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Dereck E. Davis

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Dereck Davis
Davis in 2023
24th Treasurer of Maryland
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 17, 2021
GovernorLarry Hogan
Wes Moore
Preceded byNancy Kopp
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 25th district
In office
January 11, 1995 – December 17, 2021
Preceded byMichael Arrington
Succeeded byKaren Toles
Personal details
Born
Dereck Eugene Davis

(1967-06-06) June 6, 1967 (age 57)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMonique Whittington Davis
Children2
EducationUniversity of Maryland, College Park (BA, MPP)
Signature

Dereck Eugene Davis (born June 6, 1967) is an American politician serving as the Treasurer of Maryland since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 25th district from 1995 to 2021.

Early life and education

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Davis was born in Washington, D.C. on June 6, 1967. After graduating from Central High School, he attended the University of Maryland, College Park, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1989 and his Masters of Public Policy in 1999.[1]

Career

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Davis worked as an aide to the Prince George's County Council from 1988 to 1994, first as a constituent services aide and later as a legislative aide. In 1993, he was a member of the Prince George's County Nuisance Abatement Task Force. Davis was an administrator of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission from 2004 to 2011, and deputy director of the Prince George's County Office of Community Relations from 2011 to 2021.[1]

Maryland House of Delegates

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Davis in the Maryland House of Delegates, 2020

Davis was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1994 and sworn in on January 11, 1995. He was a member of the Environmental Matters Committee from 1995 to 2003, afterwards serving as the chair of the Economic Matters Committee until 2021.[1] Davis was the fourth African American to chair a House standing committee in Maryland and the first from Prince George's County.[2] He was also the chair of the Prince George's County Delegation from 2003 to 2005, 2013 to 2014, and from 2017 to 2021; and a member of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland.[1]

The Washington Post has described Davis as a centrist[2] and an ally of Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker.[3] He voted in favor of electric deregulation in 1999, but later called this vote a mistake.[4] During his tenure as the chair of the Economic Matters Committee, he was involved in negotiations to avert a 72 percent rate increase in Baltimore Gas and Electric utility costs,[5] which led into a special legislative session after legislators failed to pass a bill during the regular 2006 legislative session[6] and eventually led to a bill that would temporarily cap rate increases to 15 percent and replace the five-member Maryland Public Service Commission with regulators selected by the legislature.[7] The bill passed and became law after the Maryland General Assembly voted to override Governor Bob Ehrlich's veto of the bill.[8]

Davis supported bills to raise the minimum wage,[9][10][11][12] ban smoking in bars and restaurants,[13] repeal the ban on developer contributions to Prince George's County candidates,[14] and many of Governor Martin O'Malley's legislative priorities.[15][16][17][18] He also defended Maryland's 2010 congressional redistricting plan from criticism from the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, saying that Democrats should focus on electing more progressives to the U.S. House of Representatives instead of making elections for incumbents "as easy as possible",[19] and opposed bills to legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland and offer medical aid in dying to terminally-ill patients.[2]

In September 2008, Davis was questioned by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in its investigation into whether state senator Ulysses Currie, who worked as a consultant for Shoppers Food & Pharmacy, used his position to push for bills that would benefit the grocery store chain. Davis testified before a grand jury in the Currie probe in May 2009,[20] during which he spoke on an amendment introduced by Currie during the 2005 legislative session to transfer a beer-and-wine license from a Shopper's store in Takoma Park to one in College Park.[21] Currie and two Shopper's executives were charged with extortion and bribery charges, but were acquitted after a six-week trial in 2011, after which Davis ran on a slate with Currie in 2014.[22]

In April 2019, Following the funeral of House Speaker Michael E. Busch, Davis announced that he would run for Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates.[23] His candidacy was backed by Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks,[24] the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland,[25] and House Republican Caucus.[26] He was also backed by Adrienne A. Jones, who also declared her candidacy for Speaker but dropped out of the race after failing to capture enough support.[27] On May 1, 2019, Davis and Maggie McIntosh, who was competing with Davis in the Speaker election, both agreed to withdraw from the race and back Jones after a four-hour, closed-door Democratic caucus meeting on the day of the election. Davis would have been the first African-American Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates.[28]

2016 House of Representatives election campaign

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Main article: 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Maryland § District 4

