Spotted moving staffers and politicos out of the State House this week: Office Movers, a Kane Company.

That would be Kane, as in John Kane, former chairman of the Maryland Republican Party.

Lawmakers frequently talk about doing the "heavy lifting" of cutting programs from the ever-growing state budget or taking hard votes on tax measures. It would appear, however, that GOPer movers were doing the truly "heavy" lifting this week.

All denizens of the Maryland State House are to be relocated throughout Annapolis by next week, as contractors replace piping in the historic building. (And kick up large clouds of asbestos in the process.) "Heavy" demolition is expected to begin by the end of the month, and be completed by January, when lawmakers return for the 2009 session.