Bay Ledger News Zonebill@blnz.comtag:www.blnz.com,2009:people/martin_omalleytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/15/Maryland_votes_death_penalty_a145

Maryland is poised to become the 18th US state to abolish executions after lawmakers voted Friday to end use of the death penalty.

2013-03-16T03:24:02ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/06/Maryland_moves_abolish_death_penalty_8001

Maryland, which has not executed any one since 2005, is set to abolish the death penalty for good within days, becoming the 18th US state to do so.

2013-03-06T22:27:15ZAFP American Editionby Romain Jeanticoutag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/01/15/Maryland_latest_state_move_against_98aa

The governor of the eastern US state of Maryland said Tuesday he will present a bill to abolish the death penalty.

2013-01-15T19:00:44ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/12/31/Mayoral_Aide_Scales_First_Inaugurate_210d

Baltimore mayoral aide Jim Scales and his partner will be the first couple to marry as Maryland's gay marriage law takes effect. Baltimore mayoral aide Jim Scales and his partner Bill Taskers will be the first couple to marry in Baltimore as Maryland's gay marriage law takes effect on January 1. While Baltimore's courthouse will remain closed for New Year's Day, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is opening City Hall at 12:30AM to host the weddings of seven couples. Maryland 's law is the third and last to take effect after winning voter approval in November. Couples began marrying in Washington state on December 9 and in Maine on Saturday. Clerks began issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples after Governor Martin O'Malley certified election results nearly three weeks ago, but none become effective until the new year. ?New Years Day will have a new meaning for the hundreds ? if not thousands ? of couples who will finally have the right to marry the person they love,? Mayor Raw

2012-12-31T00:00:00ZOn Top MagazineStafftag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/12/27/Maine_Maryland_Marriages_Start_This_c8f1

Gay marriage laws in Maine and Maryland begin in less than a week. Gay marriage laws in Maine and Maryland begin in less than a week. In both states, voters decided the issue. Maryland lawmakers approved a marriage equality bill and Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley signed it into law earlier this year. However, opponents mounted a ballot initiative to repeal it. Voters on November 6 decided to let the law take effect on January 1. Some Maryland clerks began issuing marriage licenses to gay couples on December 6, the day election results were certified. Supporters in Maine returned to the ballot box this year after opponents repealed a marriage equality law approved by lawmakers in 2009, making Maine the first state to legalize gay nuptials through a citizen initiative. The law takes effect on Saturday, December 29. The first weddings appear likely to take place in Portland, the state's largest city, which is scheduled to open City Hall at midnight to inaugurate the marriage law. Wit

2012-12-27T00:00:00ZOn Top MagazineCarlos Santoscoytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/12/07/Maryland_Begins_Issuing_Marriage_Licenses_7083

Maryland on Thursday began issuing marriage licenses to gay couples. Maryland on Thursday began issuing marriage licenses to gay couples, more than three weeks before a law legalizing marriage equality in the state is set to take effect. Earlier in the day, Governor Martin O'Malley certified results of a ballot measure, known as Question 6, which upheld a gay marriage law approved by lawmakers. State Attorney General Doug Gansler concluded in a 19-page opinion that clerks of court may begin issuing such licenses before the law takes effect on January 1 so long as they are postdated. He added that clerks could choose to wait until January 2. A similar marriage law approved by voters in Washington state took effect on Thursday and clerks began issuing marriage licenses. In King County, which includes Seattle, offices opened at 12:01AM and within 3 hours the county announced it had broken its record for most marriage licenses issued in a day. Washington's three-day waiting period means th

2012-12-07T00:00:00ZOn Top MagazineCarlos Santoscoytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/11/30/Maryland_Begin_Issuing_Marriage_Licenses_4c48

Maryland may begin issuing marriage licenses to gay couples as early as next week. Maryland may begin issuing marriage licenses to gay couples as early as next week. In a 19-page opinion released Thursday, state Attorney General Doug Gansler concluded that clerks of court may begin issuing such licenses before the law takes effect on January 1 so long as they are postdated, the AP reported. Opponents of gay marriage mounted a ballot initiative to repeal a marriage law approved by lawmakers earlier this year. Gansler vocally supported passage of the law, as did Governor Martin O'Malley, who signed the bill into law. Voters on November 6 upheld the law, allowing it to take effect on January 1. Gansler said clerks may being issuing marriage licenses on December 6, after the election results have been certified. He added that clerks could choose to wait until January 2. A similar marriage law approved by voters in Washington state will take effect on December 6. (Related: Seattle City Hall