On April 15, 2015, after U.S. representative Donna Edwards announced that she would run for U.S. Senate in 2016, Davis announced that he would run for the U.S. House of Representatives in Maryland's 4th congressional district.[29] During the Democratic primary, he received endorsements from more than a dozen members of the Maryland General Assembly and county councilmember Derrick Leon Davis,[30] and raised about $464,000 in campaign contributions.[31][32][33] Davis dropped out of the race on February 2, 2016, to focus on the legislative session.[34]

Treasurer of Maryland

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Davis (left) on the Maryland Board of Public Works, 2023

In October 2021, Davis confirmed he would run for state treasurer following the retirement of Nancy Kopp.[35] Maryland General Assembly elected Davis as the next state treasurer on December 9, 2021. He was sworn in on December 17, becoming the first state treasurer from Prince George’s County, and the second African-American to hold the position, after Richard N. Dixon.[36] During his tenure, Davis has placed additional scrutiny onto contracts with inadequate participation from historically disadvantaged business owners[37] and raised concerns about settlements involving law enforcement agencies or correctional officers.[38]

In December 2022, administrators of Maryland's 529 college savings plan discovered a calculation error affecting all 31,000 prepaid accounts, which led to the Maryland Prepaid College Trust suspending interest payments and preventing families from accessing their prepaid plans.[39] After being re-elected as treasurer in February 2023, Davis asked legislators to move the 529 program into the treasurer's office,[40] which led to legislative leaders introducing a bill to do so.[41][42] The bill passed[43] and was signed into law by Governor Wes Moore on April 24, 2023.[44] In July 2023, the treasurer's office restored interest earned to the same rates account owners held under their previous contract and that all balances or contributions made after July 2024 would not earn interest.[45]

In June 2023, Maryland Matters reported that Davis was continuing to raise funds for his campaign account as state treasurer, which he said was to stay "prepared" for the future and that he had no plans to leave his position.[46] He continued to raise funds during the 2024 legislative session,[47] during which he supported a bill that would add the state treasurer to the list of state officials that were prohibited from raising campaign funds while the legislature was in session.[48] The bill passed and was signed into law by Governor Moore.[49]

Davis was an at-large delegate to the 2024 Democratic National Convention, pledged to Kamala Harris.[50]

Personal life

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Davis is married to his wife, Monique Whittington Davis, who served as deputy superintendent of Prince George's County Public Schools from 2013 to 2018.[51][3] Together, they have a son and a daughter.[52]

Electoral history

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Maryland House of Delegates District 25 Democratic primary election, 1994[53]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brenda Bethea Hughes (incumbent) 6,619 22.8
Democratic Dereck E. Davis 5,985 20.6
Democratic Michael A. Crumlin 4,263 14.7
Democratic Marva Jo Camp 3,101 10.7
Democratic Sharrarne Morton 2,724 9.4
Democratic Mary L. Brown 2,544 8.8
Democratic Melony G. Griffith 1,887 6.5
Democratic Norton N. Bonaparte Jr. 891 3.1
Democratic Marvin L. Doxie Sr. 658 2.3
Democratic Sean Eric Short 347 1.2
Maryland House of Delegates District 25 election, 1994[54]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brenda Bethea Hughes (incumbent) 14,728 33.8
Democratic Dereck E. Davis 14,509 33.3
Democratic Michael A. Crumlin 14,281 32.8
Maryland House of Delegates District 25 election, 1998[55]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Anthony G. Brown 20,660 33.6
Democratic Melony G. Griffith 20,595 33.5
Democratic Dereck E. Davis (incumbent) 20,262 32.9
Maryland House of Delegates District 25 election, 2002[56]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Anthony G. Brown (incumbent) 21,350 34.9
Democratic Melony G. Griffith (incumbent) 20,163 33.0
Democratic Dereck E. Davis (incumbent) 19,585 32.0
Write-in 69 0.1
Maryland House of Delegates District 25 election, 2006[57]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Aisha Braveboy 22,632 32.6
Democratic Melony G. Griffith (incumbent) 21,584 31.1
Democratic Dereck E. Davis (incumbent) 21,540 31.1
Republican Patrick A. Schaeffer Jr. 2,541 3.7
Green David Kiasi 999 1.4
Write-in 62 0.1
Maryland House of Delegates District 25 election, 2010[58]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Aisha Braveboy (incumbent) 27,804 35.3
Democratic Dereck E. Davis (incumbent) 25,723 32.6
Democratic Melony G. Griffith (incumbent) 25,095 31.8
Write-in 173 0.2
Maryland House of Delegates District 25 election, 2014[59]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Angela Angel 26,792 36.2
Democratic Dereck E. Davis (incumbent) 23,593 31.9
Democratic Darryl Barnes 23,372 31.6
Write-in 161 0.2
Maryland House of Delegates District 25 election, 2018[60]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Darryl Barnes (incumbent) 36,845 34.8
Democratic Dereck E. Davis (incumbent) 35,229 33.2
Democratic Nick Charles 33,411 31.5
Write-in 474 0.4

