Johnson: Always Friends and Beyond 2010

January 15th, 2009 by Kenneth Burns

ANNAPOLIS — Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson (D) said that he and Rushern Baker has always been friends.  As a matter of fact Johnson said, “We never not made up.”  This was in response to a question I asked concerning a picture of him and former delegate Rushern Baker (D) that was in The Washington Post from this past summer.

This picture was taken as Johnson and Baker were returning from Denver where the 2008 Democratic National Convention was being held, which prompted a possible “life is short, let’s work together” possibility.

It was almost a year ago when Johnson called Baker a loser, after the Prince George’s Democratic Central Committee did not pick the former County Executive candidate as a successor to the late Prince George’s Senator Gwendolyn Britt (D-Dist. 47).  Of calling Baker a loser, Johnson said “sometimes you say things that are not kind and you regret it.”  When asked specifically about whether he regretted calling Baker a loser, Johnson repeated the same statement.

He went on to state his point that he became friends with Major Riddick, Jim Estepp and current Prince George’s Senator C. Anthony Muse (D-Dist. 26) after he campaigned against them for County Exectuive.  Keep in mind these were the candidates in 2002.  “Rushern tends to be very personal in a campaign and I don’t think you need to do that.  I don’t think you have to try to tear people down in order to move up in life.”  Johnson accuses the Baker campaign of being very personal over the last six years.

In regards to the new legislative session, Johnson said that this is the first year that he does not have a blueprint for his budget, adding that the county is not going to ask for additional money.  Knowing that he will get a cut from the state, the county will be looking to make sure that it’s a fair cut.  “Sen. [Ulysses] Currie is key to that because he is chair of the budget and taxation committee and we are hoping everything works really well for him.”  Johnson also takes note that revenues need to be raised and said that they plan on proposing two bills in the legislature to do that.  If they pass, all will be well.

Johnson, who is term limited in 2010, is thinking about pursuing statewide office when he leaves next year.  “I haven’t decided which one I am going to pursue yet…I may not pursue any, but I am definitely keeping my options open.”