Memory Blackout, Part II

Maryland Republicans continued to finger Democrats for starting the ball rolling on electric deregulation, which now has residential customers girding for double-digit rate increases.

The state GOP executive director put out a press release yesterday calling on Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) to return campaign donations he received from energy companies in 1999, the year he backed the state's deregulation plan. And, the Republicans found a few choice quotes from Miller predicting the process would be good for Marylanders.

In a 1997 Baltimore Sun story, they point out, Miller made this prediction: "Prices will go down, no ifs, ands or buts."

UPDATE: The Democratic party responded this afternoon with its own news release asserting that Ehrlich, as a congressman, received more contributions from Baltimore Gas & Electric than any other congressman. For basketball fans, there's even a riff about the Sweet 16.