Once more into the breach Now in his 20th year as Senate president, Miller looks to the future and to history I'3L7

G*v>t take some from your enemy. Well, it's the Ehrlich, who's facing a tough election and same with revenue. You want to keep the trying to appease numerous special inter­ revenues in your state, and at the same time est groups with state spending. It means get other states' revenues into your state. he's forcing the General Assembly to be the year are doing everything Ihey can to take And ttiat's what Delaware and Pennsylvania bad guys and say no. voters away from the other side. and West Virginia are doing. They're hav­ We ratcheted up spending affordability I go back actually way before my 20- ing M;jrylanders go to Delaware and Penn­ 8.9 percent at his request and at his staffs re­ year period. 1 started off in 1962 as the driv­ sylvania and West Virginia, and between quest so he could come in within that cap er for the Republican candidate for governor. $700 million and $800 million a year is going and at the same time be fiscally responsible. 1 was 18 and he was a family friend, and so out of the state with people that want the en­ Instead, his political people told him to just I worked for tlie Republicans for almost a joyment of playing these video-lottery ter­ break tlie bank. He came in at 11.4 percent year and enjoyed it thoroughly. People like minals. He campaigned for office against 'Gover­ Charles 'Mac' Mathias, who was a U.S. con­ \ldeo-lottery terminals are not a good nor Spendening,' but he's making 'Gover­ gressman, Theodore McKeldin had just fin­ idea. Anybody who knows anything about nor Spendening' look like a piker. So, I don't ished being governor. These are all liberal them knows that they're not a good bet. know if we can do it or not. They're a source of enjoyment for many, Republicans, very liberal people. ... It's all I'm just going to encourage members to changed. I saw that first as a campaign work­ mostly people who should know better. be better than him. I'll encourage members er, and then I saw it as a staff person wher But at the same time, philosophically to recognize we have this Triple-A bond rat­ 1 came here in 1967 as a bill drafter. And you might not like mem, but pragmatically ing, and encourage the members and say then in 1970 I was elected to tlie House of — and I'm very much a pragmatist, that's a 'look, you don't want tax increases in fu­ Delegates, and then in 19741 was elected to good point about me and that's a bad point ture years. If you don't want them, then be a state senator, and then in 1986 I was about me — you can't be opposed to them. ' make sure you balance this budget with elected president of the Senate. So I've had If you put them at the racetracks, where only modest increases in spending.' I'm not the opportunity to see almost 45 years of Marylanders have allowed gambling to take sure if well be able to do that. I hope we can. change in Maryland. I've seen dramatic place for hundreds of years — Maryland's a changes over tlie years." cradle of racing in the United States, this is In addition to the budget, how will tlie where racing started — but between each upcoming election affect the session, race is half an hour of down time. If you How have you changed your leadership and how might it differ from past elec­ put them there at the racetracks only, not in style with a Republican governor? tion-year sessions? For the past; three years, I haven't. He neighborhoods or fire departments, only at It's hard to say in addition to the budget, was elected by the people, and we both raceuacks and all the money goes to edu­ because the budget is really morally what swore to uphold the laws of the state of cation, 75 percent of tlie people say they're you're all about, it's ethically what you're Maryland and serve the same electorate. I for them and 25 percent are opposed. all about. Drug addicts don't vote. People in made a point. to tiy to pass his legislation and If you simply just say "are you for slot prisons don't vote. Foster-care parents don't work with tliis governor. machines?" there'd be a slight majority for vote. Tlie question is, do you provide for This year is very challenging because them and a very close minority opposed to them? Do you provide for them, disabled he's involved in a very tough election cam­ them. The reason they're at racetracks in kids, handicapped and physically challenged paign and, in order to win, he's got to raise Pennsylvania and Delaware and West, Vir­ people? Do you provide for them in tlie bud­ more money than has ever been raised be­ ginia is not because they're the best loca­ get in a way we haven't for the past several fore in Maryland politics. He's got to recruit, tions, but because they're politically doable. years, or do you go to your donor base? Do candidates to run against my dear friends in The public accepts them. They want the you say 1 need votes from ethnic groups? the Democratic majority in the Senate, and money kept in the state. Traditioiially, the Democratic base has been, he's got to advocate their loss, despite the A good location would be Laurel, in a Marylanders