Hagerstown

Democratic congressional candidate Jennifer DoughertyFormer Frederick Mayor Jennifer Dougherty (D) has repeatedly expressed frustration with Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Frederick) for his refusal to debate his challenger in Maryland's Sixth Congressional District.

The latest instance came last Wednesday night, when Dougherty and Independent candidate Gary Hoover participated in a question and answer forum in Jarrettsville; Bartlett was not present.

"This does not serve the voters very well," Dougherty told PolitickerMD.com. "At least give them the courtesy of showing up."

Lisa Wright, the congressman's press secretary, said "there was no way" Bartlett could have attended the debate last week because "there were votes that night" in Congress.

ANNAPOLIS -- House Democrats have proposed a bill that would prohibit the release of false campaign materials. The Voter's Rights Protection Act of 2008 stems from the 2006 gubernatorial race, when on the eve of the election Democrats in Prince George’s County and Baltimore City were given fliers identifying Republican Gov. Bob Ehrlich and Republican Lt. Gov. Michael Steele as Democrats.

Speaking with PolitickerMD.com this afternoon, Del. Patrick L. McDonough (R-Middle River) said he was opposed to the current legislation, House Bill (HB) 102, because he found the term false to be “misleading” in a “legal sense.”

“The wording is too vague and general,” McDonough explained, saying he felt the bill could create an “opportunity” for a lawmakers’ “political enemies” to file “frivolous lawsuits.”