Annapolis Capital Punishment

Aldermanic Candidate Scott Bowling writes in to ask:
"Is a candidate’s failure to file the required Campaign Fund Reports or their lack of attention to detail when submitting these reports an indicator of their commitment or ability to lead our City?  Acknowledging that most candidates do not complete these forms, their Treasurers do. I think it still is an indicator of the quality of people they surround themselves with."


CP says see for yourself at  www.annapolis.gov/info.asp?page=14449
Here are a few observations about the most recent filing.

Dave Cordle – Missing Schedule 2

Laurie Sears Deppa – Missing Schedules 2, 4, and 5 – also incorrectly numbered pages

Classie Gillis Hoyle – Did not sign her report

Kenneth A. Kirby  - Missing Schedules 2, 4, and 5

Gilbert Renault  - Missing Schedule 5

Samuel Shropshire – DID NOT FILE--(CP asks: This is getting to be a habit with Shropshire. Did his basement get flooded again???)

The Plumber and Steamfitters Union Local in Baltimore gave him another $500
He  paid $500 to James "Joe Ghost" Taylor to do campaign outreach.

Cohen is quite adept in attracting large contributions from a small number of deep-pocket people as well as big institutions, mainly coming from outside of the city. There are few actual residents contributing and little money collected from city residents. But don't take my word, see for yourself at  www.annapolis.gov/info.asp?page=14449

And now on to Trudy McFall  who brought in about $2300 this period. Most addresses of contributors are actual city addresses and these are mainly smaller contributions such as $25, $50 or $100 but one contributor in Washington, DC gave her $1000. McFall's campaign says she is an old friend and colleague.


Zina Pierre raised an impressive $8,000 plus and brought her cash on hand in line closer to the other top fund raisers. She has tended to get contributions in small to modest amounts from a wide range of individuals, both in Annapolis and outside of town. In her first filing, she brought in a lot of individual contributions in small amounts from city residents.

By the way--remember Kenny Kirby and how he only got money from Democratic stalwarts outside of his ward and none from in his ward in the last filing? Take the list of non-Ward 6 residents Josh Cohen, Clarence Goldberg, Chuck Weikel and Craig Purcell (not a city resident) and you may now add Friends of Mike Busch, who donated $200. This Democratic machinery must really want to help Kirby, but Kirby cannot even raise a dime on his own turf. People will put up signs for him but won't put their money where their signs are. Or maybe, the rank and file within the Democratic Party is not too excited, so somebody is stepping in....??? Kirby's opponent Greg Stiverson, did not raise any cash this period (well there was twelve cents in interest....).

For a complete analysis of all the filings from  the last period, see:
www.annapolis.gov/upload/images/government/depts/CityClerk/reports/2009/CFRA0809.pdf
It's interesting...few candidates rarely get a totally clean bill of health. Much of the points raised were about certain codings being incorrect or missing, certain addresses being incomplete, but then--what happens?

Annapolitans for a Better Community, the group promoting the petition for the council-manager form of government also has its report published. Now go and do your homework at  www.annapolis.gov/info.asp?page=14449.

Join us every Thursday morning, from 8-9 am for our Sip N' Blog at ZU Coffee, 934 Bay Ridge Road, Annapolis, Maryland, in the Giant Shopping Center. Our discussion on the 17th will focus on the primary election results and the upcoming general. Sept-24--Jennifer Monteith. Stop by on your way to work for your morning latte and meet other local activists. Zu now has a drive-thru window!