For the journalist, see Martin O'Malley (journalist).

Mayor Martin O'Malley

Martin Joseph O'Malley (born January 18, 1963) is an American Democratic politician from Maryland, who has served as Mayor of Baltimore City since 1999. He is currently an official candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Maryland in the 2006 elections. Martin OMalley is a Canadian journalist. ... Image File history File links This is a copyrighted promotional photo with a known source. ... Image File history File links This is a copyrighted promotional photo with a known source. ... January 18 is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... Democracy is a form of government under which the power to alter the laws and structures of government lies, ultimately, with the citizenry. ... Official language(s) None Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 42nd 32,160 km² 145 km 400 km 21 37°53N to 39°43N 75°4W to 79°33W Population  - Total (2000)  - Density Ranked 19th 5,296,486 165... A mayor (from the Latin maÄ«or, meaning larger,greater) is the politician who serves as chief executive official of some types of municipalities. ... Motto: The Greatest City in America (formerly The City That Reads; BELIEVE is not the official motto but rather a specific campaign) Nickname: Charm City Mob Town B-more Map Political Statistics Founded 30 July 1729 Incorporated 1797 County Independent city Borough {{{borough}}} Parrish {{{parrish}}} Mayor Martin J. OMalley... Robert L. Ehrlich, the 60th and current Governor of Maryland. ... The Maryland gubernatorial election of 2006 will be held on November 7, 2006, and will be a race for the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Maryland. ...

Early life

O’Malley was born in Georgetown Hospital in the District of Columbia to Tom and Barbara O’Malley. He grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, and later in Rockville, Maryland, the eldest son in a family of six children. Raised in a politically active family from his earliest days, O’Malley expressed an interest in Democratic politics at an early age. His parents met while working for the Democratic National Committee. At the age of five, they had him cheering for Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota, who won the Democratic nomination without winning a single primary but lost to Richard Nixon. His father would take him campaigning for local Democratic candidates. O’Malley stated, “I was very lucky - I was raised in a home where pictures of King and Kennedy and Roosevelt hung on our walls.” ... Nickname: Motto: Official website: Location Location of Bethesda within Montgomery County, Maryland. ... Motto: Nickname: Map Location in Maryland Political Statistics Founded c. ... Former Vermont Governor Dr. Howard Dean is the current Chairman of the DNC. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the principal campaign and fund-raising organization affiliated with the United States Democratic Party. ... Hubert Horatio Humphrey II (May 27, 1911–January 13, 1978) was the 38th Vice President of the United States, twice served as a United States Senator from Minnesota and was mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota. ... Official language(s) None Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 12th 225,365 km² 400 km 645 km 8. ... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ...

O’Malley graduated from Gonzaga College High School, a Jesuit school in Washington, D.C. He played football, acted in school plays, and pursued a love of music as a member of an Irish band, the Shannon Tide. He then attended Catholic University, earning a B.A. in 1985. Gonzaga College High School is a prestigious Jesuit high school for boys located in Washington, DC. Gonzagas Seal // History Gonzaga was founded by Father Antoine Kohlmann, an Alsatian Jesuit, in 1821. ... The Catholic University of America The Catholic University of America (abbreviated CUA), located in Washington, DC, is unique as the national university of the Catholic Church and as the only higher education institution founded by the U.S. bishops. ...

Since his college years, O'Malley was the lead singer and guitarist for the Irish-inspired rock band O'Malley's March. The band led to much of his early fame and eventually proved to be a convenient vehicle for O’Malley to connect with the public throughout the region. Its biggest impact was to merge the coolness of a “rock star” image to the politician, culminating in the April 25, 2005 Time article labeling him as a “Wonk ‘n’ Roller [1]. In 2005, Mr. O'Malley announced that he is officially disbanding O'Malley's March to focus on his Mayoral duties and on his candidacy for the gubernatorial race in the 2006 election. Rock Star or Rockstar may refer to: Rock Star (film), a 2001 film starring Mark Wahlberg. ... A watch Attempting to understand time has long been a prime occupation for philosophers, scientists and artists. ...

Political Development

In December of 1982, O’Malley, while still in college, signed on with the Gary Hart for President campaign. In late 1983, O’Malley volunteered to go to Iowa, where Hart was a virtual unknown. He phone-banked, organized volunteers, and even played guitar and sang at small fundraisers and other events. Hart was the surprising runner-up in the caucus, and O’Malley headed to other states such as Pennsylvania and Oklahoma. Initially polling at 1%, Hart rose to become the biggest challenger to Walter Mondale. Hart became the “new ideas” candidate, but eventually lost the nomination. Gary Hart Gary Warren Hart (born Gary Hartpence on November 28, 1936) is a politician and lawyer from the state of Colorado. ... President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, universities, and countries. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and appeal to a wider international audience, this article may require cleanup. ... Official language(s) English Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 26th 145,743 km² 320 km 500 km 0. ... A guitar is a stringed musical instrument. ... A fundraiser is a social function, e. ... A caucus is most generally defined as being a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 33rd 119,283 km² 255 km 455 km 2. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 20th 181,196 km² 355 km 645 km 1. ... Walter Frederick Fritz Mondale (born January 5, 1928) an American politician and member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. ...

