Posted on 01/21/2006 1:24:05 PM PST by conservative in nyc
Frustrated by the Ehrlich administration's refusal to turn over key personnel information, a legislative committee investigating the governor's hiring and firing practices authorized its special counsel yesterday to subpoena documents and to take the administration to court if it refuses to give them up.
The administration has handed over thousands of pages of documents, but missing are e-mails and other papers that might show the extent to which Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. considered politics in his personnel decisions, said House Speaker Pro Tem Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County), the special committee's co-chairman.
"We would be finished with this if they would give us the documents," Jones said yesterday after a four-hour hearing.(--Snip--)
The documents sought include lists of state employees and show their political affiliations, including whether they supported Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the Democrat whom Ehrlich defeated in the 2002 governor's race.
According to a source familiar with the subpoenas, the requests include 90 e-mails written by former Ehrlich aide Joseph Steffen. The administration also withheld those e-mails from public information requests by the media.
Steffen, who was fired last year for spreading rumors about one of Ehrlich's political rivals, has said he was dispatched to several agencies to identify employees who could be replaced by Ehrlich appointees. The 12-member legislative panel was formed in June to review whether these dismissals of at-will employees, who serve at the pleasure of the governor, were handled properly.--Snip--
The committee gave special counsel Ward B. Coe III authority to issue the subpoenas and authorized the state attorney general's office to enforce Coe's subpoenas with court action, if necessary. That would allow a judge to decide whether the administration has legal grounds to withhold the documents, Coe said.(--Snip--)
Coe was also given authority to subpoena six more witnesses for a hearing set for Jan.30.(--Snip--)
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
As always, more at the link. Due to space, I edited out the Ehrlich administration's response - they say they've been cooperative except for documents protected by executive privilege.
This is just politicians in the US House and Senate on a smaller scale with Ehrlich playing the part of George Bush.
Same old Democrat BS.
Is this true? If not, why are they allowed to continue repeating this lie?
"Steffen, who was fired last year for spreading rumors about one of Ehrlich's political rivals...."
"Is this true? If not, why are they allowed to continue repeating this lie?"
No, it is not true. He resigned within a few days of his FreeRepublic private posts being published in the WaPo. Who IS going to make the Post stop spreading lies?
No one. The Wash Post will lie until the last dog dies if it suits them.
What we need to do is trumpet their lies, so their circulation continues to go south.
Thanks for the ping. Predictably they are not interested in the identity of MD4Bush.
BTTT
No.
If not, why are they allowed to continue repeating this lie?
Because at least one of the MD4Bush users works for the WaPo.
Have Ehrlich offer to turn over the emails IF the dems turn over all communications between O'Malley/Dougherty/WaPo.
Their going after the GOP side? This is nuts!
this is about having a show trial in time for Ehrlich's 2006 reelection campaign.
Early polls by rassmussen show ehrlich with an early lead over both o'malley and duncan.
This is just politicians in the US House and Senate on a smaller scale with Ehrlich playing the part of George Bush.
^^^^
Slight correction. This would be the US House and Senate if we did not have a Republican majority there.
What is happening in Annapolis is brutal and thuggish. The Legislature is overriding every Ehrlich veto from the past legislative session. I think that their willingness to be so blatant in their political motives will further turn Md voters toward the Republican candidates next fall. The whole legislative session so far is one continuing Wellstone Memorial.
"Steffen, who was fired last year for spreading rumors about one of Ehrlich's political rivals...."
******
The above line is produced on WaPo and BaltoSun word processers whenever an article is being written about Ehrlich and hiring/firing. It does not have to be typed in independently. The letters Ste will bring up the phrase.
I am with you. I sure hope that Marylands voters can see whats happening. Ehrlich is holding firm while the Dems are running wild with their majority.
Did Erlich not say, 'Please' get the f' outta here? or just, 'Get the f' outta here?'
This is how the democrats now get into office; trumped up investigations precluded by the planted stories of a willing accomplice in the media.
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