2012-11-30T00:00:00ZOn Top MagazineStafftag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/11/08/Brendon_Ayanbadejo_Martin_OMalley_Cheer_6765

Brendon Ayanbadejo and Martin O'Malley on Wednesday cheered passage of Question 6. Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo and Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley on Wednesday cheered passage of Question 6, which upholds a gay marriage law approved by lawmakers. The law will now take effect on January 1. Voters in Maine and Washington state also approved similar measures on Tuesday, while Minnesotans rejected a constitutional amendment which sought to limit marriage to heterosexual couples. (Related: Gay rights groups buoyed by election day victories.) ?I'm so stoked,? Ayanbadejo, who had strongly backed the measure, told the Associated Press. ?It's like I woke up and it was Christmas.? O'Malley, who signed the bill into law, lauded the results in a series of tweets to his more than 31,800 followers: ?Tonight, we made history. We voted for dignity. We voted for marriage equality.? ?By voting for marriage equality, the people of our State affirmed that we are One Maryland & we're a

2012-11-08T00:00:00ZOn Top MagazineStafftag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/11/07/Maryland_Upholds_Marriage_b815

Maryland voters on Tuesday upheld a gay marriage law approved by lawmakers. Maryland voters on Tuesday upheld a gay marriage law approved by lawmakers. Media called a win for Question 6 at about 12:30AM ET Wednesday morning. According to POLITICO.com, the measure was passing 51.8% to 48.2% with 92.8% of precincts reporting After an effort to legalize gay nuptials in 2011 failed in the House of Delegates, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley announced that he would follow in New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's footsteps and shepherd the bill through the Legislature. Openly gay and allied members of the House championed the bill with emotional pleas to their colleagues. Passage was won with a compromise: the law would not take effect until January, giving opponents an opportunity to put the issue on the ballot in November. Opponents immediately vowed to do just that, forming the Maryland Marriage Alliance, its main contributor the National Organization for Marriage (NOM). The campaign that fol

2012-11-07T00:00:00ZOn Top MagazineCarlos Santoscoytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/11/06/Brendon_Ayanbadejo_Martin_OMalley_Were_278d

Brendon Ayanbadejo and Martin O'Malley are among those featured in a new ad for Question 6. Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo and Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley are among those featured in a new ad for Question 6, which would uphold a gay marriage law approved by Maryland lawmakers. ?I'm for all Americans being treated the same,? Ayanbadejo says in the 60-second video. ?For equality, for fairness, for religious freedom vote for Question 6,? O'Malley says. (The video is embedded on this page. Visit our video library for more videos.) Ayanbadejo is among a handful of high-profile athletes taking a public stance on the issue. Teammate Matt Birk has also, recording ads for opponents of Question 6. (Related: Matt Birk claims gay marriage would strip rights from Christians.) O'Malley, who signed the bill into law, has strongly backed passage of the measure. Maryland is one of four states where the issue of marriage equality is on the ballot. Voters in Washington are also deci

2012-11-06T00:00:00ZOn Top MagazineStafftag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/11/05/Mike_Bloombergs_Marriage_Support_Caused_1f6e

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's support for gay marriage is being blamed for causing superstorm Sandy. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's support for gay marriage is to blame for causing superstorm Sandy, Pastor Luke Robinson of Quinn Chapel AME Church in Frederick, Maryland claimed on Sunday. At a rally sponsored by the Maryland Marriage Alliance, the group working to defeat passage of Question 6, which would uphold a gay marriage law approved by Maryland lawmakers, Robinson noted Bloomberg's support for the measure, which included donating $250,000 of his own money towards Question 6 and traveling to Baltimore to campaign on the issue with Governor Martin O'Malley and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. ?While he was here, he got word that he needed to go back to New York because a storm was going to hit New York and he needed to go back and make preparations,? Robinson is quoted as saying by gay weekly the Washington Blade. ?On October 28, a storm hit New York. An

