Democrat
Anthony Brown
Where you live: Prince George’s County
Date of birth: Nov. 21, 1961
Current occupation and employer:
Member of Congress, United States House of Representatives, January 2017 – present;
Lieutenant governor, state of Maryland, January 2007 – January 2015;
Soldier, United States Army and Army Reserve, May 1984 – July 2014.
Political experience:
Member of Congress, United States House of Representatives, January 2017 – present;
Democratic gubernatorial nominee, June 2014 – November 2014;
Lieutenant governor, state of Maryland, January 2007 – January 2015;
Delegate, Maryland General Assembly, January 1999 – January 2007.
Website: https://anthonybrown.com
Email: info@anthonybrown.com
Facebook: Anthony G. Brown
Twitter: @BrownforMD
Instagram: @BrownforMD
Why are you running for this office?
I’m running for attorney general to dismantle the barriers that exist for too many Marylanders in education and the environment, in healthcare and housing, in the workplace, policing and the criminal justice system. I’m running to make government work again, and to fight for the changes that will protect every person and empower every community. As Maryland’s chief legal officer, I’ll be the people’s lawyer, fighting for fairness, equity, and justice for everyone.
What is the most important issue in this race and what specific plans do you have to address it?
As I travel the state and visit with communities throughout Montgomery County, I hear the common concerns about the escalation in crime, including antisemitic and race-based hate crimes, and the increasing attacks on our individual and civil rights, such as voting rights, women’s reproductive freedoms, and fair and decent treatment under the law. As attorney general, I will work with the General Assembly to strengthen hate crimes enforcement, establish independent investigation and enforcement authority for the office’s civil rights division, and advocate to enshrine the protections of Roe v. Wade into Maryland’s constitution.
What is one major issue that has been handled poorly and what would you have done differently?
Attorney General Brian Frosh has been an extraordinary leader on environmental issues, both as AG and during his tenure in the General Assembly. This year, he advocated before the legislature for greater resources for MDE to conduct more environmental compliance inspections and bring more enforcement actions. I support this approach but would go one step further. The AG should have independent civil enforcement authority in all areas of environmental law. We have seen a dramatic decrease in environmental inspections and enforcement actions under the current governor. Maryland has a greater responsibility to ensure clean air and safe water for our residents.
What experience (work, political or other) has prepared you to hold this office?
My legal and public sector experiences have prepared me for attorney general, with experiences in state and federal courts, representing clients against big tobacco, small businesses against giant corporations, and defending the constitutionality of federal gun safety laws. I’ve represented criminal defendants, children in need of assistance, and class action plaintiffs. I commanded an Army unit of 80 lawyers and paralegals, equivalent to a medium-sized law firm, representing soldiers in criminal, legal assistance and consumer protection matters. I served as vice chairman of the Judiciary Committee in Annapolis and led military justice reform efforts on the House Armed Services Committee.
