Mass. GOP Proposes Pats-Ravens Bet To 'Maryland Resident' Markey
BOSTON (CBS) – The Massachusetts Republican Party is putting up a not-so-friendly wager over Sunday's AFC Championship game between the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens; one that's certain to ruffle a few feathers.
Following Mayor Menino's friendly bet with the Baltimore's mayor and the Maryland governor's proposed bet with Governor Partick, the Mass. GOP is offering up its own wager to someone who is a resident of both Massachusetts and Maryland: Rep. Ed Markey.
Rather than commute from Massachusetts to his job in Congress, Rep. Markey, who recently announced plans to run for Sen. John Kerry's seat, lives for part of the year in Chevy Chase, Maryland, a suburb just outside of Washington, D.C.
If the Ravens win, the MassGOP said it would send Markey a case of Harpoon Winter Warmer, clam chowder from Union Oyster House and the complete series of Cheers on DVD.
If the Patriots win, Markey would have to cough up a case of Natural Bohemian, a Baltimore-brewed beer, a platter of Maryland crab cakes from the award-winning J.W. Faidley restaurant and all five seasons of The Wire, the popular television series produced and filmed in Baltimore.
The Mass. GOP noted that Rep. Markey, who has served in Congress for 36 years, is likely very familiar with Maryland's local fare.
"Given that Congressman Markey has been living outside of Massachusetts for more than three-and-a-half decades, he and his Chevy Chase neighbors are sure to be pulling for their hometown Ravens over the Pats on Sunday," said Nate Little, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Republican Party.
Given the response from Markey's campaign spokesperson Matt Harutunian, it doesn't appear that Markey will be accepting that bet.
"The only thing worse than the Ravens record at Foxborough is the Republican Party's record in Massachusetts recent elections," Harutunian said in a statement.
Harutunian pointed out at that Markey is a former Patriots season ticket holder and has rooted for the Pats his entire life.
The statement also accused the Mass. GOP of rooting for "their out of state buddies - the gun lobby, the Wall Street special interests, and Big Oil."
"Sadly, the Massachusetts Republican Party has turned to their old and tired playbook, relying on trick plays and end-arounds because they are wrong on all the issues that matter most to the people of the Commonwealth."
