Free Republic

A member of the Legislative Black Caucus from Baltimore City has resigned from the group over remarks purportedly made by the caucus’ leader. Her decision comes just days before the House of Delegates votes on a new speaker, amid signs that a leading candidate — a member of the caucus from Prince George’s County — may be preparing to align himself with Republican legislators in order to win the position. That decision has frayed relations within the 98-member Democratic caucus – which includes 45 members of the black caucus. The LBC is scheduled to meet Monday afternoon in Annapolis –...

The chairman of Maryland’s Legislative Black Caucus on Thursday fired back at the state’s Democratic Party over what he called “bullying” and “threatening” attempts to prevent a political deal to elect the state’s first African American speaker of the House of Delegates. Del. Darryl Barnes, chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus, said Democratic Party Chairwoman Maya Rockeymoore Cummings is attempting to intimidate black lawmakers from partnering with Republicans to elect a black speaker.

A white lawmaker from Har­ford County apologized to the leaders of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland for using a racial slur to describe a legislative district in Prince George’s County — but also told her black colleagues that she did not recall saying it, according to two lawmakers who attended the meeting.Caucus members confronted Del. Mary Ann Lisanti (D) on Monday night over allegations that she told a white colleague, during an after-hours gathering at an Annapolis cigar bar, that when he campaigned in Prince George’s on behalf of a candidate last fall he was door-knocking in a “n-----...

Maryland political leaders from both parties and civil rights groups made growing calls for the resignation of a Democratic state lawmaker on Wednesday, after she used a racial slur for African-Americans at an after-hours gathering. The chairs of the Maryland Democratic Party and the Maryland Republican Party, as well as Gov. Larry Hogan and the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland called on Del. Mary Ann Lisanti to resign, a day after she issued a public apology for making the comment last month in reference to Prince George's County, which is majority black.

A Maryland Democratic lawmaker apologized to the state’s Legislative Black Caucus Monday after calling a district in Prince George’s County a “n***** district.” Del. Mary Ann Lisanti, who is white, was approached by the caucus regarding her alleged remarks Monday night, after news broke that Lisanti had said the racial slur at a cigar bar in Annapolis, Maryland, while speaking to a colleague, who was also white, after work late one night. The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland chair, Del. Darryl Barnes, said Lisanti apologized multiple times but also added he thinks anyone who uses the word is “a reflection...

A Maryland Democratic lawmaker apologized to the state’s Legislative Black Caucus Monday after calling a district in Prince George’s County a “n***** district.” Del. Mary Ann Lisanti, who is white, was approached by the caucus regarding her alleged remarks Monday night, after news broke that Lisanti had said the racial slur at a cigar bar in Annapolis, Maryland, while speaking to a colleague, who was also white, after work late one night. “She apologized several times,” Barnes, a Democrat, said. “She recognizes how she has hurt so many within the caucus, and she hoped to repent from this. She said...

A Maryland Democratic lawmaker apologized to the state’s Legislative Black Caucus Monday after calling a district in Prince George’s County a “n***** district.” Del. Mary Ann Lisanti, who is white, was approached by the caucus regarding her alleged remarks Monday night, after news broke that Lisanti had said the racial slur at a cigar bar in Annapolis, Maryland, while speaking to a colleague, who was also white, after work late one night. The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland chair, Del. Darryl Barnes, said Lisanti apologized multiple times but also added he thinks anyone who uses the word is “a reflection...