By Michael L. Betsch CNSNews.com Staff Writer November 01, 2002

(CNSNews.com) - Under the Democratic leadership of Gov. Parris Glendening and Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the State of Maryland has notched the second highest violent crime rate in the nation according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Report for 2001.

According to the FBI report, there were 783 violent criminal acts committed per every 100,000 citizens in Maryland during the course of the 2001 calendar year. Florida topped the category with 797.2 per 100,000.

Since Glendening and Townsend, who assumed the role of crime czar, took office in 1995, Maryland's violent crime ranking has jumped ahead of six states to achieve its current standing.

Maryland also now has the nation's fifth highest murder rate, compared to the number eight ranking it had in 1995 and has taken over the top slot in the robbery category. The state was second in robberies seven years ago.

"This FBI data is a scathing indictment of Maryland's leadership," said Edward Patrick, president of Maryland Citizens Defense League (MCDL), a group dedicated to protecting the 2nd Amendment rights of the state's citizens.

"Townsend continues to compare Maryland of today to Maryland of yesterday," Patrick said. "But no one in the press has bothered comparing Maryland to her 49 sister states that are doing it better."

-- Anonymous, November 02, 2002