By: Alexander Pyles

The new seven-member Maryland State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission will choose its chairman and vice-chairman Thursday.

The commission, which oversees decisions on the lottery and Maryland’s six authorized commercial casinos, replaced the Lottery Commission last month as part of the General Assembly’s gambling expansion bill.

Kirby Fowler (pictured), president of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore Inc., had served as chairman of the Lottery Commission, and was invited back as a member of the new Lottery and Gaming Control Commission.

John W. Morton III, chairman of the Maryland Stadium Authority, may also be an option. Morton chaired a work group this summer that was tasked with making a recommendation on whether the state should expand gambling.

Here’s a few government and politics headlines for Thursday.

• MarylandReporter.com reports the state will hire more than 40 new employees to help oversee gambling expansion.
• The Annapolis Capital reports that Anne Arundel County Executive John Leopold’s lawyers say he has immunity from a federal lawsuit filed against him by a former spokeswoman.
• The Washington Post reports that former Del. Tiffany T. Alston met with Gov. Martin O’Malley to discuss being reinstated as a member of the General Assembly.