Debate Fact Check: Leaders Lead, Politicians Tout Talking Points

Today’s Debate Proved One Candidate Speaks His Mind And The Other Reads From A Script

Since Martin O’Malley didn’t answer the questions posed to him on WOLB Radio, we will.  Here are some highlights on Martin O’Malley’s legacy of failure and injustice as Governor and Mayor and Bob Ehrlich’s real, concrete agenda of strong leadership to create jobs.

O’Malley’s Legacy of Illegal Arrests:  O’Malley still refuses to apologize for saying that arresting innocent Baltimore City residents “saved lives.”  The NAACP even called O’Malley “arrogant” for his plan to arrest thousands of innocent Baltimore City residents.  Just recently Baltimore City settled a lawsuit with the NAACP and ACLU for close to $1 million on behalf of illegally arrested citizens. 

Saying “No” To What We Can’t Afford: Martin O’Malley supports a European-style, government-run health care plan that makes health care more expensive for middle-class Marylanders and hurts small businesses and kills jobs.  Bob Ehrlich wants to fix this plan – repealing the individual mandate – while keeping certain tax credits and aid to individuals with disabilities. 

O’Malley Deceives Marylanders On MBE: During today’s debate Governor O’Malley deceived Marylanders by saying that Bob Ehrlich once said he wanted to end the MBE program.  The truth could not be more different.  What Bob Ehrlich actually wanted to end was the act of discrimination, thus ending the need for the MBE program.

“Ehrlich later said that his goal is to reach the point where discrimination no longer exists and a law earmarking a portion of state contracts for minority firms is not needed, but that the state has not yet reached that point.” (Tom Stuckey, “Legislation would extend minority business program to 2012,” The Associated Press, 2/4/05)

Bob Ehrlich believes that Maryland should be a colorblind society.  If Martin O’Malley disagrees, he should say so.

O’Malley Dishonest about Health Care:  Bob Ehrlich increased access to health care for 100,000 Marylanders during his first term while still leaving Maryland with a surplus and tripling Maryland’s Rainy Day Fund.  Martin O’Malley has increased Medicaid spending and is leaving Maryland with $6 billion in out-year deficits.   

Ehrlich’s Legacy of Rehabilitation:  O’Malley has failed to match Bob Ehrlich’s national leadership in helping to rehabilitate nonviolent offenders.  He launched Project RESTART to provide nonviolent offenders better education, treatment, and job training for their re-entry into society.  He helped 10,000 additional substance abuse patients receive treatment through ADAA funded programs.

Stark Contrast on Executive Clemency:  O’Malley has also refused to continue Bob Ehrlich’s nationally-recognized executive clemency program to help offenders who have rehabilitated themselves behind bars become free citizens again.

Ehrlich’s Legacy of Empowering Minority Entrepreneurs:  When Bob Ehrlich took office, Maryland consistently failed to meet its goals to empower minority entrepreneurs.  As a result, he authored bipartisan legislation that directs 10 percent of State contracts to small and minority-owned businesses and legislation that requires contractors to name minority business subcontractors the during bidding process.

O’Malley’s Legacy of Failing Veterans: Martin O’Malley talked in clichés about this commitment to Maryland’s veterans, but his legacy has been to jeopardize their right to vote.  Under O’Malley, Maryland is actually making it harder to Maryland’s service men and women to have their ballot count. First, Maryland sought exemption from a federal law requiring Maryland to send to troops overseas their absentee ballots within 45 days of the election. Now, Maryland is sending troops incomplete ballots that don’t even include a choice to vote for Governor.