Maryland residents are paying outrageous premiums for health insurance, auto insurance and homeowner's insurance. It is price-gouging, pure and simple. But Maryland lawmakers recently concluded their 2024 legislative session without taking any action to protect their constituents from these predatory premiums. And now we know why.
Insurance companies are among the biggest financial contributors to our elected officials in Annapolis. As a result, a Democratic-controlled general assembly is treating insurance firms the way our Montgomery County Council treats the real estate development industry: with a hands-off, libertarian-Republican, brass knuckle capitalist approach that Ayn Rand and Ronald Reagan could endorse.
Most of us expected that the more years we drove while maintaining a good driving record would lower our insurance costs. Instead, premiums continue to skyrocket to record heights. In the case of auto insurance, we have been twice-victimized by our elected officials. Not only have they failed to protect us from premium price-gouging, but their soft-on-crime approach has given insurers a handy excuse to claim that all of the stolen vehicles are costing them money.
Here's a look inside the insurance companies' checkbooks, and your governor's, legislative leaders' and Montgomery County legislators' campaign treasure chests. The contributions listed below are only a portion of the donations made, and primarily cover the period from 2022 to 2024. Elected officials listed are A) Governor Wes Moore, B) State Senate President Bill Ferguson, C) Speaker of the House Adrienne Jones, D) Gov. Moore/Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller's Inaugural Committee, and E) Montgomery County delegates and state senators.
Liberty Mutual
2022:
$500 Eric Luedtke
$1500 Jeff Waldstreicher
$1000 Will Smith
$1000 Brian Feldman
2021
$250 Nancy King
$750 Will Smith
$250 Brian Feldman
GEICO
2021
$250 Jeff Waldstreicher
$250 Ben Kramer
$250 Brian Feldman
State Farm
2023
$1000 Bill Ferguson
2022
$750 Bill Ferguson
$250 Will Smith
2021
$500 Brian Feldman
2020
$1000 Bill Ferguson
$2000 Will Smith
Carefirst Blue Cross
Since 2022
$1000 Wes Moore
$1000 Will Smith
$2000 Brian Feldman
$500 Marc Korman
$500 Jheanelle Wilkins
$250 Ben Kramer
$6000 Bill Ferguson
$30,000 Moore-Miller Inaugural Committee
$500 Bonnie Cullison
$2000 Democratic Senate Caucus Committee
$500 Kumar Barve
$500 Eric Luedtke
Nationwide
Since 2020
$3500 Will Smith
$1000 House Democratic Caucus Committee
Farmers
$30,000 Moore-Miller Inaugural Committee
$6000 Brian Feldman
Erie Insurance
$1750 Jeff Waldstreicher
$2000 Adrienne Jones
$1500 Will Smith
$5000 Wes Moore
$500 Ben Kramer
$750 Brian Feldman
USAA
Since 2020
$250 Jeff Waldstreicher
$500 Will Smith
$1000 Adrienne Jones
Cigna
Since 2022
$750 Bonnie Cullison
$750 Ariana Kelly
$3000 Wes Moore
$1500 Adrienne Jones
$750 Brian Feldman
United Healthcare
$30,000 Moore-Miller Inaugural Committee
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