Returning to Maryland in 1984, O’Malley finished college at Catholic University in 1985. Later that year he enrolled at the University of Maryland School of Law in Baltimore, graduating with a J.D. in 1988 and passing the bar that same year to become admitted. The Catholic University of America The Catholic University of America (abbreviated CUA), located in Washington, DC, is unique as the national university of the Catholic Church and as the only higher education institution founded by the U.S. bishops. ... University of Maryland, Baltimore, located on 56 acres (230,000 m²) in downtown Baltimore, Maryland, is part of the University System of Maryland. ...

In 1986, while in law school, O'Malley was named by then-Congresswoman Barbara Mikulski as her state field director for her successful primary and general election campaigns for the U.S. Senate. Later he served as a legislative fellow in Senator Mikulski’s office from 1987-1988. Barbara Ann Mikulski (born July 20, 1936), a member of the Democratic Party, is the current Class 3 United States Senator representing the State of Maryland. ... The United States Senate is the upper house of the U.S. Congress, smaller than the United States House of Representatives. ...

In 1988, he began dating his future wife. Later that year, as a recent lawyer, O’Malley was hired as an Assistant State's Attorney for the City of Baltimore. He would hold that position until 1990. The State Attorney (also called States Attorney or District Attorney or D.A.) is an appointed or elected official who is often the chief law enforcement officer of his or her respective county circuit or district. ...

In 1990, O’Malley ran for the Maryland State Senate in District 43. He lost the Democratic Primary to incumbent John A. Pica Jr.. Although he was winning by five votes on the morning after Election Day, the subsequent absentee ballot count handed the election to his opponent by just 44 votes. A year later he ran for a vacant Baltimore City Council seat to represent the 3rd District and was elected for the first time to political office. He served from 1991 to 1999. As Councilman, he served as Chairman of the Legislative Investigations Committee and Chairman of the Taxation and Finance Committee The Maryland State Senate is the upper house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. ... Mayor : Martin Joseph OMalley (D) City Council : District 1 : James B. Kraft (D) District 2 : Nicholas DAdamo II (D) District 3 : Robert Curran (D) District 4 : Kenneth N. Harris I (D) District 5 : Rochelle Spector (D) District 6 : Stephanie Rawlings Blake (D) District 7 : Belinda Conaway (D) District...

Mayor of Baltimore City

O’Malley announced his campaign for Mayor of Baltimore in 1999. He eventually won a competitive, three-way Democratic Primary with over 50% of the vote after the two African-American candidates' campaigns destructed. It was considered that he ran a good campaign that avoided the misteps of his opponents. He was then elected Mayor of Baltimore in the General election -- a mere formality in a city that overwhelmingly votes for the Democratic ticket. O'Malley won 91% of the vote and became Mayor at the age of 36.

O'Malley declined to seek the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 2002 after pressure from Kathleen Kennedy Townsend's supporters. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend Kathleen Hartington Kennedy Townsend (born July 4, 1951) was lieutenant governor of the U.S. state of Maryland from 1995 to 2003. ...

In 2004, O’Malley was re-elected in the general election with 88% of the vote.

In O’Malley’s first year in office, he adopted a statistics-based tracking system first used by former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and called it CitiStat. O’Malley expanded its use across all government services and linked it with a personnel performance rating system to grade the performance of government employees. O’Malley and CitiStat won the "Innovations in Government" award from Harvard University. Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 27th 141,205 km² 455 km 530 km 13. ... Rudolph William Louis Rudy Giuliani III, KBE (born May 28, 1944) served as the Mayor of New York City from January 1, 1994 through December 31, 2001. ...

During O’Malley’s first term, he adopted the prominent “BELIEVE” sign—with stark white letters on a black background—as a public show of support, as in “Believe in Baltimore.” Its stated purpose was to replace former sayings such as “Baltimore, the City that Reads,” which had become a regional joke considering the state of the city school system. The BELIEVE sign was so ubiquitous—used more like a campaign sign—that it was said that it signifies “Believe in O’Malley.” Recently, with the re-launch of his website and at campaign events, O’Malley has adopted a campaign sign “O’MALLEY” in familiar lettering with stark white letters on a dark green background.

As one of O’Malley’s top five accomplishments, he claims that his administration “cut property taxes to new 30 year low.” A recent article in the press, “Turnaround for budget raises some suspicions,”[2] noted that, “In the span of just 12 months, Baltimore's city government has gone from predicting its worst financial year in decades to realizing its most prosperous stretch in recent memory.” suggesting budgetary maneuvering by city officials that underestimated property tax revenues to influence O’Malley’s election chances the following year.

Crime

O’Malley made public safety the foundation of his campaign for Mayor and it continues to be listed as his number one priority on his web site [3]. During his first Mayoral campaign, O’Malley’s most prominent campaign promise was to bring down Baltimore’s murder rate. O’Malley states that he “has brought about nearly a 40% reduction in violent crime, which leads the nation.” [4] Baltimore’s murder rate, however, continues to be five times that of New York City, the lowest rate in America's large cities. Nickname: The Big Apple Motto: Official website: City of New York Location [[Image:|250px|250px|Location of City of New York, New York]] Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R...

