The General Assembly’s ill-advised special session, which passed an amendment to the state constitution on Tuesday to weaken redistricting rules, is undermined by the same people presiding over it. Just months ago, Senate President Bill Ferguson outlined the best arguments as to why mid-cycle redistricting is such a bad idea. In a weak effort to justify his ultimate capitulation to the bullying tactics of Gov. Wes Moore, this week, he expressed concerns that Baltimore City could be split across several congressional districts. Passing this constitutional amendment explicitly opens this door. He also said Virginia moved too quickly in pursuit of redistricting, resulting in a nationally embarrassing defeat for Democrats when the Virginia Supreme Court overturned the state’s redistricting vote. However, this last-minute effort to weaken Maryland’s constitution a mere 90 days before the election hardly appears cautious.
Marylanders can appreciate the Senate president raising these concerns and add to this list a dozen others for why Maryland residents should reject any effort to weaken Maryland’s constitution on drawing congressional boundaries.
Moore faces intense pressure from national stakeholders to prove he is worthy of a national platform. This informed his doomed “redistricting commission” last year, which was highly partisan, completely lacking in transparency and ignored the Marylanders who overwhelmingly testified against partisan redistricting. Ferguson himself said of the commission: “Our state’s residents have been clear, in front of this commission and through polling. The overwhelming majority do not want a new congressional map.” Polling consistently shows that Marylanders hate partisan gerrymandering, with recent polls showing as many as 81% of respondents opposing the practice.
Despite this, Moore has forced the Maryland legislature to kneel to his demands. With this amendment set to be decided by referendum in the November election, it falls to Maryland voters to hold the line for our state constitution. We must rise in defense of our state to fill a gap left open by fearful legislators who seek to impose a permanent weakening of our governing document in response to a temporary grievance over a passing national fight.
There can be no denying that the nationwide battle for redistricting is an unfortunate escalation provoked by President Donald Trump. However, a fair review of the situation shows our current circumstances are the inevitable consequence of decades of legislative neglect on the matter, primarily because it was convenient for both Republicans and Democrats. Ironically, prior to Gov. Larry Hogan’s intervention, Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District carved up Baltimore and was a textbook example of gerrymandering. Even with those considerations in mind, Trump’s demand of Texas for more congressional seats did trigger more aggressive responses.
Whether Maryland had an obligation to participate in this conflict is an entirely different discussion. As it stands, Maryland Democrats enjoy a structural and political advantage that is nearly insurmountable, largely stemming from the impunity of Annapolis legislators. Even as the special session opened, House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk and Ferguson actively continued their pattern of gaslighting Marylanders as if this session is not the start of a bald-faced effort to create a new 8-0 Democratic U.S. House map in Maryland, eliminating the state’s one Republican House seat.
There is minimal return on investment for this effort, especially while far more critical issues impacting our state exist. Legislative leaders explicitly ruled out any discussion about skyrocketing energy costs and an economic crisis leaving our state with the second-worst economy in the nation, per CNBC. This session offers no practical benefit to any Marylander. Instead, it serves to bolster Moore’s political ambitions.
Unfortunately for voters, Moore launched this special session at a time when it is uniquely challenging for Maryland voters to grasp the implications of weakening Maryland’s constitution. A three-day session with no practical public input shows nothing short of contempt for Maryland voters. Back-to-school, busy work schedules and seasonal preparations are competing for our attention. Many Marylanders would rather be enjoying the autumn season and adapting to new routines instead of grasping the full implications of an overtly partisan law.
In a saner world, our legislators would have greater respect for the people of Maryland. There can be no rational justification to support this explicitly partisan maneuver. There is no moral upside to weakening Maryland’s constitution to satisfy a man who wants to be president. Maryland is already on thin ice with its 7-1 congressional representation. Let’s not let greed derail our state’s entire future.
Torrey Snow is a columnist and editorial board contributor at The Baltimore Sun; he can be reached at tsnow@baltsun.com.
