Curt Anderson

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Curtis Stovall "Curt" Anderson
Curt Anderson
Delegate 43rd District
In office
2003 – Present
Preceded by Ken Montague, Michael Dobson
Constituency Baltimore City
Delegate 44th District
In office
January 12, 1983 – January 10, 1995
Preceded by Torey Brown, Frank Robey
Succeeded by Ann Marie Doory
Born October 12, 1949 (1949-10-12) (age 58)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Political party Democratic
Spouse Divorced
Relations Lt.Col. Derek Anderson, U.S. Army, ret.(brother)
Children Ambre Anderson, Curtis Ian, Damien, Christian
Residence Baltimore, Maryland
Occupation Attorney
Religion Christian

Curt Anderson, is an American politician, lawyer and former broadcast journalist. Anderson, the chairman of the Baltimore City Delegation,[1] and former chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1983. After serving 12 years he was elected again in 2002. Anderson was also a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1992 (Clinton) and 2008 (Obama).

Contents

[edit] Background

Curtis Stovall Anderson was born on October 12, 1949 to Leonard Curtis Anderson and Jean Stovall in Chicago, Illinois. His father, a graduate of the Northwestern seminary, moved the family to Baltimore, in 1952, to take a job as the Dean of men at Morgan State College and assistant rector at the St. James Episcopal Church. Anderson's parents divorced in 1957 and he and his two sisters were raised by his mother.

[edit] Education

Morgan State College Lacrosse Team, 1976.
Morgan State College Lacrosse Team, 1976.

Anderson attended Guildford and Winston elementary schools and Woodbourne Jr. high school. In 1964 he entered the Baltimore City College (high school), the third oldest high school in the country; and with 3,000 boys it was also one of the largest. He distinguished himself by becoming the captain of the football and track teams[2] and winning a scholarship to Rutgers University. Anderson majored in political science and made the freshman and varsity football and freshman track teams. In the fall of 1969, Rutgers played Princeton, in the 100th Anniversary of college football; the first game being played by Rutgers and Princeton in 1869. Anderson saw limited action in the game and left Rutgers at the end of the semester. In 1973 he entered Morgan State College where he earned his bachelor’s degree in political science. He also played on the legendary “Ten Bears” lacrosse team,[3] the only black college lacrosse team in America.[4] In 1982, after, his television career, he entered the University of Baltimore Law School where he earned his Juris Doctor.[5]

[edit] Television career

Prior to running for the House of Delegates Curt Anderson anchored the news at channel 2, WMAR-TV, and channel 11, WBAL-TV, in Baltimore, Maryland. Anderson was first hired by WBAL in 1976 as a reporter where he regularly covered the state legislature, City Hall, produced features and even boxed a round with Muhammad Ali [1] as a feature story in 1978. In 1980 he was hired by WMAR-TV to be the station's weekend anchor and reported on such events as the Wayne Williams trial in Atlanta (1981) and the Cuban refugee influx in Pennsylvania. In April 1982, Anderson was fired by WMAR-TV following a 90 day labor strike.[6] Other news anchors in Baltimore during Anderson's tenure included Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Turner, Mike Hambrick, Ron Smith, Sue Simmons, Vince Bagli and Spencer Christian. Anderson was also a member of the Association of Black Media Workers,[7] and its parent organization the National Association of Black Journalists. As a member, Anderson worked with his colleagues to increase the numbers of African-Americans employed in Baltimore television and radio stations during the 1970s. The group also sought to help solve social issues such as drugs, homelessness and illiteracy that existed in the African-American community as well as to encourage young African-Americans to enter the field of journalism. (On March 3, 2008, the Baltimore Sun wrote that Anderson is an avid Wikipedia editor.)[8]

[edit] On the campaign trail

Knocking doors in 1982.
Knocking doors in 1982.

After the strike at WMAR, Curt Anderson was fired from his television job and ran for the House of Delegates while entering law school. During the summer of 1982, in the heavily democratic 44th district of Baltimore City, he knocked on more than 9,000 doors and joined the ticket of incumbent state senator Julian Lapides. The primary field of contenders included four incumbent state delegates and with Anderson, that meant five people vying for three seats in the primary. Anderson not only won a seat but came in first, ahead of all the incumbents. He faced token opposition in the general election, won handily and finished law school four years later.