Several prominent crimes during O’Malley’s tenure have highlighted Baltimore crime problems. In May 2004, three children were brutally killed by decapitation in Northwest Baltimore. The suspects under arrest are two illegal immigrants' relatives who police theorize committed the crime as a warning for not paying off debts to illegal alien smugglers. O'Malley was criticized in the press for lobbying aggressively against legislation that would encourage better federal-state cooperation to apprehend illegal aliens. A male Caucasian toddler child A child (plural: children) is a young human. ... The Beheading of Cosmas and Damian, by Fra Angelico Decapitation (from Latin, caput, capitis, meaning head), or beheading, is the removal of a living organisms head. ... Illegal immigration is the act of moving to or settling in another country or region, temporarily or permanently, in violation of the law or without documents permitting an immigrant to settle in that country. ... Lobbying is the practice of private advocacy with the goal of influencing a governing body, in order to ensure that an individuals or organizations point of view is represented in the government. ...

Recent FBI reports noted a significant increase in violent crime—defined as murders, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults—in Baltimore City in the year 2004.[5] The FBI reported that, while violent crime decreased 1.7% across the country, violent crime climbed 4.3% in Baltimore. O’Malley and his police department were surprised at the numbers and initially denied them even though they had supplied the statistics to the FBI. Total crime in the city still declined after a sufficient decrease in property crimes. Through the winter of 2005, homicides slowed to a crawl and eventually fell below the total number at the same time in 2004. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a Federal police force which is the principal investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). ... A car of the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, England Police forces are government organisations charged with the responsibility of maintaining law and order. ... A graph of a bell curve in a normal distribution showing statistics used in educational assessment, comparing various grading methods. ...

Police Department

Local politicians stated increase in crime could be attributed to too much turmoil within O’Malley’s police department, noting the yearly turnover in police commissioners in O'Malley's term of office. The first of six Commissioners, Bert Shirey was appointed on interim basis in December 1999 and served a month. In January 2000, Ronald L. Daniel was appointed, but resigned two months later after refusing to back O'Malley's crime plan. Edward T. Norris was then appointed in April 2000. He resigned in January 2003 to become supervisor of Maryland State Police and was later convicted and jailed on federal public corruption charges for his actions in Baltimore. John McEntee was an interim appointee, serving one month. Kevin P. Clark was hired in February 2003, suspended in May 2004 after a domestic dispute and, although he returned to work, was fired in November. This resulted in a lawsuit and charges of racism. His replacement is Leonard D. Hamm.[6] Police Commissioner (or Commissioner of Police) is the title of the chief officer of many police organisations. ... A lawsuit is a civil action brought before a court in which the party commencing the action, the plaintiff, seeks a legal remedy. ... It has been suggested that Racism in Mass Media be merged into this article or section. ...

In September 2005, it was reported that two Baltimore judges said they don't believe the police officers who investigated gun cases, prompting prosecutors to dismiss charges that could have put two convicted felons behind bars. A review of three months of data compiled by the city state's attorney's office shows that among the 210 Circuit Court cases and 99 District Court cases involving weapons, about 40 were hampered by issues such as police officers' being unable to testify because they were under investigation or had been suspended and legal questions about who possessed a recovered weapon. The judge stated that "There is a strong skepticism in the air about the police" and that "personal experience and common sense" showed the officer to by lying. [7]

Schools

O’Malley lauds many of his achievements in the Baltimore City School system, stating that his administration has greatly improved schools and that they “are on the mend for the first time in decades.” As one of his five most prominent achievements, O’Malley claims that his administration “improved student test scores across the board.” Critics point out that the city's high school graduation rate is the state's lowest and has not improved during O’Malley’s term. O'Malley launched a "Believe in Our Schools" campaign funded by the Crabtown Project, public displays of giant crabs decorated by artists. REDIRECT Baltimore,_Maryland ... American high school students in a school A school is most commonly a place designated for learning. ... Students attending a lecture at the Helsinki University of Technology Etymologically derived through Middle English from the Latin second-type conjugation verb stÅ­dÄ“rÄ•, which means to direct ones zeal at; hence a student is one who directs zeal at a subject. ... High school - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Academic procession during the University of Canterbury graduation ceremony. ... Sections Dromiacea Raninoida Heterotremata Thoracotremata The term crab is often applied to several different groups of short (nose to tail) decapod crustaceans with thick exoskeletons, but only members of the Brachyura are true crabs; other taxa, such as hermit crabs, porcelain crabs, king crabs, and horseshoe crabs are, despite superficial... Look up Artist in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Artist Artist is a descriptive term applied to a person who engages in an activity deemed to be an art. ...

O’Malley prominently claims credit that “Per-pupil spending has increased 14% since 2000, and Baltimore schools have received an unprecedented 37% increase in per capita funding over the last few years, with significant credit going to increased, effective lobbying on the City’s behalf at the state level.” Some people dispute that the increase provided by the Robert Ehrlich Administration resulted from O’Malley’s lobbying effort. Funding or financing is to provide capital (funds), which means money for a project, a person, a business or any other private or public institution. ... Lobbying is the practice of private advocacy with the goal of influencing a governing body, in order to ensure that an individuals or organizations point of view is represented in the government. ... Robert Leroy Ehrlich, Jr. ...

Early in O'Malley's first term, he acknowledged at being inattentive as departed schools chief executive Carmen V. Russo ran up a $58 million deficit. He said that he couldn't get information from Russo about the system's budget or human resources and that he was frustrated about getting "basic numbers" out of Russo.[8]

In 2004, with the Baltimore City public school system teetering toward bankruptcy, O'Malley undertook one of his most controversial actions. O'Malley engineered a City Hall bailout to avoid a state rescue that would have cast Republican Gov. Ehrlich as the system's savior. This was highlighted in the Baltimore Sun article "Schools could be a political peril for O'Malley, 2004 bailout now means he bears responsibility" [9]. Notice of closure stuck on the door of a computer store the day after its parent company, Granville Technology Group Ltd, declared bankruptcy (strictly, administration - see text) in the UK. Bankruptcy is a legally declared inability or impairment of ability of an individual or organization to pay their creditors. ... In small towns, the town hall may also incorporate other functions, such as a post office. ...

