By Steve Crane | Editor-in-chief
“The website and advertisement are simply a cynical political ploy to try to trick Marylanders into misinterpreting the Governor’s position on Question 3, which he unequivocally supports. There is a substantial likelihood of confusion between your communications and the Governor’s campaign, which appears to be the point.” - Lawyers for Gov. Wes Moore’s campaign in a cease and desist letter to Truth for Maryland, a PAC opposing ballot Question 3 in ads that mimic the style and wording of Moore’s campaign materials.
Double-takes and second thoughts in the news on this Thursday morning, the first day of early voting in Maryland.
Gov. Wes Moore has no part in Truth for Maryland, a PAC that opposes ballot Question 3, the constitutional amendment on congressional redistricting. But you might not know it from the group’s campaign ads, which mimic the style, and even some phrases, of the governor’s literature. So Moore, a vocal supporter of Question 3, sent a cease and desist letter to the PAC, as Bryan P. Sears reports.
School board candidates across the state say they support the goals of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, the sweeping, multibillion-dollar reform plan for the state’s schools. But halfway into the decade-long plan, would-be school board members have some concerns about the plan’s costs and restriction. Capital News Service’s Mayah Nachman has that story.
Those stories and other news, along with headlines from the week, are below for you this first day of early voting. Enjoy!
Gov. Wes Moore’s campaign sent a cease-and-desist letter Wednesday to Truth for Maryland, whose ads opposing Ballot Question 3 use logos similar to Moore’s — who supports Question 3. (Screengrab from Truth for Maryland ad)
By Bryan P. Sears
A new ad that urges residents to vote against a constitutional amendment that would loosen standards for congressional redistricting has drawn the attention of -- and a cease and desist demand from -- Gov. Wes Moore.
The ad, produced by the super PAC Truth for Maryland, uses fonts and colors similar to those used by the Moore campaign in an attempt to trick voters, lawyers for the governor said. The ad asks voters to oppose ballot Question 3 — which the governor supports.
Moore's campaign sent a cease-and-desist letter Wednesday to Truth for Maryland, whose ads against Ballot Question 3 use logos similar to Moore's. The letter demands the PAC immediately remove the ad and stop using Moore's likeness or his campaign font and colors. It also said the ad was referred to state elections officials for potential violations of laws regarding campaign misinformation.
An official with the PAC insisted it was "dedicated to re-electing Governor Wes Moore" and was "deeply disappointed to receive such a threatening letter from his [Moore's] paid legal representation."
With the state facing budget shortfalls, cuts to the Blueprint for Maryland's Future are a regular battle in Annapolis, as in this February 2025 rally. But school board candidates are expressing concerns about the cost and scope of the plan. (File photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters)
By Mayah Nachman
Maryland’s school board candidates are running in this year’s election because they want to make their school districts better, a goal echoed in the objectives of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.
But nearly halfway into the 10-year-long, $30 billion plan to establish a “world-class education system” in Maryland, many candidates are concerned about the feasibility of the sweeping education reform plan.
As voters prepared to head to the polls on Nov. 3, the Local News Network at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism sent a questionnaire to every candidate running for a seat on a school board in the state, asking for their perspectives on key issues in the state’s education system, including the Blueprint.
While most candidates said they believed in the goals of the Blueprint, 62 of the 70 candidates who replied also acknowledged the financial and administrative burden of the plan crafted by lawmakers in Annapolis.
IN OTHER NEWS
Court blocks election sweeps by Homeland Security: A federal judge Wednesday blocked election-related field operations by the Department of Homeland Security in nine states, saying such operations could intimidate citizens from voting or aiding others do so.
Gender-affirming care for inmates stands, for now: The Supreme Court denied an emergency Trump administration request to let it halt gender-affirming care for transgender prison inmates, letting stand a lower court order preserving the care for now.
Ghost-trap busters: The Virginia Institute of Marine Science will award $1.2 million to 11 projects to clean up derelict fishing traps, including crab pots, that can damage habitat, create navigational hazards and harm marine life. Two of the projects are in Maryland.
MATTERS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
A new park on the bay: Maryland will start accepting online reservations Nov. 6 for a new park overlooking the Chesapeake Bay, the sixth site opened by the state this year, less than 10 miles from historic Annapolis and a stone's throw from Sandy Point State Park.
The new face of public health: A daylong public health forum Tuesday in Baltimore touched on health challenges not likely found in any medical textbook: gun violence, artificial intelligence, social media and "the ravages of Washington" under Trump.
Contract oversight lacking: State auditors are calling for tighter controls and monitoring of outside law firms hired by state agencies, after finding a lack of procedures in the attorney general's office made it difficult to track millions paid to nearly 100 firms.
Big yellow headache: School transportation troubles, academic proficiency and financial worries ranked among the main concerns Maryland's school board candidates raised when asked in a survey to name the top issues in this year's elections.
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