Press Release

September 24, 2008
SENATOR CARDIN GIVES SENATE FLOOR SPEECH PRAISING THE LATE KEN HARRIS

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate to praise Kenneth N. Harris Sr., the former member of the Baltimore City Council who was murdered during a robbery on Sept. 20.  

Senator Cardin considered Ken Harris a close friend and adviser.   In his Senate speech, Senator Cardin praised Ken Harris as someone who “made a difference in the lives of others and whose contributions will not be forgotten.”

On the Senate floor, the Senator spoke of Ken Harris’ rise from poverty and his determination to make a difference. Ken Harris’s commitment to community service began as a concerned parent who became PTA president of Leith Walk Elementary School.  He also served as president of the Glenn Oak Community Improvement Association, and was elected to two terms in the Baltimore City Council, representing the 4th District.

“While on the City Council, Ken championed the rights of his constituents.  He sponsored legislation to stop landlords from throwing tenants’ belongings on the street.  He pushed for remedial programs in Baltimore City schools, he took the police to task for not doing an effective job of community policing, and he worked to ensure that developers created opportunities for Baltimore City residents.  His death is a tragic loss for all of us,” said Senator Cardin.

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