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Insider Politics

Franchot Breaks From Democrats in Gambling Ad

State Comptroller Peter Franchot is breaking from most in his party and appearing in a radio ad opposing expanded gambling in Maryland.

Franchot, a long-time opponent of gambling, has frequently criticized the use of gambling to balance the state budget or pay for programs such as education.

"I can very clearly tell the people of Maryland there is no new education money coming from this casino," Franchot said in the commercial posted on Youtube and running on local radio stations.

Franchot's position runs contrary to many of his fellow Democrats in the state including Gov. Martin O'Malley, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker, Former Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith and Baltimore County Councilman John Olszewski Sr.

All have appeared in commercials favoring the passage of Question 7, which would expand gambling in the state including adding table games and a sixth casino—most likely at National Harbor.

Proponents say the new casino, in addition to adding thousands of jobs, will add millions to education spending in the state—a claim opponents say is misleading.

Tim

10:53 am on Friday, November 2, 2012

What is this guy trying to do, win my vote for the next election?

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Paul T.

11:26 am on Friday, November 2, 2012

"I can very clearly tell the people of Maryland there is no new education money coming from this casino," Franchot said.

OMG. A politician telling the truth. Hell has frozen over. The Mayan's were right, it is the end of the world.

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Christopher Kidwell

12:31 pm on Friday, November 2, 2012

Actually, on this issue, it's amazingly the Republicans who are telling the truth and the Democrats (for the most part) who are lying.
Big turnaround from what it usually is.

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Parkvillehoney

7:33 pm on Friday, November 2, 2012

Kudos to Peter Franchot. It is great to hear a politican speak the truth. Only thing Maryland will do with this extra money is start more programs that they can't afford. In my mind, the less money Maryland has, other for essential needs, the better off this state is.

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John Brooks

2:35 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

Better to have some money coming. in than nothing.

mudcat21

1:07 pm on Friday, November 2, 2012

I'm voting against it because O'Malley wants it. He shouldn't have raised taxes on the people and lowered them for the casinos.

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Christopher Kidwell

10:58 pm on Friday, November 2, 2012

Agreed on that. The casinos should have been welcomed but they should have been told "No special tax breaks for you in a recession!"

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waytogo

2:00 am on Monday, November 5, 2012

They knew years ago about national casinos while building there I notice the outlets on floor every few feet. Allready for slots.Someone is going to get a hell of kickback $$$.rite gov.but i just might vote yes just to keep DC. @ VA. thugs at national.away from aaco.

mudcat21

1:08 pm on Friday, November 2, 2012

They also should have broken this question into two questions. One for adding table games and the other for adding the additional casino.

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RARE MARYLAND INDEPENDENT

10:58 pm on Friday, November 2, 2012

Advice to live by:
Be nice to people.
Provide for your children.
Anytime you can vote against anything supported by Martin O'Malley, do so.

Your reward will come in heaven.

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Joe McCarthy

12:29 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

So if you oppose OMalley you go to heaven? What a crock! So you support Penn National Gaming(and the $34,000,000 they have spent on ads) to keep a stable flow of money going to WV and DE from MD? You would rather the money leave MD and give a big boost,or tax break,to other states cause you hate OMalley? WOW! And I dont seem to remember Franchot saying anything about tax breaks but its the fact that he hates gaming of any kind as he opposed the slots bill.It matters less where the money goes as long as it goes to MD and not some other state I think thats a good thing! With that logic if any large company wants to come to MD, like Newscorp, we shouldnt give them any incentive to move here and bring jobs and revenue. Your logic eludes me as after OMalley leaves another Dem will take over the state house and you will continue to whine about them. If you bring jobs and revenue to MD then I say come on down!

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eagleflyfree

10:08 am on Monday, November 5, 2012

agreed, I vote against anything O'Malley supports.

Buzz Beeler

10:58 pm on Friday, November 2, 2012

He's got guts to take on the machine and speak the truth. Could be next Governor.

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Tim

12:29 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

He's angling for this brilliantly. He's going out of his way to show he can be a Democrat yet not ridiculously liberal. Everything isn't black and white, it just looks that way in our politics today. Crazy people on both ends. Bats**t crazy.

