Former Maryland Gov. Bob Ehrlich berated Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley for calling illegal immigrants “new Americans” in Thursday’s contentious second debate of the gubernatorial election, as the candidates sparred over immigration, taxes, pension reform and other major campaign issues.
“If someone breaks into my house, is that a new member of my family that night?” Ehrlich prodded his opponent, before a crowd of roughly 200 watching the debate live at The Washington Post. “It’s not new Americans. [It’s] illegals.”
O’Malley used the term during the candidates’ first formal debate on Monday to little notice. But when the incumbent used the term six times on Thursday, Ehrlich pounced.
“Sadly, as political football, there is this nativism rising up and this desire to blame new Americans for the problems of our economy,” O’Malley said in response to a question on whether he would cut state aid to an organization that harbors illegals. “New Americans didn’t run Wall Street into the ground. New Americans didn’t destroy our savings. New Americans didn’t manipulate intelligence information to get us into conflicts we might not otherwise have gotten into.”
Ehrlich criticized his opponent for attending a ribbon cutting for Casa of Maryland, a nonprofit Hispanic advocacy group that Ehrlich said teaches illegals how to dodge federal laws.
“We are a multiethnic society but we are a singular American culture premised on English democracy, capitalism, equal opportunity, living the America dream,” Ehrlich said.
“I’m livin’ it, you’re
your livin’ it, but we did it the right way.”
O’Malley replied, “I don’t find that clothing people and making sure we reach out with basic dignity and services is un-American, and I think that is a gross and unfair mischaracterization.”
O’Malley eventually added that he would cut off funding to groups that are proven to aid illegals.
Amid the frequent jabs and comparisons between records, both candidates managed to tick off a few policy proposals during the hourlong debate.
Ehrlich said he would end pensions for new
public employees and turn to 401(k) plans. He also proposed that counties begin paying for teachers’ retirement benefits — a “third-rail” issue that stalled much-needed pension reform in the legislature last year.
O’Malley said he opposes 401(k) plans for public employees and credited a commission he appointed last session with helping to fix
the state’s underfunded pension system.
To drive business, Ehrlich said he would cut the state’s sales tax by 1 percent — undoing the increase that O’Malley approved to help balance the budget — and pass a “small-business bill of rights act” that would require state agencies to be more responsive to businesses.
O’Malley touted pro-business measures he already passed, including a $5,000 tax credit to businesses for every unemployed Marylander they hire and tax incentives for biotechnology companies. He said he would invest more in venture capital projects, adding that Ehrlich has no plan
to fund his roughly $648 million tax cut.