In June 2005, as his gubernatorial campaign was accelerating, O'Malley stated that under his administration, the Baltimore school system was "one of the biggest turnaround stories of any urban school system in the United States of America." Later that month, the Maryland State Board of Education announced that Baltimore schools constitute 22 of the 24 schools in the entire state—the other 2 are in Prince George's County—that have repeatedly failed to make adequate progress on the annual standardized tests mandated by the federal No Child Left Behind Act and thus are required by the state to restructure for the coming school year [10]. The state Board announced that it was subjecting 3 Baltimore Schools, the only ones in the state, to "zero-basing"—one of the most drastic reforms available to school districts, which requires everyone from the principal down to the secretaries to reapply for their jobs. Urban area is a term used to define an area where there is an increased density of man-made structures in comparison to the areas surrounding it. ... Board of education is the typical styling of the title in the United States of the board of directors of a local school district and generallly the statewide organization responsible for the oversight of such local boards as well. ... Prince Georges County is a suburban county located in the state of Maryland immediately east of Washington, D.C.. It is notable as the wealthiest majority-African-American county in the country. ... Originally a standardized test was simply a standard test – of academic achievement or of knowledge in a specific academic or vocational domain. ... Signing ceremony at Hamilton High School in Hamilton, Ohio. ... A principal is the chief administrator in an elementary school, secondary school, or high school. ... A secretary is an office/administrative support position. ...

In July 2005, Deputy state school Superintendent Ronald Peiffer stated that "City schools are making such slow progress, if any progress at all." and United States District Judge Marvin J. Garbis issued an order to cede authority for the city's special education services to the state as a failing program under No Child Left Behind Act procedures. State officials said nearly 99% of Baltimore's 10th-graders with disabilities failed the state reading test this year, calling Baltimore's special education program "a failure of extraordinary magnitude."[11] Ironically, as the lawyer for the state Board, O'Malley's father-in-law Attorney General J. Joseph Curran officially opposed Baltimore City and stated that the state's reform plan "recognizes the need for clear direction" for the city school system and that "differences will occur that can only be resolved, as a last resort, through a court-ordered dispute resolution process." City school officials argued that the problem with special education is chronic under-funding of the school system, but Grasmick pointed out that the problem is managerial and not financial, as more than $4 million in federal money for special education that the school system received last school year was not spent. In August 2005, a U.S. District Court judge criticized the city schools' hastily presented plan to reform the schools, calling it a "handshake contract" that was "cobbled together by counsel on horseback."[12] After cataloging the city schools' continued failed leadership and performance, the federal judge issued an emergency Order, stating that the school system is a "massive failure" and that allowing the city schools to continue would be enabling management "to persist, for yet another year, in chaotic, unreliable, and wasteful 'remedial' exercises at the expense ... of the most at-risk children in the Baltimore City Public Schools." O'Malley launched an attack against the judge, accusing him of inappropriate judicial activism and charged Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. with deliberately obstructing progress in Baltimore's education system.[13] Former Democratic state Senator Barbara A. Hoffman noted that the city schools had been given ample opportunities and questioned, "Why did the city not make a better attempt at this this summer? . . . At some point you have to say, You guys can't do it. You can't do it, and you're not doing it." A judge or justice is an official who presides over a court. ... Special education, also known as special ed, SPED, or defectology, euphemistically describes an educational alternative that focuses on the teaching of students with academic, behaviorial, health, or physical needs that cannot sufficiently be met using traditional educational programs or techniques. ... Signing ceremony at Hamilton High School in Hamilton, Ohio. ... The term disability, as it is applied to humans, refers to any condition that impedes the completion of daily tasks using traditional methods. ... Reading is the process of retrieving and comprehending some form of stored information or ideas. ... Look up test in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In most common law jurisdictions, the Attorney General is the main legal adviser to the government, and in some jurisdictions may in addition have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions. ... Joseph Curran J. Joseph Curran, Jr. ... A court is an official, public forum which a sovereign establishes by lawful authority to adjudicate disputes, and to dispense civil, labour, administrative and criminal justice under the law. ... Dispute resolution is the process of resolving disputes between parties. ...

In July 2005, the state Board of Education unanimously approved the designation of six Baltimore middle schools as "persistently dangerous" schools and put another nine city high schools and middle schools on probation.[14] More than 4,500 students attended these schools. This was the first time such a designation has been made in the state. No schools in the state's 23 other school systems are on either list. While agreeing on the assessment of the schools, however, the Board members were uncertain as to whether this was best method of improving them. But it was noted that the schools may have actually under reported the expulsions and long-term suspensions for offenses such as assault, arson or carrying drugs or weapons. Reflecting on the enormity of the problem, board member Beverly A. Cooper stated, "This is bigger than the schools. This is the community, the whole city." Near the end of July, the state School Board requested that the Court permit direct oversight of the Baltimore school system, but something less than a direct takeover.[15] Stated Grasmick, "What we're saying is that there has to be some leadership. ... Hopefully, the people who are part of the permanent system could benefit from that leadership, and we could leave at some point with a functional system." In an August court filing, the state Board of Education said that at the end of July 2005 it sent administrators to monitor the services being provided to students at three schools. "In each school they found no students receiving services, principals and staff who did not even know that their school was a Summer Remedy site, and ... service providers left on their own to muddle through student files." An education program specialist in the state's special-education division, wrote about her experience at the three schools in a sworn affidavit, describing the fact that top Baltimore school administrators were entirely unaware of the educational services they were to provide and general chaos with organization and administration.[16] Middle school, (Intermediate/Junior high school) covers a period of education that straddles primary education and secondary education, serving as a bridge between the two. ... Look up dangerous in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Probation is the suspension of a prison or jail sentence - the criminal who is on probation has been convicted of a crime, but instead of serving prison time, has been found by the Court to be amenable to probation and will be returned to the community for a period in... After World War II terms, expulsion was a euphemism for ethnic cleansing of territories settled by Germans. ... Suspension may refer to: suspension (chemistry) suspension bridge suspension (music) suspension (vehicle) (system of shock absorbers and supports that connect a vehicle to its wheels) suspension (civil engineering) (system that connects a structure to its foundation, for example in earthquake protection) suspension (topology) suspension (body modification) suspension bondage suspension (figure... The Skyline Parkway Motel in Afton, Virginia after an arson fire on July 9, 2004. ... A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical that alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness, or behavior. ... The bayonet, still used in war as both knife and spearpoint. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Three days after the U.S. District Court determined that the Baltimore School system had failed and singled out Baltimore schools Chief Executive Officer Bonnie S. Copeland for criticism, saying he had "little confidence" in the school system's management practices, the Board renewed her contract, giving her a $40,000 raise. O'Malley voiced his approval of the School Board's actions.[17][18]

The timing of these recent announcements has led to criticism from the O'Malley campaign that the State Superintendent, Nancy S. Grasmick, who has worked with the Governor on school issues, is timing the announcements for political reasons. Some have said they deliberately wait until good news is announced before releasing other information, perhaps to decrease O'Malley's standing among the Democratic electorate. Others note that this concerns a 21-year-old lawsuit waged by disabled students and their parents and that Grasmick and the school system have not set the schedule in U.S. District Court nor do they control the school board pronouncements.

At the end of August 2005, it was reported that test scores show that three Baltimore high schools have failed to meet standards for so many years that they have moved to the state's most severe category on a watch list for troubled schools, joining nine others. It reported some good news in that Baltimore's high school graduation rate increased from 54% to 59%, but far below the statewide rate of 85%. 30 of the city's 43 high schools are on a federally mandated state watch list as a result of geometry test scores released yesterday, where its pass rate was 51%. Yet the news was worse on the other exams, where the city's pass rates ranged from 22% in algebra to 42% in government.[19]

O’Malley has NOT supported Ehrlich’s proposal to provide additional funding for schools and education through slot machines, some of which would go in Baltimore’s Pimlico racetrack. O'Malley supports slots at race courses and proposes that individual jurisdictions decide whether or not they want slots in their communities. O'Malley opposes the idea of having education rely on slots revenue. He has highlighted education as his# 1 priority and has repeatedly voiced his stance. His support of limited slots is only to make sure 17-18000 jobs aren't lost. His potential Democratic opponent Doug Duncan has criticized O’Malley support for this proposal, but offered no alternative despite promises of improving statewide school improvement, raising the spectre of large tax increases. Ehrlich supporters have said that O’Malley support for slot machines was weak and that he chose not to provide leadership on such an important issue for fear of assisting a Republican Governor. Slot machines in the Trump Taj Mahal A slot machine (American English), poker machine (Australian English), or fruit machine (British English) is a certain type of casino game. ... Doug Duncan Douglas M. Duncan (born October 25, 1955) is an American Democratic politician from Maryland, who has served as County Executive of Montgomery County, Maryland since 1994. ...

Martin O'Malley does not think education should rely on slots and only wants limited slots to preserve the 18000 or so jobs that would otherwise be lost to neighboring states.

Convention center hotel

O'Malley sought to build a 100% public financed hotel on a site next to Oriole Park at Camden Yards and the Baltimore Convention Center. Under the Mayor's plan, the $305 million hotel would be built with revenue bonds and developed into a 752-room Hilton and owned by the City. The contract was awarded to billionaire Robert L. Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television. The Mayor sought approval from City Council members who were repeatedly told by O'Malley that a hotel deal with private money is all but impossible. It was subsequently revealed that Johnson bid on a convention center in Washington, D.C. to build a $400 million using no public funds.[20]. O'Malley's plan is opposed by the Baltimore City branch of the NAACP, Baltimore's Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance and BUILD, a faith-based nonprofit organization.[21] Other critics have included William Donald Schaefer who said, "They made a disaster of this whole thing. It's a bad deal. It should be financed privately"[22] and many members of the City Council who stated about the deal, "It raised eyebrows and raised more questions." (See Baltimore Convention Center Hotel Project for more details regarding the convention center hotel.) A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging, usually on a short-term basis and especially for tourists. ... Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a Major League Baseball stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland (, ), which was constructed to replace the aging Memorial Stadium. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Bonds can refer to: A financial bond (including a junk bond or a zero-coupon bond) Barry Bonds A chemical bond (including the ionic bond, covalent bond, coordinate covalent bond, metallic bond, hydrogen bond, Carbon-carbon bond, Disulfide bond and Glycosidic bond) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid... The word Hilton can refer to a number of different people, places, and things. ... A billionaire is a very wealthy person, one who has a net worth over 1,000,000,000 US Dollars, Euros or comparably valued currency, or over 1,000 times the net worth of a millionaire. ... Robert L. Johnson (born April 8, 1946) is the founder of Black Entertainment Television, and was its chairman and chief executive officer. ... Black Entertainment Television is a U.S. cable network targeted towards African-American and other ethnic audiences in the United States like Hispanics. ... Look up private in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Nickname: the District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Official website: http://www. ... The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), is one of the oldest and most influential civil rights organizations in the United States. ... William Donald Schaefer (born November 2, 1921), American politician, has served in public office for 50 years at both the state and local level in Maryland. ... Baltimore Convention Center Hotel Project: Baltimore City is trying to bring a convention center hotel into fruition. ...

