Appointments Secretary Tisha Edwards speaks to Senate Executive Nominations Chair Sen. Clarence Lam (D-Howard and Anne Arundel), left, and Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) after Lam’s unsuccessful attempt to hold nominations of Isiah “Ike” Leggett and William Joseph McCarthy Jr., University of Maryland Medical System Board nominees who Lam said failed to meet with him. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)
Two nominees to the University of Maryland Medical System Board appear headed for a confirmation vote after an attempt to delay Senate action by the chair of the Senate Executive Nominations Committee failed.
Sen. Clarence Lam, (D-Howard and Anne Arundel), chair of the panel, attempted to hold the appointments of former Montgomery County Executive Isiah “Ike” Leggett and William Joseph McCarthy Jr. because he said they had failed to meet with him before Monday.
“They did not reach out and I have further questions that I would like to handle on the side,” Lam told the committee. “I didn’t want to take up the committee’s time to address those.”
Leggett and McCarthy were two of the 13 nominees the committee was scheduled to consider Monday for a variety of public boards and commissions. When it came time to vote, the pair were separated from the group.
“They’ll be approved at a future meeting,” Lam told the committee. “I’d like to have an opportunity to meet with them.”
Initially, the committee voted to move 11 nominees forward while holding back, albeit temporarily, Leggett and McCarthy. Neither nominee was in the room while the committee voted.
“Does this not just give the two that didn’t get voted on the feeling that there’s a problem?” Sen. Nancy King (D-Montgomery) asked. “I’m concerned about that.”
Lam said he “didn’t think there’s a problem.”
King was not alone in her concern. Sen. Mike McKay (R-Western Maryland), backed by King, called for a committee vote on both nominees.
“I am concerned that we are setting a precedent. They are two fine candidates and with all due respect they probably should have come to talk to you, but they’ll be a chance to do that and there’ll be a chance to vote on the actual floor,” McKay said.
There was no opposition to McKay’s motion. The committee then cleared the nominations to move to a full Senate vote, possibly as early as Friday.
Lam told the committee he would attempt to speak with both over the coming week.
Following the meeting, Lam told a reporter he wanted to ask additional questions about the operations of the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center. The medical system purchased the Towson hospital in 2012 but continues to run it as a Catholic institution, which means some procedures, such as abortions, could not be performed at the facility.
Lam, even before becoming chair, routinely asked board nominees about how they think the hospital should operate in the instance where a woman is brought to the emergency room needing such a procedure.
Lam asked both Leggett and McCarthy briefly about the issue during today’s hearing before letting them go. Following the meeting, he said he would have liked to ask additional questions, and was surprised neither was made available to meet privately.
“I thought it was unusual given my interest and history on the issue,” he told a reporter Monday night.
Last week, Lam agreed to hold the reappointments of three members — William “Brit” Kirwan, Jennifer M. Lynch and Justin K. Robinson — who were up for reappointment to the Accountability and Implementation Board. Republicans requested the hold in order to bring the three — who were not required to appear at a hearing — into the committee to answer questions.
The three did not appear this week. Their reappointments remain on hold. They are ultimately expected to pass successfully through the Senate.