Former Delegate Minnick remembered by colleagues

Originally published in the East County Times, Vol. 21 No. 2 (Oct. 22, 2015), page 28.

- by Emily Blackner -

Dundalk native and veteran legislator Joseph J. “Sonny” Minnick passed away last Monday, Oct. 12, at the age of 82. Minnick was in hospice care at Stella Maris in Timonium for a blood disease.

He was born on March 16, 1933, and resided in Dundalk for his entire life. After graduating from Dundalk High School in the Class of 1952, Minnick enlisted in the US Navy, where he served from 1952 - 1956 and earned a Good Conduct Medal. After that, he went to Dundalk and then to Essex Community College, in 1972 - 1973 and 1974, respectively. His career in politics began in 1988, when he was appointed to the House of Delegates to fill a suddenly vacant seat.

In numerous statements and online comments, his colleagues and constituents remembered him fondly.

“Delegate Sonny Minnick was a kind-hearted individual, a caring, constituent-oriented legislator and a patient mentor,” said Jake Mohorovic, a former District 6 delegate who served with Minnick.

Minnick, a conservative Democrat, was first elected a member of the House of Delegates in November 1994 and served from January 11, 1995, until January 14, 2015. He chose not to seek re-election in the November 2014 race.

His seat was taken by Republican Ric Metzgar, who called Minnick “a gentleman statesman.”

“Sonny was a tremendous man, a mentor and friend,” he continued. “The shoes are definitely harder to fill now, and I am truly honored to be seated at his seat in the General Assembly. I even have the same office phone number. He will be sorely missed.”

“He was always strong-willed and opinionated and tenacious in the way he went about his work, but he was always respectful of other people,” recalled John Olszewski, Jr., who served with Minnick from 2006 - 2015. The two were members of the Economic Matters Committee.

“His advice was always very helpful and insightful for me, and I’m grateful for that. I’m lucky to have had the opportunity to know him as well as I have,” Olszewski added.

Minnick was on the alcoholic beverages, business regulation, and unemployment insurance sub-committees. Prior appointments include the Commerce and Government Matters Committee and the Judiciary Committee. He also held several leadership roles, being elected the chair of the Baltimore County delegation from 1995 - 2006, and serving as the Deputy Majority Whip from 1995 - 1998 and the House Co-Chair of the Maryland Veterans Caucus from 1997 - 2015.

“Sonny was the unofficial chair of the ‘previous question caucus.’ He was the one to move the previous question to vote,” Olszewski revealed. “When debate would languish on, the speaker would look down from the rostrum and nod, and we’d know Sonny was about to make a motion.”

East County Times readers may remember Minnick from his “Sonny Sez” columns, where he would communicate with his constituents about issues and votes before the General Assembly.

Constituents leaving online tributes to Minnick noted that he always respected them and their opinions, even when they disagreed.

Outside of his life as a delegate, Minnick was the owner of a popular restaurant on Sollers Point Road that bears his family name until he sold the establishment a few years ago. Locals remember Minnick’s as a great place to watch the Baltimore Colts games, with Minnick leading the crowd in a team cheer.

He was also a member of VFW Post 6694, American Legion Post 38, and the Knights of Columbus. Minnick attended Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church in Dundalk, where a funeral mass was held on Friday, Oct. 16. He was also remembered at visitations held at the Connelly Funeral Home of Dundalk on Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 14 and 15.

And, Del. Metzgar revealed that he hopes to have the General Assembly observed a moment of silence in Minnick’s honor during the next session.

Minnick is survived by his wife, Barbara (nee Nastalski), children Christopher J. Minnick, Danielle Cogar and Barbara Morse, six grandchildren and a brother, Daniel Minnick.

Szeliga fundraiser draws big crowd amid US Senate exploration

Originally published in the East County Times, Vol. 20 No. 52 (Oct. 8, 2015), front page, continued on page 4.

