Maryland
Transcript: Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland on
The following is a transcript of an interview with Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland, that aired on March 17, 2024.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’re joined now by Maryland Democrat, Senator Chris Van Hollen. Senator, a lot to get to with you but I do know you met with some families of hostage members, this past- family members of hostages, excuse me, this past week. Talks are about to resume. What did the hostage families tell you?
SEN. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN: Well, they- they came and talked about the- the terror every day of not knowing what’s happening to their family members. And they were very clear, we need to focus on getting the hostages back and a ceasefire. And this is why I’m for a ceasefire and the return of the hostages.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And that ceasefire would also allow for aid to move in. That’s what the Biden administration is championing. I want to go to some specific things that I know you’re focusing on. There’s this government funding debate happening in the next few days. Some Republicans want to cut off support for the UN agency, UNRWA, that supports about 6 million Palestinian refugees, Lebanon, Jordan, Gaza Strip, West Bank. You said last week, senators need to read the classified report prepared by the Director of National Intelligence about the Netanyahu government claims about that agency. You seem to be implying that the links to terror groups are unfounded.
SEN. VAN HOLLEN: Oh, there’s no doubt that the- the claim that Prime Minister Netanyahu and others are making, that somehow UNRWA is a proxy for Hamas, are just flat out lies. That’s a flat out lie. If you look at the person who’s in charge of operations on the ground in Gaza for UNRWA, it’s about a 20 year U.S. Army veteran. You can be sure he is not in cahoots with Hamas. Netanyahu has wanted to get rid of UNRWA since at least 2017. That’s been his goal, not just in Gaza, but also in the other places you talked about. And if you get rid of UNRWA in Gaza today, it is the primary distribution system for food and aid. So if you cut off funding for UNRWA and Gaza entirely, it means more people will starve, more people won’t get the medical assistance they need. And so it would be a huge mistake to cut them off.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Can you explain why you believe that the Prime Minister is trying to dismantle UNRWA, which is the agency that has 13,000 people distributing aid? No one else has that kind of infrastructure in Gaza.
SEN. VAN HOLLEN: Well, that’s exactly right. And there have been allegations made by the Netanyahu government that up to 14 of those 13,000 people were involved in the horrific October 7 attacks. We should investigate it, we should hold all those people accountable. But for goodness sakes, let’s not hold 2 million innocent Palestinian civilians who are dying of starvation, let’s not hold them, essentially, accountable for the bad acts of 14 people. Netanyahu has wanted to get rid of UNRWA because he has seen them as a- a means to continue the hopes of the Palestinian people for a homeland of their own. And he has been opposed to a two state solution. And this has been his primary objective, stopping a two state solution.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Back in February, you pushed the Biden administration to craft what ended up being a National Security Memorandum that requires countries who receive U.S. weapons, all countries, to certify that they are in compliance with U.S. law, and they are not blocking the delivery of humanitarian aid. Israel has until March 24 to turn in a letter, they reportedly did so. Are they in compliance?
SEN. VAN HOLLEN: No they’re not, not as of today. And you’re right. This is a very important tool that the Biden administration’s put forward, applies to Israel and any other country that receives U.S. military assistance.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Will President Biden’s administration say that they’re not in compliance? Are you confident?
SEN. VAN HOLLEN: I hope they will, because President Biden himself has repeatedly said that the Netanyahu government is unnecessarily restricting desperately needed humanitarian assistance. I mean, the President has said it a number of times, he’s said no excuses. So it may be that the Minister of Defense in Israel signed this. But I cannot imagine a scenario right now, where Secretary Blinken can find that that promise is credible and reliable when the day it was signed, clearly the Netanyahu government is not in compliance, because we see that they’re continuing to restrict humanitarian assistance.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’ll watch to see if Secretary Blinken affirms it or denies it. But what’s the consequence here? I know you’ve said you don’t want to cut off all military support for Israel. You’re talking about offensive weapons.
