Annapolis Capital Punishment

Alderman Sam Shropshire, a Democratic candidate for mayor has been telling some people that County Councilman and mayoral candidate Josh Cohen said that if he'd bow out of the race, Cohen might consider giving him a job, possibly that of city housing director. During a break in Monday's city council meeting, Shropshire was talking with a few people. Within minutes, some of them relayed to me what Shropshire had said and I have confirmed this with others. Furthermore, Shropshire claimed that Cohen told Alderman Ross Arnett that if he dropped his opposition to the mayoral pay increase, Cohen, if elected, would appoint Arnett to a position, possibly as city administrator or city manager. It has long been rumored that the recent process to raise the mayor's salary to $120,000 per year was being done mainly to entice Cohen to either enter and/or stay in the race. The chair of the compensation committee that recommended such a raise is a friend of both Mayor Ellen Moyer and Cohen. Committee Chair and Democratic activist Beth Garraway said that such a raise was needed to attract a young candidate with a family.

I left two messages early the next morning for Shropshire until I finally got him about 10:30 Tuesday and all he could say was "no comment". I asked him why he would make such claims as I was watching him talk to people who then came and told me what he said, and now he was saying "no comment." Shropshire said he had to go to a meeting and then said "I am not hanging up on you". He then hung up. I left other emails and phone messages for Shropshire but none were returned. Of course, it has since been determined that Shropshire was busy with other matters at the time.

Arnett would neither confirm or deny the allegation that such a conversation had taken place between he and Cohen but he was more circumspect than was Shopshire. However, another anonymous source close to the players in this story told me that Arnett had said that this conversation had taken place, and that Cohen had asked for Arnett to support the compensation plan. This source said that Arnett had said that Cohen suggested or hinted that in his administration, Arnett might be considered for the job of city administrator.

I tried repeatedly to contact Cohen who was in the midst of county council budget hearings. He responded to emails saying he did not know why I was inquiring with an urgent matter. I told his aide, Gail Smith what Shropshire had claimed, and asked her to tell Cohen. I gave Cohen 24 hours to respond to Shropshire's claim. He did not.

Actually there are two stories here. One is what Cohen may have said and which if true, would of course be highly damaging. The second is the fact of what Shropshire did say to others and the fact that he is now telling me "no comment." If what Shropshire claimed were true, why in the world would Shropshire ssay such things to others--and in city council chambers no less? If it were true, then he would know that the fallout would be, but I doubt even he would be so careless or insensitive to spread such a falsehood. What would be his reasoning other than to damage Cohen? Obviously he would know how damaging it would be to him as well if the charges were disproved. Yet how does one disprove or prove such a "he-said, he-said" story?

But why would he say such things in public and then say "no comment" to CP who knew what he had said?

I am not even sure if the next mayor would have the authority to hire the housing director, and it is doubtful whether Arnett is qualified to be city manager or administrator, and although he would not confirm or deny this story, he told me he would not want the job. Cohen has been steadfast in his opposition to creating a city manager style of government, which Arnett has championed, but has repeatedly said he will hire a certified city manager to serve under him. Arnett is not a certified city manager. Furthermore, it is questionable if a certified city manager would even take such a position under the control of a mayor.

Cohen and Arnett, who replaced him on city council, are known to be friendly and Cohen and Shropshire have been close friends for years. It is commonly known that Shropshire has been perennially under-employed and living on mainly his alderman's modest income and through his campaign donations, as shown in his campaign filings. Surely Cohen would know of Shropshire's situation. Certainly Cohen is savvy enough to know that even if he wanted to make such an offer, he would find an off-handed or obscure way to make it. I had trouble believing Cohen would say such a thing and did not want to believe it, but I and others know what Shropshire said, whether he will admit it now or not. Proving whether or not Cohen said these alleged things to Shropshire or Arnett is a different matter. I can only report on what Shropshire said and that has been confirmed by numerous anonymous sources. It would seem that they both have some explaining to do but Shropshire's credibility may be damaged by other recent events.

But beyond that, is this how we want our government and elected officials to lead? Is this business as usual? So far only Arnett comes out consistent and squeaky clean. He just won't say what Cohen may or may not have said to him. However, he did vote against every proposed increase to the mayor's salary due to the severe budget situation, although a stepped-up increase was passed by a 5-4 vote. Shropshire did vote for that increase.