Excerpts From Daily News Clips -- April 1, 2005
Maryland Democratic Party democrat@mddems.org

"There's no clear vision - other than positioning the governor for next year's campaign. There's no game plan for ending the Annapolis gridlock that has poisoned the atmosphere and stalled action on major issues…Ehrlich is content to react. He's avoiding any leadership role with the General Assembly for fear of embarrassments that could damage him with voters. That leaves the legislature without the strong rudder governors historically provide. No wonder everything is pretty much at a standstill." - Barry Rascovar, The Gazette, 4/1/05

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EHRLICH'S SINKING SHIP STATE

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That sinking feeling
Barry Rascovar | Gazette Columnist | Apr. 1, 2005

Maryland's gubernatorial ship of state has sprung a leak. It's not in danger of sinking -- yet. But Bob Ehrlich's boat is taking on water and if the captain's not careful he could find himself drifting aimlessly, without momentum, into next year's election campaign. [complete article]

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Secretary says Juvenile Services making progress
Montague defends agency after abuse reports, escape
attempt at Hickey School; 2 teens used scissors as weapon
Lynn Anderson | Baltimore Sun Staff | April 1, 2005

In his first public remarks since reports this week of abuse at state-run juvenile detention facilities, Maryland's Juvenile Services secretary said yesterday that his agency is making steady progress in reforming the troubled system. [Sounds like an April Fool's Joke to us. What's getting better?] [complete article]

Dear Friends,

I'd like to encourage you to take a look at two articles - today's editorial from the Washington Post and a piece from Saturday's Baltimore Sun.I know you share my concern that the Governor's misplaced priorities and petty political games are putting our State and our citizens in danger!

Governor Ehrlich went out of his way last week to politically attack a former aide who became a 'whistle blower' when she feared the Governor and his Administration were spreading rumors about her and that her current job at Towson University was in jeopardy.

Over the weekend, both the Baltimore Sun and the Washington Post reported that the same woman had communicated substantive concerns to the Governor and his Cabinet about how Ehrlich has made a disaster of the state's foster care system.

Our foster care programs are in place to serve children, often the most vulnerable in our society. Children's lives and livelihoods are at risk if the system fails them. As the Sun article says, "children are still dying" while the Governor plays politics.

I hope you agree with me that this matter needs immediate and thorough investigation.

Sincerely,

Terry Lierman
Chair, Maryland Democratic Party

P.S. Please visit our web site at www.mddems.org for more information about the Maryland Democratic Party!!

Daily News Clips -- March 28, 2005
From Maryland Democratic Party - [democrat@mddems.org]

"His [Ehrlich's] extraordinary remarks reinforced the impression of an administration that veers from one bizarre gambit to the next, without much attention to the major debates facing the state."

- The Washington Post, 3/28/05

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STATE HOUSE SHENANIGANS

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Mr. Ehrlich's Distractions
Washington Post Editorial - Monday, March 28, 2005

AS HUNDREDS of pieces of legislation head into the crucial home stretch of the Maryland General Assembly's 2005 session, one might think Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) would be busy fighting for bills he likes and against those he doesn't. Instead, he is engaged in scandal damage control.

That's the impression the governor gave when he suggested to reporters that he is the victim, first, of an "orchestrated" Democratic campaign to leak embarrassing material about his Republican administration, and, second, of a former aide who he says tried to "blackmail" him.

His extraordinary remarks reinforced the impression of an administration that veers from one bizarre gambit to the next, without much attention to the major debates facing the state.

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Md. Foster Care Draws Scrutiny
Ehrlich's Challenge to Media on Former State Worker Backfires
By Matthew Mosk - Washington Post Staff Writer - March 26, 2005

When Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. stood in front of the State House on Thursday and called on news reporters to investigate Michelle Lane, he said he suspected a little digging would expose her role in a politically motivated conspiracy to tar his reputation.

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Ex-state worker described as frustrated by DSS lapses
Nurse accused by Ehrlich of blackmail is defended
By Lynn Anderson and Michael Dresser - Baltimore Sun Staff - March 26, 2005

Michelle Lane, the Baltimore woman Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. has accused of blackmailing him, didn't start out as an adversary. Lane, who worked for Ehrlich as a congressional aide, a campaign worker and a transition team member, took a job in the Maryland Department of Human Resources on Ehrlich's inauguration day to work on the administration's new programs aimed at protecting vulnerable foster children, friends and colleagues said.

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Ehrlich says ex-employee working with Democrats
Governor accuses woman of seeking revenge for firing
By Andrew A. Green - Baltimore Sun Staff - March 27, 2005

Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. yesterday accused a Baltimore County woman who threatened to reveal more information about the dealings of former administration aide Joseph F. Steffen Jr. of being a disgruntled ex-employee who worked with high-ranking Democrats to exact revenge on him after she was fired.

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Keep stirring that mud
by Dan Rodericks - March 27, 2005
(midway down column)

Let me try to get this straight: The Republican governor, who should be embarrassed that one of his longtime political operatives was exposed as the guy who engaged in a little Internet rumor-mongering about Martin O'Malley's marriage, wants to find out if Democrats were behind exposing the guy?

Can this be correct? Bobby Governor wants to know - check that, he wants all of us to know - if the outing of Joe "The Prince of Darkness" Steffen was part of an orchestrated campaign by his political opponents. Why? So the governor can say: "Uh-huh! See? Toldya! It was a Democrat who exposed Steffen!"

This makes no sense. Why is Bobby G. trying to give this story "float"?

Instead of trying to smoke out the source of the story, shouldn't he be more concerned that a foul game was afoot, with Steffen up to his pointy ears in it? Does the governor think blaming Democrats or some vengeful state employee for outing Steffen is going to diminish what Steffen did?

"We really want to know," the governor said the other day. "The people have a right to know, and we want to know as much as you want to know about political orchestration in this entire process by anybody connected with the Democratic Party or Democratic candidates."

Why is Bobby keeping this story alive? For God's sake, it's expressly against the rules of smart politics. Move on, man.

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