Anne Arundel County's Firefighters Union endorsed Pete Smith for County Executive citing his strong "track record supporting working families and public safety." Former vice-president of the firefighters union Robert Howarth added that he has known Smith for years as a "stand-up" guy. "I've always liked what Pete has stood for and that's why I'm supporting him for county executive." The union highlighted Smith's past support for public safety and and highlighted Smith's plans to bring staffing levels to full strength throughout the county. #Odenton #Crofton #GlenBurnie #Laurel #Annapolis

Low voter turnout in communities like Odenton, Laurel, Glen Burnie, and Annapolis is a win for data centers, utility companies, cryptocurrency, and insurance interests. It's time to step up and vote during the Juneteenth Week of Celebration. #Odenton #Laurel #GlenBurnie #Annapolis #Maryland #GOTV

Full Russett Reader Endorsements for Fieldstone, Watershed, Maryland City, Russett, and Bacontown

Over $5 million Invested to Boost An Unknown Candidate in Baofo U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen is calling on voters to think twice about electing Oracle lobbyist Adrian Baofo. “I want to alert voters in Maryland’s 5th congressional district about the flood of outside special interest super PAC money that is coming into that district in support of one candidate, Adrian Boafo...voters need to understand that these groups are not investing in this race out of charity,” he said. “They are spending because they believe the beneficiary of their spending, in this case, one candidate, Adrian Boafo, will be a dependable vote in support of their special interests. That is my warning. And my warning is ‘voters beware.’” Van Hollen's warning about Baofo is unprecedented in its bluntness and urgency. Baofo is a relative unknown who briefly served on the Bowie City Council and as a first-term Delegate in the Maryland General Assembly. Over 20 candidates, including January 6 hero cop Harry Dunn, are vying for the 5th congressional district seat which includes Russett, Fieldstone, Maryland City, Watershed, and Bacontown. The congressional 5th race is eerily similar to the race for Maryland's 3rd congressional district race two years ago featuring another unknown candidate in Sarah Elfreth. Approximately $5M was also spent by "dark money" interest to select Elfreth. Van Hollen's warning about Baofo highlighted Baofo's connection to crypto-currency interests and the United Democracy Project/AIPAC which is aligned with controversial Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu is under investigation in several countries for war crimes. Two recent investigations into Baofo also flagged concerns about Baofo's work with data center and blockchain company Oracle. Oracle also has significant government contracts with I.C.E. A News 4 I-Team investigation conducted an investigation into Baofo and discovered that Baofo is actually a federal lobbyist for Oracle. Oracle is investing heavily into blockchain technology which requires significant data center capacity to operate. The NBC4 Washington investigation suggested that Baofo has not been entirely transparent about his connection to data center and blockchain special interests. A separate investigation by WAMU found that Baofo amended his ethics disclosure with the Maryland General Assembly, just before he filed to run for Congress, to reveal that he had received hundreds of thousands of dollars in stock options for his work on behalf of Oracle. Van Hollen's warning about the campaign is seen as a particular rebuke to retiring Congressman Steny Hoyer who has rallied support for Baofo. Baofo once served as Hoyer's campaign manager. Hoyer never once held any meetings in the greater Russett area and is unknown to many of its voters. Russett Reader has endorsed January 6 hero Harry Dunn in the congressional 5th district race to succeed Hoyer.

