Maryland Freedom Caucus applauds court ruling striking key part of state’s digital advertising tax

ANNAPOLIS, MD—The Maryland Freedom Caucus on Tuesday applauded a federal court ruling that struck down a key part of the state’s digital advertising tax, a law it had opposed since its inception. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals recently overturned a provision of the tax, which was enacted in 2020 after the General Assembly overrode a veto by then-Gov. Larry […]

Maryland Attorney General secures $2.7 million in restitution for consumers in Probate Advance settlement

BALTIMORE, MD—Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced a settlement with a New York-based company, Probate Advance, LLC, that will provide nearly $2.7 million in restitution to Maryland residents. The settlement follows an investigation by the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, which alleged the company engaged in predatory lending practices by targeting grieving families. Probate Advance, LLC provides cash advances […]

Maryland Department of the Environment revokes 1,400 lead paint inspection certificates issued by suspended inspector

BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Department of the Environment is invalidating more than 1,400 lead inspection certificates across the state after a lead inspector failed to follow work practice standards, requiring that any affected rental properties be reinspected. The department announced this week that it is revoking certificates issued by Rodney Bryan Barkley, the owner of Green Environmental, LLC. Three children are […]

Education Department restores Maryland funding after coalition lawsuit

BALTIMORE, MD—The U.S. Department of Education has released more than $100 million in previously withheld funding to Maryland, following a lawsuit (PDF) filed by a coalition of state attorneys general, Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced on Friday. The funding was frozen by the Trump administration on June 30, just weeks before the start of the school year. Maryland was […]

Former Baltimore County insurance agent, financial advisor charged with obstruction of justice

BALTIMORE, MD—A former Baltimore County insurance agent and financial advisor has been charged with obstruction of justice and fabricating physical evidence, marking the fourth set of criminal charges filed against him since September 2024, Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced. The new charges, filed in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County, allege that Michael C. Okolo, 68, of Parkville, […]

Maryland AG joins coalition suing Trump administration over disaster mitigation fund cuts

BALTIMORE, MD—Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has joined a coalition of 20 states in a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging its decision to halt the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, alleges the termination of the program, designed to protect communities from natural disasters, is unlawful. The BRIC […]

Mahmoud v. Taylor: SCOTUS says school policy barring opt-outs for LGBTQ books violates religious rights, Maryland officials respond

BALTIMORE, MD—The Supreme Court on Friday sided with a group of religious parents seeking to exempt their elementary school children from classroom engagement with LGBTQ-themed books, marking another significant legal victory for religious interests at the nation’s highest court. In a decision that further blurs the traditional separation between secular education and religious belief, the court ruled that a suburban […]

Attorney General Brown announces nearly $60,000 in refunds for cancelled Capital Jazz SuperCruises

BALTIMORE, MD—Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown on Thursday announced that his Consumer Protection Division has reached a settlement with Capital Jazz, a Maryland-based music event promoter, to secure nearly $60,000 in refunds for consumers whose “SuperCruises” were canceled in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The settlement with Capital Jazz and its owner, Clifford Hunte, mandates the […]