Tom LoBianco, Maryland politics reporter

We’ve got two major partisan deadlines down here in Annapolis, one up today, the other on Tuesday.

First up, Senate President Thomas V. “Mikezilla” Miller has set today (Friday) as the deadline for Sen. Andy Harris’ chief of staff to step down. The backstory: Harris’ CoS is running for delegate and fundraising during the legislative session (one of the few defined no-nos for Maryland pols), Miller says it’s a violation of state ethics rules. Harris says it’s “political bullying” from the top Senate Dem (as, among other things, his CoS has yet to formally file for office.)

UPDATE: Miller said post-morning session that he had a letter on his desk from Andy Harris, but it remains unread. No word then on Kathy’s status. …

Second: Tuesday we should find out whether Senate and House Republicans will deliver budget cuts to the General Assembly’s Democratic leadership. This little partisan dance has been going on at least since 2007 with Republicans saying they’re frozen out of the budget debate and Democrats saying the GOPers have nothing of substance to offer. The only thing which appears to make this mix-up news now is that House Speaker Michael E. Busch elevated it to the level of a full-blown press conference last week and top budget Dems invited Republicans to deliver their ideas in a joint budget hearing Tuesday. Barry Rascovar has a pretty stark op-ed in today’s Gazette.