Former <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/maryland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Maryland</a> GOP Governor Larry Hogan said Friday that he saw &#8220;what appeared to be dozens of large drones&#8221; flying above his home in Maryland on Thursday evening. 
Hogan’s comments come as mystery <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/unidentified-drones-entered-airspace-over-u-s-navy-weapons-station" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drone sightings</a> have been reported across northeastern states. He demanded more answers from the Biden administration, which has provided little information on the origin or nature of the drones. 
“Last night, beginning at around 9:45 pm, I personally witnessed (and videoed) what appeared to be dozens of large drones in the sky above my residence in Davidsonville, Maryland (25 miles from our nation’s capital),” Hogan posted on X alongside a video taken from his home. “I observed the activity for approximately 45 minutes.”
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Last night, beginning at around 9:45 pm, I personally witnessed (and videoed) what appeared to be dozens of large drones in the sky above my residence in Davidsonville, Maryland (25 miles from our nation’s capital). I observed the activity for approximately 45 minutes.
Like… <a href="https://t.co/Ipx8ctLmhs">pic.twitter.com/Ipx8ctLmhs</a>
— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLarryHogan/status/1867608947525386534?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
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“Like many who have observed these drones, I do not know if this increasing activity over our skies is a threat to public safety or national security,” Hogan added. “But the public is growing increasingly concerned and frustrated with the complete lack of transparency and the dismissive attitude of the federal government. The government has the ability to track these from their point of origin but has mounted a negligent response. People are rightfully clamoring for answers, but aren’t getting any.”
In a joint statement on Thursday, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security suggested that people may be reporting manned aircraft. They added that they did not believe the drones to be a security threat. 
“We are being told that neither the White House, the military, the FBI, or Homeland Security have any idea what they are, where they came from, or who has launched or is controlling them–and that they pose no threat,” Hogan said.  “That response is entirely unacceptable. I join with the growing bipartisan chorus of leaders demanding that the federal government immediately address this issue. The American people deserve answers and action now,” he added. 
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Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have called for the Biden administration to give more information on the drones, which have been spotted over multiple states, including New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, and Maryland. 
 “The Biden Administration continues to be dismissive of New Jersey residents who have witnessed these drones in swarms, including coming from the ocean, following a Coast Guard lifeboat, and flying over extremely sensitive military bases like Naval Weapons Station Earle in my congressional district,” Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) <a href="https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=413455" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in response to the joint DHS/FBI statement. “ The American people and our trained local law enforcement officials have rightfully asked for real answers—not doublespeak from top Biden officials who still admit they do not know the origin or intent behind this unidentified drone activity.”
Smith said he would hold a press conference on Saturday in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, with local law enforcement to discuss the drone situation.

Maryland Senate Candidate Larry Hogan Speaks To The Press After Touring Public Elementary School

Former Republican Gov Says He Witnessed Mystery Drones Above Home, Demands Answers

Air and Space

Biden Administration

Department of Homeland Security

Drones

Larry Hogan

Maryland

National Security

Politics

Rep. David Trone (D-MD), who is running for a U.S. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Senate</a> seat in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/maryland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Maryland</a> and is facing fallout after uttering a racial slur, canceled events after his doctor referred him to the hospital due to illness, his campaign said on Sunday.
&#8220;Last night following an event, David felt dehydrated and began to register a fever. Out of an abundance of caution David&#8217;s doctor encouraged him to seek further testing at a local hospital,&#8221; Team Trone <a href="https://twitter.com/davidjtrone/status/1776990967465148658" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement.
&#8220;David is feeling well and expecting to return home this afternoon,&#8221; it added. &#8220;We apologize for the late cancellation of events David was expected to participate in today, and look forward to being back on the trail soon.&#8221;
Trone had been scheduled to participate in a debate against a rival Democrat, Prince George&#8217;s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, on Sunday. The event will go forward without him and focus on the recent Key Bridge collapse, said a local official, <a href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/04/07/david-trone-hospitalized-senate-debate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to The Baltimore Sun</a>.
Trone and Alsobrooks are running for the seat held by retiring Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) in the primary scheduled for next month. They face a Republican challenger in former <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/maryland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Maryland</a> GOP Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/larry-hogan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Larry Hogan</a>, who has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/larry-hogan-leads-maryland-democrat-rivals-by-double-digits-in-senate-race-poll" target="_blank" rel="noopener">performed</a> well in polling since entering the contest. Both Alsobrooks and Hogan wished Trone well on Sunday.
&#8220;Sending our best wishes to Congressman Trone and hope he gets better soon. Looking forward to seeing him back on the trail,&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/AlsobrooksForMD/status/1777015263411544177" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> a post to X from Alsobrooks.
&#8220;Sending our best wishes to Congressman Trone. Hope he feels better and can get back out on the campaign trail soon,&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLarryHogan/status/1776998288647929982" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> one from Hogan&#8217;s account.
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Trone, who has spent more than $20 million on the race, faced blowback after saying a racial slur <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/25/us/politics/angela-alsobrooks-endorsements-david-trone.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8212; &#8220;jigaboo&#8221; &#8212;</a>  while talking about tax rates during a congressional hearing a couple weeks ago. Since that time, Axios <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/24/maryland-senate-race-alsobrooks-endorsements-trone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> several black Democrats have since endorsed Alsobrooks, <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/3-black-women-aim-historic-senate-wins-2024/story?id=107519764" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who is black</a>. And Trone <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/david-trone-backs-out-of-debate-with-african-american-primary-opponent-amid-backlash-over-use-of-racial-slur/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">backed out</a> of another debate with her.
In an apology, Trone said he meant to say &#8220;bugaboo&#8221; and instead used an &#8220;offensive&#8221; phrase, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/congressman-apology-racial-slur-mistake-3cfe6c5299cbceff05d138e8479ef168" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per the Associated Press</a>. &#8220;That word has a long dark terrible history. It should never be used any time, anywhere, in any conversation. I recognize that as a white man, I have privilege. And as an elected official, I have a responsibility for the words I use — especially in the heat of the moment. Regardless of what I meant to say, I shouldn’t have used that language.&#8221;

