Steffen [FReeper NCPAC] testimony 'conflicting,' lawmakers say (NCPAC/MD4Bush)

AP via Baltimore Sun ^ | 8/9/06 | Tom Stuckey

[conservative in nyc]

Joseph Steffen made his long-awaited appearance before a legislative investigative committee today, outlining the role he played in the firing of state employees by the Ehrlich administration and giving testimony that at times seemed to conflict with testimony given earlier by other administration witnesses.

"We've got some conflicting testimony here. If witnesses testify under oath and are not telling the truth, it's perjury," said Sen. Thomas "Mac" Middleton, D-Charles, co-chairman of the special legislative committee.

--Snip--

Steffen, the self-described "Prince of Darkness" and the key figure in a bitter political dispute over the firing of state employees after Ehrlich was elected governor in 2002, left the Ehrlich administration 18 months ago after he acknowledged that he had used the Internet to spread rumors about Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley.

Republicans say Steffen was set up by Democratic operatives, and Greg Massoni, the governor's press secretary, said Democrats should use the investigative committee's powers to find out who exchanged e-mails with Steffen about the rumors.

--Snip--

Steffen, who was accompanied by a lawyer, answered most of the questions asked him by committee members and the committee lawyer, Ward Coe.

But he refused on the advice of counsel to answer questions about some of his activities since he left the Ehrlich administration, including details of one or two telephone calls and a meeting with Schurick.

Sen. Brian E. Frosh, D-Montgomery, who pressed unsuccessfully for more information from Steffen, said at one point: "I think what Mr. Schurick was saying to Mr. Steffen was, 'Shut up and we will take care of you.'"

Steffen denied, however, that anyone in the administration offered him anything to influence his testimony. Schurick agreed.

"I am 100 percent certain that no one from this office in any way tried to influence him in his testimony today," he said.

[conservative in nyc]

More at the link.

[conservative in nyc]

MD4Bush Ping!

See also:
Ehrlich Aide Testifies About Firing (Washington Post - Matthew Mosk)
WJZ-TV News Video Report on the Hearing

[Jim Robinson]

It was just about sex.

[txroadkill]

It was just about sex.

I knew Clinton was involved in this somehow

[conservative in nyc]

It was just about sex.

Well, I guess that's true, since this all started over "rumours" about Mayor O'Malley's sex life!

From the Mosk Washington Post article with the misleading headline:

Steffen would not, on advice of counsel, discuss the incident that forced him into the spotlight: his boasts on the Internet that he helped orchestrate a campaign to smear Ehrlich's chief political rival, Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley (D). He described how he tendered his resignation that day, in order to try and protect the governor from bad publicity, but did not respond to questions about his role in any political dirty tricks.

I wonder if the Dems or the Republicans on the committee asked this. The ranking Republican on the committee said he wasn't even going to show up to the witch hunt.

[Gondring]

They just LOVE to play up the "Prince of Darkness" thing, don't they? (...and misrepresent the interactions with MD4Bush.)

[kristinn]

Democrat Brian Frosh asked him about that.

I attended the hearing today.

[conservative in nyc]

I'm surprised one of the Democrats would have gone there.

Did anything newsworthy happen on the MD4Bush front during the hearing? It doesn't sound like it.

[kristinn]

No one mentioned MD4Bush during the four hour inquisitiion.

[Anti-Bubba182]

Thanks for the ping.

[shetlan]

phooey.

Nothing about porn or stolen laptops.