Maryland state Sen. C. Anthony Muse said it did not come as a surprise when Gov. Wes Moore, the state’s first Black governor, vetoed a measure to study potential slavery reparations in the state.

Moore said in a letter on Friday that “now is not the time for another study,” citing multiple other commissions and study groups into the legacy of slavery in Maryland.

“In light of the many important studies that have taken place on this issue over nearly three decades, now is the time to focus on the work itself,” he wrote. “Together, we must take urgent action to address the barriers that have walled off Black families in Maryland from work, wage, and wealth for generations.”

The bill Moore shut down, the Maryland Reparations Commission , was sponsored by Muse and the state’s Black Caucus, and would have examined forms of reparations including statements of apology, monetary compensation and property tax rebates after concluding its findings in the studies.

“I am hurt. I am baffled. I am confused. I listened to him. He’s my good friend, but I do not understand his rationale,” Muse told WTOP. “We expected him to have been on board.”

He called the legislation, which passed in both chambers of the General Assembly, “harmless” as it would only conduct a study and not take up a lot of taxpayer resources.

Muse, whose constituent district includes a part of Prince George’s County, said in regards to the multiple conversations he had with the governor before the veto was enacted, “It didn’t come as a surprise. I was just hoping he would change his mind.”

Muse made it clear that he did not expect Moore to sign the bill solely because he’s a Black man, but because “it is an issue historically and otherwise.”

In a statement Friday, the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland wrote, “At a time when the White House and Congress are actively targeting Black communities, dismantling diversity initiatives, and using harmful coded language, Governor Moore had a chance to show the country and the world that here in Maryland we boldly and courageously recognize our painful history and the urgent need to address it. Instead, the State’s first Black governor chose to block this historic legislation that would have moved the state toward directly repairing the harm of enslavement.”

As of March 6, 2024, 22 localities have approved a reparations commission or task force. In 2020, California was the first state in the nation to pass a law creating a reparations task force to study the injustices experienced by Black residents, particularly those who are descendants of slaves.

Muse added he will be working with other lawmakers to “attempt to override it at the very next session.”

The Associated Press and WTOP’s Nick Iannelli contributed to this report.

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