David Trone

Embattled Dem Senate Candidate Says He Suddenly Fell Ill, Backs Out Of Another Debate

2024 Election

Elections

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Senate

Former <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/maryland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Maryland</a> GOP Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/larry-hogan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Larry Hogan</a> is leading his Democrat rivals by double digits, according to the results of a new survey on this year&#8217;s race in the deep blue state for the seat held by retiring Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD).
The Washington Post-University of Maryland <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/03/20/senate-poll-hogan-trone-alsobrooks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll found</a> voters say they would support Hogan over Rep. David Trone (D-MD) — 49% to 37% — if the election were held today. Voters similarly backed Hogan over Prince George&#8217;s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, 50% to 36%.
Despite the positive results for Hogan, 55% of voters said they would like the Democrats to maintain control of the U.S. Senate while 35% said the same for Republicans. Another 11% had no opinion or skipped the question.
Which party controls the Senate after November&#8217;s election remains a very open question. Democrats currently lead the chamber with 48 seats and three independents who caucus with them. Republicans are the minority party with 49 seats.
The Cook Political Report put at least three races this year, including two where Democrat incumbents are seeking re-election, in the <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;Toss Up&#8221; category</a>. When Hogan <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-republican-governor-announces-surprise-bid-for-senate-in-deep-blue-state" target="_blank" rel="noopener">entered</a> the Maryland race in February, the group <a href="https://twitter.com/CookPolitical/status/1756069592948957346" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shifted</a> the race from &#8220;Solid D&#8221; to &#8220;Likely D.&#8221;
Another takeaway from the new poll was just how much better Hogan performed, even among Democrats, when it came to favorability. The survey found 64% of registered voters gave Hogan a favorable rating; 61% of registered Democrats did the same.
&#8220;I am always humbled by the support of Marylanders, but make no mistake, we are the underdogs in this race,&#8221; Hogan said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLarryHogan/status/1770516828432863575" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> posted to X. &#8220;The partisan politics in Washington will do anything they can to stop us.&#8221;
He added, &#8220;Washington is dangerously broken. We need your help to fix the broken politics and send a message to Washington that will be heard loud and clear across the country.&#8221;
Trone&#8217;s favorability among registered voters was 33% and 43% among Democrats. Alsobrooks got 26% among registered voters and 35% from Democrats. Voters seemed least familiar with Alsobrooks, as more than 50% had no opinion or otherwise skipped the question for her.
The Democratic Party&#8217;s primary in Maryland is scheduled to take place on May 14. Most registered Democrats told pollsters they would likely vote, and in a face-off, Trone bested Alsobrooks 34%-27%. Another 39% picked no opinion or skipped the question.
The survey was <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/documents/d9612568-9ff3-4dfc-a706-60d2bd10021f.pdf?itid=lk_inline_manual_2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conducted</a> by Braun Research of Princeton, New Jersey, using a random sample of 1,004 registered voters who were contacted by phone March 5-12.
A PDF on the poll said overall results have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points and 4.5 percentage points among registered Democrats.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan

Larry Hogan Leads Maryland Democrat Rivals By Double Digits In Senate Race Poll

Polls

U.S.

