O'Malley Shakes Up Campaign Staff (MD4Bush)

Baltimore Business Journal ^ | May 22, 2006 | Heather Harlan

[StAnDeliver]

O'Malley shakes up campaign staff

Baltimore Business Journal - 3:46 PM EDT Monday

by Heather Harlan

Staff

Baltimore City Mayor Martin O'Malley has replaced his campaign manager and appointed three political strategists, including his brother, in his quest to become Maryland's next governor.

O'Malley, a Democrat, named Josh White as campaign manager, sending Jonathan Epstein packing. White, who joined the O'Malley campaign as deputy campaign manager for political outreach in March, is the former head of the Maryland Democratic Party.

The campaign also announced the additions of Lucie Snodgrass, former director of governmental and community relations for Harford County, and Peter O'Malley, the mayor's brother.

Their titles in the campaign were unclear. A press release said they "will be taking on additional key leadership responsibilities.''

Peter O'Malley served as campaign manager for the mayor's campaigns in 1999 and 2003.

The mayor is expected to face Montgomery County Executive Douglas Duncan in September's Democratic primary. The winner of the race will take on Gov. Robert Ehrlich, a Republican, in November.

[StAnDeliver]

David Nitkin on state politics issues: (BaltSun Political Editor answers questions on MD4Bush)
Baltimore Sun | 02/06/06 | David Nitkin

Posted on 02/06/2006 12:04:28 PM PST by conservative in nyc

--Snip--

[David] Nitkin: These questions most frequently come from within the Republican Party of Maryland. The state Republican Party is offering the theory that the former executive director of the Maryland Democratic Party, Josh White, left his post because of some connection to MD4Bush, the Internet identity of a person or persons who engaged former gubernatorial aide Joseph F. Steffen Jr. into talking about how rumors about Martin O'Malley's personal life had been spread. There's no evidence to back this up. White may have landed a new position, but he has not yet confirmed for us his new employer.

[StAnDeliver]

****MD4BUSH PING****

[RebelBanker]

The plot thickens...

[IGOTMINE]

Nice catch.

[Anti-Bubba182]

From the speculation that I have read, " Ryan O'Doherty" is the former Democratic Party Worker who was MD4Bush. I would not doubt that Josh White knew all about it.

David Nitkin on state politics issues: (BaltSun Political Editor answers questions on MD4Bush)

[conservative in nyc]

MD4Bush Ping!

See also:
Aides cast best light on O'Malley shuffle (Baltimore Sun May 23)

There's been some other NCPAC-related activity in the past week:

-NCPAC was a no-show at Monday's meeting of the Ehrlich Witch Hunt Committee (a.k.a. the Special Joint Committee on State Employee Rights and Protections). The Committee's lawyer, Ward Coe's still trying to find NCPAC, although the Committee is scheduled to wrap up its witch hunt by the end of June and has no additional meetings scheduled. See:

Hearings on state firings conclude (Baltimore Sun (May 23))
Aide to Ehrlich Held Sway in State Firings(Washington Post (May 23))
Ehrlich Aide Defends Administration's Firing Practices(AP via WBAL-TV (May 23))

-The Maryland press has been making hay out of the fact that Governor Ehrlich, when he was a congressman, wrote letters following up on a contributor's request thar the IRS audit the NAACP's tax-exempt status due to overtly political activity. NCPAC was listed as the special projects coordinator for the IRS to contact. See:

Barbs Fly Over Ehrlich's 2001 Poke at NAACP(Washington Post (May 21))

[nopardons]

bttt

[conservative in nyc]

The Baltimore Sun reported this exchange on the Josh White/MD4Bush issue:

[Maryland GOP spokesman] Audra Miller said White and Peter O'Malley will only step up what she said will be more aggressive "dirty campaign tactics."

She accused White of being associated with an effort to entice an aide to Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. into spreading rumors about O'Malley on a Republican Web site. The aide, Joseph F. Steffen Jr., resigned and apologized to O'Malley.

Audra Miller said Peter O'Malley helped create the statistics analysis system for City Hall that critics say is used to manipulate O'Malley's record in city government.

"That's quite a load coming from the Ehrlich folks, who use the IRS in an effort to shut down the NAACP, laundered money in the Abramoff scandal, authored the BGE rate hike and introduced us to the Prince of Darkness and the Avenging Ice Dancer," said O'Malley spokesman Rick Abbruzzese. "It's like getting advice on good manners from Tony Soprano."

[Anti-Bubba182]

Thanks. Both sides look like heels in MD. Other than aggravating Dems. as a matter of principle, I could not care less who is Gov. Of MD.

[Heatseeker]

Easy for you to say.

Because Maryland elected a Republican in 2002, we were able to get Republicans appointed to our school board for the first time in over 30 years. As a result a liberal, arrogant and out-of-touch superintendent was replaced with one that listens to the citizens, pinches a penny until it screams, and is in tune with our rural values.

This story has no doubt been repeated all over the state.

[NicknamedBob]

Mister Whitebread becomes toast.

[zbigreddogz]

When's the primary?