We are in a voting and civil rights emergency. MAGA has ordered a "code red" on our constitutional rights and now it's our turn to do something about it. With voting rights under attack across the country, where African American representation is being eliminated, particularly in Alabama and Tennessee, it is imperative that we send leaders to all corners of our government to fight for our voting and civil rights. Our history is stained with the blood of so many ancestors who gave so much for equal representation, equity in education, an equal vote, and who worked hard to secure the many protections afforded under our our Constitution. Our endorsements this year are particularly noteworthy because we've chosen fighters who have defended this country and a first responder who stood on the bloodied front lines of the January 6 riot to protect our voting rights. We would serve Fieldstone, Russett, Crofton, Watershed, Glen Burnie, Annapolis, Laurel Highlands, Odenton, Jessup, and Bacontown best by especially highlighting the following individuals: Steve Tillett is a man appointed for this time. An Air Force veteran, Tillett has worked nationally and across our community to fight for voting and civil rights. His experience leading Arundel Coming Together is especially needed at a time when even local Democrats are deeply fractured and motivated by only petty squabbles and revenge narratives that have nothing to do with addressing high electric bills or protecting your voting rights. Tillett's record of fighting for voting rights is unmatched in the contest for state Senate (District 32) against former Republican Mark Chang - it isn't even close folks! Pete Smith's story and journey in our country is nothing short of remarkable. It is a story of perseverance and resilience. Smith is a Major in our United States Marines. By the age of 12, Smith and his family were chronically homeless and had moved a dozen times due to evictions before he completed high school. Smith knows what it is like to struggle with high housing costs, electric bills, no food, and the cost of childcare. Smith has lived the "affordability crisis." Yet Smith has gone on to serve with distinction in our armed forces and on our County Council where he formerly served as Chair. Smith has led key fights for affordable housing while fighting for schools across our community. A comptroller and intelligence analyst by training, he is a sensible voice for economic development and a big advocate for veteran causes. Smith is best known throughout the state of Maryland as the "happy warrior"because of his role as the state coordinator for Toys for Tots which donates thousands of toys throughout Maryland to undeserved families. Smith is a single-dad of two kids. His work with Toys for Tots is a clear expression of his compassion and thoughtfulness undoubtedly informed by his own turbulent childhood. He accomplished all of this and beat the odds despite a rocky start in life. There is not one candidate in the state of Maryland with such an equally compelling narrative - let alone one that has accomplished so much despite the odds. This is the kind of tested leadership we need as County Executive in Anne Arundel County at this critical moment in time. The other three veterans in the race are Governor Wes Moore, Attorney General Anthony Brown, and Delegate Mike Rogers. All are Army veterans. Harry Dunn is a towering presence in the Congressional race for District 5 in Maryland. Dunn is best remembered as being one of many Capitol Hill police officers who faced down a mob attacking our Capitol on January 6, 2021. Over 170 police officers were injured and four died as a result of the attempted coup. Dunn has been one of the most vocal officers in the aftermath. Most notably, unlike the other 20 or so candidates in the field, Dunn is the only person with direct experience taking on Trump and his MAGA enablers. He takes on Trump everyday. No one else in the race can say that. Dunn is a regular contributor on MSNBC and continues to advocate for officers injured in the line of duty on January 6, 2021. If elected, Dunn will walk into the US House of Representatives with significant stature and the ability to continue his fight as a national foe against all forces attempting to roll back our voting rights. We cannot miss out on an opportunity to have Dunn serve us in the US House of Representatives - it's that important! Finally, you may be tempted to ignore the end of your ballot. Don't do it. Ann Kinard and Yemi Adetola are two candidates for the Democratic Central Committee who will be key to leading fights over the next couple of months over voting and civil rights. Kinard is a former radio talk show host and she is a founding member of the BOW Collective, a consortium of minority-women business owners. In addition, we need impartial and smart judges like Ginina Jackson-Stevenson. Stevenson will have to weigh in on a range of complex issues that will impact everyone's civil liberties.

