Chairman Kane Sets it Straight in Letter to Baltimore Sun
Chairman's Letter to Sun Editor Tim Franklin Pubished in Edited Form; Submitted Full Text Follows
January 21, 2005
January 14, 2005
Editor Timothy A. Franklin
The Baltimore Sun Company
501 N. Calvert Street
P.0. Box 1377
Baltimore, Maryland 21278
Re: Michael Olesker, (“In Ehrlich era, politics have plummeted into the personal,” Jan. 11)
Submitted to Opinion-Commentary Page Editor Richard C. Gross for Publication
Dear Mr. Franklin:
Michael Olesker’s take on the Maryland Republican Party’s recent ad campaign in Baltimore and Anne Arundel counties, and on the current political culture in Annapolis, could not be more off base. (“In Ehrlich era, politics have plummeted into the personal,” Jan. 11). In fact, it is safe to say Michael Olesker’s reporting for this column, as with many others, is blatantly biased. While he took the time to talk to Senator Ed DeGrange about the ad campaign matter, he took no time that I know of to talk to anyone Republican, most notably me or my staff — who are the only ones truly able to discuss the matter at hand. I understand Mr. Olesker runs an opinion column, but last I checked opinions are to be based on facts and fair information gathering, both of which Mr. Olesker failed to do for this column.
First, it should be made crystal clear: While the Maryland Republican Party obviously supports Governor Bob Ehrlich and his Administration, the State Republican Party and the Ehrlich-Steele Administration are not one and the same. This is NOT Bob Ehrlich’s ad campaign. It is not the Ehrlich Administration’s campaign. This is the State Republican Party’s ad campaign, led by me, State Chairman John Kane. Michael Olesker would like you to believe, as he continues to fight tooth and nail to help the Maryland Democratic Party advance their cause, that Bob Ehrlich is at the head of this effort (“THE EHRLICH administration once again takes its attack to the radio airwaves,” reads the first line of his column), but media and Democrats should not clump the Governor and this campaign together. It is not the Governor’s ad campaign to pull, discuss or ponder. Similarly, as State Bureau Chief David Nitkin will attest, the Governor’s instructions to his staff to not speak with Mr. Olesker and Mr. Nitkin do not extend to the Maryland GOP, because, again, the Maryland GOP and Bob Ehrlich’s Administration are not one and the same. Mr. Olesker could have easily called our office for this column.
What Maryland’s liberal Democratic faction, and Mr. Olesker’s unabashed support of them, is trying to do here is distract us from the facts with their shameless tactics. They are trying to keep people from realizing that liberal state Democratic leaders are bullying legislators to support a liberal tax and spend agenda made famous under Parris Glendening. I, and the Maryland Republican Party, are merely doing what any State Republican or Democratic Party in the country has done from the beginning of time – informing constituents of the political matters at hand, just as the Maryland Democratic Party has done in its own calls to action for decades. Why is it OK, without public scrutiny or question, for Democratic campaign committees to lead direct mail campaigns on specific legislative issues against our candidates in 2002, but not OK for the Maryland Republican Party to do its job as a State Party organization and lead a campaign to motivate our base for 2006?
Senator DeGrange sardonically laments in Mr. Olesker’s column: “I don’t know why they’re doing this. … They [the governor’s office] never even talked to me about my vote. … Everything they do is about campaigning. … In the six years I’ve been here, I’ve never seen an atmosphere like this.” Well, Senator DeGrange and the rest of the Maryland Democratic Party have been left unchecked for far too long, and media members like Michael Olesker have been complicit in fostering this charade long enough. The State Republican Party has, and will, continue to make the people of Maryland aware of the liberal agenda pushed in Annapolis – and given the coverage of the likes of Michael Olesker, to achieve our goals we need to pursue other media to communicate our side of the story.
John M. Kane
Chairman
Maryland Republican Party
cc: Columnist Michael Olesker
Opinion-Commentary Page Editor Richard C. Gross
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WOO HOO!