Moore heats up the fundraising circuit as ‘freeze’ approaches

Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller (D) looks on as Gov. Wes Moore (D) speaks at a news conference in the Maryland State House in January 2023. Photo by Danielle E. Gaines.

For the past few weeks, Gov. Wes Moore (D) and his surrogates have warned supporters in frequent email appeals for campaign contributions that the “fundraising freeze” is fast approaching. That’s a reference to the ban on political fundraising by any statewide officeholder and all 188 members of the Maryland General Assembly during the three months that the legislature is in session — beginning on Jan. 8.

In one solicitation this week, Moore called the fundraising moratorium “a significant challenge.”

“This means that we are relying solely on the money that we can raise between now and January 10th [sic] to power our work, and we need to raise as much as possible,” he wrote.

But Moore isn’t just shaking the tin cup online. According to invitations obtained by Maryland Matters, he has at least six in-person fundraising events scheduled between now and the start of session — throughout the DMV. Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller (D), who was elected on a ticket headed by Moore, also has at least one fundraiser on the calendar.

The two are up for reelection in 2026.

Moore’s first fundraiser during this pre-session period is a breakfast scheduled Thursday in Washington’s Georgetown neighborhood. Co-hosts include Jarryd Anderson, co-chair of the Financial Services Group at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, a powerhouse national law firm, and Ade Heyliger, a former official at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and an attorney specializing in business and regulatory matters with the D.C. law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.

Moore’s fundraising appears to go dark as the holidays get closer, but intensifies right after the new year.

In the early afternoon of Jan. 5, Moore will appear at a brunch at the Mitchellville home of business owners Sandy and Terri Roberts. They’re co-owners of Onsite Retailers, an airport concessions company, and they also run their own charitable foundation.

Later that afternoon, Moore will zip down Interstate 95 for a fundraiser in Glen Allen, Virginia, hosted by several Richmond power brokers.

The event is taking place at the home of Lisa Speller, who runs a government affairs and consulting group in the Virginia capital. Co-hosts are Rob Shinn, who has a government relations and communications firm in Richmond; Thomas Ransom, a regional president of Truist Bank; Heidi Abbott, an attorney and government relations professional; and Richard and Eucharia “Ukay” Jackson, Richmond philanthropists and civic activists. Richard Jackson is a prominent Richmond physician and his wife is a former Eli Lilly & Co. sales and marketing executive.

On Jan. 6, Moore will hold a breakfast fundraiser at the Maryland Club, the swanky, 170-year-old social club in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore. The next morning, he’ll hold his annual pre-session fundraiser at the Calvert House in Annapolis.

On the evening of Jan. 7, Moore will attend a fundraiser in Talbot County, co-hosted by local businessman and civic activist Richard Marks, whose wife is a restaurateur in Easton, and Mary Tydings, a leader of an executive search firm who is Moore’s campaign treasurer.

That same evening, Miller will be raising money in Potomac, a wealthy community that was in her legislative district when she served in the House of Delegates.

The take from these fundraisers — and details on all the financial activities of Moore and Miller’s state campaign committees — will be made public in mid-January.

– Reporter Bryan P. Sears contributed to this report.

EMEA Tribune is not involved in this news article, it is taken from our partners and or from the News Agencies. Copyright and Credit go to the News Agencies, email news@emeatribune.com Follow our WhatsApp verified Channel