Locals Announced in New Government Appointments

WASHINGTON (AP/WMAL) – Two locals have been appointed to state government positions, one in Virginia and the other in Maryland.

Virginia Gov.-elect Ralph Northam has named a middle school civics teacher as his secretary of education.

Northam announced Thursday that Atif Qarni, who also teaches economics, history and mathematics in Prince William County, would be the administration’s top education official.

Qarni is a former Marine who fought in the Iraq war. His parents are Pakistani immigrants. He penned an op-ed in 2015 describing how leaders of the Democratic Party of Virginia tried to get him to drop out of a 2015 state Senate contest, telling him “a Muslim would never win.”

As Northam appoints people to his administration following a heated election, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan is still refining his administration as he faces an upcoming election.

Hogan announced Thursday that Robert Neall, a former Anne Arundel County executive and state senator will replace Dennis Schrader as health secretary.

The decision comes after Maryland’s highest court stayed a recent ruling by a lower court in a dispute between the executive and legislative branches over whether Schrader should be paid, because the Senate has yet to confirm his appointment as health secretary. The lower court ruled Schrader should be paid.

But the Court of Appeals announced it will delay hearing an appeal for another six months.

Hogan says allowing Schrader’s compensation to be delayed another six months wasn’t an option, so he appointed Neall. Schrader will stay on as the department’s chief operating officer.

Both of Hogan’s appointments take effect Jan. 9.