In 2002, Bob Ehrlich’s campaign distributed a misleading brochure at predominantly African American voting precincts that included a picture of Bob Ehrlich, Congressman Elijah Cummings and other notable African American leaders along with the caption: “Democrats for Ehrlich.” As Congressman Cummings made clear yesterday, he did not support Bob Ehrlich.
In 2006, Bob Ehrlich’s campaign bused homeless people from Philadelphia on Election Day to distribute fliers designed to mislead African American Democratic voters into voting for him by falsely suggesting that Ehrlich was backed by prominent African American Democratic leaders.
In a video taken on Election Day 2006, two men, wearing Steele t-shirts and Ehrlich baseball caps, show the false literature that they were paid to distribute. When asked where he is from, one of the men reveals that they were bused into Maryland from Philadelphia.
In a blog post on Monday, October 18th, former Ehrlich aide Joe Steffen writes:
Hell, everyone knew that scheme was perpetrated by Team Ehrlich before the last vote in the 2006 O’Malley victory was even counted.
Yesterday, Maryland Democrats warned voters about the Bob Ehrlich campaign’s history of election day dirty tricks.
Today, we’re calling on Bob Ehrlich to come clean about his campaign’s dirty tricks. Despite the many news reports of Bob Ehrlich’s campaign busing homeless people from Philadelphia and distributing false and misleading campaign fliers with his campaign’s authority line, Bob Ehrlich has yet to admit what he has done.
There is 1 day until early voting starts and 12 days until the election. It’s time for Bob Ehrlich to come clean.
According to the Baltimore Sun Maryland Politics blog, one time Maryland Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele will attend a fundraiser for Maryland House of Delegates candidate Cathleen Vitale. As the current chair of the Republican National Committee and former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland it stands to reason that Steele would help his fellow Maryland Republicans by stumping for them on the campaign trail.
This begs the question: What about Bob?
So far, Steele has remained curiously silent about his old partner’s campaign for governor.
What gives, Michael?
Vitale attributes Steele’s support to their longtime friendship and history of working together on the Republican State Central Committee. Based on that rationale, it would seem reasonable that Steele would lend a hand to his old buddy Bob Ehrlich, who handpicked him to be his running mate and partner in leading Maryland as Lieutenant Governor.
Or, like many Marylanders, the Chair of the Republican National Committee has serious doubts about Bob Ehrlich’s ability to effectively lead our state.
The RNC has come under fire today for a document that leaked out of their recent meeting in Florida. Most at issue was a slide that portrayed Barack Obama and other Democrats in unflattering ways. But we think certain Marylanders (or at least one) are taking note today of what was not in that document.
On page 19 of the RNC document Steele and the RNC go through their targets in the 2010 gubernatorial elections. They seem confident about a lot of states – everything from Maine to New Mexico, Oregon to Tennessee, Michigan to Oklahoma, Wyoming to Ohio… OK, you get our point.
Noticeably absent… Maryland. In fact, Maryland was one of only three Democratic-held states the RNC is NOT targeting (New Hampshire and Arkansas being the other two).
With Bob Ehrlich an all but announced candidate for Governor, you would think he merits at least a mention? I mean, he is a former Governor, right?
Apparently not.
We could talk about why the RNC doesn’t think Ehrlich can win. Maybe it’s his embarrassing fiscal record. Maybe it’s his special interest ties. Maybe it’s his work ethic. But honestly, today we just feel sad for Bob Ehrlich. Snubbed by his Lieutenant Governor with the Ides of March just around the corner.
