‘Speaking Right to the Issues w/Hassan Giordano’, is the WOLB1010AM, radio talk show,  every Saturday at 9:30A. On the station ‘Where Information is Power!’

Show #2: City Council bill 08-0163-Live Entertainment Review w/Mr. Billy Wilkins addressing President Rawlings-Blake’s DISRESPECT of a citizen!

Speaking Right to the Issues Show 2 Part 1

Speaking Right to the Issues Show 2 Part 2

Speaking Right to the Issues Show 2 Part 3

As the Reporters’ Roundtable has been the leading media outlet on the Md. Death Penalty Repeal debate, here in the State of Maryland, since its debut show with Senators Gladden and Jacobs and their discussion on such issue.

Now as the State legislature has all but rejected the Repeal effort, Governor Martin O’Malley, along with the Democratic controlled House and Senate, have basically set forth their own repeal, by a convoluted bill, thereby creating legal loopholes, that defense attorneys would have a field day with, basically killing all efforts for any State Prosecutor, to bring forth this much needed and popular measure. (NO Pun intended)

Therefore it is are sincere and obligatory right, to bring you the explanation of such legislation, as it relates to the jurisdictions throughout the State of Maryland, as written and brought forth by the Senate’s Minority Caucus office:

Political Expediency Trumps Sound Policy in Death Penalty Vote

This past Friday, the House Judiciary Committee had one of its legendary voting sessions.  Working late into the evening, Delegates considered a long voting list of bills including the Senate’s version of the death penalty repeal bill.

While the Zirkin Amendment to the Senate bill technically preserves the death penalty in Maryland, it eliminates basic evidentiary tools, such as fingerprints and ballistic evidence, for prosecutors seeking the death penalty as punishment in even the most horrific murder cases.  As pointed out in our earlier post (click here), it would also make it virtually impossible to seek the death penalty for the lead perpetrator in a murder-for-hire or witness intimidation case.  Many in the legal community believe that the Senate bill is drawn so poorly that there will never be a successful death penalty prosecution in Maryland again.

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As Baltimore City Councilpersons, Bill Henry (D-4th) and Mary Pat Clarke (D-14th) try and address the situation of increasing home foreclosures, in CB 09-0289, the Reporters’ Roundtable addressed in their recent show, taped last week in their studios.

As Councilman Henry joined RR talk show host, Hassan Giordano, they began the discussion on what exactly the bill does and how much power a City legislator has, as it relates to this monumental problem. Joining them, were Foreclosure experts, former US Senate candidate and Executive Director for Fresh Air, Clean Politics.net, Kevin Zeese, along with Baltimore Independent Political Examiner contributor, Catalina Byrd.

The discussion was intense, informative and to say the least, interesting, with much of the discussion being aimed at what can be done to tackle the issue of foreclosures and why those opposed to such a measure need to revisit their position and think about the voters’ who elected them, FIRST!

Please be sure to watch the upcoming show in full, with Roundtable regulars Anthony McCarthy, Len Lazarick and Gregory Kane. Also thanks to Chip Dizard and his dedicated staff at Absolute Presence, the NEW and revamped website now allows you to share the show with others while also commenting on your feelings about the issue and/or show and our guests.

Also we will be featuring a NEW way of becoming involved with the show and our guests, by allowing you the opportunity to ask them a question in regards to the topic at hand, by following us on Twitter and sending us a Direct Message question. PLease be sure to check out this feature while also being aware of tomorrow’s hearing in regards to foreclosures at City Hall, at 10:30A, on the fourth floor. For more information please contact:

Councilman Bill Henry at 410-396-4830 or bill.henry@baltimorecity.gov

Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke at 410-396-4814 or marypat.clarke@baltimorecity.gov

I have been working with web and multimedia for the good part of 10 years now. One thing I often know about projects that many web people should know–you are never done a project–you just have to stop. I have to thank the web guru-Dave Cavins for making the site “zing,” we couldn’t have done it without you.

