Larry Hogan responds to questions from reporters Oct. 10 after participating in U.S. Senate debate at Maryland Public Television in Owings Mills. Photo by William J. Ford.
Almost two years after he left office, former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) is looming over the legislative conversation in Annapolis.
It may not be too much of a stretch to say he’s having more influence now than he did during his eight years as governor, when the Democrats who ran the General Assembly basically did everything they wanted ― even though they never fully came to terms with the idea that the guy was elected twice.
As soon as Time magazine ran the first of its two bombshell stories earlier this month about Hogan’s real estate clients getting lucrative state contracts during his time as governor (more on that later), Democrats in the legislature said they would introduce a bill in the 2025 session to ensure that governors take adequate steps to separate their business interests from their official acts.
Given the fact that the prime sponsor of the legislation will be House Environment and Transportation Committee Chair Marc Korman (D-Montgomery), and that it has already been endorsed by House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County), it has a pretty good chance of passing. Take that, Larry Hogan!