End of session lets MACo fundraisers go on

Sun-drenched Ocean City happily received an infusion of state elected officials Wednesday, a midweek tourist boost to the resort town that weary business owners hope will mean extra cash before the usually lucrative weekend.

Thanks to the end of Maryland’s second special session of the General Assembly this year, state elected officials can hope for a boost of their own  during the annual Maryland Association of Counties summer conference

State elections law prohibits lawmakers from accepting campaign donations while the legislature is in session, as it was until just after midnight Wednesday.

But following the passage of a bill that could expand the state’s casino gambling program, pending voter approval, and subsequent adjournment of the legislature, delegates and senators can host whatever parties they like.

Scuttlebutt along Coastal Highway says there’s more than handful of such events happening around town tonight. But some of the biggest fundraisers might be held by those seeking a higher office than the Senate or House of Delegates.

The Frederick News-Post reports that Blaine Young, president of the Frederick County Commissioners, will be using MACo and a pair of fundraisers to up his political profile as he explores a run for the governor’s seat in 2014.

(Photo: Roland E. Powell Convention Center in Ocean City)