Maryland Gov. O’Malley Prosecutes Immigration Reform Patriot

My comments on this news:

A Maryland dry-wall contractor, put out of business by competitors using low wage, illegal alien workers, wrote an attention-getting letter to Governor of Maryland Martin O'Malley and finds himself under house-detention facing further prosecution. The letter includes a death-threat that, under an arguably reasonable interpretation, could be seen as a figure of speech. Nevertheless, it says what it says and the contractor is in trouble.  

The First Amendment guarantees the right of the people “to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”  In original intent, Government probably referred to federal government.  However, the twentieth century invention of the “incorporation doctrine” may extend the right to petition for redress of actions by State government. Thus, questions might include whether the offending letter followed others that the Governor had ignored.

Moreover, it seems clear that the Governor of Maryland and State agencies are in violation of federal laws which criminalize aiding illegal aliens. An aggressive legal posture might include suing the State.                                                                                                V.