2/14 House Ways & Means - Firearm Related Legislation Hearings

[dblas]

The farmers have the Maryland Farm Bureau to lobby for them.

And the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation, which sponsors the Maryland Ag license plate and is against HB 95, the Maryland Veteran's license plate, which would fund and support the Maryland Veterans Trust Fund.

 

[Mr H]

Once we mentioned the DDA audit (and I think became part of the public record), the delegates acted as if they really wanted to be somewhere else. FOIA? A call for a complete audit of DDA may bring on a total State audit: icebergs and their tips. Coming after our rights may bring them down because now we are paying attention.

Here's more on the Whistle-Blower...

http://watchdogwire.com/maryland/20...elopmental-disabilities-admin-whistle-blower/

Carrie Phillip, former Chief Financial Officer of the much-beleaguered agency tasked with administering services to Maryland’s disabled community, filed a complaint in Baltimore City Circuit Court, alleging she discovered and notified top agency officials about the unspent funds, top officials in the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene ordered her to hide the surplus funds in 2011, and that she was subsequently terminated for blowing the whistle.

Phillip also alleges she alerted her superiors about inadequate internal controls, and agency staff doing work they were unqualified to perform.

During the 2011 legislative session, disability and public health advocates lobbied for an increase in Maryland’s alcohol tax, citing a lack of funding and a long waiting list of disabled residents needing services. They were ultimately successful in increasing the state sales tax from 6 to 9 percent on alcohol sales. DDA received $15 million of the extra revenue generated.

Later that year, DDA officials revealed they had discovered a $38 million surplus from fiscal year 2010, $25 million of which had to be reverted to the general fund.

It gets better...

I encourage everyone to read the links in the story.

 

[Mr H]

Info on Fed involvement...

http://watchdogwire.com/maryland/20...isability-admin-owes-federal-govt-21-million/

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services conducted an audit after receiving an allegation of that the DDA was claiming unallowable costs.

The audit found that DDA lacked internal controls to ensure unallowable costs were not included for provider payments.

Auditors sampled 100 claims and found that only 5 complied with state and federal regulations—a 95 percent error rate.

and from the Fed report...

We estimate that, as a result of these errors, the State agency claimed at least $20,627,705 (Federal share) in unallowable costs.

In a completely shocking development (NOT), the Sun report sugar-coats the whole thing...

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-dda-audit-20131011,0,6734158.story

 

[CrazySanMan]

Here's more on the Whistle-Blower...

http://watchdogwire.com/maryland/20...elopmental-disabilities-admin-whistle-blower/



It gets better...

I encourage everyone to read the links in the story.

BOOM!

 

[CrazySanMan]

I posted that link to FB with these Senators and Delegates tagged:

Nancy Camp Jacobs
Delegate Mike Smigiel
Delegate Eric Bromwell
John W. E. Cluster, Jr.
Delegate Joe Boteler
Delegate Tony McConkey
Senator J.B. Jennings
Kathy Klausmeier

**Edit** Added:
Justin Ready
Joseline Pena-Melnyk

I mentioned that Cardin submitted the bill to tax firearms and ammo to fund the DDA and requested a full audit of the DDA.

 

[Mr H]

nice!

 

[ShallNotInfringe]

Here's more on the Whistle-Blower...

http://watchdogwire.com/maryland/2013/10/30/omalley-administration-fired-developmental-disabilities-admin-whistle-blower/

It gets better...

I encourage everyone to read the links in the story.

Smelled fishy and here it is:

"In the same email Phillip also states her disclosure of the unspent funds hampered DHMH’s ability to “continue to funnel money to personal friends using fraudulent and improper pass through contracts,” and “unrecoverable and unauthorized multimillion dollar loans to their friends.”

On a different note, the House of Representatives in DC announced a federal investigation yesterday on the Obamacare implementation in MD ( and OR/MA). Wonder if their investigation will find connections on this.