SEN. VAN HOLLEN: Yes, this- this would not apply to the Iron Dome or any defensive systems but it would say, you know, no more bombs for use in Gaza until you come into compliance. So It’s not a total cut off. I mean, the Netanyahu government can open the Erez Crossing to help starving people in northern Gaza. They can stop turning away maternity kits, you know, claiming that somehow they pose a dual use danger that they could be used for military purposes, they could stop turning away water purifiers. Because when they do that they send the whole truck back for four weeks. So they need to allow more assistance in, and they need to really deal with that deconfliction issue. People need to be able to deliver assistance without getting killed.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, and the U.S. Ambassador David Satterfield, who works for the Biden administration, has said that police have been hit while helping UN convoys be delivered. Do you believe that the Israeli government’s deliberately targeting to stop humanitarian aid deliveries? Because the Israeli government denies that.
SEN. VAN HOLLEN: Well, we know in the case of, I think about six of the so-called blue helmeted, you know, security escorts, that they were targeted, because Israel claimed that they were part of Hamas when they were sort of- so- so we know in that case, that was a deliberate targeting. But you’re right. There have been other cases where Israel has- has, you know, used force, and a convoy, for example, in the north passed the inspection and then was hit by a naval missile. I do want to point out also, Margaret, that Ambassador Satterfield has said very clearly that when it comes to UN provided humanitarian assistance, like humanitarian assistance through UNRWA, there’s been no evidence of diversion to Hamas.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And that–
SEN. VAN HOLLEN: So he’s said this very, very clearly.
MARGARET BRENNAN: –and all of Congress has received that information?
SEN. VAN HOLLEN: I have tried to tell my colleagues who keep coming back from meeting with Netanyahu government officials spreading this- this lie, this myth about diversion from UNRWA. Now there may be diversion in other places, but not from UNRWA.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator, we’ll watch what happens in the coming days. We’ll be back in a moment.
The state said the five recently traveled together to “a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak.”
Maryland health officials confirmed five more measles cases, all in Carroll County.
“These individuals recently traveled together to a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak,” the state Department of Health said in a release.
The agency said others may have been exposed on the afternoon of July 13 in the emergency department waiting room at Carroll Hospital Center in Westminster.
Another measles case recently prompted warnings from health officials in Maryland, Virginia and the District. On June 17, a Maryland resident traveled through Dulles International Airport and visited a D.C. urgent care clinic.
Measles is highly contagious. It can spread through the air through coughs, breathing, and sneezes. Early symptoms can include fevers of over 101 degrees, coughs, runny noses, watery eyes and face or body rashes.
It can take up to 21 days after exposure for the first symptoms to appear, and those who are not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles are especially vulnerable.
The five new measles cases in Maryland bring the state’s year-to-date total to nine. The state health department confirmed three cases in 2025, and one in each of the previous two years.
“All Marylanders should review potential exposure times, watch for symptoms, and confirm they are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations,” the health department said.
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Baltimore may be under an extreme heat alert, but residents can dream about autumn, as tickets are now on sale for the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show returning to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in October.
This three-day celebration of home and garden takes place from Friday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Expect hundreds of exhibitors, local makers, home improvement experts, family-friendly experiences and celebrity guests. The show offers everyone the chance to explore the very latest in home improvement, landscaping, outdoor living and decor, the chance to take part in hands-on experiences, and do some holiday shopping all under one roof.
This year’s show will have more than 300 exhibitors, including more than 100 crafters from around Maryland in the Makers Market. There will be unique exhibits, stage presentations and a special appearance by Chase Morrill, Ashley Morrill-Eldridge and Ryan Eldridge from Magnolia Network’s hit series “Maine Cabin Masters.” The three will have two Main Stage appearances, one on Friday, Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. and the second on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12 p.m.
“As temperatures start to drop and the holiday season comes into view, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show is a place to gather ideas, meet local experts and get inspired before the busy season begins,” said Dave Paul, show manager, in a statement. “Whether attendees are planning a home project, looking for outdoor living ideas or getting a head start on holiday shopping, the show brings together resources and experiences for every kind of homeowner, maker and DIY enthusiast.”
