Md. Gov. Moore edited a redistricting social media post, drawing free speech questions from GOP

Tinashe Chingarande and Ben Mause, Baltimore Sun on Jan 29, 2026

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BALTIMORE — Shortly after defending redistricting efforts in a House committee hearing earlier this week, Gov. Wes Moore in a social media post accused Republicans of trying to wipe out Black leadership across the country. But before the day ended, he scrapped that pointed language from his post in exchange for a more general statement saying he had just testified in the hearing.

A Maryland law firm noticed the change and responded on Facebook, questioning whether Moore had deleted the post and the accompanying comments after they drew stern rebukes from hundreds of his followers on social media, including prominent Republicans who accused him of capitalizing on race to make an argument they believe has nothing to do with race.

The law firm suggested such a removal would have violated the First Amendment, and their response drew the attention of U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, an Eastern Shore Republican, who on Thursday also blasted Moore for what he thought was a deleted post.

“Why is ‘the most transparent administration ever’ deleting Facebook posts on an official account? Could it be that presidential candidate Wes Moore didn’t like the comments?” Harris wrote.

But the post wasn’t deleted, Moore’s office said. The caption had just been changed, leading to the confusion.

In Moore’s original post, he wrote, moments after delivering an impassioned speech to the House Rules and Executive Nominations Committee: “It is not lost on me that I’m the only Black governor in this country and the third elected Black governor in this country’s history. I will not sit quiet while our federal government moves the goalposts, silences Marylanders’ voices, and works to eliminate Black leadership across the country.”

The post was accompanied by a video of his testimony, where he said aloud most of what was afterward typed in the original caption.

Hours later, the post’s caption changed to: “I testified in support of House Bill 488, which puts forth a new congressional map as recommended by the bipartisan Redistricting Advisory Commission. Marylanders from all across the state shaped this map through submissions, hearings, and feedback. They designed it to create more competition and accountability, to elect candidates of their choosing, and more accurately reflect how they live.”

The video remained.

Ammar Moussa, a spokesperson for Moore, said the governor wanted to highlight what he was testifying about and wanted to pull out other remarks he said during the hearing, hence the caption change. Moussa also said the premise of this story “cannot be serious.”

Backlash to Moore’s actions comes as his administration fights back against questions about its transparency in communications and other government matters. Hundreds of records obtained in December by The Baltimore Banner showed top administration officials deleted text messages after 24 hours, clearing any record of conversations they had while conducting official business. State audits have also shown that various agencies spent over $8.5 billion outside of traditional oversight protocols.

The Turnbull Brockmeyer Law Group, the Towson-based personal injury firm that took issue with the original caption’s disappearance, referred to an ACLU lawsuit filed against former Gov. Larry Hogan for blocking comments on his social media posts. The lawsuit was settled, with Hogan changing his social media policy.

According to Moore’s office’s social media policy, comments are expected to “follow the rules of polite discourse and ask that participants treat each other, as well as the Office of the Governor’s staff, respectfully,” and may be removed if they contain things including threats of bodily harm, harmful software, or copyrighted materials that violate state or federal law.

Harris’ social media post also referenced the legality of controlling comments: “Deleting posts or blocking on official accounts is illegal. The ACLU sued Governor Hogan over this issue. Is the ACLU going to sue Wes Moore? I doubt it. But maybe we will. I’d love to see those comments on his partisan redistricting scheme,” he wrote.

Harris didn’t respond to requests for further comment by The Sun’s print publication deadline, nor did the law group. Other posts from the firm’s social media indicate the firm is supportive of Harris.

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