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Burroughs and Oriadha Ascend to Council Leadership, Ivey Voted Out

In a history-making move, Council member Ed Burroughs III (D-District 8) was elevated to lead the County Council and Council member Krystal Oriadha (D-District 7) was elected vice chair.��

Burroughs is the youngest chair in council history, having represented District 8 on the legislative body since 2022 and served as vice chair since Dec. 3. The 32-year-old has been serving in elected office for over a decade, beginning with his tenure on the Board of Education.

“We look forward to working together and with our Council colleagues to advance policies that uplift our communities,” said Burroughs and Oriadha in a . 

Both the chair and vice chair were early supporters of State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy’s campaign for Prince George’s County Executive. After Braveboy won the Democratic primary in early March, the legislators hope to enjoy a strong working relationship with the projected next county executive. 

“Together, we will focus on expanding economic opportunities, improving public safety, and ensuring every resident can access quality services. We are committed to fostering collaboration, transparency, and equity in all we do.”

In addition, former Prince George’s County Board of Education member Shayla Adams-Stafford, who overwhelmingly won the special election Democratic primary to fill the District 5 vacancy, is likely to be in coalition with both Burroughs and Oriadha after the special general election in June.

Council member Jolene Ivey (D- At Large), who dropped out of the special election for County Executive following , was voted out as the chair.��

In the vote to replace Ivey, Council members Tom Dernoga (D- District 1), Wanika Fisher (D- District 2), Eric Olson (D- District 3), Ingrid Watson (D- District 4), Wala Blegay (D- District 6), Oriadha, and Burroughs voted in favor while Council members Calvin Hawkins (D) and Ivey abstained. Council member Sydney Harrison (D- District 9) was absent during the vote.��

“I will be a fair chair,” Burroughs. “At the end of the day, if raising property tax is not an option, we have to generate new revenue. I’m going to be working very hard to generate new revenue sources that do not involve raising property taxes.” 

He has proposed data centers as one way to increase the county’s revenue amid rising deficits and federal uncertainties.

“We know that in Northern Virginia, we’ve seen some counties generate over $700 million a year in tax revenue from them. So that’s what I have my eye on at this point in time,” the new council chair said. “With that being said, I’m very sensitive to the environmental risks. I’m very sensitive to ensuring that we have community stakeholders as a part of whatever we do.”

Van Hollen and Alsobrooks’ Efforts to Combat Trump Administration

With federal workers facing mass layoffs and the state budget severely endangered by the Trump administration’s efforts to cut federal spending, Maryland Democratic U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks are using their legislative power to fight back in defense of Marylanders.

Alsobrooks introduced her first bill on March 12: , in order to help residents as prices for cars, gas, alcohol, and produce are as a result of tariffs that have been aggressively implemented by the Trump Administration.

“Marylanders are struggling to put food on the table and afford the basic necessities as it is. The last thing we need are tariffs that will raise prices,” said Alsobrooks. “The truth is this: the Trump administration knows that the tariffs on allies like Canada and Mexico will raise prices for consumers, spike inflation, and harm American small businesses. If they disagree, now is their time to prove it. My bill will force a nonpartisan study on this administration’s tariffs and how they will impact everyday Americans.”

Alsobrooks also noted the impact of firing over 10,000 workers from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), calling it “dangerous and deadly.” She also called out HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s statements during his confirmation hearing on Black people having stronger immune systems, considered a .

“These mass layoffs at Health and Human Services will cost human lives. I warned America that confirming RFK Jr. would be a mistake,” she said on March 27. “His blatant distrust of science and disregard for research and advancement makes him completely unqualified. This move must be immediately reversed for the health and safety of the American people. I will do all I can to fight this.”

Van Hollen called for the resignation of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following a widely publicized and unprecedented leak of classified information.��

“This administration’s gross disregard for the handling of classified information puts American lives at risk,” he said. “Their inexcusable negligence in protecting the security of highly classified information – as well as their attempts to shrug off this incident – show an unacceptable level of disrespect for our national security and for the men and women who serve our country in uniform.”

Alsobrooks and Sen. Mark Kelly (D- Ariz.) have called for Hegseth to resign.

A longtime Maryland politician, representing Maryland’s eighth Congressional district from 2003-2017 before becoming senator, Van Hollen said while he applauds the investigation by the Armed Services Committee into Hegseth, that action alone is insufficient.

“If any other federal officials had been involved in this grave of a security breach, they would have been fired at once,” he said. “For the safety of our armed forces and for the security of our nation, I call on Secretary Hegseth and National Security Adviser Waltz to resign immediately.”