Michael D. Smigiel, Sr.
Quick Facts
Biography
Mike Smigiel (born June 18, 1958) is a former delegate in the Maryland House of Delegates, where he represented District 36, which covers Caroline, Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne's Counties. He was first elected in 2002 along with fellow Republicans Richard Sossi and Mary Roe Walkup after the legislative boundaries were redrawn. Prior to 2002, District 36 had a separate representative for Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne's Counties. After combining the districts, Smigiel won the seat previously occupied by former Elkton Mayor, James Crouse. Crouse was appointed to the seat in July 2001 following Governor Parris Glendenning's appointment of longtime Elkton Delegate Ronald A. Guns to the Public Service Commission.
In 2006, he defeated Democratic challenger Mark Guns for reelection. In the 2006 election, the voting method returned to voting for a representative for each county.
Education
Smigiel attended Elgin Community College in Elgin, Illinois. There he received his A.A. degree in psychology and history in 1982. After community college, he went to undergraduate school at Northern Illinois University, where he got his B.A. in political science in 1985. In 1989, he received his J.D. from Northern Illinois University College of Law. Michael served as president of his law school class.
Career
After high school, Smigiel served in the United States Marine Corps from 1975 until 1979. After college, Smigiel was admitted to Maryland Bar in 1989 and worked thereafter as an attorney. He is also a member of the Cecil County Bar Association, where he served as chair of the ethics committee and as a member of the board of directors. He also belongs to the Maryland Association of Justice.
Smigiel is also the founder of Mediation, Inc., and alternative dispute resolution center. He served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Bainbridge Naval Training Center Historical Association, Inc.
In the legislature
In the Maryland General Assembly, Smigiel holds the position of Minority Parliamentarian and is on the Judiciary Committee where he is a member of the criminal justice subcommittee and has been active on several work-groups. He was previously a Deputy Minority Whip from 2003–2006 and a member of the Health and Government Operations Committee. Smigiel is currently serving as Vice Chair of the Juvenile subcommittee, and is the Vice Chair of the Eastern Shore Delegation representing the nine counties of the Eastern Shore of Maryland. In addition, Smigiel is the founder and chairperson of the Maryland House of Delegates TEA Party Caucus.
Legislative notes
- in 2013 Co-Sponsored legislation to require a 2/3rdsvote in the General Assembly to raise taxes
- in 2013 Sponsored a bill to repeal the use of speed cameras
- in 2013 Co-Sponsored legislation to impose larger penalties on local governments found to have violated Maryland's open meeting law
- in 2012 Co-sponsored bill to require health insurance carriers to provide coverage of Telemedicine services
- in 2011 Proposed an amendment to the state constitution to make appropriations subject to petition for a referendum, which are currently exempt under Maryland law
- in 2010 Co Sponsored a 'Taxpayers Bill of Rights' constitutional amendment which would have required certain new taxes be placed to a popular vote, limited increases in the state budget to the amount of inflation plus annual population increase
- voted against in-state tuition for illegal immigrants in 2007 (HB6)[1]
- voted against the Clean Indoor Air Act of 2007 (HB359)[2]
- voted for slots in 2005 (HB1361)[3]
- http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/msa14002.html
- http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2013RS/bills/hb/hb0363F.pdf
- http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=billpage&tab=subject3&id=hb0251&stab=01&ys=2013RS
- http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2013RS/bills/hb/hb0331T.pdf
- http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2012rs/bills/hb/hb1149t.pdf
- http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?ys=2011rs/billfile/hb0010.htm
Task Force, Boards and Commissions
2012- Smigiel was appointed by Maryland legislative leaders to a task force to study the impact of a Maryland Court of Appeals ruling regarding the liability of owners of pit bulls and landlords that rent to them.
Congressional Run
In 2016, Smigiel sought the Republican nomination for Maryland's 1st congressional district, challenging incumbent Andrew P. Harris in the party primary. Smiegel claimed that he felt "betrayed" by Harris and other Republicans, and attacked the incumbent from a conservative position on education, state powers, free markets, and taxation. He was overwhelmingly defeated by Harris.
Election results
- 2006 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 36 Cecil County
- Voters to choose one per county:
Name Votes Percent Outcome Michael D. Smigiel, Sr., Rep. 17,764 53.4% Won Mark Guns, Dem. 15,475 46.6% Lost
- 2002 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 36
- Voters to choose three:
Name Votes Percent Outcome Richard Sossi, Rep. 19,098 19.0% Won Michael D. Smigiel, Sr., Rep. 19,216 19.1% Won Mary Roe Walkup, Rep. 28,230 28.0% Won Wheeler R. Baker, Dem. 17,575 17.5% Lost James G. Crouse, Dem. 16,329 16.2% Lost Other Write-Ins 277 0.3%