A D.C. activist has moved to Maryland because he has had enough of lawmakers from outside the District trying to stifle the will of D.C. residents.
He aims to use the ballot box to unseat a congressman.
This November, Adam Eidinger wants voters to oust Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), the incumbent of Maryland’s First Congressional District.
Eidinger recently moved to Salisbury, Maryland, where he has an apartment and his voting residence; he still maintains a home in D.C.
Eidinger, like many D.C. residents, eventually wants full rights and representation for the District. That includes freedom from outside legislators having a hand in local regulations — namely the District’s say on cannabis and its inability to make laws to reduce penalties associated with its possession, use or distribution.
“The only reason I’m moving to the eastern shore of Maryland is Andy Harris. It’s political,” Eidinger said.
Eidinger was part of the push to legalize marijuana in D.C., but says a budget rider Harris supported has put a chokehold on the District’s ability to enact marijuana-related laws beyond what is already legal under Initiative 71.
The rider Eidinger decries includes a stricture on any moves by D.C. that would reduce penalties associated with marijuana possession, use or distribution.
“We’re fed up, and there’s nothing left to do but simply move to his district and organize his district against him,” Eidinger said.
Eidinger is campaigning for Democratic candidate Allison Galbraith. He doesn’t expect an easy road, but he said he is in it for the long haul to unseat Harris sooner or later.
“The same people who legalized marijuana in the District of Columbia are moving to Andy Harris’ district to take a stand and basically say we’re going to remove this member of Congress to make an example of him,” Harris said.
“You don’t ignore the voters. You don’t overturn elections. And that’s literally what Andy Harris is doing. He has basically overturned an election in the District of Columbia through his budget rider on marijuana. And until that’s removed, I would not even think of giving up on this at least for six years. This is a six-year plan.”