[edit] Legislative career

After serving seven years in the Maryland General Assembly, Anderson was elected chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland.[9] As chairman he sponsored and saw passed Maryland's Minoirty Business Enterprise Act. One of the benefits of this act for minority business was increased participation in major state projects like the building of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Nearly 20% of the contracts let for the construction of the new ballpark went to minority owned businesses. After 12 years in the House, Anderson ran for the Senate in 1994 but was defeated in the democratic primary. He practiced law for the next 8 years when the political bug bit again. In 2002 he made a run for the House of Delegates. As before he was a non-incumbent running against four incumbents for three seats. Unlike his first race in 1982 where he beat all the incumbents and finished first, this time Anderson finished third with a razor thin 100 vote margin of victory over 4th place finisher incumbent Ken Montague. In the 2006 campaign, Anderson joined with 43rd district incumbents Senator Joan Carter Conway, and Delegates Maggie McIntosh and Ann Marie Doory to defeat a field of 6 other challengers. The team knocked on more than 20,000 doors, mailed nearly 100,000 thousand pieces of literature and defeated all challengers in both the primary and general elections.[10]

[edit] Electric rate increases

In 2006, Delegate Anderson spearheaded[11] an effort to reduce proposed electric rate increases in the Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) service territory.

Rate increae protest outside Baltimore Courthouse
Rate increae protest outside Baltimore Courthouse

BGE had proposed a 72% increase in electricity rates that would have gone into effect during the summer,[12] the highest period of electricity usage. BGE argued that it had to make the increase because of the cost of energy it had purchased the previous January, but did not disclose until later that most of the energy it had purchased was from its parent company, Constellation Energy. Before the rates could be increased,[13] Anderson and his colleagues joined citizens of Baltimore in[14] demonstrating against[15] the plan and trying to bring the legislature back into session to deal with the issue.[16] An extraordinary session of the Maryland General Assembly was called and legislators voted to limit the increase to 15% and investigate the means of procurement that caused the initial crisis.

[edit] Slots

Since his return to the legislature in 2003, Anderson has probably been best known for his opposition to the introduction of slot machines in Annapolis.[17] Delegate Anderson along with former Delegate Peter Franchot (now Comptroller of Maryland) organized protests against slots, wrote newspaper editorials[18] and took to the airwaves at several local radio and television stations to solidify opposition to bringing organized gambling into Maryland. In spite of strong support for slots by then Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich, Anderson and his colleagues prevailed and a pro-slots bill never made it out of the House of Delegates though similar bills had passed the State Senate. In 2005, however, all that changed; both chambers passed different pro-slots bills. In the House of Delegates the measure passed by a 71-66 vote. The refusal of the competing gambling interest to compromise on one bill or the another doomed the measure again and[19] no slots bill ever reached Governor Ehrlich's desk.[20] 2007 brought new hopes to some slots proponents because the new Governor, Martin O'Malley, had hinted at some marginal support for slots as a possible new revenue source. Although Anderson and O'Malley share party affiliations, Anderson remained a staunch opponent of bringing slots into Maryland. [21][22]

[edit] Crime

Delegate Anderson at 1985 hearing.
Delegate Anderson at 1985 hearing.

Curt Anderson is also the chairman of the House Judiciary's subcommittee on criminal justice,[23] and chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland's committee on crime and justice. In 2003, Delegate Anderson was appointed to and currently serves on the Maryland State Commission on Criminal Sentencing Policy.[24] His experiences from these positions as well as his background as a criminal defense attorney led him to the conclusion that most crime is just a symptom of the larger problem that society faces: drug addiction. In the 2007 session of the Maryland General Assembly, Anderson, therefore, introduced measures[25] to increase drug treatment[26] funding while requiring the state's courts to refer first time misdemeanor drug users to treatment. The initiative mirrors those adopted on the west coast under California Proposition 36. Anderson's other bill in the drug area represents a major change in Maryland drug policy, HB992, would have repealed the state's without parole provisions from the sentences of second time non-violent drug felons.[27] Referencing the fact that nearly 90% of those incarcerated in Maryland for drug felonies are of African-American descent, Anderson has sought to create a racially equitable solution to the drug problem.[28] The Maryland State Commission of Sentencing Guidelines is also considering changing sentencing guidelines for low level felony drug offenders.[29] Although the bill passed both Houses, it sits on the Governor's desk and could be the subject of the new Governor's first veto.[30] Additionally, Anderson was the House of Delegates floor leader on legislation that would automatically expunge the records of the thousands of young men who have been arrested in Baltimore City without being charged with a crime.[31] In 2006 more than 21,000 people, mostly African-Americans, were arrested in Baltimore City and then released hours later without being charged with a crime. Existing Maryland law would allow them to have their records expunged of these arrests but not without signing a written waiver of rights or waiting for three years. HB-10 would make the expungement automatic with no waiver, no fee and no waiting period. It passed the Maryland House of Delegates on March 7, 2007, by a vote of 130- [32] and signed into law on April 10, 2007. Anderson also sponsored legislation that would require the state's forensic laboratories be strictly monitored. The bill, which was also signed by the Governor in 2007, proposed to ensure that the scientific reliability of forensic testimony could not be challenge due to a lack of appropriate standards and basic protocols.[33]
During the 2008 legislative session Anderson sponsored the Custodial Interrogation Act which would reqire law enforcement officers to electronically record interrogations in murder and rape cases that resulted in confessions.[34].[35] The bill was signed into law by the Governor in May of 2008.

