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Why Do You Always Attack Republicans?
You're Helping The Democrats!
Travis Sunday
WE THE PEOPLE OF MARYLAND
I feel compelled to write a piece addressing this issue since we get this question often.
First of all, our group is not an extension of any campaign or political organization. We believe there is a God, our rights come from Him, and the purpose of civil government is to protect those rights. We believe in voluntary commerce and transactions without state coercion or tipping of the scales one way or the other through favoritism or perverse financial incentives. We believe politicians on all sides try to divide us and get us fighting against each other to divert our attention away from "the man behind the curtain". They use class, race, religion, status, and other hot-button issues to get us amped up and at each other's throats.
We are not here to be cheerleaders for any politician or party. In fact, we find most politicians to be self-serving and repulsive --regardless of their party affiliation. With very few exceptions we have found this to be the case, even with people who appeared to be on "our side" at the beginning of their political ambitions. For this reason, we never endorse candidates as an organization. We try to call balls and strikes as we see them.
This is a very difficult concept for many hard-core party people to understand, because they have spent much of their time repeating sound bites and cheerleading for the candidates in their party. Indeed, this conflict is not new. Thirteen years ago, Nicolee Ambrose ousted MDGOP National Committeewoman Audrey Scott after Ms. Scott was asked, "Party or Principle?"
Ms. Scott replied, "Party over everything."
There has been a deep divide for a long time over this, and the "party over everything" folks don't understand that a significant portion of their base needs a few non-negotiable things. Mostly, we just want to be left alone by the government and live our lives productively and peacefully without having to fork over large sums of our earnings to a leviathan state that engages in endless wars with no perceivable strategy to win, constant encroachments into our personal freedoms to speak, travel, gather, work, and worship, while offering lousy public schools more interested in social experimentation than teaching children reading, writing, math, science and critical thinking skills. When these encroachments occur, we want politicians to have a backbone and a well-enough functioning moral compass to engage in the fight and vigorously resist these attacks on our liberty.
Geographically and politically, we live in and operate from Harford County. Here we have a majority Republican delegation to the MD General Asylum, two out of the three Harford County Senators are Republicans (prior to the 2022 election, all three were Republicans), a Republican-controlled County Council, Republican County Executive, Republican Sheriff, Republican Register of Wills, Republican Clerk of the Court, and during COVID we even had a "Republican" governor. I think I covered most of the bases there. We beat up -verbally, not physically of course- on Democrat Andre Johnson A LOT during the COVID days, including when he went out and got his toes done while publicly calling for strict human separation and other useless, but draconian measures purported to "stop the spread". We've called out Jacob Bennett for violating the charter, his wife's cushy new job as union rep at HCPS, and using their email system for partisan political purposes. Admittedly, Neon Dion Guthrie in District A hasn't gotten much attention from us since his return to the council, but we did note that Emperor Snee sent some campaign cash his way instead of Republican David Woods. We certainly wouldn't suggest that donation had anything to do with Guthrie's sudden illness and absence right before two important development votes last June. And we've never shied away from criticizing Superintendent Sean Bulson. By the way, he still needs to go ... BOE, we haven't forgotten about you guys, either. I haven't checked our friend from Montgomery County's voter registration, but somehow I doubt Sean is a registered Republican.
In Harford County, most of the serious races are won or lost in the Republican Primary. We are a local, action-oriented group. If Republicans are running (or ruining) the county, then you're essentially arguing that we can't criticize any of our elected officials. In the words of Mr. Spock, "That's highly illogical." During COVID, one individual in Maryland was shredding the constitution faster than any other- that man was the Republican Governor, Lawrence Hogan. Our elected Republicans abandoned their oath to both the state and US constitutions, behaved in a generally lawless manner, and deserted any pretense of operating within the system of government our forefathers died defending. Exactly zero elected Republicans did anything to stand in the way of tyranny and the destruction of our liberty. It was so bad that we even had a delegate bragging about how he fought to bring the fireworks back to Bel Air during the lockdowns. Kinda reminds me of "let them eat cake"..... If they can't work, travel, worship, gather, etc... "LET THEM HAVE FIREWORKS!" Hmm, let's ignore everything the fireworks and July 4th celebrations stand for, but brag about our overlords "allowing" us to have fireworks. How benevolent of them!
The oft-repeated mantra was, "There's nothing we can do. This is all coming from the state."
Not one single elected official in this county had the backbone, integrity, or moral compass to tell Hogan "No. You're not doing this in our county."
