What that means for Maryland Democrats…..
Sen. Ulysses Currie (Seen here). In 2012, The ethics panel urged Maryland senators to strip Sen. Ulysses Currie of all but one committee assignment and to bar him from any role in House-Senate negotiations to resolve differences over bills due to his rampant corruption which became too much until he got arrested by the FBI.
When Larry Stafford heard that Sen. Ulysses Currie was retiring and Currie’s wife was being floated as his replacement, the political activist thought: “Here we go again.”
Earlier this year, after the death of Del. James E. Proctor Jr. (D-Prince George’s), the county Democratic Committee nominated Proctor’s wife as his successor, urged on bySenate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert). Stafford figured the same would happen withShirley Gravely-Currie, 66, who appeared to havethe support of Miller, Del. Dereck E. Davis (D-Prince George’s) and most of the county Senate delegation. And he wasn’t happy about it.
“It’s not their seat,” said Stafford, executive director of Progressive Maryland. “It’s the people’s seat.”
This time, the central committee apparently agreed. Its members were bitterly divided over whether to support Gravely-
Currie or one of three other interested candidates: former delegate Melony G. Griffith and Dels. Darryl Barnes and Angela M. Angel, both of District 25. They would be expected to run for a full four-year term in 2018 if chosen for the seat.
On Tuesday, after weeks of acrimonious indecision, Ulysses Currie (D-Prince George’s) rescinded his resignation, saying he would rather stay in office an additional two years than have the committee appoint someone who would have a political advantage two years from now.
For decades, when a statehouse seat became vacant, committee members from the affected county received phone calls from their statesenators, telling them who they should nominate as a replacement. And support that person they did.
But when Currie announced his intent to step down after a 30-year career, Prince George’s committee members balked. It was the latest instance in which they have proven to be political upstarts, adamant about making their own decisions and questioning local Democratic leaders.
In September, the committee went against the will of most senators and voted not to endorse a position on ballot Question D, which asked voters to add two at-large seats to the nine-member County Council. The referendum, which was approved by the council and supported by party leaders, passed by a substantial margin on Election Day.
The committee members, elected two years ago, share some similarities with the freshman class in the Maryland House of Delegates, who have pushed back against the Democratic legislative leadership on issues ranging from which bills to supportto who should take the lead in challenging Gov. Larry Hogan (R).
Despite a push from the majority of the senators who represent Prince George’s, many committee members wanted to fill Currie’s seat with someone other than his wife. Two people familiar with the process said Gravely-Currie was running third among the four candidates under consideration.
One Democratic state senator, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss party business, said, “There’s been a little bit of a change in the times.” The senator suggested that vacancies should be filled with special elections, rather than appointments.
When he announced his plans to resign, Currie, 79, cited his health challenges in a letter to Miller and said he “can no longer serve with the strength and energy you all deserve.”
“Everybody knows his health is failing,” Queen-Howard said. “I’m disappointed because I really wanted my senator to leave with respect and dignity. At this point, I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
“Maybe this signals a decline of a certain era of Prince George’s County politics,” he said.
Via Washington Post
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