[edit] Legislative notes

[edit] 2005

  • voted against slots in 2005 (HB1361)[36]

[edit] 2006

  • voted for Healthy Air Act in 2006 (SB154)[37]

[edit] 2007

  • voted in favor of the Tax Reform Act of 2007 (HB2)[2]
  • voted in favor of prohibiting ground rents in 2007(SB106)[38]
  • primary sponsor of HB 1071, creating child fatality review teams for the prevention of child deaths[39]
  • voted in favor of in-state tuition for students who attended Maryland highschools for at least 2 years. (HB6)(2007) [40]

[edit] 2008

  • primary sponsor of HB6 2008, requiring custodial interrogations in capital cases be recorded. [41]

[edit] Past general election results

  • 2006 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – 43rd District[42]
Voters to choose three:
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Curt Anderson, Democratic 22,315   29.4%    Won
Maggie McIntosh, Democratic 22,093   29.1%    Won
Ann Marie Doory, Democratic 21,219   28.0%    Won
Armand F. Girard, Republican 3,425   4.5%    Lost
David G.S. Greene, Green 2,619   3.5%    Lost
Brandy Baker, Green 2,267   3.0%    Lost
Richard J. Ochs, Green 1,772   2.3%    Lost
  • 2002 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – 43rd District[43]
Voters to choose three:
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Maggie McIntosh, Democratic 21,993   32.5%    Won
Curt Anderson, Democratic 21,131   30.8%    Won
Ann Marie Doory, Democratic 19,999   29.15%    Won
John A. Heath, Republican 5,243   7.64%    Lost
Morning Sunday, Green (Write-In) 152   .22%    Lost
Other Write-Ins 97   .14%    Lost

[edit] Activist in the Democratic Party

Anderson backs Howard Dean for president in 2003
Anderson backs Howard Dean for president in 2003
Curt Anderson canvassing for Barack Obama in Columbia, South Carolina, Jan. 26, 2008
Curt Anderson canvassing for Barack Obama in Columbia, South Carolina, Jan. 26, 2008

Since entering the political realm Anderson has been extremely active in the Democratic Party. He has been a member of the Mount Royal Democratic Club, the New Democratic Club (NDC2) and co-founder of the 43/44 Democratic Club all in Northeast Baltimore. In 1992,[44] Anderson ran successfully as a Clinton delegate, from Maryland's 7th congressional district, and eventually cast his vote for Bill Clinton at the 1992 Democratic National Convention in New York. In 2003,[45] he was co-chair of "Maryland Electeds for Howard Dean" and ran as a Dean delegate (Md 7th congressional district) in the Maryland presidential primary. [46] Howard Dean had withdrawn from the race but Anderson made a strong showing, finishing just behind the John Kerry delegates. [47] In July 2004, Anderson traveled to his home state of Illinois and spent a week campaigning for Barack Obama, who was running for the United States Senate. In 2006, Anderson took an active role in helping the Democratic party regain control of the Maryland Governor's mansion. He campaigned door to door for Martin O'Malley, Mayor of Baltimore, who was trying to unseat Republican incumbent Governor Robert Ehrlich. Anderson has also run Baltimore City-wide campaigns as well. He chaired Carl Stokes mayoral bid in 1999 and was campaign manager for Larry Young, a candidate for President of the Baltimore City Council in 1987.
During the 2007 session of the Maryland General Assembly, Anderson recruited many of his colleagues to endorse Illinois senator Barack Obama for President of the United States, in December of 2007, Anderson was chosen by the Obama Presidential campaign to appear on the ballot as a male delegate for Obama from Maryland's 7th congressional district. [48] Anderson campaigned in South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland and Ohio [49] for Obama, knocking on doors and phone banking. [50] Anderson's oldest son, Curtis, was chairman of the Norfolk, Virginia for Obama campaign. [51] In May 2008, the Maryland Democratic Party selected Anderson as an Obama PLEO delegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado.[52]

