Annapolis, MD — If the whoppers Hogan told as he kicked off his campaign for re-election on Saturday are any indication, fact checkers will have their hands full with his campaign between now and November. While Maryland Democrats launched a statewide tour to educate voters about Hogan’s record of shortchanging Maryland working families, Hogan was busy trying to run as far away from his record as possible. Below are four of Hogan’s Hoaxes to keep an eye on as we enter the heat of the election:
Hogan’s Hoax: Hogan’s new ad tries to convince voters that he’s saved their healthcare.
Fact: As Republicans were trying to pass TrumpCare, Hogan ignored Marylanders who asked him for months not to allow the repeal of the Affirdable Care Act, and he remained silent despite Trump’s repeated attempts to sabotage the healthcare marketplace. Since Larry Hogan has taken office, the cost of healthcare for Marylanders has skyrocketed. The average benchmark marketplace premium has exploded from $220 to $486 per month for a single person—an increase of more than 120 percent, with the majority of increases occurring under the Trump administration. To make matters worse, Republicans still haven’t given up on repealing Obamacare.
Hogan’s Hoax: “Education has been a top priority from day one… The politicians in Annapolis weren’t keeping their promise, so we’re creating a lockbox to ensure that all the casino revenue goes directly into the classrooms.”
Fact: Larry Hogan attempted to cut more than $100 million in education funding in his very first budget, and he has tried to double funding to private charter schools. Hogan has also diverted more than $1.4 billion in casino gaming revenue from the education trust fund.
Hogan’s Hoax: “We went from losing 100,000 jobs to gaining 100,000 jobs.”
Fact: Not only has Larry Hogan failed to add 100,000 jobs during his tenure, in the past 12 months, Maryland ranks last in the region in job creation. The nation has created jobs 5 times as fast as Maryland and Virginia more than 3 times faster. Through April of this year, Maryland only accounted for 5 percent of all job growth in the region.
Hogan’s Hoax: “Three recent rankings have [Maryland’s economy] in the top 10 in the United States.”
Fact: According to the Philadelphia Fed, Maryland is the only state in the nation with a negative economic forecast.
Hogan’s Hoax: “The governor and lieutenant governor spoke to a massive and energized crowd of 1,000 Marylanders…”
Fact: The venue holds 750 people….
“Larry Hogan has spent his entire time in office shortchanging Maryland workers, students and families, so it’s easy to see why he would be afraid to run on his real record,” said Maryland Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Matthews. “The truth is that under Hogan, Maryland workers are falling behind, Marylanders’ healthcare costs have sky-rocketed under Hogan and Trump, and Maryland is the only state in the nation with a negative economic forecast. This election is about electing a governor who will invest in our students and families.”
AFSCME Maryland President Pat Moran said: “If you like being assaulted on the job, forced to work hours of overtime, and having your health insurance stripped from you after you’ve worked decades to earn it, then Governor Hogan is your guy. People generally define that as a bad boss.”
“Maryland’s schools are underfunded by billions of dollars each year under Gov. Hogan’s watch. Great educators are leaving our schools because they are underpaid and overworked,” said Maryland State Education Association President Betty Weller. “Class sizes have grown and more kids are learning in badly outdated facilities. As Marylanders learn that Gov. Hogan take his cues on education from Betsy DeVos while ignoring the voices of parents and teachers, his education approval numbers have plummeted to his lowest as governor. When it comes to our schools, the 2018 governor’s race must be a change election.”