Former Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan made a surprise announcement launching his campaign for Senate on Friday, seeking to flip a seat in the heavily Democratic state.
“I am running for the United States Senate – not to serve one party – but to stand up to both parties, fight for Maryland, and fix our nation&#8217;s broken politics,” Hogan said in a post on X announcing his campaign. “It’s what I did as Maryland’s governor, and it’s exactly how I&#8217;ll serve Maryland in the Senate. Let’s get back to work.”
Hogan, who served as Maryland’s governor from 2015 to 2023, was reportedly lobbied by National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) to run for the Senate seat as the GOP seeks to secure a majority in 2024, according to <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4458366-larry-hogan-maryland-senate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hill</a>. The moderate Republican left office with a 77% approval statewide, which included 81% approval among Democrats, according to a Gonzales <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/governor-larry-hogan-maryland-poll-approval-ratings-wes-moore/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a>.
In 2022, Hogan <a href="https://www.wbaltv.com/article/larry-hogan-running-for-senate-maryland/46697369#:~:text=U.S.%20Senate%20seat.-,Hogan%20said%20in%20February%202022%3A%20%22I%20will%20not%20be%20a,of%20common%20sense%20and%20moderation." target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled out</a> running for the seat that will be vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin, saying he was “certainly humbled” by those encouraging him to run, but adding, “As I have repeatedly said, I don&#8217;t aspire to be a United States senator and that fact has not changed.&#8221; He was then floated as a potential third-party presidential candidate for No Labels, the political group seeking to challenge Republican and Democratic candidates in the general election.
Hogan, a critic of former President Donald Trump, stepped down from his position as co-chair of No Labels last month, sparking speculation that he was setting himself up to run for president as the group’s candidate, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/larry-hogan-no-labels-president-554bf06459270be3b62724ede6fc8099" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Hogan’s resignation came as No Labels pushed for ballot access across the country for the 2024 general election.
In his nearly three-minute-long video announcement, Hogan said he is running for Maryland’s open Senate seat because he is “fed up with politics as usual.”
“The politicians in Washington seem to be more interested in arguing than in actually getting things done for the people they represent,” he said. “Enough is enough. We can do so much better, but not if we keep electing the same kind of typical partisan politicians.”
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I am running for the United States Senate – not to serve one party – but to stand up to both parties, fight for Maryland, and fix our nation&#39;s broken politics. It’s what I did as Maryland’s governor, and it’s exactly how I&#39;ll serve Maryland in the Senate. Let’s get back to work. <a href="https://t.co/d0TuZchAtN">pic.twitter.com/d0TuZchAtN</a>
&mdash; Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLarryHogan/status/1755998920981799338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Hogan is seeking to become the first Republican elected to the U.S. Senate from Maryland since Sen. Charles Mathias left office in 1987. The 80-year-old Cardin has served in the Senate since 2007, and Maryland’s junior Senator Chris Van Hollen (D) was elected in 2016.

Former Republican Governor Announces Surprise Bid For Senate In Deep Blue State

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan Announces Run For Senate

Ben Cardin

Republicans

Senate

Former Maryland GOP Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/larry-hogan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Larry Hogan</a> endorsed former South Carolina Governor and United Nations Ambassador <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nikki-haley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nikki Haley</a> for president on the eve of the Iowa caucuses, calling her the &#8220;best possible candidate&#8221; for the Republican Party in November.
Hogan told CNN on Sunday that he thinks &#8220;it&#8217;s pretty clear&#8221; that former President Donald Trump will win Iowa — as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iowa-gop-caucus-all-the-final-polls" target="_blank" rel="noopener">polling leading up to</a> the first-in-the-nation caucuses has indicated. &#8220;So it&#8217;s really about the fight for second place,&#8221; Hogan said.
Florida Governor &#8220;Ron DeSantis has put all the marbles on Iowa and spent all of his time and money and seems to be going in the wrong direction. I think Nikki Haley&#8217;s got all the momentum. And what this race is really all about is to try to nominate the strongest possible nominee for November,&#8221; he continued.
Over the past several months, <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/president/republican-primary/2024/iowa-caucus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RealClearPolitics (RCP) shows Haley&#8217;s polling average</a> gradually ticked up to second place at 18.8% over the 15.7% for DeSantis. Some of the most recent polls have shown her with an edge over DeSantis, while other surveys indicate a dead heat between Haley and DeSantis. Haley&#8217;s hold on second place is even stronger in New Hampshire, where her <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/president/republican-primary/2024/new-hampshire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RCP polling average sits at 29.3%,</a> 14.2 points behind Trump.
&#8220;I&#8217;m convinced that the momentum is with Nikki Haley, that she has the potential of moving into second place, although it be at a distant second place, which gives her momentum heading into New Hampshire,&#8221; Hogan said, adding that Haley could possibly win the Granite State, &#8220;which would put her in a much better position when she moves into her home state of South Carolina.&#8221;
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Hogan, who recently stoked speculation about a <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-11/larry-hogan-steps-down-from-no-labels-fueling-talk-of-2024-run" target="_blank" rel="noopener">potential third-party bid</a> following his <a href="https://apnews.com/article/larry-hogan-no-labels-president-554bf06459270be3b62724ede6fc8099" target="_blank" rel="noopener">departure</a> from the No Labels group, declared his belief in Haley&#8217;s chances to win the GOP nomination in the days after another Republican, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chris-christie-drops-out-of-2024-presidential-race" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped out</a> of the race.
&#8220;I have been saying since last spring when I made the decision not to run that I really did not want to see a multi-car pile-up that would just enable Donald Trump,&#8221; Hogan said. &#8220;I think we want to have the strongest possible nominee in November.&#8221;
Hogan appeared to reference <a href="https://s.wsj.net/public/resources/documents/WSJ_Poll_Dec_2023.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a Wall Street Journal poll</a> released in December showing Haley with a 17-point advantage over President Joe Biden, who is seeking re-election, while Biden facing off against Trump or DeSantis was a much closer race. Other <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-desantis-haley-would-all-beat-biden-new-poll-finds">recent polling</a> indicates that the Journal survey was an outlier and that the gaps among the three candidates are much slimmer.
&#8220;So, yes, I think it&#8217;s time for the party to get behind Nikki Haley,&#8221; Hogan said. &#8220;My friend Chris Christie dropped out of the race in New Hampshire. I appreciate his effort. But I believe that Nikki Haley is the strongest chance for us to put forth our best possible candidate for November.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-desantis-haley-would-all-beat-biden-new-poll-finds">RELATED: Trump, DeSantis, Haley Would All Beat Biden, New Poll Finds</a>

