Dear Governor Moore,
I have defended you more consistently than any news outlet or commentator in Maryland. I believe in your vision for accountability and reform. But I cannot stay silent when women on Baltimore’s corners are branded as perpetrators instead of victims.
Natasha Guynes’ HER Resiliency Center offers showers, clothing, shelter, 12‑step programs, and job training. It gives women a chance to reclaim their lives. GOPCC, under Dorothy’s leadership, has chosen instead to stigmatize these women as criminals. That is not only wrong—it is morally indefensible.
Governor, you know as well as I do that no little girl dreams of standing on a corner to survive. These women are victims of abuse, poverty, addiction, and neglect. To deny them help is to perpetuate the cycle of crime and despair that Baltimore is fighting to escape.
You have rightly demanded audits of billions in state spending. I urge you now to order an audit of GOPCC. Maryland taxpayers deserve to know whether their dollars are being used to punish victims instead of lifting them up. Honoring commitments to programs like Natasha’s will reduce crime, cut drug trafficking, and strengthen families. It will also show voters that you are the leader who fights for those most forgotten.
Governor, this is not just about compassion. It is about public safety, fiscal responsibility, and moral leadership. Baltimore cannot be cleaned up if its women are left behind.
Respectfully,
Barry O’Connell