One of the more striking accounts that County Executive candidate Pete Smith shares on the campaign trail is about his harrowing childhood growing up in Chicago. Smith moved over a dozen times before he completed high school. He was, as he described it, “chronically homeless” due to high rents and a lack of affordable options for his family. Smith’s family moved frequently and stayed with relatives after several evictions. “It was tough. It was bad. My mom worked numerous jobs as a single mother to take care of us, but the money was never ‘long’ enough despite the long hours she worked. A small closet—about maybe 5’ x 3’, if I’m being generous—was my bedroom in my aunt’s house in high school,” said Smith. Smith cites this experience as a motivation for his leadership in passing the Cottage Homes ordinance, which creates smaller affordable homes, and the Housing Attainability Act, which strengthened inclusionary zoning—particularly in Annapolis, Laurel, and Glen Burnie, where rents are rapidly rising. “The inclusionary zoning bill I helped sponsor required new apartment developments to set aside 10–15% of their total units for affordable housing. That means that out of 300 units, our bill helped ensure that 45 units would be set aside for hotel workers like my mom, for veterans, firefighters, or schoolteachers. That’s a big deal for people in Annapolis or even the Russett area, where it’s getting really expensive. So, it’s important to prioritize needs in this year’s budget that are aligned with housing and affordability, ” said Smith. Smith says this year’s budget includes key priorities to support his Affordability Agenda: $2M for the Anne Arundel County Food Bank Funding to support homeless youth. A reduction in property tax rate Funding to speed up design and construction for county public works projects A $73M increase for Anne Arundel County Public Schools—a $20M increase over last year’s budget Funding to support new case manager navigators to help residents find and keep health insurance amid rising costs Funding to hire 21 new firefighters in Annapolis and South County Smith said that as Vice Chair of the County Council, he has been able to work successfully with outgoing County Executive Steuart Pittman on these priorities for years. “Steuart is leaving, but the priorities remain the same. Overall, I’m proud of the priorities we have identified together. Increasing the schools budget helps to ensure funding for key initiatives like the Community Schools Program, which works to support struggling low-income students; providing $2M to the food bank helps everyone across the county; and our work to help people manage the cost of health insurance is a big win too. The pilot program to support homeless youth is personal to me, of course. We’ve also added significant funding for fire and police. Our budget reflects our values, and that’s important to me as a leader in this community for over 20 years now.” Smith, a Major in the United States Marines, said the next few weeks will be spent ironing out some details of the budget, but he feels confident that the priorities he identified will largely remain intact because they are practical solutions informed in part by his own experiences. “Look, one of the things you don’t forget as an 11-year-old is an eviction. It’s something that stays with you a long time, when you come home and find your household items on the curb. You don’t forget what it’s like to go to school hungry or to struggle to pay the light bill. That is my north star. I spend every day of my life not just talking about the working-class. I'm doing something about it. It’s why I work so hard to lead Toys for Tots throughout Maryland, it’s why I serve our great country, and it’s why I give my all to this county council.” #PeteSmith www.russettmaryland.com #AffordableHousing

(Second Row - Left to Right: Governor Wes Moore , Steve Tillett , Pete Smith )

Russett Reader - Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman Steuart Pittman has ruined the promise of public campaign finance. It's hard for us to to write that sentence. For years, Pittman has been the community’s chief evangelist for public campaign finance, promoting it as a way to reduce the obscene influence of corporations and so-called “dark money” in elections. In Anne Arundel County, the concept began with a sense of purpose: a taxpayer-supported system designed to match small-dollar donations and amplify the voices of everyday residents over big business. At its best, it’s a noble effort to level the playing field and strengthen democratic participation. In his March 20, 2026 weekly newsletter, Pittman wrote that he wants “to preserve the form of government created in our Constitution, the justice that was promised, the separation of powers…” He also criticized the influence of “big oil, military contractors, and pharmaceutical” companies, along with local political action committees (PACs) but especially developers (the same developers who's donations helped get him elected) on elections. Those are familiar—and often valid—concerns. But Pittman’s comments about preserving the integrity of our system struck us as odd and raise serious questions when viewed alongside his own actions. Let's look at two examples. First, in 2024, Pittman was prominently featured in an AIPAC ad for candidate Sarah Elfreth. That's AIPAC y'all not AFLAC. AIPAC is considered toxic and loathe by an ever increasing number of Democrats critical of the organization's deceptive campaign tactics and unwavering support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A recent Politico article show just how toxic AIPAC has become for many Democrats. Elfreth’s victory was fueled in large part by an extraordinary influx of nearly $5 million from AIPAC’s super PAC, the deceptively entitled “United Democracy Project.” AIPAC's spending on behalf of Elfreth saturated our television, radio, and Facebook feeds, helping propel her to a win despite the fact that many of us still do not know her. One of her opponents, former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn, became a national hero after defending our Capitol and democracy during the January 6 attack. Dunn quite literally stood on the front lines— in front of a racists and a rancid mob of election deniers and MAGA enablers—to fight for "the form of government created in our Constitution" that Pittman claims he wants to preserve. Yet Pittman endorsed Elfreth over Dunn and chose to align himself with an AIPAC campaign fouled by exactly the kind of high-dollar, "dark" money he routinely condemns. (L: January 6 Hero Harry Dunn; R: Dark Money Digital Ad by AIPAC for Sarah Elfreth Featuring Steuart Pittman) Secondly, a rather troubling controversy is brewing over one of Pittman's current staffers. James Kitchin is a senior aide running to replace Pittman. Several current and former staffers, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that Pittman is ignoring the "clean up dirty elections" rhetoric he espouses when it comes to Kitchin. They say that Kitchin's continued presence as a paid staff member for Pittman is an integrity issue too and said that Pittman's "virtue signaling" on the issue masks ethics concerns hiding in plain sight at Arundel Center. Their concerns also extend to other county employees who they say are actively working on Kitchin's campaign. "If Kitchin is showing up to a school or library talking about county services, is he doing that in his capacity as a paid staffer or as someone angling for office?," said a current staff member. "It gets really uncomfortable having to explain that to folks and there are voters who have complained." Several former staff members for Pittman said that the County Executive has been inconsistent when enforcing ethics about current county employees running for office and that he has almost certainly set the County on course for a lawsuit over Kitchin's continued employment. Several staffers said that there are unresolved questions about whether Pittman forced a former staff member to resign while running for office. "I am concerned by what I see as a double standard by Steuart. I'm in a bit of disbelief actually because of how he has treated this matter with another employee." Citing personnel concerns, the former staffer wouldn't elaborate on who was previously forced to resign while running for office. Their account of the employee's experience however was shared by several, former Pittman staffers. But the issue goes even further than Kitchin's taxpayer-funded salary, Kitchin is also benefiting from taxpayer-supported contributions through the County’s public campaign finance system—Pittman’s signature initiative. In effect, a senior member of Pittman’s own administration is subsisting and subsidizing his campaign on the taxpayers' dime. That's a really different world y'all and it is unprecedented. Kitchin is the behind-the-closed-door beneficiary of a system his boss created. We can all be forgiven if this is starting to look like a fishy scheme for well-placed government insiders. At the federal level, this kind of overlap would likely trigger scrutiny under the Hatch Act, which is designed to maintain a firewall between official government duties and political activity. The County's own ethics code forbids an employee from leveraging "county resources (time, supplies, equipment, etc.) to conduct or further any outside business or personal activity, including political and charitable activity, not related" to one's paid position. In addition to being paid by taxpayers and having his campaign subsidized by taxpayers, Kitchin has held or scheduled "listening" tours at several county (tax payer funded) libraries to advance his political campaign for office. How did that happen? It's a troubling stew and does nothing to build confidence in a public campaign finance system. Pittman has long argued that public campaign finance is a tool to reduce the influence of big business. But in his fouled version, public campaign finance risks becoming something else entirely under his administration: a system where big government and highly paid staffers become the untouchable insiders who dominant our elections. Those contradictions are hard to ignore. If Pittman wants to preserve the credibility of public campaign finance, he should start by fixing the "Kitchin problem" as one former staffer put it. Anything less undermines public campaign finance and the very democratic reforms he claims to champion.