Then-Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan

Larry Hogan Endorses Nikki Haley For President

2024 Primaries

Endorsement

Iowa

Iowa Caucuses

Nikki Haley

Republican Primary

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan&#8217;s ex-aide Roy McGrath, who has been on the run for three weeks, died after he was apprehended Monday by law enforcement in Knoxville, Tennessee.
McGrath&#8217;s lawyer, Joseph Murtha, said he received a gunshot wound and later died of the injury, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/former-top-aide-ex-maryland-gov-larry-hogan-dies-manhunt-lawyer-says-rcna78055">according</a> to NBC News. The FBI said an &#8220;agent-involved shooting&#8221; was under review but gave no further details.
“The FBI has confirmed that Roy succumbed to the injuries inflicted earlier in the evening. It is a tragic ending to three weeks of uncertainty,” Murtha <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/03/politics/roy-mcgrath-manhunt-shooting-fbi-hogan-aide/index.html">told</a> CNN. “I think it is important to stress that Roy never waivered about his innocence.”
The manhunt for McGrath began after he skipped court and was not found after a welfare check was performed at his Naples, Florida, home.
“We’re concerned that something may have happened,” an FBI agent said in a recording <a href="https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-power/state-government/roy-mcgrath-fugitive-found-manhunt-QBUF7AKQM5DN3PQD2OYJI43MA4/">obtained</a> by The Baltimore Banner. “He doesn’t have any kind of violent criminal past, but we are concerned he may have committed suicide at this point.”
McGrath’s attorney, Joseph Murtha, said he was concerned about his client and unsure of what was happening.
“I haven’t a clue. I didn’t see this coming,” Murtha said after his client went missing. “This behavior is so out of the ordinary for him. Obviously his personal safety is a concern.”
McGrath, 53, resigned as Hogan’s chief of staff in 2020 after he was accused of fraudulently securing a severance package of $233,648, equal to a year’s salary, from his prior job leading the Maryland Environmental Service.
McGrath pleaded not guilty to federal wire fraud and theft charges. State charges accuse him of illegally recording private conversations with senior officials. If convicted, McGrath could face decades in prison.
McGrath has a long history working with Hogan, who once described McGrath as a “trusted adviser” and key to helping him build his administration after winning the Maryland governor’s race in 2014, according to The Washington Post.
Hogan, who could be called as a witness in the McGrath case, denies approving McGrath’s large severance. Murtha said McGrath “firmly stands by the fact that Governor Hogan formally approved of his compensation from Maryland Environmental Service, and sadly, turned his back on Mr. McGrath to avoid the political fall out of his decision.”
The FBI and U.S. Marshals Service had offered $10,000 each for information leading to McGrath’s capture.