- By Emily Blackner -

On Monday night, Oct. 5, hundreds of citizens, legislators and other political figures gathered at Boordy Vineyard in Hydes for the annual “birthday bash” fundraiser for Seventh District Delegate Kathy Szeliga. While the event’s attendance has been growing steadily for all seven years, undoubtedly some of the popularity this year was due to rumors of Del. Szeliga considering a bid for the U.S. Senate seat held by the retiring Barbara Mikulski.

“I am seriously considering a US Senate run,” she announced to enthusiastic applause. “Things are looking good.”

However, she stated that her final decision has not been made, but will be forthcoming sometime this fall. Speaking with the East County Times prior to the event, she elaborated on her motivations for seeking higher office.

“I’m looking at this race seriously because I look at my kids and my new baby granddaughter and I’m very troubled with the direction the world is headed in. I feel it is my duty and responsibility to do whatever I can to leave the state and the country in better shape for them,” she opined.

Specifically, she thinks a change of course is needed on the economy and national security. Szeliga, who just turned 54, has been in the Maryland General Assembly since 2010 and was selected by her fellow Republicans as Minority Whip, the second-most-powerful leadership position, in 2013. She serves on the Appropriations Committee, the Health and Human Resources Subcommittee, the Oversight Committee on Pensions, Maryland Veterans Caucus and the House Emergency Medical Services Workgroup. She is also a business owner heavily involved in her family’s construction business.

“Annapolis is a part-time legislature, so the wonderful thing about working as a delegate is that we have outside employment as well, so I bring an unique set of experience with both business and legislature,” she said.

This would contrast her with the Washington insiders currently in power in the nation’s capital, Szeliga believes.

“Washington is dysfunctional. We need new ideas, and as a working mom, I will bring new and fresh perspective to Washington,” she declared.

She also noted similarities between her background and Mikulski’s: “a tough, working-class Polish woman from the Baltimore region.”

As she evaluates her options in a potential Senate bid, Szeliga will look at a variety of factors, including the amount of support she is able to garner from both voters and party leaders.

“The support I’ve getting from leaders has been amazing,” she revealed. “In both the [state] House and Senate leaders are not only supporting me but strongly encouraging me to get in the race.”

Guests to the Boordy fundraiser included Senate Minority Leader J.B. Jennings (7) and House Minority Leader Nicholaus Kipke (31B), as well as fellow Delegates Ric Metzgar, Robin Grammer, and Bob Long (all R-6)- who she strongly supported in their 2014 campaign for the office- John Cluster (R-8), and others, as well as Anne Arundel County Executive Shuh, former Ambassador Ellen Sauerbrey and U.S. Congressman Andy Harris.

“We have a lot of people who do hard work putting forth their ideas,” Minority Leader Kipke told the crowd. “But every day over countless examples I’ve seen Kathy Szeliga do the harder job of helping other people succeed.”

He praised her for her efforts growing the party and ushering new Republicans to victory in November, calling her “authentic, real and conservative.”

Congressman Harris also threw his support behind Szeliga, noting that he believes the Republicans need a candidate who is from the Baltimore area and not the Washington suburbs, who has actually “signed the front of a paycheck and not the back” and who has political experience. Additionally, “The Republican party needs more women to run for office. Now, who do we know who fits that description?” he said. He added, “This Senate race is winnable,” but that it would take “the Hogan campaign on steroids” to achieve that victory.

Szeliga hopes to draw on supporters like the approximately 275 who were in attendance that night, she said.

She revealed to the East County Times that she has had conversations with prominent state Republicans like Michael Steele and Kendall Ehrlich, wife of former Gov. Robert Ehrlich, where they expressed strong support.

“We have a great turnout at this event; every year my support grows,” she said.

Other attendees commented that the crowd was three times bigger than they had seen before.

Amidst the accolades, one concern raised was the affect of a Senate campaign, which takes place statewide and would draw Szeliga out of her district, on her current duties as a delegate and as Minority Whip.

“We run on the off years, so my run for US Senate will not affect my job in Annapolis,” she assured supporters. “My commitment is to the caucus.”

When asked how she plans to strike that balance, she told the East County Times, “We well get that all figured out as we make a final decision.”