Article 8 of The Maryland Constitution in The Declaration of Rights reads:
That the Legislative, Executive and Judicial powers of Government ought to be forever separate and distinct from each other; and no person exercising the functions of one of said Departments shall assume or discharge the duties of any other.
This isn't the only case where our officials are willingly ignorant of Article 8, as I will refer to it later in another article featured in this email.
Later on in Article 44, we read:
That the provisions of the Constitution of the United States, and of this State, apply, as well in time of war, as in time of peace; and any departure therefrom, or violation thereof, under the plea of necessity, or any other plea, is subversive of good Government, and tends to anarchy and despotism.
Our officials had a duty to defend their constituents and the rule of law from Hogans unconstitutional assumption of power, yet the did nothing but sheepishly comply with his unlawful edicts, one after the other.
Yes, we're bitter about it, and no, we're never going to forget how they divided us. We're not going to forget how they put our elderly loved ones on house arrest in nursing homes where many died depressed and alone, feeling abandoned and separated from their loved ones. We won't forget our family members in the medical profession who the Republican governor fired for not taking an experimental clot shot. We won't forget the local politicians and bureaucrats who treated us like cattle instead of citizens. We won't forget their commands forbidding us to go to work, church, or eat Thanksgiving Dinner with our family and friends. We won't forget how those of us who had questions and concerns about an experimental injection were demonized, de-humanized, and told to die. We won't forget how they pitted us against one another and tried to turn us into snitches for any attempt to live a normal, meaningful life. And we won't forget all the cheerleaders and sympathizers who gave political cover, making excuses for tyrants as they willingly crouched down and licked the boots of our oppressors.
Our group was birthed out of frustration with the lockdowns, jab mandates, under-performing schools that indoctrinate rather than educate, and many other constitutional violations. Unfortunately, everyone responsible for it in Harford County was a Republican. So forgive us if we don't have much of an appetite for the cheerleading anymore. We don't care if the left boot or the right boot of tyranny is on our neck-- we want the boot off our neck, period. If you are a politician with integrity and honor who serves the people with humility and obedience to the Constitution along with respect for basic human rights, there's no reason for us to battle with you. If you want to rationalize the gradual erosion of our freedoms and progressively replace it with more intrusions from the state, we will continue to come after you and call out the deception wherever we can.
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Penman Pitches School Library Review Committee To Provide Political Cover After Ignoring Pornographic Books In Schools For The Last Three Years
In the last newsletter, we covered "The Sergeant's" hasty retreat from his phony term limit pledge & how he has been sabotaging any meaningful legislation to that end. Not only is The Councilman from District Snee showing he doesn't play well with others, has been taking serious heat for the Fallston Apartments debacle, his ties to big developer influence, and his open disregard for both the county charter and state constitution-- so he needs a distraction while attempting to beef up his waning street cred with conservatives.
Many concerns have been expressed at council meetings, school board meetings, public forums over the last three years by concerned parents, folks aligned with We The People and other groups. Rather than acknowledging these issues and working on correcting them, our members have been kicked out of council meetings by the likes of Patrick Vincenti for daring to read aloud the smut they give to our kids to read in the public school libraries.
The sheriff did nothing when our team approached him about this issue. Standing with Erik Robey, they advised us to contact the Aegis. The chief law enforcement officer of Harford County, when presented with evidence of pornographic books in schools, advised us to go to the local newspaper. Let that sink in for a minute. States attorney Healey also wanted nothing to do with looking into these claims.
Fellow council members are beginning to talk about Penman, calling out his lies, bemoaning his propensity to run for the cameras and news media rather than working with other officials as he was elected to do, and commenting on his failure to connect or even try to hear what constituents are saying. There are complaints that he is embarrassing the county with his continual antics, fancying himself as some crusader for law and order even as he himself openly defies the Maryland Constitution and County Charter. He has been up to his ears in conflicts of interest since the day he began running for office. Indeed, even Council President Vincenti was recently overheard expressing disappointment in Penman's quick departure from the building immediately following a recent council meeting rather than answering questions from concerned constituents.
