Emmett Burns, Jr.
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Emmett C. Burns, Jr. (August 26, 1940 - March 17, 2022) is a former Democratic member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing District 10 from 2005 to 2015. He served as Deputy Democratic Whip. Burns did not seek re-election in 2014.
Burns died on March 17, 2022, from complications following a fall.[1]
Biography
Burns' professional experience includes working as the Pastor at Rising Sun First Baptist Church, Director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and Professor at the University of Maryland Ecumenical Institute of Theology. He served in the United States Air Force.
Committee assignments
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Burns served on these committees:
- Economic Matters
- Subcommittee on Business Regulation
- Subcommittee on Unemployment Insurance, Chair
- Unemployment Insurance Oversight, Chair
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Burns served on these committees:
- Economic Matters
- Subcommittee on Business Regulation
- Subcommittee on Property and Casualty Insurance
- Subcommittee on Unemployment Insurance
- Federal Relations
- Special Committee on Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Elections
2010
Burns came in first in the general election on November 2, 2010, securing re-election to one of three seats in the district.[2]
| Maryland House of Delegates, District 10 General Election (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
 Emmett Burns, Jr. (D)
|
31,513 | |||
| Shirley Nathan-Pulliam (D)
|
31,399 | |||
| Adrienne Jones (D)
|
29,719 | |||
| Jeanne Turnock (R) | 6,837 | |||
2006
On November 7, 2006, Emmett Burns, Jr. ran for District 10 of the Maryland House of Delegates, winning the first of three seats, beating Shirley Nathan-Pulliam and Adrienne Jones.[3]
Emmett Burns, Jr. raised $76,233 for his campaign.[4]
| Maryland House of Delegates, District 10 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Emmett Burns, Jr. (D) | 29,140 | 34.2% | ||
| Shirley Nathan-Pulliam (D) | 28,544 | 33.5% | ||
| Adrienne Jones (D) | 27,064 | 31.8% | ||
| Write-Ins | 370 | 0.4% | ||
Campaign finance summary
Ballotpedia currently provides campaign finance data for all federal- and state-level candidates from 2020 and later. We are continuously working to expand our data to include prior elections. That information will be published here as we acquire it. If you would like to help us provide this data, please consider donating to Ballotpedia.
Noteworthy events
Views on same-sex marriage
In August 2012, Burns wrote a letter to Steve Bisciotti, the owner of the Baltimore Ravens. The letter regarded Brendon Ayanbadejo, a Ravens player and vocal supporter of same-sex marriage. Ayanbadejo had written columns and appeared in videos advocating his views on the subject. Burns wrote:
"Many of my constituents and your football supporters are appalled and aghast that a member of the Ravens Football Team would step into this controversial divide and try to sway public opinion one way or the other. Many of your fans are opposed to such a view and feel it has no place in a sport that is strictly for pride, entertainment and excitement. I am requesting that you take the necessary action, as a National Football Franchise Owner, to inhibit such expressions from your employee and that he be ordered to cease and desist such injurious actions. I know of no other NFL player who has done what Mr. Ayanbadejo is doing."
Ravens' team president Dick Cass said that the team respected Ayanbadejo's right to freedom of speech under the First Amendment.[5]
Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe wrote a response to Burns, defending Ayanbadejo. He wrote:
"I can assure you that gay people getting married will have zero effect on your life. They won't come into your house and steal your children. They won't magically turn you into a lustful cockmonster. They won't even overthrow the government in an orgy of hedonistic debauchery because all of a sudden they have the same legal rights as the other 90 percent of our population—rights like Social Security benefits, child care tax credits, Family and Medical Leave to take care of loved ones, and COBRA healthcare for spouses and children. You know what having these rights will make gays? Full-fledged American citizens just like everyone else, with the freedom to pursue happiness and all that entails. Do the civil-rights struggles of the past 200 years mean absolutely nothing to you?"
In the postscript, Kluwe stated, "I've also been vocal as hell about the issue of gay marriage so you can take your "I know of no other NFL player who has done what Mr. Ayanbadejo is doing" and shove it in your close-minded, totally lacking in empathy piehole and choke on it. Asshole."[6]
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Burns has served as chair of the Baltimore Safe Schools Committee and the United Baptist Convention of Maryland Social Action Committee, and has been a member of the National Baptist Convention of the United States of America, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, and Commission to Coordinate the Study, Commemoration, and Impact of Slavery's History and Legacy in Maryland.[7]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Emmett + Burns + Maryland + Legislature
See also
- Maryland State Legislature
- Maryland House of Delegates
- Maryland House Committees
- Maryland Joint Committees
- Maryland House of Delegates District 10
External links
- Maryland House of Delegates - Rep. Emmett Burns, Jr.
- Profile from Open States
- Legislative profile from Project Vote Smart
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Campaign contributions: 2008, 2006, 2002, 1998
Footnotes
- ↑ newstimes, "Former Maryland legislator, NAACP leader Burns dies at 81," March 20, 2022
- ↑ Maryland Secretary of State, "Official general election results," accessed March 4, 2014
- ↑ Maryland State Board of Elections, "Official 2006 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates," accessed March 24, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Burns Jr, Emmett," accessed March 25, 2014
- ↑ CNN, "When football, same-sex marriage and politics collide," September 8, 2012
- ↑ Deadspin, "'They Won’t Magically Turn You Into A Lustful Cockmonster': Chris Kluwe Explains Gay Marriage To The Politician Who Is Offended By An NFL Player Supporting It," September 7, 2012
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Emmett Burns' Biography," accessed March 25, 2014