of Jewish faith have tended to fact that they've worked hard to pass his central part of the state. The senator for vote for Democrats. Marylanders of African- agenda the past, three years. So our rela- Laurel supports them at the tracks. Another . American 'background have tended to vote tionsliip is a little challenging this year. As a one would be Rocky Gap. ... We have a for Democrats. So do I try to buy their votes person, I like him, and I like his wife. And I conference center that's very well inten- by putting money into Jewish projects, or think they like me. They might not, be happy tioned but it's not paying its way, and [if it African-American projects, or areas where with me, but I think they like me. had slots] it would get people from Penn­ people are looking for votes, rather than do­ sylvania and West Virginia there, too. In my ing what's best for all of Maryland? You've been tlie governor's biggest ally own district, each month I have the Ameri­ in the General Assembly for the legal­ can Legion, I have senior citizens' groups, I And that's going to be the challenge that we have to res{>ond to, is just sorting through ization of slots. Why do you support have church groups, they get on buses and the politics of the budget Saying, you know slots in Maryland, and do you think it they go to Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and it's just money going out of the state there are drug addicts and alcoholics waiting will pass eventually? that could be spent on school construction for beds for recovery here. And there's fos­ It's going to pass eventually. It should've or teachers' pensions. ter children in City that are not be­ passed three years ago. We've lost, really, bil­ ing checked up on monthly, much less year­ lions of dollars to our sister states. And this ly, in terms of whether they're being abused What do you think is going to be the is personal disposable income. Each state or whether they're getting die proper atten­ most pressing issue facing the General only has so much personal disposable in­ tion. A lot of this budget is just election-year Assembly this session? come within its borders. politics. I'm not saying that William Donald The willingness of Democrats to be fis­ Politics is sort of like wan you hold onto Schaefer didn't do the same thing, or Gov. cally responsible in the face of the election- your own, and you take some from the oth­ Glendening didn't do die same tiling- But er person. And that's what you do with war. year budget proposed by Gov. Robert You don't lose vour own troous and von and they raped her, murdered her, set her dependence served as president of Senate. body on file. And when her parents went to we have this Triple-A bond rating, and we're You've had Daniel Carroll serve, whose court, they were jostled by the attorney for the ones who have to be fiscally responsible brother founded Georgetown College, and the defendant. The parents were excluded and we're the ones who have to have the who, at the constitutional convention in from the courtroom. They weren't able to willpower to say no. If it's right, we're going 1787, was responsible for the 10th amend­ see anything that was going on. They weren't, to do it, and if it's wrong we hopefully will ment to the Constitution. He was also re­ able, at the time of the sentencing, to say have the ability to say no. sponsible for the direct election of the pres­ what their child's life meant The judge could ident by the people. You had, as president of only give |the defendants} life imprisonment. Looking back, what are some of the the , General William Small- They weren't able to tell the jury that they'd most important actions the Senate has wood, who led the Maryland line at the bat­ be eligible for parole after 11 years. It was taken under your leadership? tle of Brooklyn Heights. George Washington just a tragedy. So we passed all these dif­ I think the things I'm most proud of be­ said that if it hadn't been for that Maryland ferent laws. I sponsored one that said the vic­ fore I became president, the things that line, there might not have been an America, tims couldn't be excluded from the court­ had the most effect, are the domestic-re­ because they had suffered 90 percent casu­ room. Two, that they had a right, at the time lations laws. ... In other words, before I alties and saved his army. of sentencing, to tell the judge what their introduced a bill, judges had to follow ti­ Louis Goldstein, who was my mentor, child's life meant to them, to have victims' tle. So, if you were a housewife and you was president of the Senate. ! impact statements. Throe, that when yon had been a housewife all your life, but my dear friend the congressman, was pres­ have a first-degree murder case, if the deal h your husband had the house in his name ident of the Senate. It's just a wonderful po­ penalty's not imposed, you have to serve 2l> and the car in his name and his IRA in sition. I'm thrilled by what the position yeans before you could be paroled. And then his name and the pension in his name, means. I've studied legislative processes all finally 1 passed a constitutional amendment the