Baltimore Fishbowl asked candidates running in this year’s election to share their views on the three most important challenges facing Baltimore and the region, and solutions they support to make progress.
We asked candidates to submit a video answering that question, so you can hear their ideas and goals in their own words.
Former Judge Katie Curran O’Malley, a Democrat and former prosecutor, is running for Attorney General, and named fighting violent crime, protecting a right to choose abortion, and combatting climate change the three most critical issues she would address as attorney general. (Incumbent Brian E. Frosh has announced his retirement and is not running for re-election).
Transcript
Hi, my name is Katie Curran O’Malley, and I’m running to be your next attorney general. I was born and raised in Baltimore City. I’ve lived here all my life and raised my kids here as well.
Fighting Violent Crime
I think the three big challenges for Baltimore and our region here is right now fighting violent crime. We’ve seen such a huge spike in the numbers of homicides and violent crimes in our city, and even across our state, that we need an attorney general who’s had experience in courtrooms, in criminal courts and civil courts. But primarily in our criminal courts that can help coordinate with State’s Attorneys and the federal Strike Force so that we can reduce the violence in our communities and keep people safe.
Protecting the right to choose abortion
I also think it’s important that we have an attorney general that will be able to protect a woman’s right to choose.
I don’t necessarily think we need protection. What we need is be able to fight for our right to choose. And we can do that by electing more women across our state and across our country. I think it’s vital to making sure here in Maryland, that we have a constitutional amendment to ensure a woman’s right to choose as well as we make sure that we have Maryland as a sanctuary state for women from around the country that can come here for safe reproductive health care services.
Combatting climate change
These are things that I will work day in and day out as your next attorney general as well as fighting against climate change and making sure we hold big polluters accountable, as well as small polluters so that we can keep our state for the next generation generations to come with healthy air, land and water.
Thank you so much. I really need your vote on July 19th. Go to my website, katieformd.com to find out more information about what we’re going to do as your next attorney general.
Biographical Information
Name: Katie Curran O’Malley
Age: 59
Education: Towson University, University of Baltimore School of Law
Political party: Democrat
Professional background: Judge O’Malley has 30 years of experience in Maryland’s courtrooms, as an Assistant State’s Attorney and as a District Court Judge in Baltimore. She began her career as a public service attorney, and in 2001 then-Governor Parris Glendening appointed her to a 10-year term as an Associate Judge for the First District Court of Maryland, encompassing the city of Baltimore. She was re-appointed to an additional 10-year term in 2011 and retired from the bench in November 2021. She is the daughter of former Maryland Attorney General J. Josesph Curran Jr., and her husband was mayor of Baltimore and Maryland governor.