In July 2005, Duncan criticized O'Malley's hotel project, questioning the need for it and siding with the opposing faith-based organizations, even though Duncan successfully supported a similar hotel-based convention center at public expense.

In August 2005, on August 1st, the Baltimore City Council passed the hotel bills out of committee with a very close vote of 8-7. [23] On August 15, in a political victory for the mayor, the Council approved the vote by a 9-6 vote.

National Prominence

In 2002, Esquire Magazine named O’Malley “The Best Young Mayor in the Country,” and in 2005, Time Magazine named him one of America’s “Top 5 Big City Mayors.” [24]. Esquire is a magazine for men owned by the Hearst Corporation. ... (Clockwise from upper left) Time magazine covers from May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ...

In August of 2005, Business Week Magazine Online named O'Malley as one of five "New Faces" in the Democratic Party. Business Week said O'Malley "has become the party's go-to guy on protecting the homeland. The telegenic mayor, 42, has developed a detailed plan for rail and port safety and has been an outspoken critic of White House security priorities." [25]

Homeland Security

O’Malley is one of the George W. Bush Administration’s most vociferous critics when it comes to Homeland Security funding. In 2003, national Democratic leaders asked him to give the Democratic Response to the President’s weekly radio address (an honor normally reserved for members of the House, the Senate, and sitting Governors) in which he spoke about Homeland Security. George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States. ... Military personnel guarding transportation facilities such as New York Penn Station as part of homeland security efforts. ...

During the 2004 presidential campaign, Sen. John Kerry invited O'Malley to speak on the topic in Wisconsin. In 2004, O'Malley was one of the featured speakers at the Democratic National Convention in the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. In his speech, he focused on Homeland Security stating “Sadly and unforgivably almost three years after that fateful day when thousands of moms and dads, sons and daughters didn’t come from work on September 11th, America’s cities and towns, America’s ports and borders and America’s heartland remain needlessly vulnerable.” [26] As the only mayor to speak at the Democratic National Convention, O’Malley proved that he was a “rising star” in the Democratic Party. In August 2005, O'Malley was invited to speak at the National Press Club to give a mayoral perspective on homeland security issues. Again he criticized the Bush Administration, this time for its "weak defense" position, stating, "In Washington today, the traditional strong defense values of the party of Abraham Lincoln are found only in the words carved on the cold walls of his memorial." He also quoted his former mentor, stating that increased Homeland Security funding supported the "values of our republic – what former Senator Gary Hart would call "the Fourth Power" – the moral exponent of our military, economic, and diplomatic powers." In May 2005, the Baltimore Sun headed an article, “Homeland funds used for apparel, bags.” It began, “The mayor who decries homeland security grants as “woefully under-funded” spent $23,572 in grant money on embroidered polo shirts, fleece pullovers, Nantucket caps and duffel bags.” O'Malley stated that had he reviewed the spending beforehand he would have vetoed the purchases. Featured at the Democratic National Convention are speeches by prominent party figures. ... The FleetCenter is a sports arena in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. ... Boston is a town and small port c. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 44th 10,555 mi²; 27,360 km² 183 mi; 295 km 113 mi; 182 km 13. ... The National Press Club is an association of journalists based in Washington, DC. It is well-known for its gatherings with invited speakers, including many presidential candidates and other influential politicians. ... (See also List of types of clothing) Introduction Humans often wear articles of clothing (also known as dress, garments or attire) on the body (for the alternative, see nudity). ... A bag is a container that is usually used for storing or holding something. ... Grant may refer to. ... Categories: Stub | Tops ... This article is about wool, the fiber. ... Nantucket is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, formed of glacial moraine. ... Caps is the plural of the word cap; see cap (disambiguation). ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ...

In August 2005, O'Malley was invited to speak to the National Press Club to give a mayoral perspective on homeland security issues. Again he criticized the Bush Administration, stating, "In Washington today, the traditional strong defense values of the party of Abraham Lincoln are found only in the words carved on the cold walls of his memorial." O’Malley also stated that increased Homeland Security funding supported the "values of our republic – what former Senator Gary Hart would call "the Fourth Power" – the moral exponent of our military, economic, and diplomatic powers." [27] In comparison, a May 29, 2005 Baltimore Sun article noted that the state spent $17,234 in homeland security funds to practice rescuing “a tame llama named Dexter and his sidekick, Karma, a Tennessee walking horse.” James Jay Carafano, a homeland security analyst at the conservative Heritage Foundation which has traditionally supported Ehrlich, criticized this use of taxpayer dollars. “Does it pass the common sense test? Does it make the nation safer as a whole? I don't think so.” The article also found that, under the Ehrlich administration, Maryland has only spent one-third of its homeland security funds, while the rest of the money to which the state is entitled remains unspent. The National Press Club is an association of journalists based in Washington, DC. It is well-known for its gatherings with invited speakers, including many presidential candidates and other influential politicians. ...