judge couldn't touch it. The judge had over the United States. I work at the job, I en­ for victims. Victims have'a right to know to say 'okay, it's all the husband's. Period' joy it, and I constantly seek ways to im­ about continuances, to know about plea So this bill I passed opened everything. It prove the Maryland Senate. bargains, to know what's going on in the did away with title in the state. And it I fully integrated every office here. There courtroom. said everything is an open pot and the were no here when I judge can go and sort through the equities came. The first African-American bill drafter and award things however he or she The position of Senate president re­ worked for me before I was president of wants to award them. At the same time, quires a lot of time and energy. Why is the Senate when I was chairman of the ju­ they must recognize a spouse's duties as the sacrifice worth it? dicial proceedings committee. When I be­ a homemaker. If you have a love for the state. ... In came the president of the Senate, I inte­ this office is just an example of the history My wife, we raised five kids and have 10 grated the desk officers, I integrated my of­ I've got, and I surround myself with history grandMds. She never worked apart from fice, I integrated the secretary of the Senate's every day and every night. I'm so honored to the home once she started having children. office. be here. This is James Ryder Randall [point­ And, I mean, certainly people like her should At the same time, I also provided jobs for ing to a portrait on the wall in his office], be recognized in any type of domestic set­ women. My mother was a very strong ad­ who wrote 'Maryland, My Maryland' from Al­ tlement. And I think that's a bill that had vocate for women, and in 1972 one of the abama right at the beginning of the Civil the most far-reaching implications. first bills I sponsored in the House was the War. In terms of being the president of the Equal Rights Amendment At the same time, Senate, probably the Thornton formula This is Gov. [standing, I did away with some archaic laws. I re­ would be huge. To get the votes to go for­ and pointing to other portraits], from my quired committees to have recorded votes. ward and say 'Look, we're going to make a district in Prince George's County. I provided each member with a computer. massive commitment to education, with bil­ This is Thomas Pratt, he was also from Put all of our proceedings online. I provided lions of dollars being spent over a protract­ Prince George's County. He saved the state them each with adequate staff. I worked ed period of time.' And I appointed the very from bankruptcy. He put the first estate tax hard, and it took me 14 years to get them in brightest and best members of the Senate to in place in Maryland to save us from a new building. I read what's happening in the committee, Sen. Bobby Neall, Sen. Bar­ bankruptcy. other states. I study other states and I look bara Hoffman. This is Henry Clay over here, who wrote for ways we can improve the Maryland Gen­ Bobby, I know he's very much a fiscal the Missouri Compromise at the Riversdale eral Assembly and I come back with ideas. xmservative and I got him to buy into it, or Mansion in Prince George's County. 1 honestly believe that the place is better he got me to buy into it. We come from a This is John Surratt. for me having been here. I want to make cer­ similar background, in Southern Maryland, Tliis is my home right here, Clinton, tain this is as good or better when I leave, as where education was so important, because Maryland, Surrattsville. My family owned it was when I found it" we didn't have industry, or job-creating busi­ this building for a number of years.... nesses. It's really had a major effect on the This is Joshua Barney, who led the In 50 or 100 years, when someone like people of the state of Maryland. American troops into the Battle of Bladens- yourself looks back at your time as pres­ burg, up here. I'm responsible for a lot of the victims' ident of the Senate, how will you be re­ I read history every night. I enjoy it. So legislation in the state. Probably 20 years membered? What will be your legacy? being the president of the Senate where ago a girl in my district, Stephanie Roper, I don't know that you have one signature you've had people like Charles Carroll, the was home from college for Christmas break, item. I would like to think that I did my very only Catholic signer of the Declaration of In­ and she'd gone from her girlfriend's house best for education in every way possible. and her car broke down along the road. And these two people on PCP picked her up, C*n't. The o.Highest time for me was (he abor­ I do, but I trunk some of the sting has tion issue. I'm Catholic, I'm one of 10 chil­ been taken out of it by Gov. Ehrlich's pro­ Whether it's school construction, K-12, trying dren. My mother was pro-choice, and my posal, although I don't think the governor to keep tuition down for liigher education. father was a conservative Catholic, but he understands the proposal fully. One day he In those eight years working with Gov. said, 'k ok, it should be between a