Roy McGrath

Manhunt For Larry Hogan’s Ex-Aide Ends, Suspect Dead

Florida

Fraud

manhunt

Federal law enforcement officials are offering up to $20,000 for information leading to the capture of former Maryland Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/larry-hogan-reveals-decision-on-2024-presidential-run/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Larry Hogan</a>&#8216;s ex-chief of staff after he failed to appear in court for his criminal trial.
Authorities began searching for fugitive Roy McGrath two weeks ago after he failed to show up for his corruption trial in Baltimore. The FBI and U.S. Marshals Service are now <a href="https://apnews.com/article/maryland-hogan-mcgrath-fugitive-manhunt-18df36cd141dc409e5e7dc7cb5e4ee69" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offering</a> $10,000 each for information leading to McGrath&#8217;s capture.
Officials say he is considered an international flight risk because he was born in Europe. McGrath also has several aliases, including Roy Baisliadou and RC Mak-Grath.
McGrath&#8217;s attorney, Joseph Murtha, said he was concerned about his client and unsure of what was happening.
“I haven’t a clue. I didn’t see this coming,” said Murtha. “This behavior is so out of the ordinary for him. Obviously his personal safety is a concern.”
McGrath, 53, resigned as Hogan’s chief of staff in 2020 after he was accused of fraudulently securing a severance package of $233,648, equal to a year’s salary, from his prior job leading the Maryland Environmental Service.
McGrath pleaded not guilty to federal wire fraud and theft charges. His court appearance Monday morning was set to begin with an arraignment for a superseding indictment. State charges accuse him of illegally recording private conversations with senior officials. If convicted, McGrath could face decades in prison.
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McGrath has a long history working with Hogan, who once described McGrath as a “trusted adviser” and key to helping him build his administration after winning the Maryland governor’s race in 2014, according to The Washington Post.
Hogan, who could be called as a witness in the McGrath case, denies approving McGrath’s large severance. Murtha said McGrath “firmly stands by the fact that Governor Hogan formally approved of his compensation from Maryland Environmental Service, and sadly, turned his back on Mr. McGrath to avoid the political fall out of his decision.”
Daniel Chaitin contributed to this report.

US-CRIME-shooting-SUSPECT

Feds Offer Big Reward In Manhunt For Top Aide To Ex-GOP Governor

Courts

Law enforcement officials began a search for Roy McGrath, a one-time chief of staff to former Republican Maryland Gov. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/larry-hogan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Larry Hogan</a>, after he failed to show up Monday in court this week for a criminal trial in Baltimore.
U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman issued a warrant seeking the arrest of McGrath, who faces wire fraud and embezzlement charges, following his no-show surprise Monday morning.
McGrath&#8217;s attorney, Joseph Murtha, told reporters he was <a href="https://www.fox5dc.com/news/arrest-warrant-issued-for-former-maryland-gov-l" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;shocked&#8221; by his client&#8217;s absence</a>. After having a &#8220;substantively productive conversation&#8221; with his client on Sunday, McGrath said he planned to meet McGrath outside the courthouse ahead of the trial, but McGrath never appeared.
Authorities conducted a welfare check at McGrath&#8217;s home in Naples, Florida, but he was not at the residence, <a href="https://wjla.com/newsletter-daily/arrest-warrant-issued-for-former-hogan-official-mike-mcgrath#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to multiple reports</a>.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Murtha <a href="https://twitter.com/KateRyanWTOP/status/1635683978832216067" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told news radio station WTOP</a> there were no updates on his client&#8217;s whereabouts. The <a href="https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-power/roy-mcgrath-B2QKSFW22BHMZKAFQP2XA5DB5E/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Baltimore Banner reported</a> that the U.S. Marshals Service considers McGrath to be a fugitive, and a wanted poster was released on Tuesday.
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NEW: Here’s a wanted poster from the US Marshals Service for Roy McGrath, former Gov. Larry Hogan’s ex-chief of staff. 
McGrath was scheduled to appear for his federal fraud trail in Baltimore yesterday. His attorney says he has no idea where McGrath may be. <a href="https://t.co/bqnXK5zTAd">pic.twitter.com/bqnXK5zTAd</a>
&mdash; Mikenzie Frost (@MikenzieFrost) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikenzieFrost/status/1635696480584445955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2023</a></blockquote>
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McGrath, 53, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/under-scrutiny-for-receiving-a-large-severance-hogans-chief-of-staff-resigns/2020/08/17/137ff084-e0d0-11ea-8dd2-d07812bf00f7_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resigned as Hogan&#8217;s chief of staff</a> in 2020 after the revelation that McGrath received a severance package of more than $230,000, equal to a year&#8217;s salary, from his prior job of leading the Maryland Environmental Service.
McGrath <a href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-pol-mcgrath-plea-20211119-xqxthryggbgbdf4mtsolkkgqci-story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pleaded not guilty</a> to federal wire fraud and theft charges. His court appearance Monday morning was set to begin with an arraignment for <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/superseding-indictment-charges-former-executive-director-maryland-environmental-service" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a superseding indictment</a>. State charges accuse him of illegally recording private conversations with senior officials. If convicted, McGrath could face decades in prison.
McGrath has a long history working with Hogan, who once described McGrath as a &#8220;trusted adviser&#8221; and key to helping him build his administration after winning the Maryland governor&#8217;s race in 2014, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/03/13/roy-mcgrath-hogan-warrant-court/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to The Washington Post</a>.
Hogan, who could be called as a witness in the McGrath case, <a href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2021/11/05/hogan-denies-former-aides-claim-that-he-approved-hefty-severance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">denies approving McGrath&#8217;s large severance</a>. Murtha said McGrath “firmly stands by the fact that Governor Hogan formally approved of his compensation from Maryland Environmental Service, and sadly, turned his back on Mr. McGrath to avoid the political fall out of his decision.”
Hogan left office in January as a relatively popular governor in deep-blue Maryland and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/larry-hogan-reveals-decision-on-2024-presidential-run" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced this month that he will not run for president in 2024</a>.

