Governor's Board of Elections Picks Rankle County GOP
County party chairman says central committee is "amazed, but not surprised, by this action of a governor who would put party over fair play."
Joseph Karey was named by Gov. Martin O'Malley to the county Board of Elections. The selection was criticized by the county Republican Central Committee who had asked the O'Malley to name Karey as the alternate to the board.
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The selection of two Republicans to serve on the Baltimore County Board of Elections has rankled county Republican Party officials who say Gov. Martin O'Malley ignored the wishes of the local party.
“Unfortunately, this was not an April Fools prank, it is business as usual in the State of Maryland,” Tony Campbell, county Republican Central Committee chairman, wrote in a statement released Friday. “The unbridled partisanship of this decision is a clear example of the folly of one party government in Maryland. The fact that Governor O’Malley made this explicit decision of a board that is two to one Democrat shows the level of contempt he has for the voters in Baltimore County. We on the Baltimore County Republican Central Committee are amazed, but not surprised, by this action of a Governor who would put party over fair play.”
The county Republican Party voted in November to oust Marge Neuman, a long-time board member, and replace her with Bruce Robinson, who was at the time a board alternate.
Neuman, long respected inside the county party, was the apparent victim of some intra-party squabbling in which central committee members turned against her in favor of another candidate.
The party was required to submit three names for O'Malley to consider. GOP party officials submitted Robinson as its top pick for the one regular board slot. Joseph Karey, who was the attorney to the election board, was the second name. The central committee rounded out its recommendations with Neuman, thinking that she would not be picked.
Campbell said past governors typically take the top two names on the list.
"That's the way it usually works," Campbell said in an interview. "The governor defers to the local jurisdiction, to the local party selection."
But O'Malley did not defer.
Instead, he jumped over Robinson and named Karey to fill the Republican party spot on the three-member board. Neuman was named as the Republican's alternate.
Campbell said he believes Robinson was passed over for political reasons.
"They know he would have questioned some things going on at the Board of Elections," Campbell said.
"The purpose of the statute is to allow the central committees to provide a list of candidates," said Shaun Adamec, an O'Malley spokesman. "Implicit in that direction is the Governor’s ability to choose from the members on that list. That is what he has done in this case, and that is what he has done many times before."
Adamec added that Karey's appointment was confirmed by the Senate.
"He got Republican Party votes," Adamec said. "It was bipartisan."
Buzz Beeler
6:17 pm on Friday, April 1, 2011
"County party chairman says central committee is "amazed, but not surprised, by this action of a governor who would put party over fair play."
Is anyone really surprised by the governor's actions. He has yet to make a decision in the best interest of the citizens of this state.
In my lifetime I would rate him one of the worst leaders in the history of the state. His boot print will be forever imbedded on the backs of the middle class.
John
7:02 pm on Friday, April 1, 2011
Give me 3 names and I'll pick 2. Wow! What was the governor thinking? He picked 2 names off the list of three he was given. Unheard of, to say the least. It was a pretty stupid move of the party to submit the name of someone they didn't want appointed to the job. And of course, it's O'Malley's fault for not picking the 2 they really wanted. Get real. And it's nothing like the last time district lines were redrawn and Bobby Boy arrange to have lines drawn to set up republic districts no matter how convoluted they were. Look at the 7th Legislative District -- we'll stretch in over here to the west, then drag it down here to the south, don't forget a tug to get some of Harford County in there. Government is government no matter how you look at it. Each party, when it has power, does what is best for the party not the people. And that cuts both ways so stop moaning about how unfair things are.
Buzz Beeler
8:51 pm on Friday, April 1, 2011
John, the governor sets the agenda as per this quote, "by this action of a Governor who would put party over fair play.”
You affirmed the same point I was making, "Each party, when it has power, does what is best for the party not the people." My quote was, "He has yet to make a decision in the best interest of the citizens of this state."
I think the attitude of turning a blind eye to the operation of our elected officials is not wise and certainly not in the best interest of the taxpayers.
Ann Miller
1:02 pm on Thursday, April 7, 2011
John, you are not only making excuses for O'Malley's (D) blind partisanship, but blaming Ehrlich (R) for Glendening's (D). The last redistricting a decade ago, where you correctly describe the horrible gerrymandering, was done under Glendening's watch, not Ehrlich's. I hope citizens of all parties keep a close eye on redistricting this year. Hearing for county redistricting start next week.
O'Malley has done a disservice to Baltimore County by bypassing Bruce Robinson, who was the only one on the previous board to lend a questioning eye in the matters of the BOE. As usual, the Dems' comfortable monopoly will not tolerate competence.