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Carmen Michael Amedori (November 25, 1955 – June 9, 2024) was an American journalist and politician. She was elected in 1998 to the Maryland House of Delegates for District 5A, from Carroll County. After being re-elected in 2002 she served in the Maryland General Assembly until 2004, when she was appointed by Governor Bob Ehrlich to the state Parole Commission where she served until 2009. Amedori was a background actor and had a featured extra role on House of Cards and also played the lead in productions with Siren's Media.[citation needed] She was a writer and a licensed realtor.
Carmen M. Amedori | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 5A district | |
| In office January 13, 1999 – June 30, 2004 | |
| Preceded by | Ellen Willis Miller |
| Succeeded by | Tanya Shewell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 25, 1955 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Died | June 9, 2024 (aged 68) Westminster, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | Robert DePaola
(m. 1977, divorced)
|
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Stevenson University |
| Profession | Paralegal and journalist |
Early life and education
editCarmen M. Amedori was born on November 25, 1955,[1] in Maryland to an Italian family. She attended parochial and public schools. She graduated in 1977 from Stevenson University (then Villa Julie College). She also attended the Notre Dame of Maryland University.
Career
editAmedori worked as a paralegal for many years before becoming a journalist. She wrote for The Baltimore Sun, the Carroll County Times and Ocean City Today. Among other awards, she received the Distinguished Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists.
She was appointed as a district court commissioner for Carroll County District 10, serving from 1991 to 1993. Amedori was a member of the Maryland Taxpayers' Association, the National Association of Legal Assistance, Citizens Against Government Waste, Citizens Against Big Charter Government, and Americans for Tax Reform. In 1998 she was serving as chairperson of the Carroll County Charter Board which she later led the charge to defeat.
Amedori was elected twice to the Maryland House of Delegates (1998 and 2002). While in the State House she served on the House Judiciary Committee, where she was ranking member in 2004. She also had the distinction of serving as assistant minority leader, as well as a minority whip.
In June 2004, the governor appointed her to a six-year term on the Maryland Parole Commission. In February 2010, Amedori announced her candidacy for US Senator, running against incumbent senator Barbara Mikulski, who had been serving for many years. Amedori dropped her bid for the Senate on April 16, 2010, announcing she would run for the office of Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, on the Republican Party ticket with Maryland gubernatorial candidate Brian Murphy.[2]
Two weeks later Amedori left the Murphy ticket, endorsing former Maryland Governor Bob Ehrlich, Murphy's opponent in the Republican primary. She argued that Ehrlich had the best chance to beat current Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley in the general election.[3][4] She said, "If there was going to be a loss to O'Malley, let it be Bob's loss."
That year Amedori moved from Carroll County to Maryland's Lower Eastern Shore to be with her 89-year-old father. On September 14, 2010, Amedori was elected to the Worcester County Republican Central Committee. She also served as Campaign Manager to a conservative candidate for the House of Delegates in State District 38B. Carmen returned to Carroll County in October 2013 where she had been a resident for 32 years and to the City of Westminster where she was a homeowner for 14 years.
Legislative notes
edit- Sponsored Parental Notification and Judicial-bypass legislation
- Pro-Second Amendment, lead sponsor on CCW bills, as well as right to protect property legislation
- Fiscal Conservative
Election results
edit- 2002 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 5A[5]
- Voters to choose two:
Name Votes Percent Outcome Carmen Amedori, Rep. 19,195 34.0% Won Nancy R. Stocksdale, Rep. 20,480 36.3% Won Kimberly J. Petry, Dem. 6,195 11.0% Lost Robert P. Wack, Dem. 10,520 18.6% Lost Other Write-Ins 49 0.1% Lost
- 1998 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 5A[6]
- Voters to choose three:
Name Votes Percent Outcome Carmen Amedori, Rep. 21,969 24% Won Nancy R. Stocksdale, Rep. 27,665 30% Won Joseph M. Getty, Rep. 25,114 27% Won Ellen Willis Miller, Dem. 16,735 18% Lost
Personal life and death
editIn 1977, Amedori married Robert DePaola; they had two daughters together, After some years, they divorced. Amedori later married attorney Jerry F. Barnes, who then became State's Attorney in Carroll County Maryland. Carmen was later married to Timothy Headley of Westminster, Maryland.
Amedori died at her home in Westminster, Maryland on June 9, 2024, at the age of 68.[1]
Honors and awards
edit- School Bell Award, Maryland State Teachers' Association, 1988 (sustained coverage)
- 1989 (spot news). Distinguished Journalism Award, Society of Professional Journalists
- Sigma Delta Chi, Maryland Chapter, 1989.
- Honorable Mention, Features Award, Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association, 1989
References
edit- ^ a b "Obituary information for Carmen Michael "Kitten" Amedori". Pritts Funeral Home. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
- ^ Wagner, John (April 17, 2010). "Businessman Brian Murphy enters GOP primary race for Md. governor". The Washington Post.
- ^ "Amedori drops off GOP ticket for Md. governor". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 27, 2012.
- ^ "Maryland Politics: Did Ehrlich force split of Murphy and Amedori? - Politics and Policy from Baltimore, Annapolis and Washington - baltimoresun.com". Weblogs.baltimoresun.com. April 30, 2010. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- ^ "House of Delegates Results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved on Sept. 11, 2007
- ^ "House of Delegates Results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved on Sept. 11, 2007