Budget Secretary Helene Grady and Gov. Wes Moore (D) pause for a moment of silence at the start of a House hearing Thursday to pay respects to House Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County), whose son died suddenly Thursday. (Screen grab from General Assembly video)
Official Annapolis sent condolences Thursday on the news that House Speaker Adrienne Jones’ son, Brandon, had died.
Jones (D-Baltimore County) was pulled off the rostrum without explanation Thursday morning, after most of the day’s floor session was over. Less than two hours later, the Speaker’s office released a statement: “This morning, Speaker Adrienne A. Jones was notified of the death of her son Brandon. We do not have any additional information at this time. Speaker Jones requests privacy during this difficult time for her and her family.”
Gov. Wes Moore (D), sitting with Budget Secretary Helene Grady before a joint hearing of the House Appropriations and Ways and Means committees, began the daylong hearing on the massive Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act by offering his condolences to Jones and asking for a moment of silence.
“We’re all thinking about our speaker right now … She’s deeply in our thoughts and we’re lifting her and her family up right now in this time of need. I thought we’d give a brief moment — just thinking of her,” Moore said, before briefly bowing his head.
Del. Marc Korman (D-Montgomery), chair of the House Environment and Transportation Committee, said many lawmakers learned by email of the Speaker’s son “suddenly passing away” and he asked for “a brief moment of silence for Brandon” before Thursday’s committee hearing.
Del. Luke Clippinger (D-Baltimore City) also shared his condolences at the start of the House Judiciary Committee’s session.
“We deal with a lot of very difficult and very challenging issues in this committee,” said Clippinger, the chair of Judiciary. “But none can compare to what the Speaker of the House is going through right now.”
– This story may be updated.