2012-11-05T00:00:00ZOn Top MagazineStafftag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/11/04/Martin_OMalley_Calls_Opponents_Question_6047

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley is calling out opponents of Question 6, calling their tactics 'deceptive'. Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley is calling out opponents of Question 6, calling their tactics ?deceptive.? In a 45-second ad released Saturday by Marylanders for Marriage Equality, the group working to approve the ballot question which would uphold a gay marriage law approved by lawmakers, O'Malley makes a final pitch to voters. ?It's sad that the opponents of Question 6 are trying so hard to scare people with their misleading and deceptive tactics,? O'Malley said. In the final days of the campaign, opponents have released ads claiming that the law would limit religious freedoms and harm children. ?But the truth is very simple. Question 6 treats everyone equally under the law, and fairly. It allows 2 adults to commit to someone they love. That's it. No one is forced to do anything. And there are strong religious freedom protections for people of all faiths.? ?That's why leader

2012-11-04T00:00:00ZOn Top MagazineStafftag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/11/02/Maryland_Marriage_Advocates_Its_Time_a6c9

With just 4 days left before the election, supporters of Question 6 released an ad stating it's time to legalize gay marriage. With just 4 days left before the election, supporters of Question 6 on Friday released what appears to be their final pitch to voters. Passage of the measure would uphold a gay marriage law approved by lawmakers. In the 30-second ad, a male announcer reminds viewers of the campaign?s high-profile endorsements, which include Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. ?Maryland, it's time. Time for marriage equality,? the announcer says. ?While there are those trying to divide us, presidents Obama and Clinton stand with us. Pastors, business leaders, newspapers, Democrats and Republicans are all coming together for Question 6. Because it's about fairness, treating everyone equally under the law. And who could be against that?? (The video is embedded on this page. Visit our video library for more videos.) Others include in the video who support passage of Question

2012-11-02T00:00:00ZOn Top MagazineStafftag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/10/29/Deadly_cyclone_Sandy_crashes_into_84d5

Monster storm Sandy roared in off the Atlantic on Monday flooding cities along the eastern US coast and pushing storm-force winds, torrential rain and heavy snow deep inland.

2012-10-30T00:42:05ZAFP Global Editionby Sebastian Smithtag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/10/29/Hurricane_Sandy_batters_East_Coast_f2f9

Storm-driven waves crashed ashore and flooded seafront communities across the US East Coast on Monday as Hurricane Sandy barreled towards land amid catastrophic predictions.

2012-10-29T19:45:49ZAFP Global Editionby Sebastian Smithtag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/10/29/Sandy_intensifies_turns_toward_coast_d03e

Hurricane Sandy intensified Monday as it roared toward the US East Coast, bringing New York, Washington and other major cities to a standstill, amid warnings of life-threatening floods.

2012-10-29T17:14:51ZAFP Global Editionby Sebastian Smithtag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/10/29/Fatalities_inevitable_Sandy_targets_Maryland_fa03

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley said Monday fatalities are inevitable as Hurricane Sandy bears down on Mid-Atlantic states with all its force.

2012-10-29T16:35:21ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/10/29/Fatalities_inevitable_Sandy_targets_Maryland_8029

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley said Monday fatalities are inevitable as Hurricane Sandy bears down on the Mid-Atlantic state with all its force.

2012-10-29T15:31:49ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/10/28/Obama_campaign_worries_storm_could_d472

President Barack Obama's jittery campaign voiced fears Sunday that Hurricane Sandy could hurt his re-election chances by reducing turnout, as the storm forced both candidates to cancel campaign stops.

2012-10-28T22:41:29ZAFP Global Editionby Andrew Gullytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/10/28/Obama_campaign_fears_impact_Hurricane_67ec

A top aide to Barack Obama voiced fears Sunday that Hurricane Sandy could hurt the president's re-election chances by reducing turnout, as the impending storm forced both candidates to cancel campaign stops.

2012-10-28T18:07:19ZAFP Global Editionby Andrew Gully