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Dereck E. Davis, State Treasurer". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Wiggins, Ovetta (April 30, 2019). "Del. Dereck Davis: Veteran Maryland lawmaker with centrist credentials". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  3. ^ a b St. George, Donna (June 25, 2018). "Deputy superintendent leaves embattled Prince George's school system". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  4. ^ Adams, Paul (January 18, 2008). "Electricity deal costs customers, report says". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  5. ^ "Lawmakers to address gas pricing – in January". The Baltimore Sun. September 14, 2005. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  6. ^ "Rate deal dies". The Baltimore Sun. April 11, 2006. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  7. ^ "Rate-limit plan unveiled". The Baltimore Sun. June 13, 2006. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  8. ^ "Rate deferral is law". The Baltimore Sun. June 24, 2006. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  9. ^ "Senate approves measure to require 'living wage'". The Baltimore Sun. April 7, 2004. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  10. ^ "Senate passes $1 per hour increase in minimum wage". The Baltimore Sun. March 4, 2005. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  11. ^ Wheeler, Timothy B. (March 7, 2014). "House votes to raise Maryland's minimum wage". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  12. ^ DePuyt, Bruce (June 2, 2021). "Democrats Slam Hogan's Decision to End Expanded Unemployment Benefits, Look to Block Action". Maryland Matters. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  13. ^ "Capital Notebook". The Baltimore Sun. March 21, 2007. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  14. ^ Hawkins, Samantha (February 28, 2020). "Bill to Rescind Ban on Developer Contributions in Prince George's County Is Back". Maryland Matters. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  15. ^ Drew, James; Smitherman, Laura (November 17, 2007). "House OKs slots plan by 2 votes". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  16. ^ Dresser, Michael (March 26, 2012). "House panel approves offshore wind farm bill". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  17. ^ Cox, Erin; Dresser, Michael (March 16, 2013). "House votes to repeal death penalty". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  18. ^ Cox, Erin (April 4, 2013). "Maryland House passes gun-control bill". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  19. ^ Linskey, Annie; Fritze, John (October 11, 2011). "Democrats oppose new congressional map". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  20. ^ "Lawmaker testifies in Currie probe". The Baltimore Sun. May 28, 2009. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  21. ^ Bishop, Tricia (October 6, 2011). "Currie slipped in Shoppers' legislation late, according to testimony". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  22. ^ Broadwater, Luke (April 19, 2014). "After censure, Currie faces rare primary challenge". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  23. ^ Wood, Pamela (April 16, 2019). "Three powerful Democratic leaders vie to succeed Michael Busch as speaker of Maryland House". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  24. ^ Broadwater, Luke (April 12, 2019). "Prince George's Executive Alsobrooks supports Del. Dereck Davis for speaker of Maryland House of Delegates". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  25. ^ Broadwater, Luke; Wood, Pamela (April 29, 2019). "'This is our time': Maryland black caucus backs Del. Davis for House speaker as race turns heated". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  26. ^ DePuyt, Bruce (May 1, 2019). "House GOP Confirms It Will Back Davis on House Floor". Maryland Matters. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  27. ^ Wood, Pamela (April 26, 2019). "Black candidates for Maryland House speaker unite, promote Prince George's delegate over Baltimore's McIntosh". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  28. ^ DePuyt, Bruce (May 1, 2019). "After Intense Battle, Jones Emerges as Compromise Choice for Speaker". Maryland Matters. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  29. ^ Cox, Erin (April 15, 2015). "Dereck Davis joins race for 4th District congressional seat". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  30. ^ Fritze, John (September 19, 2015). "Davis picks up endorsements in 4th District". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  31. ^ Fritze, John (July 14, 2015). "Dereck Davis raised $188K for Md. House race". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  32. ^ Fritze, John (October 14, 2015). "Edwards raises $639,000 in Q3". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  33. ^ Fritze, John (January 31, 2016). "Matthews pulling away in 8th District money race". