Tune in to the Anthony McCarthy Show on WEAA 88.9 FM at 5:30PM. I will be a guest on the show. We are going to talk about the ongoing “campaign” for the city council presidency.
Bill Cole may become a better City Council President than Jack Young, but city council members have made it clear that for whatever reasons ten of them support Young and four of them support Cole. Once the current Council President becomes mayor it will be up to the City Council to select their next president. If everyone is being honest then there really isn’t anything ethical that should be able to change any of their minds in the next two weeks. They know these two men very well.
Rumors are floating around about Martin O’Malley and Stephanie Rawlings-Blake trying to "influence" council members to support Cole. Cole and Rawlings-Blake are both part of the powerful Martin O’Malley political machine. Investigative Voice reported that "Colleen Martin-Lauer, chief fundraiser for Gov. O’Malley… is said to be foremost among gubernatorial aides “working overtime” to shift votes from Councilman Young to Cole."
We are getting into nebulous territory here. How does a fundraiser gain the votes of council members? Does she promise future campaign contributions? The Sun reports that "…behind the scenes, developers, business leaders and political leaders – including Rawlings-Blake herself – have launched a broad effort to persuade council members to back Councilman William H. Cole IV instead, council members say."
This is becoming shady and it is only going to tarnish the reputations of those involved including soon to be Mayor Rawlings-Blake. Baltimore is tired of the backroom deals, developers influencing important decisions, and potential bribery. It will be an embarrassing situation if Cole suddenly has a majority of votes. People are going to wonder if the council-people who changed their minds were influenced by potential developer political contributions.
If Bill Cole wants to be City Council President then he should let the people decide in 2011 and run against Young then. I advise him to step out of the current race so that the citizens can be sure that no back room deals are being made, that transparency will at least be respected in the next administration, and that the O’Malley machine does not control Baltimore.
Filed in: Uncategorized.
Tags: Baltimore, Bill Cole, Jack Young, Martin O'Malley, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
Adam is the most recognizable face of the recent resurgence in Reservoir Hill. He has appeared on many national and local radio shows, in several news publications, and at numerous events discussing his innovative urban redevelopment ideas and his unique lifestyle. Adam is a successful entrepreneur, community activist, and a local political guru who ran for city council in 2007. He is the founder and director of the TechBalt.com Buy a Block Project and BaltimoreHourly.com. His fearless local political commentary has rocked the local blog scene for most of this decade and he plans to take it to the next level in the next decade here on Charm City Current.
I am glad somebody has the nerve to put it out there that this is going on–it is clear they wanted Cole, but for whatever reason Young’s machine won big time I think 10 to 4. I cannot see Bill Cole winning city wide—-Young will be perceived by his supported as somewhat of the underdog–which will absolutley put him ontop—and lets not forget about the Eastside democratic club—which will overwhelmingly support him—this is going to be like when MOM tried to get rid of Pat Jessamy and she dusted his attempts at the polls
I have no idea why the Sun allows you to publish this blog. All you seem to do is throw bombs, but maybe you should turn your fire on yourself, to wit, were you not the candidate who based his campaign not on ideas, but a sad schtick of running everywhere?
The truth is that Bill Cole is as qualified to be City Council President as you were unqualified to be a City Councilperson. Yours, and the Sun’s, scurrilous accusations with little more than rumor and innuendo as back up do nothing to elevate the conversation, which is what Baltimore needs. But you aren’t really concerned about what Baltimore needs if you can sully the name of a hard working public servant to further your own ambitions. Shame on you.
This is the best argument for Bill Cole I have seen:
My view is that a key to forming that productive relationship, which in turn means major federal dollars and grants flowing to Baltimore, that benefit not only the City but also the State, and cementing the relationship sooner than later, is for Baltimore to show that there is diversity in the top leadership positions of power in the City.
That’s simply not going to be possible with the selection of Jack Young as Council President.
Bill Cole is qualified to be Council President. He brings diveristy to the top leadership of the City which will be accountable to voters in Election 2011. Because he worked as a legislative intern for 7th Congressional District Representative Elijah Cummings on Capitol Hill, and because he has a relationship with Governor Martin O’Malley, he has the kind of personal relations he can use as Council President to help the City get those federal dollars.
Diversity in the top leadership of the City, Cole’s qualifications and his power network relationships will help Baltimore cement a strong relationship with the Obama Administration quickly which probably will lead to substantial federal funds flowing to the City soon in support of the Rawlings Blake urban renewal agenda.
That’s good news, not grounds for cynicism.
It makes sense that this scenario is what Rawlings Blake would want to boost her urban renewal agenda which helps the City and brings jobs to the private sector. Rawlings Blake wants to establish bankable political good will which supports Senator Mikulski with her reelection in this year’s midterm federal elections; persuades legislative leaders in Annapolis to help not hurt the City with respect to grants funding; incentivizes an urban renewal agenda supported by the Obama Administration; and, of course, gives her an advantage in getting elected as Mayor next year.
That’s also what the Governor would want for his negotiations with legislative leaders in Annapolis to spare the City from severe State budget cuts; Senator Mikuski would want to empower her as Maryland’s Senior Senator to leverage upon her considerable influence and push the Obama Administration to get large blocks of federal dollars for the City and the State; the Obama Administration would want if it is expected, as the Editorial suggests, to initiate programs in Baltimore which will showcase a wide range of successful urban renewal intiatives funded with federal dollars; and, the Citizens of Baltimore, if they are interested in healing, unity and forward progress for the City after years of pain and stagnation because of the Dixon mess, should want.
My prediction is that Bill Cole will be selected by the Council as its President by a comfortable margin!
This could all get very interesting at the next election.
My understanding is that SD will be able to run for office, which if she does, then what will SRB do? Maybe SRB would run for CCP. Whoever’s council seat is vacated by elevation to CCP will be filled by the local Central Committee. If they are not just a caretaker, we might just have a competitive race for some office in the next city primary.
Adam:
You are definitely on to something here. I spoke with MOM insiders a couple of weeks ago who told me not to bet on Young winning the position (even though he appeared to have the votes). Anyone who does not believe that there is pressure from both MOM and SRB on this one is completely in the dark on how Baltimore politics work. For too long we have had a political junta in power without any appropriate checks and balances. I do not know Jack Young, but if he is in fact independent of MOM and SRB, the City can not help but benefit from a dissenting voice on policy.