Former Maryland House Speaker Casper Taylor Dead at 88

Casper Taylor Jr., a prominent and long-serving Maryland politician who was once speaker of the state’s House of Delegates, died on Monday aged 88.
Taylor died in his sleep on Monday morning. He was a Democrat from Cumberland in western Maryland who represented a district located in Allegany County.
He served as a member of the House of Delegates for nearly three decades, from 1975 until 2003, and held the position of speaker from 1994 to 2003.
His death was announced by current House Speaker Adrienne Jones during a bill-signing ceremony at the State House.
“He was a friend and a mentor,” said Jones, who joined the House in 1997 when Taylor was the speaker. “It was an honor to serve with him for six years in the General Assembly.”…}