20060106 Security Badge

20060106 Security Badge
By Kevin Dayhoff January 6, 2006 6 PM

Today was the day I had set aside to travel to Annapolis, present my press
credentials, and be processed for a Maryland state security badge for the
purposes of covering the 2006 session of the Maryland General Assembly.

Thanks to the Westminster Eagle and Patuxent Publishing Co, I may very well
be one of the first bloggers to be press-credentialed in Annapolis? I
should mention that Patuxent Publishing Company is owned by Tribune, which
also owns the Baltimore Sun.

For a really interesting piece on the affect of blogging and the internet
media on government and state-level politics, please read the "Cover
Story/Politics & Technology" of the July 2005 issue of Governing magazine,
"Instant Influence" by Christopher Swope. Mr. Swopes invites the reader to
review his piece with an opening line, which reads: "A new generation of web
scribes is shaking up state capitol politics."

Also of interest is an article entitled: "Web logs challenging mainstream
media" by Ryan Pitts, in the Spokane Spokesman-Review on Thursday, October
14, 2004. Unfortunately, I did not get the URL address of the article when
I clipped it and they have a paywall in front of their archives... It
mentions Matthew Testa and Scott Hollenbeck from Westminster:

"Of the ones I've checked out, blogs are poorly written and boring diaries,"
said Matthew Testa of Westminster."

"I trust the blogs because they are open and upfront about who they are,"
said Scott Hellenbeck (sic) of Westminster. "They don't have to make the big
money like networks do, so they have different priorities and have to earn
their audience."

I have enjoyed working with both gentlemen... Matthew, I hope that this
blog is not one of those "poorly written and boring diaries."

The process of getting my security badge was painless and quick. There were
only a few folks in line. The Department of General Services police were
very courteous and helpful. It took - perhaps 15 minutes. Of course, the
picture for the badge is almost as bad as the photo on my driver's license.
Whatever.

I'm glad that my security badge identifies me as "media." I would hate to
have to wear a badge that identified me as a "lobbyist" - shades of
Nathaniel Hawthorne and "The Scarlet Letter" - Salem, Massachusetts in
the1630s under the leadership of Speaker Busch - err, John Winthrop.

Although considering the Maryland General Assembly majority party's
intolerance of dissenting ideas - perhaps mentioning The Scarlet Letter was
Freudian:

"The religious sect was known for its intolerance of dissenting ideas and lifestyles. In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne uses the repressive, authoritarian Puritan society as an analogue for humankind in general. The Puritan setting also enables him to portray the human soul under extreme -pressures. Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth, while unquestionably part of the Puritan society in which they live, also reflect universal experiences."

In the past, I had a badge that identified me as an elected official and that badge was also quite helpful. Otherwise, standing in the lines to get through the checkpoints can be time consuming. Especially since, I always have a laptop and briefcase... And I'm always running late. I've gotten to know quite a few folks down there and every trip down the hall is measured in however many 'conversation stops' it takes. I guess this is a good thing - I mean it's better than being ignored...

There have been a few articles written about the issue of security passes in Annapolis - in the last year. Since the decisions about security issues are being made by several pay grades above mine, I'm not sure what my 2 cents is worth. Besides, in the post 9/11 world, safety is an overriding concern.

Richard B. Weldon, Jr. (R – Dist. 3B, Frederick & Washington Counties) had a thing or two to say about the security badges in his piece: General Assembly Journal 2006 - Part 1.

Recently, on January 1, 2006, David Nitkin, with the Baltimore Sun, wrote a piece on the issue called "Lobbyists get a pass on lines."

Unfortunately, the Baltimore Sun does not use permalinks, so the hyperlink will probably not work. The first several paragraphs of his piece are:

"A new security system in Annapolis means that visitors should expect longer lines outside the State House and other government buildings when the General Assembly session begins this month.

But most Annapolis lobbyists won't be waiting in them.

The professional State House lobbying corps, which boasts 14 members who earned more than $500,000 in 2004, has managed to preserve its rapid access to the historic capitol complex, overturning an earlier decision that would
have made them stand outside and pass through metal detectors like day
visitors.

The Maryland Department of General Services, which provides security at state buildings, had first determined that lobbyists should not receive the same entry privileges as the governor, the first lady, lawmakers, legislative services workers and members of the news media.

But some of the most powerful players in Annapolis, including former legislators who now work as lobbyists, refused to accept a decision handed
down in November.

"I went ballistic. A couple of other people went ballistic," said lobbyist Bruce C. Bereano. "We brought pressure to bear and turned it around."

A few weeks after the fall ruling, state officials changed the regulation and decided that registered lobbyists can bypass the police and security equipment at the entrance to government buildings. The privilege will go only to those who are registered with the Maryland State Ethics Commission, undergo a background check and pay a $50 fee for their badges.

Among those fighting to maintain rapid access was Barbara A. Hoffman, the former chairwoman of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee who became a lobbyist after a 2002 election defeat."

Next trip to Annapolis is for Opening Day - The second Wednesday of every
January - January 11, 2006, this year.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster, Maryland, USA
E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org
####