Gubernatorial Campaigns Trying To Take High Road On Ethics Reform

Both major campaigns for Maryland governor are trying to take the high road on the issue of ethics reform.

Democratic nominee Ben Jealous took aim at both Gov. Larry Hogan and state insurance Commissioner Al Redmer, who is a candidate for Baltimore County executive.

Jealous outlined on Wednesday measures he will pursue to tighten ethics regulations. His plan includes ambitious legislative actions he would take as governor to strengthen ethics regulations, prevent conflicts of interest and end pay-to-play politics at the State House.

"You cannot be a, of, by and for the people when we have a few wealthy special interests trolling our state capitol," Jealous said.

Robert Lang talks to Bryan P. Sears of The Daily Record:

Jealous has divested himself from 24 of the 26 businesses in which he's involved. He's proposing legislation to require future governors with business interests to enter the businesses into a blind trust. He'll push a bill to require future statewide and presidential candidates to release three years of their tax returns. He pledges to refuse all meetings with lobbyists convicted of fraud or corruption crimes. And he vows to dismiss cabinet secretaries who run for elected office.

Democrats accuse Redmer of accepting more than $57,000 in campaign contributions from the insurance industry during his bid to become Baltimore County executive.

"We need someone who is going to move us beyond the cynicism that too many people feel about their government," said state Sen. Rich Madaleno, D-Montgomery County.

The Redmer campaign issued a statement refuting that claim, stating, in part, "Al Redmer has made it explicitly clear that he has not and will not accept contributions from individuals or businesses regulated by the Maryland Insurance Administration and has actually forgone tens of thousands of dollars in potential contributions from this self-imposed rule."

The Jealous campaign criticized Hogan for not putting his real estate business into a blind trust and questioned whether he has used the power of his office for his personal benefit.

"When it comes to public service, integrity is absolutely at the core of what that means," said Delegate Robbyn Lewis, D-Baltimore City.

"Unlike Larry Hogan, who has met and raised money with convicted lobbyists, I won't take a meeting with any registered lobbyist with a criminal history related to fraud, corruption or any other lobby-related crime," Jealous said.

As Jealous made that pledge Wednesday, the Hogan campaign circulated a voicemail that Jealous left with lobbyist Gerard Evans, who was convicted of mail fraud years ago. The Hogan campaign contends the voicemail contradicts Jealous' own ethics proposal. But Jealous did offer an explanation of what happened and why.

Jealous is heard saying on the voicemail: "Gerry, Ben Jealous calling. I hope you are well. I'm calling you checking in with you about this campaign for governor."

When Jealous said he didn't recall the message he left, he listened to the voicemail, responding that, at the time, he didn't realize it was lobbyist Evans. He knows several other people by the same name.

"That call was made in error. We have a vetting process. If any check came in from him, we would have returned it," Jealous said. "We've shown that we've been willing to return checks that don't pass our vet. Gov. Hogan has not returned money from the National Rifle Association. He has not returned money from the pharmaceutical lobby. And he has certainly has not returned money from the lobbyist in question, far from it."

The Hogan campaign released a statement on the voicemail, saying, in part, "As this newly uncovered voicemail shows, Ben Jealous has been repeatedly violating his own ethics proposal and it proves he cannot be trusted to run an ethical administration."

"As far as my calls, I didn't know it was the Gerry Evans that I was talking to, and if a check came in and it was this Gerry Evans, we would have returned it," Jealous said.

The voicemail is an example of how intense the race has become. Before Jealous even detailed his ethics proposal, the Hogan campaign released a reaction statement to the proposal that included the voicemail.