McDonough Against Different Sort of Illegal Border Crossing
Del. Pat McDonough says a bill he plans to introduce will protect Maryland's borders—this time against rats.
McDonough, a Middle River Republican more known for his stands on immigration issues, said his bill will prevent Washington, DC from exporting vermin to Maryland under a 2010 wildlife protection bill. But the law may not be everything McDonough thinks it is.
"My bill is an anti-rat trafficking bill," said McDonough.
McDonough's concerns arise from a bill he said was passed in Washington, DC that prevents the killing of rats. Instead, the law requires wildlife (including rats) be treated humanely and relocated "along with their families" to another area.
"I'm protecting the borders again, this time from illegal rats," McDonough said. "I'm very concerned about my friends in Prince George's and Montgomery counties. They're on the front lines of this."
McDonough said his bill would prevent DC from sneaking their rats across the border into Maryland's suburbs and eating our government cheese.
But the DC law may not be everything the delegate believes.
WTOP radio in DC has an interesting fact check on the issue in which they state that the bill does not protect rats or other "commensal rodents."
No word on if McDonough's bill will require the rodents to also speak English.
AmandaK
12:03 pm on Thursday, January 19, 2012
They better speak English, or they won't be allowed to vote..or drive!
Paul Amirault
7:39 am on Friday, January 20, 2012
I smell a rat here. The law is from 2010 and now it's an issue. McDonough is not even original, he is piggy backing on the back of the VA attorney general. The facts are:
The law specifically exempts from protection "commensal rodents" such as rats and mice, and the law does allow for the killing of any wild animal if trapping is not an option.
The law specifically allows for euthanasia of any wild animal "if relocation or rehabilitation are not feasible."
A spokesperson for Cuccinelli (VA AG) told reporters that the rice rat and the deer mouse are not protected, because they don't fall under the definition of "commensal rodent."
The legislation does not define "commensal rodents," but they are commonly defined as types of mice and rats. For example: "Living with or in close association to humans. Although many species of rodents occasionally may be found around humans, the term 'commensal rodents' refers specifically to mice and rats."
That's clear enough for the agency in charge of enforcing the law. Christophe Tulou, director of the District's Department of the Environment, says as far as he's concerned, a rat is a rat.
"We don't check IDs," he says.
What a waste of time and money, we have serious budgetary issues in Maryland, how about working on them?
Paul Amirault
7:52 am on Friday, January 20, 2012
I wish to give attribution to the source of the information above WTOP in Wash, DC -
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=109&sid=2711881
John L.
8:50 am on Friday, January 20, 2012
At least Pat is trying to protect us in several ways. That is more than I can say about some of our other reps. Good Luck on this project.......
Paul Amirault
10:34 am on Friday, January 20, 2012
John L. - you may have missed my point, I believe based on the facts, Mr. McDonough is now attempting to write a law for which their is no problem to be cured. Please we have enough unnecessary laws in Maryland, no more.
Wash, DC's legislation simply does not ship rats to Maryland or Virginia.
Bart
11:42 am on Friday, January 20, 2012
Heck, for McD., any press is good press.
Paul Amirault
1:43 pm on Friday, January 20, 2012
I could go to the big brown rat vs the little brown rat and he just wants to treat them the same. That will spark a lot of sarcastic comments which is what he might be doing, but we wore that subject out last week. Nothing new to discuss there. I don't think we solved any problems. (:-{ ))