ONE OF THE Maryland General Assembly's most promising younger members has a new platform to showcase his abilities.
Del. Anthony G. Brown, a Prince George's County Democrat, has been selected by House Speaker Michael E. Busch as the House majority whip. Brown is filling a vacancy created after Republican Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. reached across party lines and named the former Democratic whip, Del. George W. Owings of Southern Maryland, to join his Cabinet as veterans affairs secretary.
A graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Law School, Brown, 42, is regarded as an emerging leader since shortly after his first election in 1998.
He has been vice chairman of the House Judiciary Committee since 2002 and had been seen as a potential successor to the committee chairman, Democratic Del. Joseph F. Vallario Jr. of Prince George's County.
Brown conceded in an interview yesterday that at least one colleague called the whip position a demotion, given its lack of stature in recent years. But he said he sought the job because it would give him the credibility to advocate for a range of issues that would not normally fall under his purview on the judiciary committee.
"I'll have no qualms whatsoever walking into a room where I see the need for the presence of House leadership," Brown said.
Brown is frequently mentioned as a potential candidate for statewide office - possibly attorney general or lieutenant governor. As an African-American leader from the state's second-most-populous county, his presence on a ticket would provide racial and regional balance that could be attractive to a gubernatorial candidate such as Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley.
"I'm not going to rule out statewide office, but my energy and effort right now is not geared toward identifying and pursuing my next position," Brown said yesterday.
But Brown should not limit his sights to Maryland, said Del. Melony G. Griffith, a colleague who represents the 25th District with him.
"This guy, in my opinion, has national potential," Griffith said. "Absolutely, he should be on everybody's statewide radar screen. People call him a rising star. I just call him a star. He has already risen."
With Brown's ascension, Del. Samuel I. Rosenberg, a Baltimore Democrat and lawyer, will become vice chairman of the judiciary committee, moving from the Health and Government Operations Committee.
"If you're talking about someone knowledgeable and committed as well as someone who does their homework, you're talking about Sandy Rosenberg," said Busch in a statement.
Del. John Bohanan, a Southern Maryland Democrat, was named chairman of the health and human resources subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee. Bohanan won kudos last year for his vote in favor of a $670 million House tax package despite the potential political fallout in his conservative-leaning district. The package died when Senate budget negotiators refused to accept it, given an Ehrlich veto threat.
Del. Frank S. Turner, a Howard County Democrat, was appointed head of the personnel subcommittee of Appropriations.
Copyright © 2004, The Baltimore Sun
