Maryland
Maryland Democrats guarded, Republicans angry in wake of Trump conviction – Maryland Matters
A day after former President Donald Trump’s historic convictions, Maryland Democrats were calling for trust in the system Friday while most Republicans were calling the case a travesty.
Rep. Andy Harris (R-1st) called the verdict “a travesty of justice and a blatant attempt by the Biden Justice Department to jail a political opponent in the middle of an election year.”
But Democrats said Trump got his day in court, and lost.
“Donald Trump’s unanimous conviction on 34 counts proves that our system of justice is not a respecter of position, power, or privilege,” Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-7th) in a statement. “Even if it is the former president of the United States on trial, this case proves that no one is above the law.”
At least four other Democrats in the state’s congressional delegation used the phrase “no one is above the law” in their defense of the trial and verdict.
Trump was convicted Thursday on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with hush-money payments during the 2016 campaign to cover up an affair with adult film actress, Stormy Daniels.
The conviction, in a Manhattan court on New York state charges, marked the first time a former president has been convicted of criminal charges.
Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican nominee, vowed to appeal the ruling that he called a politically motivated “scam.”
That language was echoed by many Republicans in the state.
Maryland Republican Party Chairwoman Nicole Beus Harris called the jury decision the product of “a two-tiered justice system which is broken and corrupt.” A letter from seven GOP delegates – Matt Morgan, Brian Chisholm, Kathy Szeliga, Lauren Arikan, Mark Fisher, Ryan Nawrocki and Robin Grammer – did not mince words, calling it a “political prosecution” from a “kangaroo court” and a “left-leaning prosecutor” that is turning the U.S. justice system into a “third world parody of law and order.”
Not all Maryland Republicans agreed. Notably, former Gov. Larry Hogan, the GOP nominee for U.S. Senate this fall, parted sharply with other state Republicans.
“Regardless of the result, I urge all Americans to respect the verdict and the legal process,” Hogan said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “At this dangerously divided moment in our history, all leaders – regardless of party – must not pour fuel on the fire with more toxic partisanship.”
Few of the responses to Hogan’s post were kind. Trump’s campaign adviser, Chris LaCivita, responded simply to Hogan that, “You just ended your campaign.”
An official with Hogan’s campaign said the former governor, who has long said he will not vote for Trump, did not have reaction to LaCivita’s comment.
Jason Johnson, a political science professor at Morgan State University, said Hogan’s position is hot surprising, given his difficult position of running for Senate as a Republican in a blue state like Maryland.
“He was always going to have trouble, right, like … Maryland is a reliably blue state during presidential elections,” Johnson said. “And so he was always going to have this challenge of, how do I get you to only look at me as a candidate while not paying attention to what’s happening over there at a national level?
Johnson explained that, in Maryland at least, the Republican Party’s image is tarnished by Trump.
“If you are a Republican and you’re running in Maryland, right now, you don’t have a lot of pathways to victory, because the people don’t like what the Republican Party has become under Trump,” Johnson said.
– Maryland Matters reporters Bryan P. Sears and William J. Ford contributed to this report.
Maryland
Arrest made after $40K worth of HVAC units stolen in Maryland, over 10 businesses impacted
CHARLES COUNTY, Md. (7News) — A Maryland man has been arrested in connection with a string of thefts targeting heating and air conditioning units that impacted more than 10 businesses across the region, authorities said.
On Dec. 31, 2025, detectives with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, working alongside investigators from the Prince George’s County Police Department, took Thomas Guinyard, 30, of Hyattsville, into custody.
Charles County deputies said Guinyard has several active arrest warrants tied to the theft of heat pumps and air conditioning units valued at more than $40,000.
Authorities said the thefts caused widespread disruption to local businesses, with investigators confirming that more than 10 were affected.
SEE ALSO | Man accused of stealing circuit breakers from nearly 50 Maryland homes
When deputies tried to approach him, Guinyard allegedly ran away but was apprehended without further incident, according to the sheriff’s office. During the arrest, deputies said they learned the vehicle Guinyard was driving had been reported stolen.
Guinyard faces a charge of theft and destruction of property. He is being held without bond at the Charles County Detention Center.
Investigators continue to review the case to figure out whether more charges or related thefts may be connected to Guinyard, the sheriff’s office said.
Maryland
Md. Gov. Moore touts public safety funding increase, even with crime continuing to drop – WTOP News
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore noted the continuing decrease in crime across the state and shared a proposal to spend $124.1 million on public safety in the next fiscal year budget.
Executive Aisha Braveboy and Police Chief George Nader(WTOP/John Domen)
Maryland lawmakers return to Annapolis next week, and plugging a roughly $1 billion budget hole will be one of many items on their agenda as the 2026 session gets underway.
This week, Gov. Wes Moore has been touting parts of the budget he’ll be unveiling, to go with legislation he intends to champion in Annapolis.
On Thursday, he stood in front of a huge gathering of police, federal law enforcement and prosecutors at the Maryland State Police Barracks in College Park to talk about the continuing decrease in crime and share a proposal to spend $124.1 million on public safety in the next budget.
“That is the highest level of funding in our state’s history, and a $2.3 million increase over last year’s budget,” Moore said. “These are real resources for local police departments all throughout the state of Maryland.”
He said the funding will support overtime patrolling and new equipment that “officers need to make sure they are doing their job safely and that they can get home to their families.”
Moore also took issue with the premise, often posed to Democrats, that you have to choose between siding with law enforcement or siding with “the community,” arguing that he does both “unapologetically.” He also promised that his plan for public safety is both urgent and strategic.
“This is backed by data and built on three core pillars,” Moore said. “Provide the resources and the support that law enforcement needs; build stronger, more vibrant communities that leave no one behind; and coordinate all aspects of government and community to make sure that our streets are safer.”
As he enters the final year of his term, Moore highlighted a 25% reduction in homicides around the state, to a number he said is the lowest in 40 years. He also touted a 50% violent crime reduction and a sharp drop in non-fatal shootings.
“This is not trends or vibes. It happens because we made smart investments, and it happened because we chose to do something really unique — work together,” Moore said. “We are standing here coordinated, bipartisan, nonpartisan, knowing that community safety does not have a partisan bend and protecting our neighbors does not have a political affiliation.”
At the same time, Moore said he wasn’t taking a victory lap about the heartening trends in crime just yet.
“We are making progress, yes, but we will not rest until everybody and all of our communities feel safe,” he said. “Too often, false choices will dominate the public safety debate. Do we want to hold criminals accountable, or do we want to focus on rehabilitation? We’re told to pick a side without understanding that’s not how people live.”
Maryland
What Rep. Hoyer’s retirement means for Maryland and what’s next
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