 

[Mr H]

OOPS!!! A Honey Hole after all...

unrecoverable and unauthorized multimillion dollar loans to their friends

Talk about a "house of cards"......

 

[ShallNotInfringe]

OOPS!!! A Honey Hole after all...

Talk about a "house of cards"......

Every rock we pick up has corruption all over it.

Money.

Money.

Money.

 

[DC-W]

As always, I suppose...
Follow the money.

Good work!!!

 

[Mr H]

I feel a hashtag coming on...




#MDisCorrupt

??

 

[ShallNotInfringe]

http://www.prlog.org/12210371-maryl...alition-releases-statement-on-hhs-report.html

See page 15 of this...

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/Pubs/BudgetFiscal/2014rs-operating-budget-fiscal-briefing.pdf

 

[CrazySanMan]

This fragile system cannot afford to absorb a $20 million loss.

???

They had a $38 million surplus that they hid. I really smell a rat...

 

[ShallNotInfringe]

???

They had a $38 million surplus that they hid. I really smell a rat...

Hell hath no fury like a faction scorned.

Bet they wish we'd just cower in the corner with our 10 rounders.

 

[CrazySanMan]

I wonder if Cardin knew about this before he submitted the bill? Is he just trying to use the "poor needy children" to make liberal hearts bleed or is he trying to help secure additional revenue for DDA so they can continue to hide their waste, fraud, and abuse? It seems very odd to me that all these taxes are throwing money to this very corrupt agency.

 

[ShallNotInfringe]

I wonder if Cardin knew about this before he submitted the bill? Is he just trying to use the "poor needy children" to make liberal hearts bleed or is he trying to help secure additional revenue for DDA so they can continue to hide their waste, fraud, and abuse? It seems very odd to me that all these taxes are throwing money to this very corrupt agency.

Cardin joined the Ways and Means committee in 2003.

I did not get the impression that anyone on the W&M committee did not know there is a problem, I did get the impression they didn't know the public was paying attention to it.

They are looking for ways to pay back the money. They see revenue streams. 120,000 firearm applications (note last years bill did not include firearms, only ammo) plus the C&C sales, along with ammo to feed all those new firearms, looks like a nice revenue stream.

 

[Clovis]

Cardin joined the Ways and Means committee in 2003.

I did not get the impression that anyone on the W&M committee did not know there is a problem, I did get the impression they didn't know the public was paying attention to it.

They are looking for ways to pay back the money. They see revenue streams. 120,000 firearm applications (note last years bill did not include firearms, only ammo) plus the C&C sales, along with ammo to feed all those new firearms, looks like a nice revenue stream.

I would hope the very committee that votes to take in revenue and to spend such revenue would have a fundamental grasp of mathmatics. They should also be able to understand the 120,000 firearm apps won't happen because of the FSA 2013. I think that this law made the news last year, perhaps they heard something of it...

 

[ShallNotInfringe]

I would hope the very committee that votes to take in revenue and to spend such revenue would have a fundamental grasp of mathmatics. They should also be able to understand the 120,000 firearm apps won't happen because of the FSA 2013. I think that this law made the news last year, perhaps they heard something of it...

Meh, those gun nuts will keep buying at the same pace. They'll just shush and comply. And pay up.

 

[tsmith1499]

And the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation, which sponsors the Maryland Ag license plate and is against HB 95, the Maryland Veteran's license plate, which would fund and support the Maryland Veterans Trust Fund.

I did not know that. I will have to make some phone calls to some low friends in high places. Thanks, Dan

 

[tsmith1499]

Meh, those gun nuts will keep buying at the same pace. They'll just shush and comply. And pay up.

No, we'll drive the short drive to PA. or Va. or mail order ammo. Thus negating MD. getting ANYTHING from us. It also needs to be pointed out that this will harm businesses as they will see a drop in Ammo purchases. I buy from my LGS as often as I can but I can't afford to at a 50% premium.