Diluted Bills Anger Republicans
When a special legislative committee wrapped up an 14-month investigation last fall into then-Gov. Bob Ehrlich's hiring and firing practices, a special counsel decided no pursue no criminal charges. Instead lawmakers said they would rely on legislation to fix what was wrong with the state's personnel process.
Yesterday, the state Senate gave final approval to two of those bills. But Sen. Thomas M. Middleton (D-Charles), who helped lead the legislative probe and sponsored the bills, acknowledged they were changed--and weakened-- at the request of now Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration.
The legislation that passed yesterday was designed to provide government efficiency and does so, Middleton said.
"It's not a great, big, massive bill. It's fine-tuning of our personnel system," he said.
Some Republicans said the watered-down legislation proved that the investigation was a waste of time and money.
"The bills do virtually nothing. . . . It was a political witch hunt with no substance," said Del. Anthony J. O'Donnell (R-Calvert), the House minority leader. "They were trying to embarrass the Ehrlich administration, and in the end, no substantive changes were made in the law. It was a sham, and everybody knows it."
In early 2005, Ehrlich fired a longtime political operative for boasting about a whisper campaign against Ehrlich's chief political rival, O'Malley, who was then the mayor of Baltimore.
During the first two years of Ehrlich's tenure, the operative, Joseph Steffen, worked in three state agencies. He placed a figurine of the Grim Reaper on his desk, referred to himself as the "Prince of Darkness" and told co-workers that he had a "death list" of people who were marked for dismissal.
Ehrlich administration officials played down Steffen's role and said turnover in state government was a natural byproduct of the 2002 election, which put a Republican in the governor's office for the first time in a generation.
Ovetta Wiggins
By Phyllis Jordan |
March 2, 2007; 10:38 AM ET
| Category:
General Assembly
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Posted by: BG from PG | March 2, 2007 12:57 PM
"They were trying to embarrass the Ehrlich administration, and in the end, no substantive changes were made in the law. It was a sham, and everybody knows it."
Some truths are so self-evident that not even Leftists can muster much wailing against them.
Posted by: Rufus | March 2, 2007 3:03 PM
Martin O'Malley is a week and spineless politician.Republicans should be happy that Democrats are angry with O'Malley for not firing Republicans.
Democrats miss Doug Duncan...by now he would have streamlined the administration and kicked Republicans out of the government.
Posted by: Baltimorian | March 2, 2007 9:27 PM
"During the first two years of Ehrlich's tenure, the operative, Joseph Steffen, worked in three state agencies. He placed a figurine of the Grim Reaper on his desk, referred to himself as the "Prince of Darkness" and told co-workers that he had a "death list" of people who were marked for dismissal."
When a Governor hires a person to run around state agencies in a pretend little "prince of darkness" world while telling co-workers that he had a "death list", of course there should be an inquiry and a review. Ehrlich knew this idiot long enough to know what he was like.
You honestly think Steffen's behavior was appropirate? Don't be ridiculous.
Posted by: Saoirse | March 3, 2007 10:27 PM
Based on the spelling and grammar of those who rush to support the previous administration, it is easy to see that despite the rants of House Minority Leader O'Donnell, it really is not too difficult nor nor necessary for Democrats to try to embarrass the Ehrlich administration.
Posted by: A Pleased Democrat | March 4, 2007 1:16 PM
Thanks to A Pleased Democrat for admitting the truth of the sham.
Posted by: Rufus | March 5, 2007 11:37 AM
I, for one, welcome our new partisan overlords. Or is it non-partisan? Or bi-partisan. Whatever a government wholly dominated by one party who does exactly what it wants desires to be called, I will gladly call it. How are all the old Republican staffers from the Ehrlich administration faring in their jobs? Are there any identified Republicans in any leadership positions in Annapolis? I seem to remember Ehrlich's cabinet was half Republican and half Democrat, so I'm sure this new non-partisan group would have pretty much the same breakdown. Anyone with statistics?
Phyllis? Any stats on the number of high ranking Ehrlich staff who weren't fired for partisan reasons? Were all dismissed because they were unqualified?
Posted by: Welcome | March 5, 2007 12:46 PM
Near as I can tell, there's one Republican still in the cabinet, State Police Superintendent Tim Hutchins. So it's far more politically lopsided than Ehrlich's.
That said, much of the Democrats' ire was directed not at the ouster of cabinet secretaries but at the dismissal of engineers, analysts and other mid-level workers.
Posted by: Phyllis Jordan | March 6, 2007 2:54 PM
Che, why do you bother with these off topic cut-and-pastes? Just checking to see if Phyllis' delete key is still working?
Posted by: Rufus | March 8, 2007 11:07 AM
I'm doing great, thanks for asking!
Posted by: Ehrlich-Staffer | March 12, 2007 10:26 AM
The comments to this entry are closed.
This has been up for more than 2 hours and no comments? I thought you Dems were well accustomed to defending the indefensible by now.