It’s been reported in the past few minutes that Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates Michael Busch passed away this afternoon after a brief bout with pneumonia. Busch has served in the House of Delegates since 1987. He was elected Speaker of the House by his fellow House Democrats in 2003, and has held the post ever since. In 2012, he became the longest serving speaker in Maryland history.
Busch was a solid progressive who over the past decades shepherded much legislation through the House of Delegates that became law — including marriage equality, a ban on assault rifles, and expanded access to health insurance.
For most of the past two decades, Speaker Busch has been one third of a triumvirate that has all but ruled the state of Maryland, the other two members of the triumvirate being Senate President Mike Miller and whoever was governor at the time. It’s been said by many, nothing passes the House of Delegates without Speaker’s Busch’s approval.