From State Sen. Bob Cassilly:
Dear Harford County Neighbor,
Last week, Governor Hogan proposed an amendment to the Maryland Constitution that would fix our state’s broken redistricting process. I strongly support this amendment. It is an important step towards breaking the power of entrenched political interests, and ensuring that Marylanders have a meaningful choice in elections for U.S. Congress and the Maryland General Assembly.
Under existing law, entrenched politicians in Annapolis are in charge of redrawing the boundaries of congressional and legislative districts after every 10-year census. This means politicians can engage in “gerrymandering,” or drawing ridiculously shaped districts clearly designed to break up large blocks of voters to dilute their vote. We see this in Harford County: our most conservative communities are thrown into a congressional district that spans from western Maryland to the Eastern Shore. The rest of Harford County falls into an oddly shaped district that also includes bits and pieces of Baltimore City, and Howard, Baltimore, and Anne Arundel counties. Unfortunately, this process of gerrymandering has been used very successfully throughout our State to shift the balance of political power in national and state elections to favor the old guard’s handpicked politicians.
Governor Hogan’s constitutional amendment would give the power to redistrict to a nonpartisan panel, not entrenched politicians, a process already in place in a number of states. The nonpartisan panel would be assigned to draw districts with equal population, compact boundaries, and with respect for existing geographic boundaries
Passing redistricting reform will require facing down the political establishment in Annapolis, which depends on gerrymandering to stay in power. I am confident that the time is right for this change, because Marylanders of all political persuasions are fed up with the current system. This includes Republicans, who are currently relegated to just one of our state’s eight congressional districts, and moderate Democrats. It also includes African-Americans and Hispanics, who are underrepresented in the current system. Ultimately, however, redistricting reform is not about gaining an advantage for one particular party or ethnic group. It is about upholding the basic principles of our democratic government – fair elections that make our leaders accountable to the people.
Thank you for reading my newsletter. I appreciate hearing your thoughts about what our state government is doing. You can reach me at 410-841-3158, or at Bob.Cassilly@senate.state.md.us. My legislative office is located on 11 Bladen Street; Room 321, James Office Building; Annapolis, MD 21401. Please stop by next time you’re in the area–if I’m not on the Senate floor, I’d like to catch up.
Bob Cassilly would like to see our State’s Medicare program completely dismantled, does NOT support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, thinks that the Federal Minimum Wage should NOT be increased and believes Global Warming does NOT impact the environment. He does support an unlimited scope of the Patriot Act that erodes our freedoms and would see our country in a perpetual state of war with any nation that he and other Republicans see as a threat, yet he does NOT believe we should maintain a presence in the United Nations. He would like to expand off shore drilling, space exploration and now the redistricting of voting areas that would bring more Republican control to Maryland and push the agenda of special interest groups that would impede the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of Marylanders. The only thing I can actually agree with this guy on is keeping the internet unregulated. Does Bob really care about his constituents or the world we live in? Would Bob see all the elderly and disabled citizens of Maryland left without health care? Give him and Hogan this redistricting and we will surely find out……
Disabled citizens huh………………. like yourself I suppose.
I have to admit, an injury sustained years ago has left me unable to perform heavy lifting or stand for long periods of time. Is that something to make fun of?
Sounds like Bob is dead on in his thinking.
SoulCrusher would not have anything kind to say about Bob Cassilly for one reason and one reason only. Bob Cassilly is the brother of Joe Cassilly the States Attorney for Harford County. Joe Cassilly’s office prosecuted SoulCrusher for possession with intent to distribute of marijuana. SoulCrusher took an Alford Plea and went to jail because there was a preponderance of evidence against him. He will whine and cry about his rights being violated but in actuality he was a dirt bag criminal that got caught breaking the law. He can’t gain any headway with his attacks on the States Attorney Joe Cassilly so he will now attempt to malign a member of his family. What a pathetic individual. No, what a real punk!!! Now you know the rest f the story. Goooooooood day.