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Bart

9:47 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

Agreed. I'd vote for him as the next Gov. The only guarantees this bill offers are for the casino owners. Try again next year, guys.

D. Bunker

12:29 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

None of you people have a clue about what you are talking about. Penn National is spending tens of millions here in Maryland to fight Question 7, and you actually think that they are doing this as a service to Maryland?

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Angela S

7:27 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

No, I don't think Penn National is fighting Question 7 as a service to Maryland. Yes they are doing it in their own self interest. That doesn't however mean that Question 7 is good. I plan on voting against 7 because I think it is a bad for Maryland. I have nothing against table games and some of the other provisions in it. But, I do feel we shouldn't allow a 6th casino to open until we know the area can support the original five. The bill does nothing to guarantee the money will go toward education. I whole heartedly agree with Mudcat, it should have been split in two or more separate pieces. Adding table games would have helped prevent some of the losses to neighboring states. But we could have done this without adding a sixth casino, extending the hours of operation of the casinos, decreasing the percentage the state takes in and giving tax breaks to casino owners.

Steve

12:29 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

Nope. His political days are numbered.

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Cynthia

12:29 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

Agreed. Listen to what the man says and you'll actually know what's REALLY going on. Thank you, Sir!

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TJ

1:14 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

Glad to see we got one Democrat that can tell the truth. That is rare these days.

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Chris MacDonald

2:19 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

you must be joking. Did you see that ad Romney ran about the auto industry?

And you have the nerve to say Democrats lie?

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Tim

7:57 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

Seriously, it's more like "Glad we have one Politician that can tell the truth".

Romney lies left and right. Or flip-flops like an etch-a-sketch, your choice.

Bill Samuel

1:16 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

He's not the only one. Rep. Donna Edwards also is publicly opposing the gambling issue. It's nice to have a few Democrats who are willing to take a stand on principle.

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Theresa Defino

1:52 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

More Democrats than Republicans opposed this law in the state Senate.
It passed 28-14
In the House of Delegates, it passed 71-58
66 Democrats and 5 Republicans voted in favor of the bill.
21 Democrats and 38 Republicans voted against the bill -- notably Heather Mizeur (D)

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Chris MacDonald

2:18 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

I would love to understand why you are all against something that can help the education in our state. Seriously, if we don't pass it, nothing gets done. I'm sure there is some secret agenda here for the republicans -- since everything they do has some kind of secret selfish agenda.

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Native

4:16 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

#1 - It will not help education.
#2 - Secret agenda? How about when a republican governor wanted slots, but the idiot democrat leaders would not even discuss it. Then a rat governor gets in & everyone's for it!

TJ

2:25 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

That just proves that not all Democrats are brain dead and are looking out for the tax payers for a change.

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FIFA_archived

2:31 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

Let me figure this out. If Question 7 goes down, state gets less revenue?

Result - democrats raise taxes to make up difference?

Republicans go nuts! Cut off your nose to spite your face always leaves you without your nose.

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Other Tim

3:15 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

Casinos won't matter. This state will blow through any new money and come back in a couple of years looking for more.

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Tim

7:58 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

Exactly OT: Like ALL that money from the lottery that went to education. I mean, that IS what they promised...

TJ

2:47 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

If the bill doesn't pass, the revenue goes back up to what it was. If it passes the revenue gets cut in half because of the new tax cuts to the casinos. The PG casino will not make up the lost revenue.

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TJ

2:50 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

Better to not pass the bill and let them go back and pass a bill just for the table games and leave the PG casino out of it as well as the tax cuts. That's the only way the tax payers will win.

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JD1

9:35 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

Pretty tough for anyone to make a choice on this issue since facts are so hard to come by. Obviously the casino owners are in OMalley's back pocket since he has had such a change of heart on this issue. Why are we offering such a sweet deal to the owners anyway? It's sad that Annapolis is so corrupt and dysfunctional. Why drop any additional money in their lap? I have a problem wagering our education budget on the success of these casinos. I wonder how folks have enough disposable income to throw away in these places anyway.

