What's the deal with Leopold?

Usually, John Leopold goes out of a way to try and make a media spectacle out of himself, taking credit for things that he had little to do with and usually trying to get his name out there. The thought of Leopold as a glory hound are certainly not new to anybody who has taken a look at his career.

So, I ask the same question I asked yesterday: why is Leopold now so mum on O'Malley's tax plan? Something that has interested the Capital:

Curious about what County Executive John R. Leopold thinks about the slate of proposed state taxes?

We were too. Here is the long answer and the short answer: No comment.

As executives from other counties rallied in front of the statehouse last week urging support of Gov. Martin O'Malley's plan to raise the sales tax, the car titling tax, restructure the income tax and legalize slot machines, among other measures, Mr. Leopold did not attend.

While the Maryland Association of Counties has taken a pro-O'Malley plan position and many of the county's Republican delegates have spoken out against some of the proposals, Mr. Leopold has been silent.

And although most of the slots proposed for Maryland would be in Anne Arundel County, Mr. Leopold has nothing to say. Did we mention that the proposals would mean county schools would lose $7 million?

For a politician who normally weighs in on all county matters, his refusal to speak is almost news itself.

Granted, Mr. Leopold cannot vote on any of the proposals that would affect county residents, but that's never stopped him from piping up before.

I just wonder if Leopold's silence is indicative of his realization that the people are opposed to the O'Malley tax plan that Leopold has publicly supported in the past? It's highly unusual for Leopold to keep quiet. Maybe Leopold is finally trying to realize that he is, in fact, a registered Republican and that the members of his party are virtually united (save for himself) against O'Malley's tax plan, a plan which will have a destructive impact on the economic vibrancy of our county and our state.