Authorities Launch Manhunt For Former Larry Hogan Aide

Crime

Former Maryland Republican Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/larry-hogan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Larry Hogan</a> announced on Sunday that he would not pursue the GOP nomination for the White House in 2024.
&#8220;I have long said that I care more about ensuring a future for the Republican Party than securing my own future in the Republican Party,&#8221; Hogan said in a statement. &#8220;That is why I will not be seeking the Republican nomination for president.&#8221;
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I have long said that I care more about ensuring a future for the Republican Party than securing my own future in the Republican Party. That is why I will not be seeking the Republican nomination for president.
My full statement on the 2024 Presidential race. <a href="https://t.co/1uanfEkjkp">pic.twitter.com/1uanfEkjkp</a>
&mdash; Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLarryHogan/status/1632378210016022528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Hogan, who left office in January as a relatively popular governor in deep-blue Maryland, has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/larry-hogan-claims-school-curriculum-fight-reeks-of-big-government" target="_blank" rel="noopener">considered a potential anti-Trump candidate</a> since the 2020 election. In recent months, he said he was giving serious consideration to a presidential campaign. In August, Hogan visited the Iowa State Fair, a key stop for presidential hopefuls.
But by Sunday, Hogan said he has &#8220;no desire&#8221; to put his family through &#8220;another grueling campaign just for the experience.&#8221;
Former President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a>, former South Carolina Governor and United Nations Ambassador <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nikki-haley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nikki Haley</a>, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vivek-ramaswamy-anti-woke-capital-crusader-announces-2024-white-house-bid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy</a> have entered the contest for the 2024 Republican nomination. So far, polling generally favors Trump and Florida GOP Governor Ron DeSantis, who has not declared candidacy for the White House.
Hogan encouraged Republicans to move away from Trump, though he <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3840973-larry-hogan-says-he-will-support-trump-if-hes-the-nominee/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indicated last month</a> that he might support Trump if he became the GOP nominee.
&#8220;To once again be a successful governing party, we must move on from Donald Trump. There are several competent Republican leaders who have the potential to step up and lead,&#8221; Hogan said. &#8220;But the stakes are too high for me to risk being part of another multicar pileup that could potentially help Mr. Trump recapture the nomination.&#8221;
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-189902">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
Among Democrats, President Joe Biden has said he intends to run again, though he has not formally declared his candidacy, and Marianne Williamson recently <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/04/us/politics/marianne-williamson-presidential-campaign.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched a campaign</a>.
In his statement, Hogan said he still believes in the Republican Party on core tenets such as fiscal responsibility, standing up for the rule of law, &#8220;peace through strength&#8221; abroad, and small government. Hogan also said he believes in a GOP that honors &#8220;the peaceful transfer of power&#8221; in elections.
Hogan did not endorse anyone for president in his statement Sunday, but the former governor stressed that he has &#8220;only just begun fighting&#8221; for a Republican Party that &#8220;can deliver for working people.&#8221;

