Former speaker laments ‘divisive’ political climate: Casper Taylor reflects on hard decisions May 31, 2007By George P. Matysek Jr. Catholic Review Filed Under: Local News, Maryland General Assembly, News, Western Vicariate Nearly five years after Casper R. Taylor Jr. lost his seat in the House of Delegates and stepped down as Maryland’s longest- serving Speaker of the House of Delegates, the well-known Western Maryland native hasn’t backed away from public policy.