Panel to subpoena 2 (NCPAC/MD4Bush)

Baltimore Sun ^ | 12/02/05 | Jennifer Skalka and Andrew A. Green

[conservative in nyc]

The special committee investigating the Ehrlich administration's personnel practices voted yesterday after a closed-door session to subpoena its first two witnesses to testify at a Dec. 13 meeting.

Though the committee and its attorney declined to identify the state workers, opting instead to refer to them as witnesses "A" and "B," George "Skip" Casey, a former director of human resources at the Maryland Department of Transportation who was fired last fall, is expected to be one of them.

--Snip--

Casey, who is the assistant vice president for human resources at Loyola College in Baltimore, wrote a six-page letter to legislative leaders in February claiming that a "shadow government" operated outside the state personnel system to terminate career professionals and fill their positions with administration loyalists. He declined yesterday to elaborate about the circumstances of his firing, but said he is willing to testify to the specifics and sign a waiver releasing his personnel file to the committee.

Officials familiar with the workings of the committee say Paula M. Carmody, a former attorney in the Office of the People's Counsel, an independent agency that falls in the executive branch, will be issued the second subpoena.

Carmody, 51, who is now an assistant attorney general in the Division of Consumer Protection, declined to comment yesterday. A Democrat, she worked for the Office of the People's Counsel for 15 years before being fired in 2003.

--Snip--

The idea for the committee gained currency among legislators in February amid reports that former Ehrlich aide Joseph F. Steffen Jr., who was fired for spreading rumors about Mayor Martin O'Malley, was sent to various state agencies to target workers for termination. Steffen was director of communications at the Maryland Insurance Administration when he was fired.

[conservative in nyc]

The latest goings on in Maryland.

The article also states that Joseph Steffen a.k.a. FReeper NCPAC "was not expected to be included in the first round of subpoenas."

[Lurker]

The noose appears to be tightening.

L

[conservative in nyc]

MD4Bush Ping!

Not a heck of a lot has been happening lately, but the MD special committee seems ready to interview a few witnesses - not about MD4Bush, but about the Ehrlich administration's firing practices.

[MEG33]

This seems like a hunt for bad guys in the Gov's office.

[conservative in nyc]

I hope you weren't misled by my including NCPAC/MD4Bush in the title of the article. Neither is being called before the MD special committee. The MD Dems (who run the committee) don't care to find out MD4Bush's identity, since he may be one of their own.

[conservative in nyc]

The article says that Casey was a former longtime Republican who is now an Independent. Seminar caller?

Yes, this committee's purpose is to make the Republican governor of Maryland look bad.

[Grampa Dave]

The way this article reads, it sounds like Fitzy is directing this investigation to make sure no bad rat guys/gals/its get called up.

[RebelBanker]

I keep getting more and more fed up with the Rats and their media allies deliberately implying that civil service type employees were fired. The 'at-will' employees expected lifetime tenure because they never dreamed that a Republican would actually become Governor. IMHO, this is just one more partisan witch hunt to interfere with Bob Ehrlich's ability to govern the state. Imagine, having the chutzpah to actually appoint people who support your positions rather than keep the Rats who want to undermine you at every step!

[bmwcyle]

bttt

[Anti-Bubba182]

Thanks for the ping.