“Kavanaugh is a conservative who could upend precedents on matters from abortion to gay rights and to the powers of the executive branch. But former Maryland attorney general Doug Gansler, Democrat and a friend of Kavanaugh's of nearly 35 years, believes Kavanaugh could play a similar role like Kennedy on some issues before the court.  I don't see him, Brett Kavanaugh, as being the far, the Scalia, Thomas, Alito, far, far right. I think he'll probably be a swing vote on many, many issues going forward," Gansler said.  (WBALTV 11 News, Baltimore)

As the Democratic gubernatorial primary for the state of Maryland begins to draw near, every candidate has shown their own, unique perspective and arguments as to why they’d be a good fit to be Maryland's next leader at the top.  However, historically, one Democratic gubernatorial candidate always seems to throw himself into some sort of controversy that comes back to haunt not just this particular candidate, but the Democratic Party as a whole.  

Whether it be Doug Gansler’s reckless behavior as the state's former attorney general. “Gansler once ran four red lights with sirens blaring, a trooper wrote. Another account said he “brags” about driving the vehicle unaccompanied on weekends with the sirens on.  “This extremely irresponsible behavior is non-stop and occurs on a daily basis,” Lt. Charles Ardolini, commander of the state police executive protection section, wrote in a December 2011 memo that said the problem had existed for five years.”  (Washington Post). Better yet, how about the time Mr. Gansler attended a teenage drinking party and made every excuse he could to dig himself out of taking any blame or attempting to stop the underage drinking gathering as the states top law official. “Assume for purposes of discussion that there was widespread drinking at this party," Gansler, who is running for governor in 2014, told the paper. "How is that relevant to me?” (NPR) What about years back when Mr. Gansler was accused of spending campaign funds from his failed gubernatorial attempt in 2014 on lavish dinners and outings... “On January 4, 2016, Doug Gansler's son posted a picture on Facebook of the family at the glitzy Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming.  This year (reference to 2016 at the time), when Gansler filed his campaign finance report this year, it listed a whole series of expensive meals in Jackson Hole. $356 dollars at the Teton Mountain Lodge. $299 at the Four Seasons Handle Bar. $283 at Cafe Genevieve. $242 at the Pioneer Saloon in Ketchum, Idaho near Sun Valley.  All the expenses are billed as "Political Dinners." All the expenditure dates are reported as of May 6, 2016. And all were reimbursed to Gansler from the tens of thousands in donations that remain in his campaign coffers from his failed 2014 race for governor.  Maryland election law says campaign funds -- even leftover campaign funds -- cannot be used for the candidate's personal expenses.” (WUSA9 News)

I don’t write this opinion piece or bring up past stories to go after Mr. Gansler as a person, but as a potential leader for one of the 50 most powerful, elected leadership positions in our country, we in the Democratic Party cannot, and should not come close to nominating a man, who is not only close friends with but has openly supported a Supreme Court Justice, who is willing to overturn The Roe vs. Wade decision.  We cannot and should not nominate a man who has a list of problem-causing issues for the state's top position.  Doug Gansler doesn’t seem to be a man of his word based on the sources that have covered him in years past.  His arrogance and privilege should not carry him into the political limelight once more... If anything he should never consider a run at the office again.  We as a party, as a state, and as a people should know better than to even come close to nominating a man with so little values and so little care for anyone, but himself and his namesake.  There are eight other candidates in the primary besides Mr. Gansler.  For the sake of all that is good Maryland, let’s make the right decision and nominate someone who has a proven character of grace and a humble attitude this election cycle and not someone who is willing to curb all of that to the side for intolerable behavior.

-Zachary Wallace 

Wicomico Resident