Katherine Heerbrandt has covered news and views in Frederick County since 2002, first as a reporter for the Frederick News Post and later The Frederick Gazette. Today she shares her opinions on local happenings three times a week on the editorial page of the Frederick News Post.
She’s been a contributing writer to local publications since 1989, including the now-defunct New Paper, The Thurmont Dispatch, Frederick Magazine, Senior Living and Elegant Living. Between 1990 and 1995, she produced and hosted local television programming on Ch. 10 for Focus on Frederick, Eye on Annapolis, and Local Spotlight. During that time, she was lead anchor for Ch. 10’s live election coverage.
Heerbrandt’s garnered awards for reporting and featuring writing, including the MDCC James S. Keat Freedom of Information Award for her work on the City of Frederick’s Black Book story. Most recently, she was honored as 2008 Journalist of the Year Award by the National Grandfamilies Association for her reporting on kinship care and social services.
In a break from her work as a reporter, Heerbrandt taught Intro to Journalism at Frederick Community College last spring.
In addition to her career as a writer, Heerbrandt served as publications and advertising manager for Frederick Community College for 10 years, worked as a substitute teacher in the Frederick County Public Schools and is a licensed therapeutic massage therapist.
A 1977 graduate of Catoctin High School, she is proud to have worked in print, television and now radio in Frederick County.
“The opportunity to host Frederick’s Forum is an honor and a responsibility I take very seriously. I plan to offer a diverse set of viewpoints and topics to listeners of WFMD every Saturday morning,” she says. “I welcome suggestions and look forward to getting to know this community I love even better.”
It’s a party most of us aren’t invited to,
featuring behind the scenes maneuvering, backroom deal making and political strong-arming.
It’s everything we hate about politics, what
we publicly rail against, and ultimately feel powerless to stop: decisions made
for the voting public, separate and removed from the voting booth, by monied influential
people and political insiders.
It’s all about political gamesmanship, and
to the victor go the spoils. Michael Hough, candidate for District 3-B is fast
becoming a master gamer.
Why else is the RCC leadership so concerned
that their procedures for choosing a replacement for Weldon will be challenged
that they’ve appealed to the Attorney General? Because they know Hough, and at
least one other member of the RCC, will likely
say he’s got a vote according to the bylaws and that the bylaws trump
procedures.
Washington County Republicans want to give
their committee members full voting privileges in a district race that
encompasses only two precincts compared to Frederick’s 15. WashingtonCounty
is traditionally more conservative, its RCC would be more apt to appoint a
“true” conservative and Hough fits the bill.
He’s survived an endorsement scuffle,
ignoring complaints that listing supporters from his own committee with their
RCC titles listed gives the impression that he’s the favored choice. Last year,
he helped deftly remove two men from the RCC who opposed him in the past, Tim
Brooks and Bill Ashton. Hough’s also got one of the nominating committee
members in his corner. At least according to his website, State’s Attorney
Charlie Smith thinks Hough is someone “we need in Annapolis,” and calls him “refreshing.”
His political clout seems to have no bounds.
Politicos on the right are afraid to oppose him, intimidated by the big names
in his corner and the towering stacks of gold in his campaign’s bank account.
So why shouldn’t young Hough be cockily
confident over his ability to influence the proceedings of the RCC?
By all accounts, Hough believes he’s got the
appointment to Rick Weldon’s vacated seat in the bag. He’s got all the
insurance he needs, at least the kind that counts in his political reality:
money, Alex Mooney, Roscoe Bartlett, Andy Harris, Blaine Young, Ronald Reagan,
and God.
The GOP as GOD is making a comeback and
Hough’s apparently made Him his honorary campaign manager. A close second to
waving the God flag is hoisting the Reagan banner in tribute to the “glory
days” of a party that eventually choked on the hypocrisy of its “fiscally
responsible” and “family values” platforms.
Using both to gain political points is,
frankly, detestable. We’ve heard little to nothing about what Hough wants to do
for the residents of District 3-B, but much about his ability to raise money
and cultivate influential friends.
For these reasons and more, Hough shouldn’t
ascend to an appointed position which will give him the advantage over any
contenders in the 2010 primary.
If the RCC wants to
retain that edge, they can appoint someone who wants staying power. Members
have a choice with Commissioner Charles Jenkins, a moderate Republican who
brings experience to the role of elected official, and who has not engaged in
opportunistic gamesmanship. If they appoint Hough, it’s doubtful Jenkins will
proceed with his plans to run for the seat, and Republicans won’t have viable
choices in the 2010 primary.
Over the past week, we have seen your passionate protests and heard your concerns about Democratic proposals for health care reform. We have considered your insightful and well reasoned arguments, and on behalf of progressives everywhere, I am here to say: OK! We give up! We are willing to compromise on the proposals that concern you. You've won! Yay!
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