Larry Hogan Reveals Decision On 2024 Presidential Run

Blue State Republican Governor Reveals Decision on 2024 Presidential Run

2024

Donald Trump

Former Maryland Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/larry-hogan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Larry Hogan</a>, who is considering a run for president, said Sunday that elected officials dictating school curricula reeks of big government.
During an appearance on NBC News&#8217;s &#8220;Meet The Press,&#8221; Hogan illustrated a stark contrast between himself and another Republican who may enter the 2024 ring, Florida Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ron-desantis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ron DeSantis</a>, on governing what is taught in schools. DeSantis, notably, took stances on keeping woke topics out of schools and not teaching young children about sexual orientation.
&#8220;I think that some of this rhetoric is &#8230; demanding that things be done a certain way — that you can&#8217;t say this, you can&#8217;t say that. We&#8217;ve got to be really careful,&#8221; Hogan said.
&#8220;I&#8217;m a small-government, common-sense conservative and, to me, it sounds like big government and authoritarian,&#8221; he added later.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
WATCH: Potential GOP WH candidates like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have made education a key issue and are cracking down on schools teaching race or gender.<a href="https://twitter.com/LarryHogan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LarryHogan</a>: &quot;I&#39;m a small-government, common-sense conservative and, to me, it sounds like big government&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Y1Uog9WAmA">pic.twitter.com/Y1Uog9WAmA</a>
&mdash; Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeetThePress/status/1627321256805638149?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
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His conversation with anchor Chuck Todd hinged on how Republicans, particularly those in Florida led by DeSantis, are cracking down on lessons that politicize race or talk about sexual orientation in public schools.
This month, DeSantis scored a victory when the College Board released a revised curriculum for its new Advanced Placement course in African American Studies after Republicans raised concerns about the previous version serving as a front for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/revised-version-of-ap-african-american-studies-course-tones-down-wokeness-desantis-admin-reviewing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;radical&#8221; extreme left-wing ideology.</a> DeSantis raised particular concerns about the inclusion of queer theory, Black Lives Matter, and intersectionality. The College Board has revised the course&#8217;s framework but says it was not in response to Florida.
During their conversation, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meet-press-february-19-2023-n1303027" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Todd played clips</a> of Republicans including DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence raising concerns about indoctrination in schools and a loss of parental rights.
One Republican who has officially declared a 2024 campaign, former South Carolina Governor and United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, argued a bill signed last year into law by DeSantis that <a href="https://flgov.com/2022/03/28/governor-ron-desantis-signs-historic-bill-to-protect-parental-rights-in-education/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prohibits classroom instruction</a> on sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade did not go far enough.
“Basically what it said was, you shouldn’t have to talk about gender before third grade,” Haley said during a recent event in New Hampshire, <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/news/nikki-haley-says-floridas-parental-rights-law-doesnt-go-far-enough/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per National Review</a>. “I’m sorry, I don’t think that goes far enough. When I was in school you didn’t have sex ed until seventh grade.”
Hogan left office last month as a relatively popular governor in deep-blue Maryland, but he — along with Haley and Pence — has not gained much traction in 2024 presidential campaign polling compared to the likes of DeSantis and former President Donald Trump.
During his interview Sunday, Hogan conceded that &#8220;most people just don&#8217;t think we should be talking about things like sex to young kids, and the parents want to be more involved in the decisions about what their kids are being taught.&#8221;
But Hogan insisted voters have higher priorities than education.
&#8220;It&#8217;s an issue. It&#8217;s not the most important issue,&#8221; Hogan said. The former governor said he believes people are more concerned about the economy, inflation, and crime. Still, he said education is &#8220;one of the things we&#8217;ve got to talk about.&#8221;

Larry Hogan Claims School Curriculum Fight Reeks Of ‘Big Government’

Larry Hogan Claims School Curriculum Fight Reeks Of 'Big Government'

Education

Former Maryland Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/larry-hogan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Larry Hogan</a> (R) said during an interview Monday that the classified document scandal that has engulfed several top U.S. political leaders is a &#8220;mess&#8221; and that politics needs to be kept out of the investigations.
Hogans&#8217; remarks come after former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden both found themselves under active criminal investigations for their handling of classified material. Former Vice President Mike Pence self-reported finding classified material in his home, although it is unclear if there is an ongoing investigation into him.
&#8220;We ought to get to the facts and have a fair investigation and try to keep the politics out of it. And we probably ought to consider whether we&#8217;re over-classifying some of these documents,&#8221; Hogan said. &#8220;We just don&#8217;t know at this point who had what documents and why or how dangerous they were.&#8221;
Hogan says that he believes that Pence handled his situation better than both Trump and Biden.
WATCH:
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Former Gov. Larry Hogan (R-MD) tells Neil Cavuto that he doesn&#39;t think Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee, says he&#39;ll certainly be challenged by other Republicans, and that if he were to be nominated, he likely wouldn&#39;t win. <a href="https://t.co/xnhDXUnglI">pic.twitter.com/xnhDXUnglI</a>
&mdash; Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) <a href="https://twitter.com/jasonrantz/status/1620592068111536128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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TRANSCRIPT:
<blockquote>NEIL CAVUTO, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Governor, I&#8217;d be curious.
I know a governor gets to see some classified documents now and then. I don&#8217;t know how you respond to what&#8217;s been happening. And you&#8217;re hearing about this president, the former president, the former vice president, who knows how many others down the road.
What do you think of this whole classified document mess and, if you became president, how you would try to police it?
FMR. GOV. LARRY HOGAN (R-MD): Well, I think it is a mess.
And, quite frankly, we don&#8217;t have all the answers. And I think we need to get to the bottom of it.
But there&#8217;s an &#8212; it&#8217;s just like everything else in Washington. There&#8217;s a lot of kind of noise. And I think the average person just doesn&#8217;t understand. You got Republicans blaming Democrats, and Democrats blaming Republicans.
And, look, we ought to get to the facts and have a fair investigation and try to keep the politics out of it. And we probably ought to consider whether we&#8217;re overclassifying some of these documents. We just don&#8217;t know at this point who had what documents and why or how dangerous they were.
I think we should get to the bottom of it. We should try to fix it, so it doesn&#8217;t continue to happen. I think Rob Hur, who was the Trump U.S. attorney for Maryland, is a really sharp, fair guy who&#8217;s going to do a thorough investigation.
And I think Mike Pence handled it the right way. He came out right away, admitted the mistake, and cooperated, and apologized. And I think that probably he handled it better than either President Trump or President Biden did.
CAVUTO: But, obviously, it is something that&#8217;s out of control, to your point, Governor.
I&#8217;m just wondering, many of these cases have involved aides or something who are packing up for the boss. In this case, it could be the former vice president, even the past president or the present president, and they see this stuff.
Now, whether they start rifling through it themselves is anyone&#8217;s guess. But the fact that at least President Biden and Vice President Pence have said they were unaware &#8212; that&#8217;s not quite the same with President Trump, as you know &#8212; is that itself even more dangerous than being aware?
HOGAN: Well, I guess we &#8212; it potentially is pretty dangerous, and which is why we &#8212; I think we got to get to the bottom of it and trying to find a fair and objective process, so we just &#8212; it&#8217;s not just all politics, and we actually try to fix a problem that appears to exist.
And, yes, we don&#8217;t know who packed up the documents, what the documents were, whose responsibility it was. But it&#8217;s a problem. And it&#8217;s a mistake that we have got to figure out how to fix.</blockquote>