In addition to the Makers Market and stars of “Maine Cabin Masters”, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show will have a petting zoo, a Kids Market where attendees can shop from local children, and much more.
Tickets are available online and at the door. Prices are as follows:
Online:
- Adults: $8
- Senior Citizens (60+): $6
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- 4-Pack Online: $30 for four tickets, valid for one admission each and one day only
At the door:
- Adults: $10
- Senior Citizens (60+): $8
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- Friday & Saturday: $4 after 4 p.m. at the door only
Special Offers:
- Active and retired military personnel, veterans, firefighters and police officers receive free admission all weekend, along with one guest, with valid ID at the box office.
- Attendees who show a CharmPass app, Light RailLink ticket or eligible transit pass at the box office receive free admission any day of the show. One admission is available per pass.
The Maryland State Fairgrounds is located at 2200 York Road in Lutherville-Timonium.
Related
Maryland
Maryland police arrest alleged bank robber wielding stolen cat: ‘Tried to use her as an accessory’
Law enforcement agencies are accustomed to dealing with cat burglars – but now a Maryland police department is saying it grappled with a cat-wielding bank robber.
The Prince George’s county police department said its officers arrested a man suspected of stealing a cat and then taking the animal with him to a PNC bank branch in the local community of Beltsville to rob the establishment on Monday morning.
“The cat was returned” after the suspect was arrested, the police department said in a statement to the Guardian on Tuesday. The agency said no injuries were reported, and it declined to name the suspect or release additional details, saying the case – bound for a spot in the annals of bizarre reported US crimes – remained under investigation.
Nonetheless, a social media post from rescue shelter Beltsville Community Cats provided more information.
A Beltsville Community Cats Facebook page post on Monday identified the cat at the center of the alleged botched caper as Magnolia, a three-and-a-half-month-old tuxedo kitten. The shelter recounted how the suspect first snatched Magnolia from her “adoption habitat” at Beltsville’s Pet Supplies Plus store, took her across the parking lot to a PNC branch, and “tried to use her as an accessory in [an] attempted robbery”.
“He asked the bank manager to hold the kitten while he wrote a note, then handed the note to a teller demanding all the cash,” the post continued. “Thankfully, the robbery was unsuccessful, the suspect was arrested, and Magnolia was found safe and sound in the bank manager’s office, where the two had bonded over their shared ordeal.”
Pet Supplies Plus store employees told the NBC affiliate in nearby Washington DC that Magnolia’s cat napper had come in daily for about two weeks and focused on the kitten each time.
Finally, on Monday, he managed to use a key to open a cat adoption area and whisked Magnolia away, store employees said to the outlet, WRC.
Store manager Aaron Kurkowski told WRC that Magnolia’s thief “came in and saw none of my team was nearby the front – and he just went right to her and ran right on out”.
According to WRC, Stephanie Stullich of Beltsville Community Cats then received a call from a pet store employee who alerted her to Magnolia’s plight.
That prompted Stullich to run over to the store, where she said to WRC that she “immediately saw all of these police cars and … thought, ‘Wow, that’s a heck of a response for a stolen cat’.”
“But then I realized they all were going down to the bank,” Stullich recalled to WRC. “They came back out a few minutes later and said, ‘Yes, there is a cat inside the bank.’”
Two days before her catnapping, Magnolia was the subject of a Beltsville Community Cats Facebook post inviting people to see her at Pet Supplies Plus and consider adopting her.
Magnolia as of Monday was still waiting to be adopted, Beltsville Community Cats said in its post detailing the bank robbery.
The non-profit organization offered members of the public the opportunity to apply to adopt Magnolia by emailing rescue@beltsvillecats.net.
Beltsville Community Cats’ post also joked that Magnolia’s “brief ‘life of crime’ is behind her” – except for undoubtedly “stealing” hearts, treats, toys and cuddles wherever her forever home may be.
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