It has been fortuitous that I reconnected with Hassan Giordano and we started this show.  Hassan contacted me back in January about an idea about a tv show. We had an initial meeting about the project and like I always do–I think ahead of how we can make it better. The concept was tight, but the name wasn’t just right.  We both are political junkies and I was thinking of a “Meet the Press” or “Fox News Sunday” format.

The initial name of the show was “The Hot Seat” a good name, but I figured that many politicians would not come on a “hot seat”as  we know we need to hold them to the fire, but maybe not putting them on a stove right now, or  at least calling it a hot seat.

Then as the story goes (and Hassan will verify it), I came up with the name Reporters’ Roundtable even though we don’t have a physical “roundtable” it was a metaphor for issues of the day. Hassan came up to link the famous saying by former House Speaker Thomas “Tip” O’Neil  “All politics is local” (We paraphrased-Mr. O’Neil  to say “Where all the days politics become local.)

What’s in store for Reporters’ Roundtable?  Who knows, but I am proud to work with Hassan and a great crew on a  show that has a commitment to bringing real issues to the forefront.  That is what America is all about, and when you do something that you love—you never work a day in your life.

This week, in the third show released from the NEW Maryland Political TV talk show, the Reporters’ Roundtable, Education is highlighted through a vast spectrum of political insight.

Up first, joining Host Hassan Giordano, none other than Senator Janet Greenip (R-33) Anne Arundel County, along with Delegate Tom Hucker (D-20) of Montgomery County. These leading legislators on the issue of education expressed their concern regarding Maryland’s current educational system during a financial crisis. They speak about leading legislation introduced by both, in regards to advancing the educational system in Maryland. SB45 and HB184 are two different yet similarly vital bills for the future of the great State of Maryland and its children.

Also joining the Reporters’ Roundtable was none other than Educational leader and advocate Christopher Goodman, leader of Baltimore’ s Algebra Project, joined by show guest Catalina Byrd, Premiere writer for the Examiner.com. Both discuss Maryland’s Educational system as it relates to Youth, told from none other than a Youth perspective. Speaking on such issues as Private v Public schools, Peer-to-Peer and its funding or lack thereof from the Baltimore City Mayor’s office and City Hall, school vouchers and more.

And finally we wrap up the show with Roundtable regulars, Anthony McCarthy, Gregory Kane and Len Lazarick. These seasoned journalists’, speak to an array of subjects, plaguing the Maryland political system, as well as National subjects concerning the RNC and its leader former Maryland Lt. Governor, Michael Steele and more.

Md. GOP; ‘Just Right on the Death Penalty?’

As a result of a renewed Repeal effort in regards to Maryland’s Death Penalty this year, the usual suspect of Democrats had an added bonus to their strategy of passage, Md. Governor Martin O’Malley. With an increased push from the State’s Chief Executive, along with a Democratic Party machine of messaging, through emails and phone banked calls, many thought the elimination of Capital Punishment in the Free State, was a sure thing!

It seems that the pressures from the Minority, Maryland’s minimal yet organized Party of the GOP, made their own push back of resistance, resonating with a majority of Md. citizens’. Their strategy, though limited because of numbers, was gigantic and monumental in blocking the efforts of these advocates and serving the will of the People!

Being led in the Senate by Allan Kittleman, the Senate’s Minority Leader, along with his cohort and hatchetwoman, the first of such in MD. GOP history, none other than the distinguished Senator from Harford and Cecil counties, Nancy Jacobs. Her savvy style of politics and arm twisting to keep the Party in line with ‘One’ message, enabled this Party of miniscule power, to exhort such control as to thwart the leading efforts of once popular Governor M. O’Malley.

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Did the MD. GOP Force the Change of Strategy of Senate Democrats?

Yesterday, during what was anticipated as being the final push for a Death Penalty Repeal effort, the Md. Democratic Senate, on its first two successfully passed amendments, completely took the ‘Repeal’ out of a controversial Death Penalty bill.

