BALTIMORE,Md. — A little over a week ago, community leader Hassan Giordano officially launched his exploratory campaign for city council on Independence Day – July 4th. Giordano, the founder and former chairman of the Independent Movement of Maryland, decided to explore the opportunity of running for the 3rd district council seat after weeks of prayer and consultation with local political leaders.
“For over a decade I have dedicated my life to helping ensure a better quality of life for the citizens of Baltimore through advocacy, public policy and helping good candidates get elected,” says Giordano. “However, it seems that many of our local leaders have lost their way, leaving the citizenry holding the bag filled with regressive tax increases, failing schools and a homicide rate that is out of control. Therefore, I have decided to explore the opportunity of becoming an independent candidate for the 3rd council district, looking to rediscover the value of Baltimore.”
The 39-year old single father is the former Chairman of the NAACP Criminal Justice Committee, owner of GCOMM Media Co. and its news website DMVDaily.com and a regular contributor for Fox News Radio. He has authored several state and local laws, including the 2007 Voter Registration Protection Act of 2007, restoring voting rights to former felons who have completed their court-ordered sentence.
Giordano is also the author of the 2011 Lower the Age ballot initiative, which was approved by over 80% of the city electorate, that ultimately lowered the age requirement for those seeking local office from 21 to 18 years of age. A year later he authored the Voter Inclusion Act of 2012, another local ballot initiative that received over 80% of the support of area voters, allowing for Independent and third party voters to be appointed to local boards and commissions. He authored the legislation introduced by then City Council President Sheila Dixon that established what is known today as the Baltimore City Youth Commission, and is a former member of the Youth Empowerment Movement.
“I have been a consistent fixture throughout the local political scene here in Baltimore for over a decade. After receiving the support of some of the most prominent local leaders across this city, I have decided to have a conversation with the citizens of the 3rd district to see if my ideas and values match the vision they have for their next elected representative,” says Giordano. “I believe we must seriously consider changing the political landscape in this city, empowering the citizenry by having elected representatives that are beholden to them, instead of bowing to the wishes of a particular party leadership or special interest group.”
If elected, Giordano will become the first Independent ever elected to a seat on the Baltimore City Council. He must garner roughly 300 signatures from the voters of the 3rd district before August 01, 2016. He has set a hard deadline of deciding whether or not to run for the seat by October 31st of this year.
“This race is not about me, but rather the citizens of the 3rd district, and regardless of how passionate I am about truly changing the way things are done down at City Hall, I will leave my decision up to the very voters I would want to represent – a concept lost on the current class of elected officials. They have forgotten that an elected official is supposed to represent the interests of the people, not the other way around,” Giordano says.
“Therefore, if I can secure the signatures needed to get my name on next year’s ballot, and raise a certain amount of money between now and the end of October, then I will certainly run to represent the interests of those who so graciously helped put my name on the ballot.”
For more information on the Giordano for City Council campaign, you can go to the official campaign website: www.giordano2016.com or one of the multiple social media accounts: