OCEAN CITY, Md. - A war of words is shaping up between Maryland House Speaker Adrienne Jones, and her current second-in-command, Speaker Pro Tempore Sheree Sample-Hughes, both Democrats.
Delegate Sample-Hughes alleged that Jones is removing her from leadership. Sample-Hughes claims because she did not vote in line enough with the Democratic party.
WBOC repeatedly reached out to Speaker Jones for an interview, but our requests were ignored. So with the Speaker in Ocean City on Friday for the Maryland Association of Counties meeting, we decided to ask her a few questions.
"She is still Speaker Pro Tem. We vote in January that's when the members vote, so you'll know that in January," Jones told WBOC's Hunter Landon.
Sample-Hughes says she feels betrayed by Jones' decision to remove her.
"Personally and professionally, it is a very disheartening feeling and as any human being would be, disappointed," she said.
Sample-Hughes says she believes Jones is removing her for three votes in particular: relating to gun rights, transgender rights and virtual learning.
"Those votes were decided upon after hearing from my constituents via phone calls, to my office directly, e-mails and communication with District 37A constituents," she said.
WBOC's Hunter Landon asked Jones if its true that she's removing Sample-Hughes for not voting along party lines.
Jones responded "Is that what she told you? No that's not the way it was."
Several local branches of the NAACP came out against the possible removal of Sample-Hughes and her potential replacement with Dana Stein from Baltimore County.
Sample-Hughes says she's concerned with the loss of an Eastern Shore voice in leadership.
That's a sentiment echoed by Sample-Hughes' fellow Eastern Shore lawmaker, Republican Senator Johnny Mautz of Talbot County.
"The role that Delegate Sample-Hughes as Speaker Pro Tem plays for the Eastern Shore is absolutely critical," Mautz said.
"Having a Representative that lives on the Shore who can advocate for Shore issues who's at the table when these big decisions are being made in Annapolis, its important," he continued.
The House votes on leadership positions in January. That's when we'll definitively know if Sample-Hughes will hold onto her leadership position.