Family

O’Malley is married to Catherine Curran O'Malley (Katie). He first met her in 1986 while he was working on now-U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski’s primary and general election campaign and she was working on her father J. Joseph Curran, Jr.’s campaign for Attorney General of Maryland. In 1988, they began to date and he married her in 1990 while he was running his first (and unsuccessful) campaign for political office. Catherine Curran OMalley (born August 18, 1962), Maryland state judge. ... Joseph Curran J. Joseph Curran, Jr. ...

In 1991, they had their first child, Grace, while Katie was finishing her last semester of law school at the evening school of the University of Baltimore. They live in Northeast Baltimore City with their children, Grace (14), Tara (13), William (7), and Jack (2). They attend St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.

O’Malley’s father in law J. Joseph Curran, Jr. is the longest serving attorney general in Maryland history, serving since 1987. He is also a former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, member of the Maryland House of Delegates, and a state Senator. Joseph Curran J. Joseph Curran, Jr. ... The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. ... The Maryland State Senate is the upper house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. ...

In 2001, Katie, then 38, having less than ten years experience as an attorney, and with an undergraduate degree from Towson State University and law degree from the University of Baltimore, was appointed by Governor Parris Glendening (D) as District Court Judge of Baltimore City. A lawyer is a person licensed by the state to advise clients in legal matters and represent them in courts of law and in other forms of dispute resolution. ... Towson University, located in Towson, Maryland (Baltimore County), is part of the University System of Maryland. ... Law (from the Old Norse lagu) in politics and jurisprudence, is a set of rules or norms of conduct which mandate, proscribe or permit specified relationships among people and organizations, intended to provide methods for ensuring the impartial treatment of such people, and provide punishments of/for those who do... The University of Baltimore, located in Baltimore, Maryland, is part of the University System of Maryland. ... Parris Nelson Glendening (born June 11, 1942), a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 59th Governor of Maryland in the United States from 1995 to 2003. ...

O'Malley's father Thomas M. O'Malley was born in 1925 and admitted to the Maryland bar in 1952. He received his undergraduate and law degrees at Georgetown University. As a 20-year-old, Thomas served as a bombardier in World War II and flew missions over Japan. In a news article in August 2005, he called the U.S. action a "war crime since civilians were targeted." A poet, Thomas wrote, "Forgive them (the U.S.), O Lord; For the damage they've done; To these innocent victims (the Japanese); In your August sun." Thomas O'Malley published a book, "Deep Throat: the Watergate Informant." Thomas was an attorney in Rockville, Maryland prior to his death in 2005 at the age of 80. Not to be confused with the University of Georgetown in Georgetown, Guyana or Georgetown College in Georgetown, KY. Georgetown University is a private university in the United States. ... The crews of bomber aircraft, historically, included a bombardier, as they were known in the United States, or a bomb aimer, as they were known in other countries, who was responsible for targetting the planes munitions. ... Combatants Allies: • Soviet Union, • UK & Commonwealth, • USA, • France/Free France, • China, • Poland, • ...and others Axis: • Germany, • Japan, • Italy, • ...and others Commanders Strength Casualties Full list Full list World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a large scale military conflict that took place between 1939 and 1945. ... A war crime is a punishable offense, under international (criminal) law, for violations of the law of war by any person or persons, military or civilian. ... Poet is a term applied to a person who composes poetry, including extended forms such as dramatic verse. ... Motto: Nickname: Map Location in Maryland Political Statistics Founded c. ...

O'Malley's brother Peter C. O'Malley was born in 1970 and admitted to the Maryland bar in 2000. He received his undergraduate degree from Catholic University and law degree from the University of Baltimore. He is General Counsel of GovStat, LLC. He is also considered one of the Mayor's top political advisors. The Catholic University of America The Catholic University of America (abbreviated CUA), located in Washington, DC, is unique as the national university of the Catholic Church and as the only higher education institution founded by the U.S. bishops. ... The University of Baltimore, located in Baltimore, Maryland, is part of the University System of Maryland. ...

Peter married Melinda O'Malley in 2003. She was hired in November 2002 by J. Joseph Curran, Jr. in the office of the Maryland Attorney General. She was assigned to work in the office of the Maryland Insurance Administration under former Commissioner Steven B. Larsen and Republican Governor Robert Ehrlich. Joseph Curran J. Joseph Curran, Jr. ... Robert Leroy Ehrlich, Jr. ...

O'Malley's brother Patrick O'Malley ran for New York City council from Western Queens, District 26 in the 2001 local elections. He lost the Democratic Primary, coming in forth out five candidates.[28] New York City Hall The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. ... Queens Borough in New York City, in yellow Queens is the largest of the five boroughs of New York City in area. ... Ordinal adjectives: Primary first, first hand. ...

