WBAL Exclusive -- New Information About Who Was Talking About "The Rumor" And When

WBAL RADIO ^ | May 18, 2005 | WBAL Radio

[blogblogginaway]

Five years ago, Catherine Curran “Katie” O’Malley, the wife of Baltimore’s mayor, was discussing rumors of an affair with a newspaper reporter.

On March 10, 2000, the Washington Post ran an article on the front page of its Style section, headlined “Charm City’s Mr. Charming; Mayor O’Malley Cheers Baltimore On”

The Post reported the following exchange:

Katie O'Malley found it "demeaning" to see herself in print as "the pretty wife," but her husband can't seem to help himself from crowing over her. "I am the luckiest guy," says O'Malley, and his slate-blue eyes glint.

"Well, I'm glad he feels that way," says his wife, by telephone a few days later. "It helps offset the rumors."

Rumors? What rumors?

"That he's running around on me. That he's been running around on me for years," she says.

Who says this? "Oh, I don't know," says the mayor's wife. "Opponents, I guess, from when he was a councilman."

Pause. The reporter offers that the mayor seems like he wouldn't have the time. "That's exactly what Martin always says," says the mayor's wife, who is also a crack prosecutor who would never say something in open court if she didn't want it out there.

[conservative in nyc]

Thanks for the ping and this article.

It proves that the infidelity rumors were spread much earlier than on Free Republic. We knew it was on other websites before it was here (DCRTV.com, for example). But now we know it was mentioned in the Washington Post in 2000 - by Mayor O'Malley's wife.

And it's no surprise that an anonymous source is going after WBAL's reporters for alleged plagiarism. They must be getting close on the trail of MD4Bush.

[Anti-Bubba182]

Thanks for the pink.

[Snardius]

"...says the mayor's wife, who is also a crack prosecutor..."

Isn't there a less, um, descriptive term to use to identify this woman?

[Isara]

Emails Sent Express Concern For Published Comments About Affairs

[xJones]

This reeks, Steffen was set up on FR by MD4Bush, who posted their private FReepmails on 2 or 3 totally unrelated threads minutes before the same FReepmails appeared on the Washington Post website. They were suddenly pasted into those threads just to get them on the FR website right before the WP website used 'em. That was no accident, that was a blatant, coordinated ambush.

JR probably has a very good idea of MD4Bush's identity, but as I recall he was waiting for a possible subpoena in a potential future lawsuit by Steffens. It's a matter of ethics, a subject completely foreign to MD4Bush.

[TheForceOfOne]

Tune into WBAL and here the latest on this story. Chip Franklin is covering this story "live"

http://www.wbal.com/shows/franklin/

[Bahbah]

Butt bristles....

I bet this poor woman's unlucky last name gives rise to all sorts of unfortunate turns of phrase.

[GOP_1900AD]

In order to do it right, Steffen's legal team indeed need to take their time and take each step with care. Some here are impatient to reveal MD4Bush's ID but let's not be hasty. The case needs to be absolutely bullet proof.

[TBP]

Steffen was set up on FR by MD4Bush, who posted their private FReepmails on 2 or 3 totally unrelated threads minutes before the same FReepmails appeared on the Washington Post website.

Correction. Posted selected portions of their FReepmails.

JR probably has a very good idea of MD4Bush's identity

Katie O'Malley? Or maybe Doug Duncan?

but as I recall he was waiting for a possible subpoena in a potential future lawsuit by Steffen.

Well, what's taking Joe so long?

It's time to release the identity of MD4Bush, IMO.

[TheForceOfOne]

Hey TBP,

I thought WBAL said that an outside investigation was done on Steffen's work computer and none of the contacts with MD4BUSH came from his work computer. Did you hear that? am I right?

That means they should also know what was on his home computer and the IP addresses they could extract from it also.

My guess is they have more information than they have come forward with so far. They may be trying to elicit retorts from O'Malley in order to corner him like a rat.
The Baltimore Sun blew up big time in defense of O'Malley today like a good little guard dog.

[TheForceOfOne]

Ahh! here it is....

Ehrlich Probe: Steffen Acted Alone On O'Malley Rumors
Thursday, May 19, 2005
WBAL Radio

New findings are out today regarding the former aide of
Governor Ehrlich who was fired for spreading rumors about Mayor O'Malley.

A New Jersey computer forensics firm hired by the Ehrlich Administration concluded that Joseph Steffen acted on his own. The probe also concluded Steffen didn't use his state computer to spread the O'Malley infidelity rumors, and he didn't use it to communicate with MD4BUSH, the Internet poster who tipped Steffen to the rumors.

http://wbal.com/stories/anmviewer.asp?a=31299

[blogblogginaway]

Darn. WBAL's site appears to be down.

[TheForceOfOne]

Try the main page http://www.wbal.com

[TheForceOfOne]

Heads up! New information coming in!

http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/4527504/detail.html


Former Ehrlich Aide's Statement Breaks Silence
Joe Steffen Issues Response To Mayor's Heated Words

POSTED: 7:22 pm EDT May 24, 2005
UPDATED: 10:29 pm EDT May 24, 2005

BALTIMORE -- Joe Steffen -- the former Ehrlich aide accused of spreading rumors about the personal life of Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley -- broke his silence Tuesday.