Secretary Claims Mothers Poison Their Own Children with Lead

Maryland’s Secretary of Housing Ken Holt claimed some mothers living in older, subsidized rental units intentionally poison their children with lead weights to gain free housing from the landlord for years to come!

Let that sink in for a second.  The Secretary is suggesting that basically black mother’s let’s call it is are poisoning their children to get free housing. With all the negative consequences we know about lead poisoning including the negative impact on brain development., this comment is as outrageous as it is tone deaf. The fact that a current Secretary of Housing for the State or any a sitting government official could state this publicly is unfathomable. His credibility and that of the Hogan administration is now on the line.

Governor Hogan despite some tongue lashing of Mr. Holt may be forced to relieve him of his duties. Lead poisoning is a significant housing problem in the state. How the Governor can expect Secretary hold to carry out that job in light of his comments is beyond me. The Washington Post writes that Holt, a businessman and horse breeder from Baltimore County, claims to have heard a story from developers, but has not information that even a single mother actually doing what he suggested. Of course, he had no evidence because such an act could constitute a crime or at the very least cause said mother to lose custody of the child or children involved.

It also illustrates perhaps Governor Hogan’s abilities to choose the right people to help him govern. I am not sure what a businessman and a horse breeder knows about housing issues. Perhaps someone more familiar should have being chosen in the first place.  Politically speaking this cannot linger because I can tell you the democrats will runs ads with Holt’s comments and attempt to tie it to the governor. We’ll see how the governor responds.