Relations

Due to a possible inherent conflict of interest in potentially having two close family members at the position of Governor and Attorney General, some have suggested that Curran should step down from his post. Curran has recently indicated, however, that he intends to stay. Curran stated, "If I thought it were a problem, I would obviously rethink my position. I would never do anything to create a problem for Martin, and he would not do anything to create a problem for me." O'Malley stated that he would have no objections to running on the same ballot as his father-in-law.. One prominent commentator compared the circumstances to the Kennedy brothers and their positions as President and U.S. Attorney General and noted that Congress succeeded in banning such perceived nepotism thereafter. Currently, Maryland lacks a similar statute, though the Attorney General and Governor are separately elected offices, unlike in the Federal government. [29]

The potential conflict of interest was recently cited when environmentalist groups initiated a class action lawsuit against the George W. Bush administration concerning mercury pollution rules. Republican Ehrlich blocked Curran from joining the suit, stating that better and faster results would be achieved by utilizing the rule-making process rather than lawsuits. Curran’s son-in-law O’Malley then joined the suit to great fanfare in the press, and with criticism from Republicans for not focusing on Baltimore’s needs. [30]

2006 Gubernatorial Elections

For more information, see Maryland gubernatorial election, 2006. The Maryland gubernatorial election of 2006 will be held on November 7, 2006, and will be a race for the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Maryland. ...

O'Malley is a likely candidate to seek the Democratic Party's nomination to challenge Governor Robert Ehrlich in 2006. O’Malley featured the news article, “Running early, running hard [31], on his new web site, launched June 2005. It states, “O’Malley has yet to officially announce his run for governor, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been busy on the campaign trail.” O’Malley named Jonathan Epstein as his campaign manager. Robert Leroy Ehrlich, Jr. ...

O'Malley will likely face Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan in the Democratic Primary. Early polls (June 2005) demonstrate that Duncan is far behind O’Malley in both name recognition and public support within the Democratic electorate. Several recent polls show both O'Malley and Duncan leading Ehrlich, with O'Malley leading Ehrlich by greater margins than Duncan.[32][33] Montgomery County is the name of 18 counties in the United States of America. ... Doug Duncan Douglas M. Duncan (born October 25, 1955) is an American Democratic politician from Maryland, who has served as County Executive of Montgomery County, Maryland since 1994. ...

Trivia

• O'Malley made his first foray in acting by having a cameo role as the mayor of Baltimore City in the 2004 film Ladder 49.

• The character of Thomas Carcetti on the third season (2004) of the television drama The Wire is based on O'Malley, according to the show's producers. Carcetti is a Democratic Baltimore city councilman with aspirations of becoming the next mayor. It is believed that his election campaign will form a plotline in the upcoming fourth season of the show.

• Time claimed that “Gary Hart bought him his first legal beer at 21,” which would have been during the 1984 campaign. The drinking age at the time in Maryland and Washington D.C., however, was 18. Georgetown had bars catering to the under-21 (and sometimes under-18) crowd. If O’Malley was like most college kids in Washington D.C. his age, especially other band members, he had already had a beer or two by 1984.

• O’Malley has no reported direct financial contributions to federal candidates. He has directly financially contributed only to the state campaign of Joan Carter Conway.

• O'Malley's father Thomas may be the only person in the world to claim to have witnessed both the dropping of an atomic bomb and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack. Thomas claims to have been a participant in a bombing raid on Japan on August 6, 1945 during World War II when he saw the mushroom cloud over Hiroshima in the distance. The official history of the United States Army Air Corps states that, indeed, elements of the Fifth Air Force, 43rd Bomb Group were on missions to the home islands of Japan that day. A member of the 403rd Bomb Sq., O'Malley is the only member of 43rd BG to publically speak of this experience. He was later assisting his son Patrick in a political race when, on election day of September 11, 2001, he saw the towers fall.

Ladder 49 is a 2004 action movie about firefighters. ... The Wire is a police/crime television drama shown by the HBO cable network in the United States. ... A watch Attempting to understand time has long been a prime occupation for philosophers, scientists and artists. ... Gary Hart Gary Warren Hart (born Gary Hartpence on November 28, 1936) is a politician and lawyer from the state of Colorado. ... Beer, generally, is an alcoholic beverage produced through the fermentation of sugars suspended in an aqueous medium, and which is not distilled after fermentation. ... Many nations have a legal drinking age, or the minimum age one must be to drink alcohol. ... The familiar golden dome of Riggs Bank lies on the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street Georgetown is a neighborhood, located in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C., along on the Potomac River waterfront. ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 km (11 mi) above the epicenter. ... The World Trade Center on fire The September 11, 2001 attacks were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. ... August 6 is the 218th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (219th in leap years), with 147 days remaining. ... Combatants Allies: • Soviet Union, • UK & Commonwealth, • USA, • France/Free France, • China, • Poland, • ...and others Axis: • Germany, • Japan, • Italy, • ...and others Commanders Strength Casualties Full list Full list World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a large scale military conflict that took place between 1939 and 1945. ... The atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan on August 9, 1945 A mushroom cloud is a distinctive mushroom-shaped cloud of smoke, flame, or debris resulting from a very large explosion. ... For the movie about the decision process behind the dropping of the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, see Hiroshima (film). ... The World Trade Center on fire The September 11, 2001 attacks were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. ...

Sources

• Federal Election Commission Campaign Finance Reports and Data
• Maryland State Board of Elections Campaign Finance Database
• Time "Wonk 'n' Roller" article reproduced on the O'Malley campaign web site

External links

• Martin O'Malley website
• City of Baltimore, Office of Mayor