The death penalty issue has been on Lt. Gov. Michael Steele?s plate since three years ago, when he raised his objections to Gov. Robert Ehrlich and Ehrlich asked him to study the issue.
On many political positions, the two men are connected at the hip as pro-business Republicans, and Steele frequently joins Ehrlich for announcements and news conferences, as he did this week to address BGE rates hikes and the state?s proposed takeover of 11 Baltimore City schools.
But since before he joined Ehrlich as his running mate, Steele has made clear he is “pro-life,” which he defines as being opposed to both abortion and the death penalty. Ehrlich supports most abortion rights and has permitted two men to be executed.
“It?s consistent with my faith and moral grounding,” said Steele, a Catholic and ex-seminarian. He was not present for the signing of a bill on stem cell research last week.
But running for the U.S. Senate as a pro-life Republican, as Steele is, is seen as political liability in a heavily Democratic state, and Ehrlich conceded as much in an interview with The Examiner several weeks ago.
Steele said he wanted to “stay away from the politics” of the death penalty, but polls show perhaps half of Marylanders support it.
The lieutenant governor scoffed at the notion that there was any political advantage in his recommendation at this time. He denied that it was an attempt to put the hot issue behind him as he gears up for his Senate campaign.
“This issue is never behind me,” Steele said, and he fully expects it to be brought up in the campaign. I don?t think people who support the death penalty are in favor of killing innocent people,” he said.
Steele said he believes that has happened in other states, if it hasn?t already happened in Maryland.
He thinks people will understand that position, but whether proponents and opponents of the state executing convicted murderers will understand his call for a new workgroup on the hot-button issue is difficult to assess.