Top GOP Leaders Attend Republican Jewish Coalition Annual Meeting In Las Vegas

Larry Hogan On Classified Documents Scandal Engulfing Trump, Pence, Biden: ‘Try To Keep The Politics Out Of It’

Larry Hogan On Classified Documents Scandal Engulfing Trump, Pence, Biden: 'Try To Keep The Politics Out Of It'

Executive

Joe Biden

Mike Pence

Scandals

Republican Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced a ban of the Chinese-owned app TikTok from the state&#8217;s government devices Tuesday.
The TikTok ban was included in an emergency cybersecurity directive aimed at multiple Chinese and Russian apps and products.
“There may be no greater threat to our personal safety and our national security than the cyber vulnerabilities that support our daily lives,” Hogan <a class="Link" href="https://governor.maryland.gov/2022/12/06/governor-hogan-announces-emergency-directive-to-prohibit-use-of-tiktok-china-and-russia-based-products-and-platforms-in-state-government/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement. “To further protect our systems, we are issuing this emergency directive against foreign actors and organizations that seek to weaken and divide us.”
“This action represents a critical step in protecting Maryland State systems from the cybersecurity threats caused by foreign organizations,” Maryland&#8217;s Chief Information Security Officer Chip Stewart added.
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The new ban comes after FBI Director Christopher Wray recently warned about the national security concerns surrounding TikTok.
&#8220;The Chinese government has shown a willingness to steal Americans’ data on a scale that dwarfs any other,&#8221; Wray <a href="https://time.com/6238540/tiktok-fbi-security-concerns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Friday at the University of Michigan.
Maryland&#8217;s ban adds to a growing number of states that are moving to ban the social media platform.
On Monday, Republican South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-clear-and-present-danger-to-its-users-south-carolina-gov-bans-state-employees-from-using-tiktok-amid-national-security-concerns">issued</a> an executive order banning TikTok from government devices.
“Protecting our State’s critical cyber infrastructure from foreign and domestic threats is key to ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of our citizens and businesses,” McMaster wrote in the <a href="https://governor.sc.gov/news/2022-12/gov-henry-mcmaster-blocks-tiktok-state-government-devices">letter</a> to the state’s Department of Administration Executive Director Marcia Adams.
Last month, Republican South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem became the first governor to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/south-dakota-governor-noem-blocks-state-employees-from-downloading-tiktok" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ban</a> TikTok from state devices, including making it a criminal offense to download the app on a state device.
“South Dakota will have no part in the intelligence gathering operations of nations who hate us,” Noem said in a <a href="https://news.sd.gov/newsitem.aspx?id=31872" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “The Chinese Communist Party uses information that it gathers on TikTok to manipulate the American people, and they gather data off the devices that access the platform.”
On Tuesday, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and other Wisconsin lawmakers sent a letter to Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers calling for <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/ron-johnson-wisconsin-tony-evers-ban-tiktok" target="_blank" rel="noopener">similar action</a> in their state, asking him to &#8220;ban TikTok from Wisconsin government devices and to lead by example and delete TikTok from your own devices.&#8221;
In Arkansas, state Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R) filed a bill on Monday that would enact a similar TikTok ban on state devices.
At the national level, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) introduced legislation last month to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republican-lawmakers-to-introduce-legislation-banning-tiktok-in-u-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ban the app</a> in the U.S. outright.
“TikTok is a major threat to U.S. national security. Yet Biden is encouraging greater engagement with the platform by <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/10/27/tiktok-democrats-influencers-biden/?itid=lk_inline_manual_26" target="_blank" rel="noopener">directly courting</a> TikTok influencers,” they wrote in an opinion piece published in The Washington Post.
TikTok has faced scrutiny about the security risks it poses, both to individual data privacy and to national security. The concerns reach back to the Trump administration when then-President Donald Trump pushed to ban the app from the U.S.

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