The Wall Street Journal: John Fund started Thursday’s Cross Country opinion peice with the sentence, “It should normally be difficult to pick the worst state legislature in America, but Maryland’s is way out in front.” Read the full article here. Fund will discuss this article on the Ron Smith show this afternoon on WBAL Radio AM 1090.

The Washington Post: Two labor unions pushing for legislation that could expand Wal-Mart’s health benefits made campaign contributions to 48 members of the Maryland General Assembly in the month before the high-profile vote. Read the full story here.

From Today’s Gazette

• Pols look to clean up minimum wage mess
• Reporter’s Notebook
• Rascovar: Dems ask themselves: Who’s in charge here?
• Ehrlich challenges leaders to enter the political fray
• Merger boosts voice of tech groups