As efforts to complete mid-cycle congressional redistricting in Maryland stall, two veterans running for office in Anne Arundel County — Steve Tillett  and Pete Smith  — led a rally in Annapolis on Saturday, March 7, commemorating the 61st anniversary of Bloody Sunday. On March 7, 1965 , civil rights leader and future congressman John Lewis led a march for voting rights across Selma, Alabama’s Edmund Pettus Bridge. The peaceful demonstration ended in brutal violence when Alabama state troopers attacked marchers with clubs and tear gas. Images of the assault shocked the nation and the world, becoming a turning point in the civil rights movement and helping spur passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. For Tillett and Smith , the anniversary carries modern echoes. Tillett, who supports mid-cycle congressional redistricting to counter newly drawn maps in Republican-led states, said the rally was a reminder that the fight for voting rights is ongoing. “This administration is making every effort to roll back our voting and civil rights,” Tillett said. “I defended this country as a member of our armed forces. I can’t and won’t sit back as a veteran, pastor, and member of this community and do nothing. Mid-cycle redistricting is the most important voting rights movement taking place in our country right now. We have to balance the scales for every American, and that fight starts with getting this right in Maryland.” Smith, who recently received a major endorsement from the national advocacy group VoteVets , said a new generation must step forward to defend the rights secured by earlier civil rights activists. “I’m working to make sure the rights of every American are protected,” Smith said. “That’s why I’m here helping lead this march. As a veteran and as a sitting councilman, I believe this fight for voting rights is too important for anyone to be quiet about. My children are watching. This is a no-fail mission, and we cannot let the generation that follows us down.” Maryland’s effort to enact mid-cycle redistricting has stalled in the state Senate, where some lawmakers — including Pam Beidle who represents the Russett area — have declined to support the legislation. The proposal has the backing of Governor Wes Moore , former Russett representative and current House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk , Delegate Mike Rogers , and Russett community advocate Devin Tucker . Organizers estimate roughly 200 people participated in Saturday’s march in Annapolis. In comparison, approximately 600 people joined the original Selma march on Bloody Sunday in 1965.

