Washington Correspondent

Ben Mause

Ben Mause covers campaigns and Congress for The Baltimore Sun, focusing on how policy affects Marylanders. He is a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. He previously reported for The Moulton Advertiser and NOTUS, where he followed the 2024 presidential campaign, the House Freedom Caucus, and congressional baseball. Ben was raised in north Alabama but born in Baltimore. He watches Auburn football on Saturdays, the Ravens on Sundays, and always agonizes over the Atlanta Braves. Reach him at 443-890-0580 or on Signal: @BenMause.24. Email him at bmause@baltsun.com.

Federal workers are conflicted about the deal to reopen the federal government.

Federal workers move to pick up the pieces after Democrats fold on shutdown

November 11, 2025 at 6:32 p.m.

Many Democratic lawmakers, too, were ambivalent about a bipartisan, Senate-passed measure to fund the government through Jan. 30.

The U.S. Senate passed a bill to reopen the government on Monday. Both Maryland senators opposed it.

Senate passes bill to reopen government. Maryland senators oppose.

November 10, 2025 at 9:45 p.m.

The funding package passed 60 to 40, with seven Democrats and one Independent in favor. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was the only Republican to oppose.

Maryland State House in Annapolis where a projected $3.3 billion budget deficit became a central issue during the 2025 legislative session.

Hoyer, Raskin push Ferguson to join redistricting fight; Md. GOP prepares legal challenge

November 10, 2025 at 6:04 p.m.

Reps. Steny Hoyer and Jamie Raskin are sending a letter Monday to the state’s General Assembly, applying pressure on Senate President Bill Ferguson.

Gov. Wes Moore and Attorney General Anthony Brown announced a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Thursday over the location of FBI headquarters.This photo shows what was initially the selected site for a FBI headquarters in Greenbelt, a parking lot next to the Greenbelt Metro Station (Katharine Wilson/Sun Staff)

Maryland to battle Trump in court for FBI headquarters

November 7, 2025 at 5:02 a.m.

In a last gasp effort to keep the future FBI headquarters in Maryland, the state filed a legal complaint against the Trump administration on Thursday over its actions to move...

Maryland will sue the Trump administration for moving the new FBI headquarters from Greenbelt to the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Washington, D.C. The building already houses other federal offices.

Maryland to sue Trump administration over FBI headquarters

November 5, 2025 at 5:55 p.m.

Maryland is suing the Trump administration for abandoning Greenbelt in favor of a new FBI headquarters in downtown Washington, D.C., according to people familiar with the state’s plan.

The allegations against Attar mark the latest in a national string of scandals.

Dalya Attar joins infamous list of scandalized Maryland politicians

November 7, 2025 at 6:26 p.m.

“We’ll see where it goes,” Del. Adrian Boafo, a Prince George’s County Democrat, told The Sun. “It’s just weird.”

U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen speaks as Democratic members of Maryland’s congressional delegation hold a news conference on the first day of the government shutdown.

Exclusive: Maryland Dems demand explanation on Trump funding pauses in Baltimore

November 4, 2025 at 4:33 p.m.

The letter, exclusively obtained by The Sun, urges the administration clarify the threat to pause $11 billion for projects in places including Baltimore.

This selected site for a FBI headquarters in Greenbelt, a parking lot next to the Greenbelt Metro Station (Katharine Wilson/Sun Staff)

Plans for FBI in Greenbelt crippled as funds approved for DC headquarters

October 29, 2025 at 7:13 p.m.

A prospectus to move the FBI headquarters to the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Washington, D.C. was approved by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth speaks as Democratic members of Maryland’s congressional delegation hold a news conference on the first day of the government shutdown. (Ben Mause/Staff)

Alsobrooks, Elfreth try to pause student loan payments for fed workers

October 28, 2025 at 7:02 p.m.

Two Maryland lawmakers are introducing bills that would suspend student loan payments for federal workers during the government shutdown, providing relief for employees who missed their first full paycheck last...

A sign that reads "Closed due to federal government shutdown," was seen outside of the National Gallery of Art Oct. 6, 2025. (FILE/AP)

Nation’s largest federal workers union urges Congress to pass clean funding bill

October 27, 2025 at 5:39 p.m.

The nation’s largest federal worker union called for Congress to pass a clean funding extension to reopen the government.