Two Montgomery County Democrats running for office accused the Bush administration Tuesday of turning back the clock on democracy and civil rights.
County Council Member Tom Perez, who is vying to become Maryland’s attorney general, and Jamie Raskin, who is seeking a state Senate seat, said it would be up to individual states to restore democracy.
“For that reason, we need a strong attorney general at the state level that is not afraid to crack a few eggs,” said Perez, who faces a formidable primary challenge from Montgomery County State’s Attorney Doug Gansler.
Raskin, a Takoma Park lawyer, said he would stand up for consumers. He questioned the proposed InterCounty Connector, which he called a “billion-dollar boondoggle.”
Raskin has endorsed the construction of Metro’s proposed Purple Line, which would link Bethesda and Silver Spring.
Montgomery County Republican Party Chairman Tom Reinheimer called Perez’s and Raskin’s comments “nonsense.”
He also said the push by state Democrats for early voting was a violation of civil liberties designed to help the party win elections.
“They’re all about power and getting it back any way they can,” he said.
Perez’s and Raskin’s comments came in a conference call with progressive Democrats from across the country organized by 21st Century Democrats. The political action committee has endorsed Perez and Raskin.
It has helped to elect 140 candidates to state and federal offices since 1985, Executive Director Kelly Young said.