Remember, Vincenti is not some rabid anti-Penman right-winger-- he was completely in the tank stumping for Mr. Penman during the 2022 campaign season. He marched with Penman in parades and they campaigned together on multiple occasions as comrades on Team OD (overdevelopment). Vincenti even covered for Penman during the councilmanic redistricting boondoggle by keeping Penman's campaign adviser Erik Robey on the redistricting commission that mapped out the councilmanic boundary changes for the 2022 elections. Obviously this is a yuuuge conflict when politicians are put in a position when they are able to choose their voters, rather than the voters choosing them. We're not saying the lines were re-drawn to Penman's benefit, but with Robey on the commission, he was certainly positioned to do just that. Council President Patty V knew about it, people complained to him about it, and he still let it slide for his buddy, the Sergeant.
Penman's bullying tactics are not exactly winning the hearts and minds of the rest of the council- he is in trouble. At the most recent council meeting, several council members were calling out Penman's Sheriff Gahler's positive spin on rehiring Penman to the HCSO is just that- spin. People don't like folks with badges and guns to be political--they want them to be fair, honest, trustworthy and impartial. The efforts of Sheriff Gahler and Erik Robey to politicize the Sheriff's Office are noticed by many, and doing great harm to the agency's reputation. If allowed to continue, they will continue to undermine the rule of law and our system of government as we know it. Indeed, we are already hearing chatter of those tired of seeing the HCSO leadership constantly in campaign mode beginning to call for the formation of a county police force, and stripping the sheriff of daily law enforcement functions. We believe this would be a mistake, as citizens should have a voice in law enforcement policy by being able to vote for the office of sheriff as their representative- not by diminishing the role and responsibilities of the sheriff.
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Sheriff's Re-Hiring of Councilman Violates The County Charter And The Maryland State Constitution-- Here's Why:
Sheriff Jeff Gahler needs to brush up on his reading of the Maryland State Constitution. We knew this already, as he failed to stand up against the ethically-challenged Lockdown Larry with his unconstitutional "orders" over the last few years. Not only did he fail to stand up for the rule of law then, he endorsed more lawlessness in his choice for governor, Kelly "WEAR THE DAMN MASK" Schulz. Jeff now continues to go further off the deep end by claiming the Sheriff's Office is neither a State or County Agency, but an independent agency.
What matters here is not what the sheriff, the councilman, or the news media say. What matters is what the law says.
The Office of Sheriff is a creation of the Maryland Constitution, and the main source of funding for these offices is through the counties. So while one could make a reasonable argument that the agency is both state and county- a hybrid of sorts- it's a bit of a stretch to say the office is neither. The deputies do not get their paychecks from "an independent agency", their money comes from the county government, just like the State's Attorney's Offices and Sheriff's Offices across the state. There would be no Sheriff if it were not defined and mandated by the constitution. Several states, including Alaska and Hawaii, do not have sheriffs at all. Some states have restricted the role of sheriffs, including the removal of law enforcement functions. County executives and mayors tend to prefer appointed police chiefs rather than elected sheriffs because they tend to be easier to manage and control. Since sheriffs are elected and answer primarily to the voters, the executive branch cannot fire them. Checks and balances occur through the budget. If the sheriff is not playing nice with those who control the purse strings, he may see things he wants funded disappear. The legislative and executive branches decide how much of your taxpayer money to fund new deputies, pay raises, new vehicles and facilities.
The Maryland Constitution also defines what are considered independent agencies. Some of these include:
- The Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund
- The Maryland School for the Deaf
- The Maryland Health Benefit Exchange
- The Maryland State Prosecutor
- The State Workers' Compensation Commission
The individual who is charged with enforcing the laws in his county ought to know something about where he derives his power, especially since The Maryland Constitution is not ambiguous about this matter.
Maryland Constitution
Article IV- Judiciary
Part VII - Sheriffs.
SEC. 44.
There shall be elected in each county and in Baltimore City one person, resident in said county or City, above the age of twenty-five years and for at least five years preceding his election a citizen of the State, to the office of Sheriff. He shall hold office for four years, until his successor is duly elected and qualified, give such bond, exercise such powers and perform such duties as now are or may hereafter be fixed by law.
In case of vacancy by death, resignation, refusal to serve, or neglect to qualify or give bond, or by disqualification or removal from the County or City, the Governor shall appoint a person to be Sheriff for the remainder of the official term.
The Sheriff in each county and in Baltimore City shall receive such salary or compensation and such expenses necessary to the conduct of his office as may be fixed by law. All fees collected by the Sheriff shall be accounted for and paid to the Treasury of the several counties and of Baltimore City, respectively (amended by Chapter 845, Acts of 1914, ratified Nov. 3, 1914; Chapter 786, Acts of 1945, ratified Nov. 5, 1946; Chapter 55, Acts of 1953, ratified Nov. 2, 1954; Chapter 681, Acts of 1977, ratified Nov. 7, 1978).
