Letdown

As the Senate GOP Caucus notes, we had a chance to shut down debate on the Death Penalty today:

After about an hour of tumoil on the Senate floor, Senator EJ Pipkin (R - Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne's & Caroline) move to recommit the bill back to the Judicial Proceedings Committee. The motion to recommit failed on a tie vote of 23 to 23.

So why did it fail by one vote. Simple. Take a look at the vote totals:

Senate of Maryland
2009 Regular Session

SB 279 Special Orders
Sen. Gladden
Criminal Law - Death Penalty - Repeal

Motion to recommit the bill

PRESIDING: MR.PRESIDENT

LEGISLATIVE DATE
MAR 3, 2009

23 YEAS 23 NAYS 0 EXC 1 NOT VOTING 0 EXCUSED (ABSENT)

VOTING YEA - 23
MR.PRESIDENT GLASSMAN KITTLEMAN PIPKIN
BRINKLEY GREENIP KLAUSMEIER ROBEY
COLBURN HAINES MCFADDEN SIMONAIRE
DYSON JACOBS MIDDLETON STOLTZFUS
EDWARDS KASEMEYER MOONEY STONE
GARAGIOLA KELLEY MUNSON

VOTING NAY - 23
ASTLE EXUM KING PINSKY
BROCHIN FOREHAND KRAMER PUGH
CONWAY FROSH LENETT RASKIN
CURRIE GLADDEN MADALENO ROSAPEPE
DEGRANGE HARRINGTON MUSE ZIRKIN
DELLA JONES PETERS

NOT VOTING - 1
HARRIS

EXCUSED FROM VOTING - 0
EXCUSED (ABSENT) - 0

So on the most important social issue facing the General Assembly, Andy Harris of all people decides to take a pass.

I can't wait to hear the reasoning as to why Senator Harris was not present for this important vote. Because at the moment, his failure to be where he needed to be is the difference between ensuring preservation of the death penalty as a form of punishment and its elimination.