Anne Arundel County's GOP lawmakers are assailing what they call an attempt by local Democrats, who lost two seats in the fall election, to maintain their grip on the county legislative delegation.
Republican Dels. James E. Rzepkowski and David G. Boschert have taken aim at plans by Democrats to alter a rule set by the full House delegation last spring. The special meeting today - the group usually doesn't meet until mid-December - was called by Anne Arundel County delegation Chairwoman Mary Ann Love, a Glen Burnie Democrat.
At issue is whether three delegates who mostly represent Prince George's County and a sliver of Anne Arundel County should have full votes at Anne Arundel delegation meetings. If this change is OK'd, the Democrats would hold an 8-7 edge and thus be able to run delegation meetings.
"The vote to change the rule will not allow any public input and will be made by current, incumbent members, some of whom lost re-election or no longer represent Anne Arundel County," Rzepkowski said Friday.
Rzepkowski noted that Democratic Dels. Mary M. Rosso and C. Richard D'Amato, who were defeated last month, could cast votes at the meeting, and that Del. George W. Owings III, a Calvert County Democrat who represented a portion of Anne Arundel County before redistricting, also could participate.
None of the newly elected Republican delegates were invited to attend the meeting, he said, but some might attend. Rzepkowski said Love extended an invitation to members of the news media only after he requested it.
"This is a legislative version of a 'kangaroo court,'" said Boschert in a written statement released Wednesday. "And a slap in the face of the citizens of Anne Arundel County."
Love could not be reached for comment.
The meeting - and vote - will focus on a rule adopted by the delegation in April. At the time, the group decided that the three delegates representing District 21 should be allowed one collective vote rather than three since most of the district lies within Prince George's County, not Anne Arundel County.
Democrats are now pushing to change the rule and allow District 21 delegates one vote each, a move that would allow Democrats to maintain control of the chairman and vice chairman positions. If the rule stands, and the District 21 team gets one collective vote, the Republicans would have a 7-6 voting majority.
"The purpose of changing the rule is so the Democrats can keep the chairmanship," Rzepkowski said.
Though Love, the current chairwoman, organized the meeting, Republicans lay most of the blame for the power play at the feet of Del. Michael E. Busch, an Annapolis Democrat, who is likely to be elected speaker of the House. Busch could not be reached for comment.
Rosso, a Democrat from Glen Burnie who was defeated in the election, defended the rule change.
"I don't see any problem with looking at the change and making sure there is an equitable distribution of voting power," she said, adding that a thin slice of Anne Arundel was added to District 21 as part of a redistricting effort by the state Court of Appeals. "No one knew what would happen with the map."