Maryland Constitution- Declaration of Rights--
Art. 8. That the Legislative, Executive and Judicial powers of Government ought to be forever separate and distinct from each other; and no person exercising the functions of one of said Departments shall assume or discharge the duties of any other.
Harford County Charter
Section 207
Qualifications of Council members.
[Amended by Bill No. 12-31]
A Council member shall have been a resident and a qualified voter of the County for at least two years immediately preceding election or appointment. At the time of election or appointment, the candidate shall be a resident of the Council district from which elected or appointed. During the term of office, the Council member shall not hold any other office of profit or employment in the government of the State of Maryland, Harford County, or any municipality within Harford County, except a position held by virtue of being a Council member. The Council member shall not, during the whole term for which elected or appointed, be eligible for appointment to any County office or position carrying compensation, except to the office of Council member or County Executive in the event of a vacancy.
Rucker V. Harford County
Further, in the 1989 case Rucker v Harford County, the court found:
"Because a deputy performs the same duties as the sheriff and because those duties are prescribed by State law, it seems clear that deputy sheriffs are State rather than county employees. Additional support for this view stems from the fact that, at the same time the deputy sheriff enjoys the power and authority wielded by the sheriff, the deputy remains subject to the direction and control of the sheriff. Among the common-law powers and duties of a sheriff was the duty to appoint, direct, and remove deputies. Anderson on Sheriffs, supra, §§ 60, 85, 145. These common law duties have been regulated somewhat by the General Assembly. Thus, statutes prescribe the number of deputies a sheriff may hire ( e.g., § 2-309(n)(1) of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article), mandate the training deputies are to receive (Art. 41, § 4-201), and limit a sheriff's power to fire a deputy at will (Art. 27, § 727(b)-§ 734D). See also, Miner v. Novotny, 304 Md. 164, 498 A.2d 269 (1985). Nevertheless, this regulation is by State laws and not local ordinances."
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IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS
- October 10- 6pm Public Hearing at Council Chambers
- October 10- 7:30 County Council Meeting
- October 12- 6pm APFO meeting at the council for school capacity
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October 16- 6:30 pm Harford County Board of Education Meeting
- October 17- 7:30 Board of Health Update- County Council Meeting
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October 18- 9AM Development Advisory Committee
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October 18 -7pm We The People Monthly Winery Meeting- featuring the Founder of Institute on the Constitution and 2022 Maryland Attorney General Nominee Michael Peroutka (note this is the 3rd week, not our normal 4th week)
- October 25- 5 PM Harford County Board of Elections- 133 Industry Lane in Forest Hill.
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U.S. House Speaker McCarthy Gets Booted, Pelosi Evicted From Office
Congressman Matt Gaetz (R, FL) successfully lead the ouster of Speaker of the US House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy (R, CA) on Tuesday following a series of recent public statements questioning votes, actions and motives of the former speaker.
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Gov. Gavin Gruesome Taps Maryland Resident For California Senate Seat Following Feinstein Death
California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Laphonza Butler- a resident of Silver Spring, Maryland to the US Senate seat left vacant following the death of Senator Diane Feinstein. As expected, Newsom appointed someone with solid left-wing credentials- Ms. Butler has been President of Emily's List since 2019. Emily's List is a fundraising machine designed to elect Democrat women who are committed to protecting the "right" to snuff out the lives of baby humans still in the womb.
There was some speculation that Newsom would appoint himself to the Senate seat. There was a lot of activity around this race prior to Ms. Feinstein's death since she had already announced that she would not be running for re-election in 2024 .
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Check Out This Useful Tool To View Appeals & Development Projects Under Consideration
Do you find yourself thinking, "How did this happen here?" when you see new development projects popping up all over the county? The Track-It tool can help you keep track of what's going on in the county, where zoning variances are being requested, and public input meetings.
For more information about the Development Advisory Committee, click HERE.
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We keep our expenses low, with no paid staff. Everything we do is supported by volunteers who believe in freedom and want to help educate the public about matters of interest in the political arena. However, we do have a few expenses for the website, podcasting fees, equipment expenses, printing, public information request fees, and events. If you support our work, any amount of help would be appreciated! We are a 501C(4) educational organization, donations are not tax-deductible. We The People of Maryland does not endorse candidates for public office, we simply shine the light on the deep, dark places and try to be a voice in the wilderness for truth, justice, and liberty. |
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