[edit] External links

Additional information on Curt Anderson can be obtained at:

[edit] References

  1. ^ Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland Archives. Retrieved on 2007-02-23.
  2. ^ Strasburger, Editor The 1967 Green Bag. place of publication unknown, 1967.
  3. ^ Harrison,, Miles Jr.; Chip Silverman (2001). Ten Bears. USA: Positive Publications, 185. ISBN 0-967992-21-4. 
  4. ^ Eisenberg, John. In Black And White, For The Silver Screen - A Lacrosse Story. Black Athlete. Retrieved on 2007-04-23. “A Ten Bears movie would focus just on Morgan's team.”
  5. ^ State Bolsters University's Future. University of Baltimore (05 2006). Retrieved on 2007-02-23.
  6. ^ Saunders, Adrienne. "Delegate Anderson Overwhelmed on House Floor", Capital News Service, 2004-04-08. Retrieved on 2007-03-01. 
  7. ^ History of the Association of Black Media Workers. The Association of Black Media Workers. Retrieved on 2007-03-01. “the ranks included: Sandra Banks and Kweisi Mfume; Oprah Winfrey and Clarice Scriber of WJZ-TV; Curt Anderson of WMAR-TV”
  8. ^ Dechter, Gadi. Delegate's obsession a benefit to the Net. The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
  9. ^ Anderson elected by caucus (tif) (1988-06-25). Archived from [www.msa.md.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/013200/013208/tif/sun6-25-1988.tif the original] on 1988-09-11. Retrieved on 2007-02-23.
  10. ^ Official 2006 Gubernatorial General Election results for Baltimore City. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved on 2007-02-22.
  11. ^ Hellgren, Mike. "Delegate Petitions For New BGE Rate Session", WJZ TV, 2006-04-23. Retrieved on 2007-03-11. "BGE, Constellation Energy, whatever you want to call it--is still taking advantage of the ratepayers" 
  12. ^ Amen. Blog at WordPress.com.. Retrieved on 2007-02-25. “The most telling moment was when Del. Curtis S. Anderson, one of only two legislators to show up for the hearing,”
  13. ^ "Special session drive hits 'snag'", Washington Times, 2006-04-23. Retrieved on 2007-03-11. 
  14. ^ Lee, Sharon. "Ralliers Protest BGE, Want Lawmakers To Fix Crisis", WJZ TV, 2006-05-20. Retrieved on 2007-03-11. "Clearly nothing is going to happen unless people get upset that they are getting gouged" 
  15. ^ Zibel, Alan. "Groups protest Constellation, FPL merger", Baltimore Business Journal, 2006-06-09. Retrieved on 2007-03-11. "Del. Curtis Anderson (D-Baltimore) on Wednesday filed a formal protest with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission" 
  16. ^ "Ehrlich Doesn't Think Much Of BGE Special Session", WBAL TV, 2006-05-30. Retrieved on 2007-03-11. 
  17. ^ "Slots Legislation Faces Opposition In House", WBAL TV, 2004-01-30. Retrieved on 2007-03-11. 
  18. ^ Hey Buddy Can You Spare A Billion?. Committee for Curt Anderson, Warren Brown Treas.. Retrieved on 2007-02-22. “A government based on the strong preying upon the poor or uneducated cannot stand the test of time,”
  19. ^ Mosk, Matthew. "Ehrlich Spreads Blame Over Slots", Washington Post, 2005-04-12. Retrieved on 2007-03-11. "Once again, the folks who wanted slots couldn't see through their own greed to reach an agreement" 
  20. ^ More gambling for the children in Maryland. Tax Foundation. Retrieved on 2007-02-28. “In 2002 the average American spent more money on lotteries than reading material.”
  21. ^ "Our View", Delmarva Daily Times, 2007-01-13. Retrieved on 2007-03-11. 
  22. ^ "O'Malley's Tax Plan Faces Opposition", WJZ-TV, 2007-10-04. Retrieved on 2007-10-04. 
  23. ^ Maryland House of Delegates: Judiciary Committee. Maryland State Archives. Retrieved on 2007-02-25.
  24. ^ Commissioners. Maryland State Commission on Sentencing Guidelines. Retrieved on 2007-03-12.
  25. ^ Delegate Curt Anderson. Maryland State Department of Legislative Services, Office of Information Systems. Retrieved on 2007-03-12.
  26. ^ Drug Policy News. Drug Policy Alliance. Retrieved on 2007-03-12. “Clearly, the current practice of using prisons as a catch-all solution for social problems cannot continue.”
  27. ^ Lazarick, Len. "House Rejects Parole for Drug Offenders", Baltimore Examiner, 2007-03-24. Retrieved on 2007-04-11. 
  28. ^ Report Shows the Racism Behind Drug Sentences. Law Professor Blogs Network. Retrieved on 2007-03-17. “Repealing the minimum-sentencing laws would allow judges to require treatment, particularly in the case of a low-level dealer who sells drugs to support an addiction”
  29. ^ Draft Minutes. Maryland State Commission on Criminal Sentencing Policy. Retrieved on 2007-03-21. “the Commission should develop a system of diversion from incarceration for low-level drug offenders”
  30. ^ Rein, Lisa. "Bill Could Shorten Some Drug Dealers' Prison Time", Washington Post, 2007-05-08. Retrieved on 2007-05-14. "Advocates for repealing fixed terms say locking up nonviolent offenders instead of treating them is ineffective" 
  31. ^ Sherman, John. "Erasing Arrests", WBAL-TV, 2007-05-08. Retrieved on 2007-05-14. 
  32. ^ House Bill 10. Maryland Department of Legislative Services. Retrieved on 2007-04-21.
  33. ^ BILL INFO-2007 Regular Session-HB 879
  34. ^ HB6. Maryland Department of Legislative Services. Retrieved on 2008-03-21.
  35. ^ Smith, Van. "Fess Up", Baltimore City PaperServices. Retrieved on 2008-05-21. "Instead of calling for cameras to be used when suspects in custody are being questioned in 18 crime categories, as initially proposed, he told the committee the bill now requires it in four: murders, rapes, and first- and second-degree sex offenses." 
  36. ^ House Bill 1361. Maryland Department of Legislative Services. Retrieved on 2007-05-11.
  37. ^ Senate Bill 154. Maryland Department of Legislative Services. Retrieved on 2007-05-11.
  38. ^ House Bill 6. Maryland Department of Legislative Services. Retrieved on 2007-05-11.
  39. ^ House Bill 1071. Maryland Department of Legislative Services. Retrieved on 2007-05-11.
  40. ^ House Bill 6. Maryland Department of Legislative Services. Retrieved on 2007-05-11.
  41. ^ HB6. Maryland Department of Legislative Services. Retrieved on 2008-03-21.
  42. ^ House of Delegates Results. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved on Mar. 3, 2007
  43. ^ House of Delegates Results. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved on Mar. 3, 2007
  44. ^ Maryland State Board of Elections
  45. ^ Politics1 - P2004: Profile of Gov. Howard Dean (D-VT)
  46. ^ Chesire, Mark. "Commentary: On Second Thought - Will Maryland Matter?", The Daily Record. Retrieved on 2007-05-11. 
  47. ^ 2004 Presidential Primary - Official Results: Male Delegate to the National Democratic Convention. Maryland State Board Of Elections.
  48. ^ 2008 Presidential primary candidates. Maryland State Board Of Elections. Retrieved on 2008-01-07.
  49. ^ Maryland Democrats Go to Ohio for Obama. Baltimore Examiner. Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
  50. ^ Obama’s surge could change Md.’s political future. Baltimore Examiner. Retrieved on 2008-02-15.
  51. ^ Hampton Roads for Obama Event. VB Dems. Retrieved on 2008-02-15.
  52. ^ Maryland Democrats Complete Convention Delegation. Maryland Democratic Party. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
v • d • e
Government of Maryland
Executive Flag of Maryland
Legislative
Judicial
Constitutional Officers
Independent Agencies