supporting the statue’s removal:
While we cannot hide from our history — nor should we — the time has come to make clear the difference between properly acknowledging our past and glorifying the darkest chapters of our history.
The decision-making body responsible for such matters is the State House Trust, which is chaired by Hogan and includes Miller, Speaker of the House Michael Busch, and Charles Edson, chair of the Maryland Historical Trust. Bush indicated last Monday that he favored the statue’s removal and Edson agreed. At that time, Miller indicated only that if Hogan wanted to make the change, he would go along.
On Wednesday, the Trust voted by email (their usual procedure) 3-0 to remove the statue, with Miller abstaining. But Miller was not satisfied with simply remaining silent in the face of historic change: on Thursday, he released a letter excoriating the decision.
Miller devoted most of the letter to praising Taney, saying the justice “served with distinction” and trying to build a case that the Taney was actually “reform-minded” and engaged in “anti-slavery words and action.” Of course, the evidence Miller cites is weak tea in comparison to Dred Scott, but that mattered little to him. He closed his obnoxious letter by calling the Trust’s vote by email “just plain wrong” and an insult to Maryland citizens.
With this action, Mike Miller put himself solidly to the right to Hogan and in alignment with the KKK and Trump, bringing shame to Maryland and to the state Democratic Party.
In the Seventh State Blog, Adam Pagnucco had this to say:
If [Miller’s] comments on the Taney statue had come from Hogan, Maryland Democrats would be swarming all over him. What happens when such sentiments come from one of the most powerful Democrats in the state? . . . The rest of the Democrats now have a choice. They can be intellectually honest and take on one of the leaders of their party. Or they can ignore Miller and look like hypocrites.
The time is long past for Maryland Democrats to move the party to the left, including stripping a right-wing, racist-sympathizing Mike Miller of his outsized power. Please join me in writing to the Montgomery County senate delegation to demand action: [email protected]. Sample text:
Mike Miller has always been too right-wing for Maryland. With his opposition to the removal of the Taney statue in Annapolis, he is siding with the KKK and Trump. I urge you to oppose Miller’s continuing as senate majority leader in the 2018 legislative session.
©2018 Keith Berner
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