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TJ

9:51 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

If it passes, the tax cuts are a done deal. But PG County then gets to vote to see if they want it. If that doesn't pass then we end up with tax cuts and no casino in PG county. Best to vote no and let them re-group. You have to wonder how many back door deals there were to get the bill passed. I do know Mont. County was promised a lot of new road work for their vote.

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Greg G.

9:52 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012

Great lets attract more crime by adding a casino. Please dont tell me otherwise. i grew up in Philly and Atlantic city is so mobbed up it is insane. The only real benefit the mob brings is that they dont tolerate gangs at all. One of the reasons you dont so MS13 in Philly is the mob takes care of them.

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Tim

8:02 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

GREAT article Theresa.

Long Island Dave

12:08 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

AND FOR YOUR FREE VIEWING PLEASURE:

2016: Obama's America - Entire Documentary Here
http://www.butthurt.co/obama/2016
Be sure to pass along to everyone you know!

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Steve

12:24 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

What a load of crap. From Dnesh Dsouza the same Apologist for 9/11 and the same wingnut that got fired from his Holy Roller University because he wasn't even divorced but was calling his concubine his "fiancee"

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/antibarack-obama-filmmaker-dinesh-d-souza-exits-after--adultery--row/1018997/

You Faux News watchers are so easily duped it isn't even funny.

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Tim

8:01 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

at butthurt.co, that's hilarious. Someone is so mad.

Beth S.

2:35 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

Good for Franchot. I've known some gambling addicts who've bet their families' lives away, and it's not something I'd want in my state.

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Beth S.

2:37 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

An interesting film is also "Dreams of My Real Father." Some very interesting takes in there.

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Bart

7:38 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

Another piece of right-wing propoganda. They took quotes and applied them to other topics that had nothing to do with the point the producer was trying to prove. It is shameful.

Adam R

7:51 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

This gambling process was bastardized when MD Live was allowed to open at AA Mills. At this point I could care less about any other businessmen's concerns. Let em open Casino's everywhere and let the free market decide which ones stay open. Voting for Question 7, its the only move to make! Its too late to go backwards and say no.

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Christopher Kidwell

10:21 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

No, it isn't too late to go backwards and say no.

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Ralphie

12:03 am on Monday, November 5, 2012

How is it the "free market" when you have to lobby the General Assembly to pass a bill that puts the question as to whether you can open a casino to referendum?

Nice!

Patrick

8:03 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

I remember when Atlantic City casinos promised jobs and tax money for the city and state. Most of it was lies as history proves ;the jobs went to outsiders who moved to new condo clusters outside the city and today the city's decay has only accelerated.

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Christopher Kidwell

10:20 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

Since those people now live in the city or near it? Yep, they are local people and therefore the tax dollars did stay in Atlantic City or the state and the jobs stayed there as well.

Buck Harmon

9:12 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

Casino's are rigged so that the greed driven owners win...it's the nature of the beast.
Casino's have and will continue to destroy the lives of human beings and their families.
How can something that is rigged to create losers while destroying lives be good at any level.
I view this as serious weakness in the governments ability to manage fiscal responsibility at many levels....the gamble of weather or not the perceived funds will be allocated as promised is not worth the damage caused in the process.
In short, a cop out by those that support it because of the inability of perceived leaders to do a better job.A sad State of affairs...gambling also seems to promote the use of drugs and excessive alcohol...you would have to be a dumb ass to vote yes for such a tragedy.

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Christopher Kidwell

10:19 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

Buck, wake up. Casino's have not destroyed one life. Some people who have gambling problems have destroyed their own lives and those of their families.

Time to put the blame where it belongs, on those people

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Joe

10:32 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

Kidwell, do you say the same thing about firearms that you do about casinos?
"Firearms have not destroyed one life. Some people who have mental problems have destroyed their own lives and those of their families."

My Opinion

11:28 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

The "truth" is what you want it to be and the "truth" is I am voting FOR Question 7 since our republican under indictment County Executive John Leopold shoved the Maryland Live Casino down our throats and the people who live near that mall are the ones suffering from it's location there....hopefully Question 7 will pass and the "Maryland Live Cordish Casino at the Arundel Mills Mall" will go belly up! After all the poor people who patronize it only have so much money and the rich ones who shoved it down our throats do not gamble with "their" money.....and so it goes.....

