2 Charged With Election Law Violations In Anne Arundel County Robocall

State Prosecutor Emmet Davitt announced Thursday charges have been brought against a Virginia man and North Carolina man for alleged violations of Maryland election law in connection with an Anne Arundel County Council race.

Dennis Fusaro, 55, of Stephens City, Virginia; and Stephen Waters, 51, of Greensboro, North Carolina were charged in Anne Arundel County with violating and conspiring to violate authority line requirements. Each charge carries up to one year in jail and a $5,000 fine. No trial date has yet been set.

"This message not only failed to provide the information required by Maryland law, it attempted to deliberately deceive by providing false and misleading information instead," Davitt said in a statement. "Maryland voters are entitled to know what person or group is responsible for such material, particularly when it is published and distributed just a few days before Election Day. The credibility of the messenger is an essential factor in evaluating the value of the message."

Fusaro was a consultant and campaign manager for the successful 2014 campaign of Republican Michael Peroutka. The state prosecutor alleges he and Waters were responsible for a robocall that went out to 5,000 county residents about general election opponent Patrick Armstrong. The call did not identify Fusaro and Waters as those responsible for the call, and didn't say whether it was authorized by a candidate. Rather, it said it was "paid for and authorized by Marylanders for Transgenders" and displayed the number of an untraceable prepaid cell phone the pair allegedly bought with cash in Virginia.

In a statement from his office Thursday, Peroutka said he "had no prior knowledge" of the call.

"I have fully cooperated with authorities in the investigation of this matter," he said.

The call, WBAL-TV 11 reported at the time, sarcastically congratulated Armstrong for being gay. The transcript, provided by the Davitt's office, follows:

Hello, what a great opportunity for the LGBT community. We have a true believer for our cause in Patrick Armstrong who's running for County Council in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Call Patrick today and thank him for his bravery in coming out of the closet. Coming out of the closet and supporting the Fairness to All Marylanders Act, the Maryland State Senate Bill 212, and supporting the rights for all transgenders. Transgenders can now openly and freely go into any bathroom of their choice based on their confused gender identity. Tell Patrick to continue to stand loud and proud in support for transgenders' equal rights. While our opponent argued that children could be at risk by sexual predators with this new law, we celebrate the rights of transgenders and what this does for equality for transgenders in Maryland. Call him today at 410--[redacted] and thank him for supporting the bathroom bill. Paid for and authorized by Marylanders for Transgenders.

The call, which drew suspicion from Armstrong and his campaign manager at the time, was not the only time Peroutka's campaign was associated with controversy. State party leaders had to ask Peroutka to distance himself from a secessionist group, the neo-Confederate League of the South.