Shoemaker and Ellin's debate for Carroll state's attorney was an electric main event
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Shoemaker and Ellin's debate for Carroll state's attorney was an electric main event
Who do you think gets the nod?
On Thursday night, the Republican Women’s Club of Carroll County hosted a candidate forum featuring gubernatorial hopefuls Dan Cox and Robin Ficker, as well as local Board of Education candidates Jim Miller, Steve Whisler, and Tara Battaglia.
But it was the debate between Carroll’s two Republican candidates for state’s attorney that proved to be an electric main event, drawing both hushed gasps and enthused applause from what seemed like a split crowd.
As soon as moderator Scott Ewart rang the opening bell, Ellin went right at Shoemaker with a flurry of jabs.
Those punches included accusing Shoemaker of personal financial malfeasance as relates taxation, attempting to backdoor block his candidacy through legislation, and even calling Shoemaker’s status as a veteran into question.
But Shoemaker weathered the early storm and would not stay cornered, parrying with attacks of his own, citing Ellin’s donation record which allegedly includes disbursements to the likes of former Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, sitting Attorney General Brian Frosh, and Congressman Anthony Brown – all progressive Democrats.
The verbal back and forth continued as the two shared opposing views on a variety of issues.
As relates the adjudication of juveniles, Shoemaker stressed that adult crimes require adult time, where Ellin seemed more open to rehabilitation over punishment on a case by case basis.
On the issue of opioids in Carroll, Ellin acknowledged the importance of outreach and education, where Shoemaker was quicker to target drug traffickers as being the crux of the problem.
Both support the creation of a Veterans Treatment Court in Carroll, though Ellin holds it up as perhaps his flagship cause.
But in the end, it was a counterpunch from Shoemaker that emerged as the decisive moment in the slugfest.
As Ellin was launching into a harangue against Shoemaker for representing criminals with regularity, Shoemaker cut in, underscoring the importance of preserving every American citizen's constitutional right to an energetic legal defense.
This was precisely the point to make.
Coming out of covid, what is needed now more than ever, are politicians who will stop at nothing to preserve the constitutional rights and individual liberties that have been trampled on in the name of slowing the spread.
Shoemaker then astutely compared Ellin’s constitutionally irresponsible attack to one that Kelly Shulz recently levied against Dan Cox for representing an alleged rapist, which not only nullified Ellin’s attack, but also served to more closely align Shoemaker with Cox in front of what was a heavily pro Cox crowd.
And for that reason, at least in this contest, Shoemaker gets the nod over Ellin.
Read: Kelly Shulz is ducking Dan Cox after hitting him with low blow
Post publish response from David Ellin:
“As a criminal defense attorney, you can pick who you represent. While everyone charged with a crime is entitled to representation, I couldn’t represent child molesters and murderers and look myself in the mirror. Also, Shoemaker flat-out lied about his failure to pay taxes and the judgments against him. Falsus in unum, falsus in omnibus.”
Maryland Muckraker is a completely independent and fearlessly conservative blog covering local issues by me, Ethan Reese. After spending nearly a decade in corporate Baltimore in marketing technology, figured I’d have a go at writing. Since then I’ve contributed articles to FOX’s OutKick, PJ Media, and Rare Politics, as well as being named a Writing Fellow with the America’s Future Foundation.