http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/08/16/1412464/-Maryland-Republican-Says-Mothers-are-Poisoning-Their-Children-to-Get-Free-Housing
The Baltimore Sun reported Saturday morning that Kenneth Holt, Republican Governor Larry Hogan's Secretary of Housing, Community and Development, has demanded an easing of Maryland's restrictions on lead paint, because, according to Mr. Holt, mothers are deliberately poisoning their children with lead to get free housing. According to Mr. Holt, mothers in Baltimore City are sticking lead fishing weights into their children's mouths to force the landlord to provide the family with free housing until the children are 18 years old.
Holt said he knew of no specific case where a mother had deliberately poisoned her child, but insisted that the state of Maryland weaken its lead paint laws to prevent the possibility that a mother might poison her baby to get free housing.
Not surprisingly, Mr. Holt is confused about the state laws his agency is charged with enforcing. There is no requirement that landlords provide free housing until the child turns 18, only while lead abatement is under way. Landlords whose property predates 1978, when the federal government banned the use of lead paint nationwide, are required to take measures to reduce or eliminate the exposure of their tenants to lead, and, in return, the landlord's liability was capped at $17,000.
Four years ago, the Maryland Court of Appeals unanimously ruled this cap unconstitutional because it denied lead poisoning victims meaningful compensation. Since then, Baltimore City juries have awarded lead paint victims millions of dollars in damages. So I suspect it is these jury verdicts against his slum lord pals that has been bugging Secretary Holt.
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (which I guess is on the hit list of Koch Brothers and the Republican pols under their control for elimination):
Lead is a highly toxic metal that may cause a range of health problems, especially in young children. When lead is absorbed into the body, it can cause damage to the brain and other vital organs, like the kidneys, nerves and blood. Lead may also cause behavioral problems, learning disabilities, seizures and in extreme cases, death. Some symptoms of lead poisoning may include headaches, stomachaches, nausea, tiredness and irritability.
To be fair, the Baltimore Sun has just reported Hogan's Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford today stated that he and Governor Hogan will not support their Secretary's call for an easing of lead paint restrictions.
needless to say the Baltimore city is predominantly Black and we have a republican accusing those mothers of literally putting poison in their childrens mouths and i thought i had heard the most egregious things they say this year already but this is the republican playbook page 1 blame the indigenous peoples for whatever you decide to rail against.
this would not be an issue if they invested in the city and cared about their health and well being but here we are today and obviously not of that was a factor or consideration in their heads "they are only Black people we can blame them as usual."
