On May 10, 2011 Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley signed the so-called “Maryland DREAM Act” (SB-167). This law would offer in-state tuition rates at Maryland colleges and universities to illegal aliens who met certain requirements.
But by the end of June, no less than 132,071 Maryland voters had signed a petition to stop SB-167 and put it to a referendum in November 2012. This is the first successful petition drive in Maryland in twenty years. And (note to any GOP campaign consultants worried about cracking the “Blue States”) almost half of the signatures—far in excess of the 55,736 needed —came from Democrats and Independents.
Top Democratic Party lawyer Joseph E. Sandler, illegal alien support group CASA de Maryland, and 8 “Juan Does” have brought suit to stop the referendum. On December 5th, however, they were forced to admit that they could not challenge enough signatures to invalidate the petition.[Illegal Alien Activists End Challenge to “Sufficiency and Number” of Petitions to Put Maryland DREAM Act to Voter Referendum, December 7, 2011]
They then tried to claim SB-167 cannot be subject to referendum under Maryland law because it is an appropriations bill. But last week, the Circuit Court of Anne Arundel County ruled that SB-167 is not an appropriations bill.[JW VICTORY! Illegal Alien Tuition to Stay on Maryland Ballot!, February 24, 2012]
Obviously, CASA de Maryland did expect to win its own lawsuit, either. It is seeking to hire a professional fundraiser to raise $10 million to defeat the referendum in November.[Campaign Fundraising manager Job Posting, Casa de Maryland]
