45 years ago, another presidential impeachment involved another Sarbanes

WASHINGTON – On July 26, 1974, Maryland Rep. Paul Sarbanes introduced the first article of impeachment against President Richard Nixon during the House Judiciary Committee’s deliberations over the Watergate scandal.  The article was unanimously supported by all 21 Democrats on…

Pelosi sets formal impeachment inquiry into Trump; Maryland Democrats concur

WASHINGTON – For the fourth time in history, Congress is opening an impeachment inquiry into the president of the United States, an extraordinarily fast-moving development after months of debate among Democrats over whether to proceed with such a constitutionally serious…

Sarbanes calls insulin-pricing system “hocus pocus”

WASHINGTON – Maryland Democratic Rep. John Sarbanes on Wednesday criticized insulin producers for their lack of transparency in setting prices. “I do not buy the argument that the patient is going to be worse off, the consumer is going to…

Maryland legislators disappointed with Trump’s State of the Union address

WASHINGTON – Maryland’s Democratic lawmakers were cold to President Donald Trump’s call for unity in Tuesday’s State of the Union, saying it failed to break any new ground. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Mechanicsville, said he didn’t want to call…

House Democrats seek sweeping reforms on ethics, campaigns

After Democrats seized a majority in the House with a 40-seat swing in the 2018 midterm elections, Maryland Rep. John Sarbanes said the results were a call for election and ethics reform. The “For the People Act of 2019” is the House Democrats’ bid to enact those reforms.

Unions, Maryland Food Bank partner to help federal workers

BALTIMORE – At lunchtime Wednesday, underneath a dim overcast sky, 77 families of furloughed federal workers showed up to a union parking lot for food. In the crowd was Donna, a Baltimore employee of the Treasury Department. Having fallen on…

Maryland lawmakers will gain power in new Democratic House

WASHINGTON – Now that the Democrats have taken over the House of Representatives, some Maryland legislators stand to hold significantly greater positions of power and influence in the 116th Congress that convenes in January. Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Mechanicsville, formally announced…

Maryland Democrats: Trump health care curbs could affect 260,000 in state

BALTIMORE – As many as 260,000 Maryland residents could see higher premiums or lose their health care coverage altogether because of pre-existing medical conditions, age or gender under a new Trump administration legal strategy, state Democrats warned on Tuesday. Rep.…

Critics hit Trump’s food program plan as ‘devastating’ to Maryland

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s budget proposal for fiscal 2019 includes an overhaul of a supplemental food assistance program for low-income people that could affect nearly 750,000 Marylanders. Many in the state’s predominantly Democratic congressional delegation are attacking the White…

Maryland Democratic lawmakers press oversight of Trump administration

Since Donald Trump’s first week as president, Maryland Democratic lawmakers have been at the forefront of a widespread effort to hold the administration accountable for potentially illegal or unethical behavior, possible conflicts of interest, questionable travel practices, and contacts with Russians during and since last year’s presidential election.