Md. lawmakers want more time to weigh two of Gov. Wes Moore’s nominees

At the close of the hearing, Senate Minority Leader Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R-Queen Anne’s) said some members of his caucus had not met with Schiraldi, a national leader on criminal justice and juvenile justice reform. The nominee, who received his bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University and master’s from New York University, has spent decades in the field and, according to his biography, has worked to reduce the footprint of community corrections, eliminate youth prisons and create a developmentally appropriate response to offenses by young adults.

On Tuesday, in a text message, Hershey said the GOP caucus is concerned about Schiraldi’s past work.

“While the acting secretary of juvenile services may be academically qualified for this role, our caucus is concerned his radical reform philosophies would contribute to an out-of-balance system that treats offenders as the victims and neglects the true victims’ right to justice,” he said.

Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) said the pause in Woods’s confirmation was due to a delay in scheduling meetings with senators and described him as highly qualified for the role. Woods, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and a White House fellow, completed two tours in Iraq. He previously ran a program that he founded to help students receive advanced degrees in science and technology.

Moore (D) on Tuesday said he is not worried about the confirmations and has “deep faith” in both of his nominees.

“I think the things the senators were looking for are the things that I’m excited for, which is they want to spend more time with the Cabinet secretaries,” he said. “The senators will see exactly what I saw, that you do not have more qualified or more capable people to sit in those seats than those two. So, no concerns at all. I’m excited for the confirmations.”

Ferguson said Monday that the committee will probably consider the nominations on Wednesday.