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  34. ^ Hernández, Arelis R. (February 2, 2016). "Maryland Del. Dereck E. Davis drops out of U.S. House race". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  35. ^ Kurtz, Josh (October 20, 2021). "Davis Confirms He's Running for State Treasurer". Maryland Matters. Archived from the original on 13 November 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  36. ^ Kurtz, Josh (December 17, 2021). "Davis Takes Over as Treasurer: 'We're Just Going to do Great Things'". Maryland Matters. Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  37. ^ Sears, Bryan P. (August 24, 2023). "Treasurer vows increased scrutiny of 'minority business enterprise' goals by state spending panel". Maryland Matters. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  38. ^ Sears, Bryan P. (April 19, 2023). "'Annoyed and tired,' Davis vows to speak out on future state settlements in opposition of requests from attorneys". Maryland Matters. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  39. ^ Douglas-Gabriel, Danielle (April 24, 2023). "'A broken promise': Maryland college savings plan blocks parents from withdrawing money". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 3, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  40. ^ Ford, William J.; Sears, Bryan P. (February 21, 2023). "Political Notes: Davis re-elected as state treasurer, Cox loses another vote, Schiraldi gets confirmed". Maryland Matters. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  41. ^ Gaines, Danielle E. (February 25, 2023). "Legislative leaders working on bill to move Maryland 529 to Treasurer, wind down pre-paid tuition program". Maryland Matters. Archived from the original on April 24, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  42. ^ Sears, Bryan P. (March 22, 2023). "Treasurer asks for patience, staffing and budget, in fixing beleaguered college savings plan". Maryland Matters. Archived from the original on April 24, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  43. ^ Burnett, Ava-Joye (March 15, 2023). "Legislation proposes bill to abolish Maryland 529 board in move to help recoup college savings for parents". WJZ-TV. Archived from the original on April 24, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  44. ^ Russell, Lia (April 24, 2023). "Gov. Wes Moore signs legislation shifting control of troubled Maryland 529 college savings agency to state treasurer". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on April 24, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  45. ^ Janesch, Sam (July 11, 2023). "In Maryland 529 overhaul, state treasurer sets 6% rate of return for parents with prepaid college trust accounts". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on July 18, 2023. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  46. ^ Sears, Bryan P. (June 22, 2023). "Treasurer Davis staying prepared with fundraiser — but what office is in his future?". Maryland Matters. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  47. ^ Sears, Bryan P. (February 5, 2024). "Davis vows to keep fundraising as treasurer". Maryland Matters. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  48. ^ Sears, Bryan P. (March 13, 2024). "Treasurer 'enthusiastically' backs bill imposing limits on his fundraising". Maryland Matters. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  49. ^ Kurtz, Josh; Sears, Bryan P. (May 10, 2024). "Sponsors of 'Kids Code' bill confident it will withstand court challenge". Maryland Matters. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  50. ^ Kurtz, Josh (July 22, 2024). "Meet the Maryland delegates to the Democratic National Convention". Maryland Matters. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  51. ^ Wiggins, Ovetta (August 21, 2013). "New deputy school superintendent hired in Prince George's". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  52. ^ Kurtz, Josh (December 9, 2021). "After Half a Lifetime in the House, Dereck Davis to Become Md. Treasurer". Maryland Matters. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  53. ^ "1994 Gubernatorial Primary Election Results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  54. ^ "1994 Gubernatorial General Election Results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  55. ^ "1998 Gubernatorial General Election Results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  56. ^ "2002 Gubernatorial General - Official Results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  57. ^ "Official 2006 Gubernatorial General Election results for Legislative District 25". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  58. ^ "Official 2010 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  59. ^ "Official 2014 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  60. ^ "Official 2018 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
Political offices
Preceded by Treasurer of Maryland
2021–present 		Incumbent
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