Last Saturday, I stumbled upon the existence of a super-secret-but-not-really group calling themselves the “Maryland Freedom Caucus.” According to Del. Lauren Arikan, this little clique has been around for three years—though judging by their stealthy approach, you’d think they were rehearsing for the next season of Undercover Boss. But wait! Today, they’ve decided to make it “official” with a press conference. Because nothing says legitimacy like finally admitting you exist.
Now, let’s meet the illustrious cast of this merry band of freedom fighters:
Kathy Szeliga
Matt Morgan
Ryan Nawrocki
Brian Chisholm
Mark Fisher
Lauren Arikan
Robin Grammer
Recognize them? Of course, you do! These are the same folks from Marylanders United, the group that masterfully helped Democrats win elections, gleefully funded hit jobs on actual conservatives, and then high-fived each other at the polls like they’d just won a middle school dodgeball game. You can read my three-part series about their shenanigans. Spoiler: They’re still funneling cash into this circus today, presumably to take more swings at their Republican “enemies” (translation: anyone who tells them to take a seat).
Leading this freedom parade is none other than 79% conservative* Del. Kathy Szeliga, the bully-architect of a plan to oust two of Maryland’s most conservative Republicans as well as fund other hit pieces on other Republicans. Her record? Less conservative, more opportunistic—a kind of self-styled queen bee trying to stay relevant after being dethroned. She even likens her crew to the French resistance. Bold. Though, if we’re being honest, her team is more Les Misérables than La Résistance.
And let’s not forget Del. Ryan Nawrocki, the ever-faithful 87% conservative* lapdog, ready to bask in the glory of the victory lap—even if his only contribution was to fetch coffee while the real magic happened.
Case in point: The recent vacancy in Anne Arundel County. Three candidates emerged—Latoya Nkongolo, Jason DuBois, and Corine Frank. Naturally, Szeliga and her partner-in-meddling, Del. Nic Kipke, endorsed Corine Frank, the establishment’s golden child. Frank, in a bizarre display of hubris, declared she didn’t care if she won or lost because she’d run again in 2026. Classy. Spoiler alert: She didn’t win.
Latoya Nkongolo, who managed to act like an actual professional, walked away victorious, leaving Kipke allegedly fuming. Rumor has it, his wife even quit her committee seat over the defeat. Drama, anyone?
I am told by a few members of the Anne Arundel County Republican Central Committee (AARCC) that the submission of my article Marylanders United: Uniting Republicans One Backstab at a Time, was a factor in Corine’s defeat.
Even The Duckpin couldn’t resist roasting this “caucus,” hilariously dubbing it Seven People Isn’t a Caucus, It’s a Group Chat. Accurate.
Apparently, Marylanders United wasn’t raking in enough cash or clout, so they roped in Rep. Andy Harris to slap his Freedom Caucus brand on their latest rebranding attempt. Harris, for his part, actually fights for change instead of self-promotion, so this alliance is…awkward, at best.
And here’s the kicker: Despite claiming to be pro-Trump, anti-establishment warriors, Szeliga, Harris, and Marks are seen cozying up to Larry Hogan, Maryland’s resident anti-Trumper-in-chief. The hypocrisy practically writes itself.
top row: (left photo - Councilman Marks and son, Nicholas) (right photo (l to r): Hogan, Bradley Lang (aide to Marks), Rep. Andy Harris.)
bottom row : (l-r: Rep, Andy Harris, Larry Hogan, Kathy Szeliga)
If the State Freedom Caucus Network’s president, Andrew Roth, actually checks these folks’ records, he might have a good laugh—or a migraine. Most don’t qualify as “freedom fighters” by any stretch, and their antics should disqualify them from holding a microphone, let alone a title.
You can read the full piece from August 2024 by Maryland Matters that confirms the motivation is purely financial. Even current Republican Caucus leadership thinks it’s a self-serving idea.
One part of the article admits:
“In 2021, Arikan, Chisholm, Grammer, Morgan, Nawrocki and Szeliga, along with Del. Nicholaus R. Kipke (R-Anne Arundel), set up a joint fundraising entity called the Marylanders United Slate, though it has not been much of a financial powerhouse so far.”
In the same piece, current Minority leader Jason Buckel states:
“The freedom caucus members in Annapolis are the most pugilistic and the most rhetorically provocative Republicans, and they often feel like they’ve succeeded if they attract publicity and generate social media traffic, even if their legislative efforts fall short.”
To sum it up: This “Freedom Caucus” is less about freedom and more about fragile egos, power plays, and questionable motives. As Minority Leader Jason Buckel aptly put it, they’re more about “generating social media traffic” than, you know, governing.
Lipstick on a pig? It’s still a pig, but now it’s a fabulous pig!
*figures from 2023 CPAC Report