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djp952

12:38 am on Monday, November 5, 2012

What's done is done, Maryland Live! will never go away, those of us that live near it got screwed and that's that. There is no scenario where Cordish doesn't win, that battle is over with, we lost, he won. You can still try to save National Harbor and keep Cordish from being able to make money 24/7 if you vote against it. Our only recourse is to move away, we can't change that, but we can still try to save our neighbors. I felt the way you did for a long time out of ire, but I will still vote against 7 Tuesday. This one is not about a single town or county, this one is about the entire state. The brakes need to be put on this, it's moving too fast for no good reason and involving school children and an imaginary opponent called "West Virginia" just to try and pass it. Annapolis needs to know we're not this stupid. Baltimore and PG and Cordish will get their table games and 24/7 operations, it's just a matter of time, but it shouldn't be done this way with the concessions it makes. Let people gamble, you can't stop them. It's their money to spend ... but not like this, disguised as a good thing for everyone. Please change your mind before Tuesday and vote the way you would have wanted others to have voted for us. It's your vote, don't waste it out of spite because you got it up the ass. I got it up the ass too, and I'm still going to try and save Maryland from itself even though it won't fix anything in my life.

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Dean Smith

11:42 am on Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Hey Djp952!! It will be hard for Maryland Live to go away but I disagree that it can never happen. Casinos have been in Maryland before (I think it was in the 50s and 60s but it was before my time) and later on, they went away. Like the two of you state, I hate that Maryland Live is near Arundel Mills Mall (which is just down the street from my house). Also, in this real estate market, it isn’t easy to sell one’s house (especially by a Casino) and get enough money from it to obtain the percentage needed to move someone else. Also, I can’t understand how the state can agree with Cordish and allow Question 7 to have casino being able to operate 24/7 near a mall which is within a residential neighborhood.

TJ

11:34 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

My Opinion, Your not to smart. Leopold had nothing to do with where it was built, O'Malley and friends did. O'Malley is the one who hated casinos and now can't build them fast enough.

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Edie McGee

3:38 pm on Sunday, November 4, 2012

"You're" not "too" smart, either.

Greg G.

12:12 am on Monday, November 5, 2012

Anything Ken Ulman is for, I'm against. The man has destroyed Hoco.

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BadStatistics

11:00 am on Monday, November 5, 2012

I am not sure how people believe this does not help education. Yes there is a state formula for spending on education - but when state funds get low the state must take from other sources (including "other education" sources - there is not just ONE education funding source - numerous programs fund 'education' in one sense or another) in order to pay the mandated formula amount. Basically this allows funds to pay for ALL state education programs, not just the mandated formulaic programs mentioned in the articles.

Think of all the education funding for things like, programs at museums, summer programs for children, agricultural education, environmental education programs, historical conservation and preservation education programs. All of these are used to education our children on the environment and the history of maryland, and provide excellent resources for students. However, if the Dept. of Ed does not receive enough 'other funds' and has to cannibalize the State Funds from other programs, then these types of programs will not exist.

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BadStatistics

11:01 am on Monday, November 5, 2012

numerous typos occurred to send that out quick. my apologies for that.

HarfordLassie

1:43 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012

The comptroller may be running for Governor against David Craig. This is just more politics.

Whether or not the money goes to education it's money we lose every day that goes out of state. You can vote against it on principle and for the next two years until it comes up for a vote again we lose a ton of revenue that will have to be made up with taxes and fees.

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Karl Schuub

10:47 am on Tuesday, November 6, 2012

It's all about the money...when they've blown through the casino money by george let's have hookers working for the state; perfect. We can skim at least 10% off the top and when they've blown through the gambling money and the hooker money what then? Maybe the state can produce porno movies...awesome.

Fee Club

12:15 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012

The Fee Club is excited about the opening of this casino and all the opportunities that will come from this. We believe Annapolis will make a perfect Junket trip destination for our members; as a beautful city with a vibrant nightlife, we are positive it will appeal to many.

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3:58 am on Monday, November 19, 2012

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