Democrats in Anne Arundel County's House delegation voted yesterday to grant one vote each to three delegates who represent only a sliver of the county - a rule change that Republican lawmakers opposed because it seals Democratic control of the legislative agenda for another four years.
Republicans launched an attack last week to expose what they called an "immoral" attempt by Democrats to subvert the will of voters who ousted two Democratic state delegates and a Democratic state senator in last month's election.
GOP leaders hinted yesterday that the rule change, affecting delegates whose districts lie mostly in Prince George's County, may cost Anne Arundel when it comes time to apportion money for local school and road projects. They said that Republicans "across the state" were talking about the Anne Arundel situation, and seeking "retribution."
But Democrats - some of whom lashed back at Republicans with harsh words at the morning meeting - said they were doing what was best for residents, not for their party.
Yesterday's vote gives the Democrats an 8-7 majority in the delegation.
Had the previous rule been in effect, it would have restricted nonresident legislators to one collective vote - and given Republicans the majority because of their recent Anne Arundel victories.
"In all honesty, this is not a political move, but a move to enfranchise these people into our county," said current delegation chairwoman Mary Ann Love, a Democrat from Glen Burnie who has been chastised by GOP colleagues for calling the special meeting. The delegation usually doesn't meet until closer to the start of annual legislative session, which will begin Jan. 8.
With their vote yesterday, Democratic lawmakers altered a rule adopted by the full delegation in April. At the time, redistricting moved some Anne Arundel precincts into Prince George's and Howard counties. To guard against the influence of outsiders, members voted unanimously to restrict the out-of-county legislators to one collective vote.
Democrats changed their mind yesterday, stating that court-ordered changes to the redistricting map, which moved all but a small piece of the county back into local districts, wiped away concern that the delegation might be monopolized by out-of-county interests. They said they wanted to be fair to Prince George's lawmakers, who have promised to protect Anne Arundel residents.
However, Republicans viewed the amendment - which was enacted with the help of two lame-duck Democratic legislators and without public comment - as an attempt to override the political will of local voters, who ousted Democratic Dels. Mary M. Rosso and C. Richard D'Amato, as well as Sen. Robert R. Neall.
"I just really feel sorry for the people who will lose their voice to people from another county," said Del. David G. Boschert, a Republican from Crownsville who attended yesterday's meeting and voted against the rule change. "We now have three votes on the delegation that say Prince George's County comes first."
Del. James E. Rzepkowski, a Glen Burnie Republican who spearheaded an effort to expose a what he labeled a "blatant power grab," said yesterday that he wished Democrats would state the truth about the rule change.
Without the votes of the three Prince George's lawmakers, who are Democrats, Republicans stood to regain control of the delegation and elect their own chairman and vice chairman.
"They're grasping at straws," Rzepkowski said, adding that he "still hadn't heard a valid reason" to change the rule that lawmakers voted to amend in April. That rule, he said, "addressed any [redistricting] situation. ... They say everything has changed, but the only thing that has changed is the results of the Nov. 5 election."
After the vote yesterday in Annapolis, Republicans hinted that they might rebel against Love's re-election bid as delegation chairwoman, and that there could be "political payback" during the General Assembly session.
"I am going to have to think very hard about whether Mary Ann Love deserves my vote," Rzepkowski said.
Terry R. Gilleland, chairman of the Anne Arundel County Republican Central Committee, said the new Republican governor could sidestep Anne Arundel County Democrats and work directly with the county Republicans.
"They burned a lot of bridges," he said, referring to Democrats.
Love, who declined to state whether she would seek re-election to the delegation chairmanship, said she hoped frayed relationships would soon be mended. "We'll have to work together," she said.