Frightening seen captured today right before rush hour. It appears that everyone walked away from this accident safely. Accident at Laurel-Ft. Meade (198) and Old Line on February 20, 2026

County Executive candidate Pete Smith shared the contents of a disturbing incident involving one of his campaign volunteers. In a video posted by Smith on his Facebook account, someone can be heard screaming racial invective and threats at a campaign volunteer who briskly walks away from the confrontation. The incident involving Smith's campaign took place just days after President Donald Trump posted a racist video of former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. Smith said in an interview that the incident occurred while they were canvassing the neighborhood. He added that they have a specific list of addresses and that the person attacking the volunteer was not on their list. "Our volunteer didn't step on his property and he was not on our list of homes to visit,"said Smith. Smith added that his team was shaken by the encounter. "It's just crazy to witness something like that in 2026. Our volunteer, who is one of the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet, remained poised throughout the incident and walked away which was absolutely the right thing to do." Smith, who is a United States Marine Corp veteran, said that his campaign is more determined than ever to do the hard work of uniting our community especially in these challenging times. "For 28 years, I’ve had the honor of serving our country and I’ve seen the best of our nation throughout my experience. We will get past this as a campaign and as a community. We've visited almost 10,000 homes now and I can tell you that we have some amazing people in our community. The support for our team from across the state, from both Democrats and Republicans, has been heart warming and it is so appreciated during difficult times like these," said Smith. V IDEO: Trigger Warning. Includes Racist Language and Threats Police released the following statement saying they are investigating the incident. "The Anne Arundel County Police Department is actively investigating the reported hate bias incident in Crofton involving racist and threatening comments directed at a campaign volunteer for Councilman Pete Smith. This is being investigated as a hate bias incident, and no criminal charges are pending at this time. The Anne Arundel County Police Department takes these incidents very seriously. We recognize the profound emotional trauma they inflict on victims, their families, and the entire community. Our commitment is to a thorough investigation and to providing supportive care." .

(L-R): Bill Ferguson, Arthur Ellis, Pam Beidle THE KENDRICK LAMAR AWARD GOES TO MARYLAND STATE SENATOR Arthur Ellis! Ellis delivered a pointed reminder to Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson about the urgency of mid-cycle congressional redistricting in Maryland. Ferguson has so far blocked any efforts to bring the issue to a vote in the Senate. His close ally, State Sen. Pam Beidle, who represents the Russett metroplex, has remained loyal to Ferguson on this important voting and civil rights issue. Maryland’s push for mid-cycle congressional redistricting comes as Republicans in states like Texas move to reshape congressional maps in ways Democrats argue could shift the balance of the U.S. House. Supporters of Maryland’s effort say it is necessary to counter policies they believe would reduce the federal workforce, weaken voting protections, and threaten the Affordable Care Act. According to American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), African American women have been disproportionately affected by recent federal workforce cuts. Some estimates suggest hundreds of thousands of job losses over the past year. Supporters of redistricting say Maryland’s move is designed to offset potential political and economic fallout ahead of the 2026 elections. Gov. Wes Moore  and retired Lt. Col. Steve Tillett  are among Democrats backing mid-cycle redistricting. Both have argued the state must act to guard against economic disruption tied to federal layoffs and furloughs. Maryland House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk  also supports redistricting. The House of Delegates passed its version of the bill (HB488) two weeks ago. Del. Mike Rogers, a fellow veteran alongside Moore and Tillett, voted in favor. Others backing redistricting include County Executive candidate Pete Smith  and former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn , along with a coalition of civil rights organizations. In remarks on the Senate floor, Ellis’ “Architects of Freedom” speech tied the fight for mid-cycle redistricting to the long arc of civil rights struggles led by African American women. “These women prove that leadership is not defined by who is at the podium but by those whose vision is bold enough to change the law and whose courage is deep enough to change the culture.” Ellis pledged to continue pressing leadership for a vote. And in the words of Kendrick Lamar, sometimes you have to “pop out” on folks. Standing up to leadership is never easy — and doing so in a political crisis takes both conviction and courage. Bravo to state Senator Ellis, Governor Moore, LTC. Tillet, Speaker Pena-Melnyk, Harry Dunn, County Executive candidate Pete Smith, and Delegate Mike Rogers for speaking up for voting rights! For today, the spotlight belongs to State Sen. Arthur Ellis.