Wow, now you turned this into something it wasn’t. I don’t recall me being too kind to any of your Republican establishment up in Harford County. I believe if you check out my comments directed toward Andy Harris or Kathy Szeliga, you’ll see more of the same. Now, I didn’t bring up anything false against Joe’s brother and did NOT malign him in any way. These issues brought up are Bob’s views, which we don’t share. I challenge you to find a single statement in my comments that refer to anything relating to my Unconstitutional and Illegal Conviction sustained by Joe Cassilly’s corrupt State’s Attorney Office, until now, when you brought it up. Just because I hate Joe Cassilly, does NOT mean I hate his brother. I disagree with his brother. In my opinion, Bob’s views are incorrect in the way our country and state should be run. So, what your saying is my commenting on Bob’s views is wrong and I should consider him off limits to comment about? Because of his corrupt brother? He’s a politician and he’s open to criticism.
Since you did bring it up. The conviction was for Manufacture/Distribution of Marijuana, which was a false charge because there was NO evidence of distribution. There was not a preponderance of evidence because the search was completely illegal by the standards of 2009, when it occurred and became inherently illegal due to the Jardine’s decision by SCOTUS in 2013. At the Coram Nobis hearing in 2014, Joe Cassilly used pre-rehearsed perjured testimony in front of Judge Elizabeth Bowen and should have been expelled from the court room. My conviction was a product of my own doing, coupled with threats, coercion and inducements by Joe Cassilly’s corrupt office. You may go to the Circuit Court and request case file #12K09002034 and read it for yourself. You can like it or don’t like it, but you better learn to love it, because the SoulCrusher was innocent due to an illegal search and seizure and I’m the most truthful SOB your criminal justice system has ever had to deal with……
Please google the meaning of innocent before using it. You were not “innocent” you broke the law. If there was a legal recourse a real man would have faught it instead of laying down like a little whiny b—- . Now you know the rest of the story. Gooooooood day!
No, I was innocent. The Alford Plea was taken due to threats, coercion and inducements. I believe my corrupt lawyer who delivered all the threats even said that I was innocent due to an illegal search at the time I was forced to take the plea, in open court. If you don’t think that refund check was an inducement, then you’re just lying to yourself. As per Constitutional Law, a conviction is NOT valid if any coercion or inducement is offered to take the plea. The conviction is invalid. That’s the bottom line. To Bob Cassilly, I have NOT criticized your views on issues because of my hatred for your brother. I just don’t agree with you on the issues. If you feel otherwise, I’m sorry you feel that way. However, I will continue to critique you on issues I don’t agree with you on…..
“Forced to take the plea”. Unbelievable! I have a question. Do you sit down when you urinate?
No, do you?
….so Marijuana was not found during the search?
You broke the law. You got busted.
Stop trying to cloud the issue with your uninformed meanderings about constitutional law.
The only one trying to cloud the issue is you….
If you don’t believe the SoulCrusher, here is the ultimate proof of an inducement. A check that was refunded to Jon Adam McCarty for every red cent that was stolen from me. If I’m incorrect, then maybe the voters of Harford County should ask Joe Cassilly why they returned all the money to a convicted drug felon. I rest my case……https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_2lvkESzcDVR3FJOWxPUlN0R3M/view?usp=sharing
Did they give you your drugs back? Or they were not illegal?
No matter what, they never give illegal contraband back. What was the point of your question? It was still an illegal search and inadmissible in court…..
The point is: you broke the law, got caught doing it, and then get off on a technicality.
I didn’t get off on any technicality. I’m still a convicted felon involving this case. There is NO way Harford County will reverse this decision while Joe Cassilly is still in office. Quite frankly, I don’t think they will ever reverse their illegal and unconstitutional conviction because the Criminal Justice System of Harford County has no honor or integrity when it comes to Jon Adam McCarty….
If I had any doubts about the Crushman before, they just went out the window. He just made you look like atotal idiot.
Using “Gerrymandering” to draw political district lines has been done for MANY years.
Additionally, it is used equally throughout the country by BOTH major parties.
It is an issue that (if addressed) should be done on a national level.
That would be the only way to truly achieve the goal as proffered by Senator Cassilly.
Redistrict Miller and Busch to the unemployment line.
Why can’t districts be the counties?
SoulCrusher; you forgot to mention the “children” in your talking points. I am sure that Bob, like all Republicans, wants to deny food to our children. You also forgot to mention “working families”, another talking point, as an Iraq war veteran, I bet Bob has no knowledge of what it is like to be part of a “working family” because he was away from his family for an extended period to serve our country so folks like you and me can openly criticize our country and one another. Thank you, Bob. And finally, glad you found your “affordable care”, I know that has been quite elusive to many of the folks I talk to.
