http://www.gazette.net/200512/weekend/a_section/266888-1.html
Ehrlich aides allege smear campaign
by Catherine Dolinski and Thomas Dennison
Staff Writers
Mar. 25, 2005
EXCERPT
"The governor doesn't understand the legal definition of blackmail," said Lane's attorney, Daniel M. Clements, to whom she directed questions on Thursday. "He's violated a lot of employees' legal rights without caring. She sent that e-mail because the administration was attempting to have her fired from her present position -- but it was not blackmail."
Clements said Genn, a lawyer and lobbyist, does not represent Lane in any capacity, and that -- contrary to rumors that have circulated in Annapolis -- Lane has never had a romantic relationship with Steffen.
Lane's complaints about a "whisper campaign" refer to rumors that have been circulating around Annapolis that she was a spurned lover of Steffen and that she played a key role in outing Steffen as the "Prince of Darkness." Ehrlich has vehemently denied having close ties to Steffen.
"He's violated a lot of employees' legal rights without caring. She sent that e-mail because the administration was attempting to have her fired from her present position -- but it was not blackmail."
^^^^^
A little background -
There are about 70000 State employees in MD. About 7000 are not Civil Service protected, but political appointees, serving at the will of the Governor. Because Md has not had a Republican governor since Agnew, there are actually a lot of State employees who may be nearing retirement, and yet are not in Civil Service jobs.
Governor Ehrlich did not ask for the resignation of all of these employees. Because the situation was so entrenched with Dem employees, he worked slowly to see who was effective, necessary, and cooperative with the new admin.
According to Lt Gov Steele only about 300 resignations have been requested since the start of the Ehrlich admin.
The woman who is threatening to release damaging emails was obviously a political appointee, not a civil servant, and served at the pleasure of the Governor. It looks like he decided that she or perhaps her entire "task force" was not effective, and he fired her.
PS: Matthew Mosk, who wrote this WP article, also wrote the original article about Steffen and MD4Bush.
PPS: According to Chip Franklin the HBO TV show based on crime in Baltimore "The Wire" has an episode about a City Councilman who wants to run for Mayor who is married and having an affair. Chip was commenting that that story line was "over the line" because it was obviously referencing certain rumors.
I mention it here to point out that NCPAC was certainly not the only person to be "spreading" rumors.