woman says it's embryonic, the next day he says Glendening. even though he and I dis­ and her physician. It doesn't even belong in it's not, and the next day he says he's going agreed a lot, we both supported the envi­ the General Assembly.' Arid, what hap­ to let TEDCO decide. He wants to hold ronment, and in those eight years we re­ pened was Sen. Paula Hollinger, a great onto his evangelical base, but at the same ally preserved and protected more land leader, and Sen. Barbara Hoffman, another time I think he honestly and truly in his than all the other administratioits com­ great leader, said "we want tliis issue taken own heart believes in embryonic stem- bined since the time Maryland was found­ up.' Well, the previous president of the Sen­ cell research. At least the way it was pro­ ed. So, I think in terms of education and ate was of the Jewish faith, Mickey Stein­ posed last year is that it would only use the environment, those would be my two berg, and he knew this was a fire bell ring­ embryonic stem cells that were discarded lasting legacies. ing in lie night. He knew what it would from in-vitro fertilization. None could be do to the floor of the Senate, so he kept sold. There was no provision to allow for ... I think I've been able to pick the best cloning. people to do the jobs, and let them do it pushing it under the rug, he wouldn't even It's going be a tough debate, no matter without heavy handedness. Since my first take it up. So, here I am, Catholic, and I get year I was unopposed, and so therefore they what. But we're going to have a lot of de­ up to Ore rostrum, and these two Jewish bates like that this year, especially in the gave me a free hand at picking the first women came up to me and said 'it's time budget process." chairmen. It was very difficult. But I select­ now.' And the problem was they could get ed a woman chair-, Sen. Cathy Riley from enough votes to pass it, but they couldn't Harford County; an African-American chair, get enough votes to cut off debate. Even Sen. Clarence Blount from Baltimore City; a though they had worked very hard. So, Jewish chair from Montgomery County, Sen. consequently, we had a filibuster that last­ Larry Levitan; and Walter Baker from the up­ ed eight days and eight nights. So they start­ per Eastern Shore, a conservative. So 1 rec­ ed this filibuster, and all my buddies were ognized the diversity of Maryland in my four on trie other side. It was; 16 men on the chairmanships, and they were all great lead­ other side filibustering. And they said, "why ers. In 20 years, as one would go, we've aren't you with us?' and I said, "you know, been able to replace them with a person of I'm the president of the Senate and I rep­ equal abilities. And I've always had a bright resent everybody here.' So my job was to staff I let them call me names, and whatev­ try to break the debate, to get enough votes er they want to do, because they're brighter to stop the filibuster. Well, I got to 31 and I than me, and I just listen well. couldn't get the 32nd. It was just horrible. We couldn't get it off the floor, we couldn't Do you have any plans for retirement? get it back to committee and we couldn't Not yet. I'm going to run for re-election. get it over to the House of Delegates. And I intend to support whoever's running for nobody was willing to compromise. People governor, whether it's O'Malley or Duncan. were calling each other names. It was hor­ And Fve been raising money for the past rible. And finally, the compromise that they couple years to try to stave off Gov. Ehrlich fashioned was five people had to vote both and his $25 million that he's going to be way?, to get, the bill over to the House of throwing against Democrats in the state. Delegates to give the people an opportuni­ I don't think there's going to be a major ty to vote on it Five pragmatists said 'look, change in terms of Democrats and Repub­ we will vote to give the people a choice.' licans in the Senate and the House. I think Well, it got over to there for one hour and each party might be able to pick up one or the House looked at it and just killed the two either way. But it's going to be hard. Ev­ bill. But what happened was four of those erybody's going to be very challenged, so filibustering senators lost in the next elec­ we'll see what happens. tion. And it went to the ballot, and 65 per­ I think that, all in all, I've put good ethics cent of the people said 'we're a pro-choice rules in place since I've been here. We've cur­ state. That was probably the toughest part tailed fundraising during sessions. We've of my legislative career, just having to deal put tough rules on lobbyists and on the with that very divisive issue. I still have to members themselves — strong disclosure deal with it every Sunday when I go to laws. church, people look at me like why are The other thing is, I give everybody an you here? opportunity to be heard. My door's open to everybody, and at the same time I make Do you expect a divisive filibuster like certain that even' issue of importance to that one could happen on the stem-cell the public is voted on at least one time dur­ issue ? ing the cycle.