Md. Lawmakers to Probe Firings

Washington Post ^ | 02/11/05 | Matthew Mosk

[conservative in nyc]

The political operative forced to resign by Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) for spreading rumors about the mayor of Baltimore was also at the center of an orchestrated attempt to purge the state bureaucracy of ardent Democrats, top lawmakers said yesterday.

Democratic legislative leaders, who have already promised a probe into the role that longtime Ehrlich aide Joseph Steffen played in circulating rumors about Mayor Martin O'Malley (D), said yesterday that they also will examine covert efforts by Steffen and other Ehrlich loyalists to target hundreds of state employees for dismissal.

"These are voiceless people, many of whom have been lifelong state employees, who have lost their livelihoods just because they had the temerity to participate in democracy," said House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel). "These aren't people in political jobs. They are engineers, scientists, street-level workers."

Ehrlich, who in 2003 became the state's first Republican governor in a generation, has defended his right to reshape the bureaucracy to better serve his policy goals. Maryland governors have free rein to hire and fire more than 7,000 people.

Steffen did not return a call for comment yesterday on the firings or the O'Malley rumors. But a spokeswoman for the mayor said O'Malley had received an e-mail signed by Steffen and apologizing for his having joined Internet conversations that were "reckless, mean-spirited and personally damaging in nature."

The e-mail said Steffen was "truly sorry, ashamed and remorseful and I ask that you and your family please find it in your hearts to forgive me."

[conservative in nyc]

More on the NCPAC story from the Washington Post. Now, the Maryland Democrats are trying to tie him to some (allegedly) illegal and politically motivated firings in the bureaucracy. The story has been relegated to Page B05 this time.

I can only imagine the headaches of running a bureaucracy that has been run by Democrats for 30+ years. Sounds like the Maryland Democrats still can't get over the fact that they lost.

[Pikamax]

"Maryland governors have free rein to hire and fire more than 7,000 people."

NEXT! Seriously, what Governor would keep people around him that do not share his agenda and goals.

[conservative in nyc]

Courtesy Piing.

[MJY1288]

Let the probe this, the more they do, the better the chance the truth will come out.

I would love to hear some MD Rat quote NCPAC from Free FRepublic and tell us how he was spreading rumors in a malicious way.

I don't fault the Governor for doing what he did about this situation, and likewise, I can't accuse NCPAC as some kind of Republican hack who came here to FR to spread some kind of vicious rumor... Just look at his post here on FR and ever Stevie Wonder could see what is going on here

[taxesareforever]

Democratic legislative leaders, who have already promised a probe

Leave no stone unturned. Who knows, if you dig deep enough maybe you'll find Jimmy Hoffa.

[Southack]

"Democratic legislative leaders, who have already promised a probe into the role that longtime Ehrlich aide Joseph Steffen played in circulating rumors about Mayor Martin O'Malley (D), said yesterday that they also will examine covert efforts by Steffen and other Ehrlich loyalists to target hundreds of state employees for dismissal."

But will they also promise a probe into the undercover work of Mathew Mosk here at Free Republic?!

[NormsRevenge]

.. the undercover work of Mathew Mosk ..

Pretty bizarre , if true, being as Matthew is a grandson of the longest serving California Supreme Court Justice in history,, 37 years on the bench, and his brother is a lawyer as well.

[Lazamataz]

This whole thing could have been avoided IF O'MALLEY HAD STOPPED CHEATING ON HIS WIFE!!!!!