Weekly Media Briefing: Ellis/Andrews Campaign
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 16, 2026
CONTACT: Andy Ellis andy@gogreen2026.com
February 16-21, 2026 — What the Governor isn't saying about sewage, oversight, and AI
243 Million Gallons of Sewage in the Potomac River
On January 19, a 72-inch section of DC Water's Potomac Interceptor collapsed in Montgomery County, releasing 243 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River. University of Maryland researchers detected antibiotic-resistant MRSA bacteria at the spill site and Staph bacteria nine miles downstream. MDE shut down shellfish harvesting in Charles County. E. coli levels reached thousands of times above safe limits. Governor Moore has not had an active public presence.
"We appreciate that the Moore administration has made some investments in wastewater infrastructure, but 243 million gallons of raw sewage in the Potomac and silence from the Governor is not a plan. This is the third major wastewater infrastructure failure in the region in nine months. We need an open, public debate about how Maryland solves the problem of aging infrastructure — not quiet arrangements with utilities," said Andy Ellis.
*Read more about our call for open debate: https://www.gogreen2026.com/debate
Maryland's Inspectors General Are Under Attack
On February 3, the Maryland Attorney General's office issued an advice letter on the Public Information Act. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott's administration used it to cut the city Inspector General's access to records and redact subpoenaed documents. The Attorney General himself called the letter "boilerplate" never intended to restrict IG investigations. But the damage is spreading. At the federal level, the same playbook is gutting IGs across the board. Last week, all four local Inspectors General in Maryland signed a joint letter warning the interpretation could incapacitate their offices.
"When executives try to limit the power of an Inspector General, it's usually because the Inspector General is doing their job. This isn't a partisan issue, we're seeing it from Democrats in Baltimore and Republicans in Washington. The people of Maryland deserve independent oversight with real power, and they deserve to know where their money is going," said Andy Ellis.
*Read more about our civic engagement platform: https://www.gogreen2026.com/civic-engagement
AI Is Processing Benefits for Marylanders — Where Are the Guardrails?
On February 11, Governor Moore touted Maryland's AI partnerships as a model for government modernization in his State of the State address. The next day, his administration briefed the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee on the state's AI strategy, including its partnership with Anthropic and the Rockefeller Foundation.
"We have been reporting on the partnership with Anthropic, Percepta, and the Rockefeller Foundation on our livestream since November. Volunteer members of our team have been leveraging the MPIA process to access the data use agreement between the State of Maryland and Anthropic, but so far, have not been able to locate it. We still have several outstanding requests. Hopefully it exists. But people need to see it," said Andy Ellis.
*See more about our coverage of this story: youtube.com/@GoGreen2026
This Week's Livestream
Join Andy Ellis and Owen Silverman Andrews Thursday at 7 PM ET on YouTube.
This week: Week in review, the case for a Maryland constitutional convention, and guests focused on public power and who should control Maryland's energy grid?
Watch live at youtube.com/@GoGreen2026
On the Calendar This Week
Monday, February 16, 6-8:30 PM: Campaign Happy Hour — Peabody Heights Brewery, 401 E 30th St, Baltimore
Wednesday, February 18: Andy Ellis testifying on HB 580 (Ranked Choice Voting) and HB 575 (Student Civic Engagement) in Annapolis
Wednesday, February 18, 6:30-8:30 PM: Forward Party & Go Green Happy Hour — Dogfish Head Alehouse, 800 W Diamond Ave, Gaithersburg
Thursday, February 19, 7 PM ET: Weekly Livestream — YouTube
Saturday, February 21, 1-2:30 PM: Building the Green Party Community Meeting — Leonardtown Library, St. Mary's County
About the Ellis/Andrews Campaign
Andy Ellis and Owen Silverman Andrews are running for Governor and Lt. Governor on the Green Party ticket. Their campaign is seeking public financing and small donors. Learn more at gogreen2026.com.