Unlike what “Heavy Fuel” says, every one of Bob’s stances I mentioned is fact. I am glad he was an Iraq veteran, was he drafted? Thanks Bob. I for one know that Bob saved my right of free speech. That would never have existed without Bob. Thanks Bob. Before the Affordable Care Act, people with pre-existing conditions could not gain Insurance or many couldn’t change providers due to the pre-existing condition. So thanks Bob, wait a minute, I mean thanks Obama……https://www.isidewith.com/maryland-voter-guide/60/21542250:561794240
The majority of those that benefit from ObamaCare are either too lazy or stupid to get a job and pay for their own healthcare. I strongly resent being forced to subsidize health benefits, (or cell phones, or food stamps, or housing, or anything forcibly taken from earners and given to leeches).
As far as the redistricting issue, anyone can look at the present map and see that the process has been grossly perverted by Democratic politicians that want to choose their constituents instead of the other way around. A fair non-partisan process as the Governor is proposing would favor citizen control over special interests or either party. The only folks that fear redistricting are the Democrats who drew the present map to thwart all differing views and the Democratic voters who are perhaps afraid that the free-stuff gravy train might slow down. The fact that Hogan was elected in uber-democratic Maryland and enjoys such overwhelming statewide popularity certainly makes it look like Maryland is a lot more conservative than is widely believed.
You’re living in a dream world. However, if the Republicans had made a law that made it illegal for Insurance companies to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions then I might enjoy your point of view. You guys just had to listen to the Insurance lobbyists to increase the money going in your greedy little pockets…….
Dear Jay, thanks for your support and remember it’s the poor people who are destroying your middle class standings.
Insurance Companies LOVE Obamacare, they wrote a majority of the bill and are making record profits from it. Republicans overwhelmingly opposed it and it was rammed through by Democrats,the “you guys” you refer to are the Democrats who passed this as a payoff to the insurance companies who made massive campaign donations to those same Democrats.
Second, Healthcare is not a “Right” It’s a service that has to be paid for by someone. I don’t want to pay for yours! or anyone else’s. I don’t care at all about your injury, I don’t care you can’t stand or lift things, it’s your problem, not mine.You pay for your own life and I’ll pay for mine.
You don’t pay for my health care. So you are not making any point. I was referring to the pre-existing conditions mandate that could have been made into law but wasn’t. Before the pre-existing condition mandate, I was stuck with Carefist BlueChoice. Since the Affordable Care Act was brought into play, I was able to purchase Health Insurance on the open market again. I think that was a good thing…..
I would like to buy car insurance after my car accident. Is that wrong?
That’s not the same thing and you know it. Your talking about a person’s body that they can’t trade in or replace. Your argument is just plain ridiculous and I think you know that too.
Better yet, when you wreck your car, but already have insurance, you can still drop that carrier and purchase another policy for the same vehicle after that incident is over. You couldn’t do that with health insurance until the pre-existing conditions mandate became law thru the Affordable Care Act. See how your argument just doesn’t apply….
Don’t worry Bernie is going to make health care all better, give everyone free education, and have an even distribution of wealth. My hard working will pay for myself and all of the hood rat Democrats who will accept a government check and still be out there slinging drugs. Great system. Great country we are turning in to.
I don’t think Bernie will be the Democratic nominee. He did well in Iowa and will win New Hampshire, but I don’t see him winning many states after that. His message is interesting, but it will never get anywhere in Washington. He would have more obstacles than Obama, if that is possible…..
There is no doubt in my mind that Bernie, the Socialist in his dotage, and O’Malley, the nobody with the dismal record, were the only ones the Clinton’s and their sycophant lapdog Wasserman Schultz ALLOWED to run against her. It’s just a formality since they were planning on a coronation.
Well, it does seem that Wasserman Schultz had already had the Democratic nominee picked before the people were even allowed to vote. I’m not going to debate that fact, everyone knows its true…..
Did you take an Alford Plea or not Soulcrusher? I don’t care for your weaseling on the answers it is a simple question. For the record an Alford Plea is a guilty plea.
I was delivered threats, coerced and received an inducement to take the Alford Plea. That’s illegal and unconstitutional. As a matter of a fact, its extortion. It’s all in the Coram Nobis. Furthermore, I’ll willingly take a polygraph to prove my statements. I wonder if the individuals I’ve accused will be willing to take it also?