Ferguson, Senate Democratic Caucus Blames Republicans for Democratic Debacle
If you read the Baltimore Sun this morning, you’d note the story with the headline “Lottery bill inspires tussle among Democrats in Maryland Senate“. It was an administration bill that some senators on both sides of the aisle took beef with, but then caused what Brian Sears of The Daily Record called “one of strangest votes I’ve seen in a while”
This lottery bill Which senate pres Miller called " a do nothing bill" had one of strangest votes I've seen in a while #mdpolitics #mdga17
— Bryan P. Sears (@bpsears) January 13, 2017
Sen Brochin wanted to hold the bill for a day. Sen Conway resisted and Brochin seemed to win on a voice vote #MDpolitics #MDGA17
— Bryan P. Sears (@bpsears) January 13, 2017
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Conway, who chairs the committee the bill came out of, forced a roll call vote #MDpolitics #MDGA17
— Bryan P. Sears (@bpsears) January 13, 2017
Sen Pres Miller, who is not chairing the meeting today, spoke from the floor calling on lawmakers to allow the delay #MDpolitics #MDGA17
— Bryan P. Sears (@bpsears) January 13, 2017
The roll call on the delay failed. Then, the preliminary vote to@move the bill to third reader got a weak voice support #MDpolitics #MDGA17
— Bryan P. Sears (@bpsears) January 13, 2017
That forced another roll call vote and moved the bill to a final vote. President Pro tem McFadden: "Friday the 13th" #MDpolitics #MDGA17
— Bryan P. Sears (@bpsears) January 13, 2017
You’ll note through the entirety of Sears tweets that this all the Democrats involved in the drama and the weirdness.
State Senator Bill Ferguson of Baltimore took to Twitter to decry the drama, but note what was left unsaid:
1st bill of yr, drama on Senate floor. Voice vote overturned by roll call. Floor fight on procedure. Sign of session ahead. #2017Session
— Bill Ferguson (@SenBillFerg) January 13, 2017
We helpfully pointed out that it was left unsaid that the Democrats were causing the Drama.
Left unspoken is the fact that it was @MDDems in @MDsenate causing all the drama and fighting, as usual #MDPolitics #MDGA17 https://t.co/KXg8gaPhxN
— Red Maryland (@RedMaryland) January 14, 2017
And that’s where it got weird as Ferguson and the Maryland Senate Democratic Caucus proceeded to blame Republicans for everything that happened.
.@RedMaryland why lie when u don't even have to? It was a dept bill, the min leader was trying to kill it. He shld talk to his Governor.
— Bill Ferguson (@SenBillFerg) January 14, 2017
The Senate Caucus tried to use the photo associated with the story as their basis. Even though at no point were GOP Senators mentioned by Sears or the Sun’s Pamela Wood in their stories:
@SenBillFerg @RedMaryland it took some deep investigation to figure that out. Not like it was the picture associated with the story. O, wait pic.twitter.com/oGl3iCwfSP
— MD Senate Democrats (@MDSenate) January 14, 2017
.@MDSenate @SenBillFerg Um……hi #MDPolitics #MDGA17 pic.twitter.com/WOOcD66yPk
— Red Maryland (@RedMaryland) January 14, 2017
@RedMaryland @SenBillFerg Hi. Reading beyond the headline is important pic.twitter.com/aGNnOIyndw
— MD Senate Democrats (@MDSenate) January 14, 2017
.@MDSenate @SenBillFerg You should take your own advice & show us the GOP Senators mentioned in the article. We'll wait #MDPolitics #MDGA17
— Red Maryland (@RedMaryland) January 14, 2017
That's funny the story doesn't mention a single Republican causing all the drama are argument #mdpolitics #MDGA17 https://t.co/3Wf3gZpfcV
— Red Maryland (@RedMaryland) January 14, 2017
After we asked if they were trying to deflect from Democratic Corruption, Ferguson then tried to pivot to blame Governor Hogan for appointments in the liquor board fiasco. The ones that were required to be nominated from the Prince George’s County Democratic Party and was appointed on the advice of Senate President Mike Miller.
.@SenBillFerg #MDPolitics #MDGA17 pic.twitter.com/M0doEvw63Z
— Red Maryland (@RedMaryland) January 14, 2017
Finally, after just trying to continue to make stuff up, Ferguson ends his discussion of the topic like so.
Says the Senator blaming the GOP for a Democratic debacle and having a meltdown on Twitter about it…. #MDpolitics #MDGA17 https://t.co/sYYKFjZA89
— Red Maryland (@RedMaryland) January 14, 2017
It’s interesting to see how Ferguson attempted to deflect blame from a debacle caused solely by Democrats to the Republicans in the Senate. It shows just how the culture of blame has permeated into the business of the legislature. Much like with their handling of Governor Hogan, the Democrats are starting to realize that their backs are against the walls and they have no idea how to react in order to save their phony baloney jobs.
It will be interesting to see if these type of strange shenanigans will continue throughout the legislative session, but it’s clear that we will need to be vigilant with the statements that Democratic legislators are making about this General Assembly session. If a Senator is willingly to brazenly lie about strange legislative maneuvering when the facts are as plain as day, what other things will they be willing to deceive the public on?
