On Sunday, September 21, WDC welcomed and heard from Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman, House of Delegates Majority Leader David Moon, and Montgomery County Council President Kate Stewart, a triumvirate of exemplary public servants grappling with the impacts of federal actions on our state and county.

County Council Member Kate Stewart led off the event by candidly stating that the federal government is currently “out to get us.” Ongoing harms are significant, especially for immigrant communities and laid off federal workers and contractors. Montgomery County is responding to protect its residents and cushion the blows in myriad ways, involving partnerships with MCPS, the Board of Education, Montgomery College, nonprofit partners, and Montgomery County agencies. There is plenty more to be done. Uncertain times lie ahead as the county faces still-to-be-known impacts on its revenue. One positive: Montgomery County is better positioned than many other jurisdictions to respond to and withstand the challenges.

Comptroller Brooke Lierman highlighted the recent Comptroller’s Office report on the state of Maryland's economy that is serving as an essential guide for state officials. It is helping them figure out how to protect the state and stand up to the federal government’s assault. Maryland is losing many billions of dollars due to federal cuts across the board. In 2024 the federal government pumped $150 billion into the state’s economy, but since January 2025 federal revenue coming to Maryland has been dropping due to factors including significant numbers of federal job losses and cancelled government contracts. Maryland is being challenged to address the losses.

Comptroller Lierman emphasized that state leaders are working to blunt the impact and to lessen dependence on federal dollars by moving ahead to accelerate private sector growth. Additionally, Maryland’s Attorney General continues to fight back with lawsuits against the illegal cuts.

Delegate David Moon minced no words. Bottom line, his point of view is that this administration will punish Maryland whether we push back hard or attempt to work with it. One of the bills he’ll be proposing is in response to Donald Trump’s order to redistrict in red states (like Texas and Missouri) to “find seats” and keep Congress in Republican hands in 2026. The blue states of California and New York are working to counter those actions by pursuing redistricting as well. WDC’s board has pressed the Governor, Senate President, and Speaker of the House to move expeditiously and call a special session to address redistricting. We plan to continue to make the case over the coming weeks and months.

By the end of this sobering but galvanizing event, two words came to mind: resolve and fortitude. WDC will not be on the sidelines. We have resolve and fortitude—loads of it!



—Cynthia Rubenstein, WDC President