The orginal bill, SB 279, a Repeal effort backed by Governor O’Malley’s adminsitration and pushed by lead sponsor Senator Lisa Gladden (D-41), had made it through an early contentious procedural maneuver. However after a 25-22 vote, in favor of overturning the decision of the Judiciary Procedures committee, the repeal effort was given new life, advancing to second reader.

Special Ordered to 3:30P, by Senate President Thomas ‘Mike’ Miller, the Senate broke for committee hearings and lunch. Upon reconvening to discuss amendments, on second reader in the Senate chambers, Baltimore County Senators James Brochin and Bobby Zirkin offered amendments strengthening a Death Penalty procedure, opposed to any such Repeal.  After a 25-21 vote in favor of Sen. Brochin’s effort to eliminate Death Penalty sentences based solely off of eye-witness testimony, attributed to the Kirk Bloodsworth case, which saw a death row inmate’s conviction, overturned based on DNA evidence, taken years ago yet not reliable until testing was recently put in place to analyze such data.

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The Advocacy v. the Opponent of a Death Penalty Measure

Governor Martin O’Malley (D) -v- Senator Nancy Jacobs (R)

The Death of a Repeal being Advocated by Some and Opposed by Others?

As Maryland is in line to debate an issue, divise to a State constituency and a Maryland legislative body, the Country will be watching a Senate possibly fillibuster and argue the positives and negatives, of a Life worth taking. To Live or Die, the essential question to be answered by 47 State legislators, that upon possible approval or dismal of such policy, through a procedural measure rarely used in this distinguished body, could be the final nail in the coffin, of a measure lingering throughout the Md. State house for years.

The issue of repeal, debated for hours last week during public hearings, in which many, both opposed and in favor of such change, took their jabs at trying to convince the (11) members of the Senate’s Judicial Proceedings committee. On Friday, the committee voted on such measure, with a 5-5 tie, absent from the vote, Senator Nancy Jacobs, a Republican opponent of the Repeal, who joined Mr. Giordano and Senator Lisa Gladden, days before at the studios of Maryland’s leading Political TV talk show, the Reporters’ Roundtable. After this vote essentially killed the measure, once again after many years of close yet dismal votes for advancement in this committee, Senate President Thomas ‘Mike’ Miller, an opponent of the Repeal measure, seemingly assured legislators that he would use a rare procedural tactic, to circumvent committee passage, in order to allow the measure to make it to the Senate floor, for open debate and a possible, up or down vote.

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Today, February 27, 2009, the Maryland State Senate’s Judicial Proceedings committee, as expected, remained deadlocked on a Death Penalty Repeal measure that should have ended the debate on whether or not folk should Live or Die? SB 279, an Administration bill, that has for years been a controversial policy that remains unpopular amongst the majority of a State, fixed on eliminating the punishable tool of execution.

However shortly after a committee vote of 5-5, with Senator Nancy Jacobs absent from the vote, Senate President Thomas ‘Mike’ Miller promised a floor vote on the measure, basically only possible through a circumvention of the committee process. This maneuver, never done at least in this era of politics, may open the door to conservatives and others, to start following suit with other bills, felt to be as important as a repeal measure.

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As Delegate Sheila Hixson, Chair of the House Ways and Means committee in Annapolis, tries to relate to the public, in relation to our current economic strife, she does such by submitting HB 1182, a Tax and Reg. Bill in regards to Communications services. What’s this mean you say? Well basically just this:

It is her intention to do as Democrats love to do, tax its constituency while raising fees on services, in this case communications services such as phone and more so cable outlets, by privatizing such and eventually cutting out Public Access television and its programs. The shows filmed and reported by Maryland citizens’, to keep elected officials and others accountable, are now trying to be run outta of town, or at least off the television, where we reach a broad audience!

Please help the Reporters’ Roundtable, GrassRoots Media and others, protest and oppose this bill by emailing and/or calling your legislators, along with those on the committees this bill is in front of currently:

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