Maryland’s Transcript Trap: How Miller v. Smith and Feng v. Chen Expose Access-to-Justice Failures
When Americans think about “access to justice,” most assume it means having a fair chance to appeal if a court gets...
Month: December 2025
Maryland’s Mid-Cycle Redistricting Push Raises Questions About Priorities, Fairness, and Trust
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews As Maryland families grapple with rising electric bills, warnings of a $1.4 billion budget...
Riley Draws Sharp Contrast With Raskin on Child Protection and Immigration Votes
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews A recent post from Republican congressional candidate Cheryl Riley is drawing renewed...
Frederick Residents Question Planning Commission Appointment as Data Center Debate Intensifies
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews A recent appointment to the City of Frederick Planning Commission is fueling renewed debate...
“Vegetable Salad” or Costly Recipe? MCPS’ $3.78 Billion Budget Raises Accountability Questions
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Superintendent Thomas Taylor unveiled a proposed...
Maryland Launches New Small Business Data Platform — Innovation Meets Budget Reality
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews On December 17, 2025, Governor Wes Moore announced the launch of the Maryland Community...
Audit Flags $8.5 Billion in Maryland Spending With Weak Oversight, Raises Transparency Concerns
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews A new state audit is raising serious questions about transparency and accountability in...
House Report Alleges D.C. Police Chief Manipulated Crime Data, Raising New Questions About Public Trust
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews A Republican-led U.S. House committee has released an interim report alleging that outgoing...
Maryland Public Defender’s New Justice Partnership Raises Familiar Questions About Balance, Safety, and Accountability
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Maryland’s criminal justice reform debate is entering a new phase. On December 15, the...
A $45 Million “Bump” Doesn’t Fix a $1.5 Billion Hole: Maryland’s Budget Reality Check
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Maryland officials are touting a modestly improved revenue forecast as a sign of stability....
David Trone Returns, Because Maryland’s 6th District Clearly Needed More Drama
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Just when Maryland’s 6th Congressional District appeared to be settling into a brief...
Wes Moore’s Shiny Brand Meets Maryland’s Trust Problem
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Maryland’s Governor Wes Moore has spent years crafting the kind of résumé national...
Katie Nash’s Dual Roles Raise Renewed Conflict-of-Interest Questions in Frederick
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews When Frederick voters amended the city charter and moved to a modern City Council...
Fake Cases, Real Costs: Annapolis’ AI Blunder and Who Pays the Price
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Annapolis City Hall insists nothing unusual happened when City Attorney D. Michael Lyles’...
USDOT Pressures Maryland as Key Bridge Costs Double and Beltway Congestion Reaches Breaking Point
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Maryland’s most important infrastructure project—the rebuilding of Baltimore’s...
EDITORIAL: Maryland’s Election Officials Created This Mess — Now They Need to Clean It Up Before the Courts Do
Maryland’s political leadership has spent years insisting its election system is a model of modern administration. But...
Maryland’s Voter Rolls Face Dual Federal and GOP Lawsuits — And Courts May Soon Decide What “Election Integrity” Really Means
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Maryland’s election system is now the target of two major federal lawsuits, filed just...
Maryland Just Hit a 20-Year High in Cost of Living — And Most Lawmakers Won’t Even Say the Word ‘Relief’
Why Annapolis refuses to treat the affordability crisis like the emergency it is. By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews...
DC Police Probe Possible Double Suicide at Carter Barron Amphitheater; Two Adults Found Dead in Parked Vehicle
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two adults were found dead from gunshot wounds inside a parked vehicle at the Carter Barron...
DC Judge Lets Alleged Squatter Stay After 30-Day Airbnb Stay — And Forces Homeowner to Keep the Lights On
Case highlights how D.C. “tenant-first” laws can trap ordinary property owners for months By Michael Phillips |...
Bouchat Builds an Unlikely Coalition: Prefiled Bills Reveal Bipartisan Support — and Annapolis Blind Spots
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews — Annapolis Watch The Maryland General Assembly hasn’t gaveled in yet, but the early...
Would Maryland’s Economy Grow Faster Under a 3% Flat Tax?
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Debates about tax reform often focus on fairness or fiscal balance. But for many...
Judge Karla N. Smith Named New Administrative Judge for Montgomery County Circuit Court
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — Supreme Court of Maryland Chief Justice Matthew J. Fader has appointed Judge Karla N. Smith as...
Gov. Moore Announces Two New Judicial Appointments — Critics Say Maryland Still Lacks Transparency in How Judges Are Chosen
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has announced two new judicial appointments—one to the Anne...
Frederick Quietly Approves $400K Police Drone Deal — Raising Big Questions About Privacy, Oversight, and Priorities
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews The Frederick City Council has approved a five-year, $400,000 contract with Axon Air—a...
Adrienne Jones Steps Down: End of an Era — and a Chance to Rethink Annapolis’ One-Party Rule
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Maryland House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones, a Democrat who has shaped state politics for...
Riley Welcomes DOJ Lawsuit Against Maryland Elections Board, Says Case Highlights Need for Transparency
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Republican congressional candidate Cheryl Riley is applauding the Trump administration’s...
DOJ Sues Maryland Over Voter Data: What Citizens Need to Know About the Federal Election Transparency Fight
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews The U.S. Department of Justice, now led by Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant...
Maryland’s Wake-Up Call: The Ian Roberts Scandal Exposes a Deep Flaw in Our Voter Registration System
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews In a state that prides itself on “high access” elections, Maryland has long brushed...
Tina Peters and the Future of Election Oversight: Why Her Case Still Matters for Maryland in 2025
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews In the national media, the saga of former Mesa County, Colorado, Clerk Tina Peters is often...
SNAP Oversight Failure Could Cost Maryland Taxpayers Hundreds of Millions
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Maryland may be forced to pay more than $300 million in new costs to the federal government...
A Parting Gift: Annapolis Council Approves 18–58% Pay Hikes for the People Replacing Them
FACTS FIRST:On November 18, 2025, at one of its final meetings, the outgoing Annapolis City Council voted to increase the...
Ten Indicted in Latest Jessup Prison Contraband Scandal as Maryland Moves Toward 2026 Closure
JESSUP, Md. — Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown on Monday announced the indictment of 10 people—three...
Maryland’s Coming Retirement & Revenue Crisis
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews Maryland is approaching a demographic turning point — one that will reshape the state’s...
This Is How They Do It: The Maryland Case Study in Congressional Insider Trading
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews For years, Americans have heard whispers about members of Congress quietly enriching...