A confrontation outside a hearing room in Annapolis between a St. Mary’s County waterman and the acting secretary for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has prompted a petition drive against his confirmation as secretary. The confrontation between President of the Maryland Watermen’s Association (MWA) Robert T. Brown of St. Mary’s County and Acting Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Joseph Gill occurred after Brown testified against House Bill 145, which gives the department more authority, including the ability to change catch seasons administratively after notice.
As the result of some media accounts of the confrontation, Change Maryland, the organization run by Republican candidate for Governor Larry Hogan, has started a state-wide petition against his confirmation as secretary. The petition says”
“As reported today by the Associated Press, the Maryland Senate has delayed a vote on the nomination of Joseph Gill to be the secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. After a hearing on HB 145, Mr. Gill threatened to take vengeance upon the watermen of this state if the bill did not pass. This statement was accounted in a letter to the Honorable Maggie McIntosh from Robert T. Brown, President of the Maryland Watermen’s Association, ‘Upon leaving the hearing on Wednesday, my wife Vicky and I were standing in the main lobby of the second of the House of Delegates outside of the hearing room of the Environmental Affairs Committee. Secretary Gill and Frank Dawson of DNR approached us and we turned to speak with them. What happened next shocked and offended my wife, me, and from the look on his face, Mr. Dawson as well. Mr. Gill stated to us: “If this bill (meaning HB 145) does not pass, I will be so conservative and cut quotas and I will hurt you. Did you hear me! I will hurt you!’
“It was also reported by the Associated Press that, ‘In a letter to Brown, Gill says he only intended to convey a possible outcome if the bill didn’t pass. He apologized if the comments were interpreted personally.’ This confirms that Mr. Gill did indeed make this statement. And, the watermen of Maryland know exactly what that threat meant; Mr. Gill intends to use his power in spite of the watermen, to take food off of their tables, through any means necessary.”
Hogan, on the Change Maryland website, issued a copy of the following letter to Gov. Martin O’Malley:
“This is an unconscionable threat by a public servant that shows not only that the DNR should not have the power that HB 145 would allow them, but that if they do, Joseph T. Gill should not. Mr. Gill’s malevolence towards the hardworking watermen citizens of this state is evident in this statement. It is imperative that you, Governor O’Malley show that you do not stand for these types of statements and intentions against your constituents. We are asking that you remove your nomination of Joseph Gill to the office of Secretary of Natural Resources, prior to the rescheduled Senate vote on February 14, 2014.
“I’d like to respond to the threat to Maryland watermen
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