The Fast and the Fictitious: When Drag Racing and Political “Hit Jobs” Collide in Howard County

County Government, Elections, Howard County, Must-Reads, Special Interest Groups

A detailed account of a recent political smear campaign that has been waged against Howard County Councilwoman Deb Jung for having dared to politely confront a group of local “modified car enthusiasts” who had allegedly been noisily engine revving and drag racing near Clarksville Commons.

For the 300th time, “I don’t recall!” – The Concerningly Consistent Deposition of County Executive Calvin Ball’s Executive Liaison, Election Campaign Manager & Public Information “Gatekeeper”

Budget, County Government, Developers, Elections, Ethics, HCPSS, Howard County, Legal Issues, MPIA, Must-Reads, Special Education, Special Interest Groups

An initial examination of the legal deposition of Howard County Executive Calvin Ball’s Executive Liaison & election campaign manager, given as part of a lawsuit that resulted from her wrongly denying the public release of hundreds of emails related to correspondence between the members of the Ball Administration and a private land use attorney & developer lobbyist.

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball Hired and Generously Paid Family Member Who Wrongly Denied the Public Release of Hundreds of Emails Exchanged with Developer Lobbyist

Budget, County Government, Developers, Elections, Ethics, HCPSS, Howard County, Legal Issues, MPIA, Must-Reads, Special Education, Special Interest Groups

An investigation of how Howard County Executive Calvin Ball hired and gave unusually generous pay increases over three years to his family member who was simultaneously being paid as Ball’s election campaign manager, and how this family member proceeded to repeatedly and wrongly deny the public release of hundreds of emails related to correspondence between the County Executive and private developer attorneys & lobbyists.

“Ownership & Monopoly-Like Control?”: An Examination of The Howard Hughes Corporation’s Local Election Campaign Contributions

County Government, Developers, Elections, Ethics, Housing, Howard County, Legal Issues, Must-Reads, Special Interest Groups

A deep dive into the local election campaign contributions of Downtown Columbia’s “Master Developer”, The Howard Hughes Corporation, and a discussion about concerns related to their campaign finance activities.

One Too Many Hats for State Delegate Jessica Feldmark? The Concerning Case of Calvin Ball’s Special New Employee

County Government, Developers, Elections, Ethics, Housing, Howard County, Legal Issues, MPIA, Must-Reads, Special Interest Groups

Should a sitting Maryland state delegate be allowed to simultaneously work for a County Executive, managing business relationships & major county-level decisions between special interest groups that donated generously to that state delegate’s own election campaign?

HoCo Watchdogs Newsletter – Issue #3

Board of Education, Budget, County Government, Developers, Elections, HCPSS, Housing, Howard County, Must-Reads, Newsletter, Special Education, Special Interest Groups

Issue #3 of the HoCo Watchdogs newsletter. This newsletter provides a concise list of articles, videos & social media posts for readers to stay well informed about important Howard County, Maryland issues such as public school policies, land use & development, and county governance.