Gov. Wes Moore gives an update on his first 100 days in office

The following is a transcript of the following video shown below featuring Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Marc Lamont Hill.

TheGrio Staff

May 12, 2023

TheGrio’s Marc Lamont Hill meets Maryland Governor Wes Moore on the red carpet of Byron Allen’s “A Seat At the Table” gala in Washington, D.C.

Marc Lamont Hill [00:00:07] So happy and proud to say [I’m] with the governor of Maryland, the honorable Wes Moore!

Governor Wes Moore [00:00:14] You’re the honorable brother. You’re the honorable one. It is great to be with you. Congratulations on everything.

Hill [00:00:18] Oh, thank you. But the bigger congrats to you. You are 100 days – you got the job and you still there.

Moore [00:00:23] That’s it. And 100 days in, we made a lot of bold promises on this campaign trail, and we’re delivering on each and every one of them. I’m proud of the fact that, listen, if we said it, we meant it. And 100 days in, we put ten bills into the legislative process, got all ten passed. It’s going to do– and these bills are going to do everything from creating the largest tax cut for low- and moderate-income families that we have seen in this state in a generation, creating tax cuts for military veterans, being able to make the first service year option in the history of this country where high school graduate have the chance of a year of service, being able to focus on work, wages and wealth for all of our families and not just some. Like we’re moving fast in the state of Maryland. And we’re really proud of the work we’re able to get done so far.

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 29: Maryland Governor Wes Moore attends as Byron Allen & theGrio Celebrate Gayle King at the Washington D.C. Gala after The White House Correspondents Dinner at National Museum Of African American History & Culture on April 29, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Richard Chapin Downs Jr./Getty Images)

Hill [00:01:05] What’s the key to getting as much stuff done? Because all we hear about around the country is gridlock. People can’t get along. No bipartisanship. How were you able to make this stuff happen?

Moore [00:01:13] You know, the big thing is you got to show up. You know, it’s funny because, you know, I would go a lot of places, you know, when I campaigned. And we ended up winning with the largest margin in 40 years in Maryland history, with more individual votes than any person [to] ever run for governor in the history of the state. And I would go to a lot of areas that weren’t necessarily even democratic areas. And I would say to them, they’re like, “You do know these are pretty red areas?” And I said, “Yeah, but I plan on being your governor, too.”

And so when we’re going out and talking about work wages and wealth, when we’re talking about creating pathways for real work, giving people fair wages like we just raised the minimum wage to $15 in the state of Maryland in this legislative session. Or when I say wealth, we have to address like the racial wealth gap, the fact that Maryland has a 8 to 1 racial wealth gap. But when we’re going all around the state, what I’m sitting there and articulating to people, is this is going to impact all of your communities, not just some. In Maryland, we leave no one behind. And that, I think, what’s resonating with the people of this state.

Hill [00:02:07] You’re the governor of everybody.

Moore [00:02:09] Governor of everybody.

Hill [00:02:10] I think some people, when Black folks run for office, worry that they’re only going to do Black people stuff.

Moore [00:02:14] Yeah, but I don’t, listen, but I don’t think you can shy away from it either. Right? Because I think if you really want to address the issues, you have to address the fact that these disparities are real and they hit hard. You know, so like, I campaigned on the fact that we have to address the racial wealth gap. I didn’t run from it. I campaigned on it, but I campaigned on it with an understanding that if we address this, do you know this is going to help everybody, that the racial wealth gap, for example, in this country, has impacted this country and caused this country $16 trillion in GDP over the past two decades? That’s not GDP of a group.

Hill [00:02:45] Hmm.

Moore [00:02:46] That’s GDP. And so by being able to address the distinct pain, by being able to address the distinct disparity and the fact that we have things like a racial wealth gap, that’s not just about advancing a group, that’s going to advance our entire economy when you can get more people active and involved in it. So I am proud of the fact that, yes, I plan on being the governor for everybody. But I’m also very clear about the fact that if we are able to address the same challenges that are taking place in the African-American community, that is also going to unlock the distinct opportunities which will then turn around and benefit everybody.