Jul 16, 2008 7:28 pm US/Eastern
McDonough Named Md. Secretary Of State
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) ―
Governor Martin O'Malley named veteran political campaigner and former Rosecroft Raceway attorney John McDonough as Maryland's secretary of state on Wednesday, filling a position that has been held by an interim secretary for 18 months.
McDonough, 58, has long ties to Prince George's County politics. He has worked on Rep. Steny Hoyer's campaigns for years. He also worked on Kathleen Kennedy Townsend's failed bid for governor. He served as a legislative aide to the Prince George's County Council and chief of staff to the Prince George's County executive.
McDonough, of Mitchellville, worked as a lawyer and lobbyist for the Rosecroft Raceway horse racing track in Prince George's County from 1985 to 2006. Part of the secretary of state's job is to prepare wording on ballot questions in constitutional amendments, a role the office will play in November's referendum on slot machine gambling.
O'Malley's administration is promoting the amendment to Maryland's constitution as a much-needed revenue source and a boost to the struggling horse racing industry. While Laurel Park, a horse racing track in Anne Arundel County, could be one of five sites to receive slot machines, Rosecroft is not in the running for slots.
Although he spent years as an attorney for Rosecroft, McDonough said his client is now the state of Maryland, and he pledged to work in the state's best interest.
But he already sounded ready for critics in the role his office will play in determining ballot language for the controversial referendum.
"Let me anticipate all the complaints," he said. "It's sort of like being an umpire. If I call a strike, the batter's going to be unhappy; if I call a ball, the catcher's going to be unhappy.
All I can do is call balls and strikes and let the players play the game."
O'Malley described McDonough as a good fit for secretary of state because his participation on the Greater Washington Board of Trade and the Maryland Chamber of Commerce has given him an enhanced understanding of the state's two major metropolitan areas, Baltimore and Washington.
O'Malley said he held the secretary of state's position open so he could find the right person and because he had confidence in the interim department head, Dennis Schnepfe.
"It gave us the luxury, if you will, of being able to really take our time in looking for the person with the right blend of skills that could do this job," O'Malley said.
In Maryland, the secretary of state job is less prominent than it is in states where they are elected.
McDonough's appointment will have to be confirmed by the Senate. The secretary of state in Maryland monitors and enforces the law affecting charitable solicitations, notaries and condominiums. He or she also promotes relationships between the state and other countries.
O'Malley pointed to McDonough's activity in several charitable organizations as further experience that will be helpful in his new job.
The secretary of state's base salary is $78,750, under state law. The salary goes up to $81,667 in the second year and to $87,500 in the fourth year of a term.
(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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