Annapolis Capital Punishment

DIAMOND JIM CONLEY SHOULD BE GHANA WITH THE WIND....and KENNY KIRBY HAS SOME EXPLAINING TO DO AS WELL ...

I have removed Jim Conley's ad and will be refunding his campaign the full $90 payment.

Independently and without solicitation, readers were sending me information about the backgrounds of Ward Sixer Kenny Kirby and Ward Fiver Jim Conley. Both have been in Annapolis for a long time, both ran previously for alderman and both apparently have a history of financial and legal challenges. I did not go off looking to investigate either of these two men, nor is it my job. I don't get paid for it, but facts presented to me were compelling.

In the case of Conley, I asked him to prepare a statement which he published on his web-site and sent to me. He met with about 20 citizens at our regular Sip N Blog recently and answered many questions. If he had something to hide, we could only speculate and he seemed transparent, but a questionable diamond mine in Ghana???? An unpaid city bill? The Lexus? I can understand how the mortgage crisis and ensuing economic collapse hit him hard, but with all these things going on--can he be a reliable Alderman?


Up until that time, there were some questionable things Conley did with me in an unrelated matter that made me question a lot of things about him, but I tried to treat him fairly as a candidate. He TWICE failed to show up for a business appointment with me to see about me doing some writing and marketing work for him. TWICE. He never seemed to understand how that appeared. When  I told him he would need to pay me a retainer if he wanted to schedule another meeting with me, he ignored me. This was before he was an announced candidate and I never heard from him again until he wanted to advertise here. As I look back on it, I wonder if he had some other motive.

He repeatedly said he was writing me a check and would be sending me payment for the ad here on CP and I was kept waiting and waiting. He then filed his finance report and showed the $90 debt to me as an expected debt he would be incurring.  He finally wrote a check on 9-21, weeks after he originally said it would be written. It was written on a check with number 96 but no other identifying account information printed. Those things all made me...uhh...curious.

When he provided information about some of his financial situations, he did not volunteer any information about his diamond scheme, but in the wake of the article in The Capital, DIAMOND JIM CONLEY SHOULD BE GHANA WITH THE WIND....I called Conley  and told him I will be pulling his advertisement on this blog (done) and returning him the full $90 payment (in a day or two). He asked me if the conversation would be on the record or off the record. I told him if he had anything to tell me that could not be on the record, I did not want to talk to him. He continued.

Regarding the complaint published in The Capital today by one of his unhappy diamond scheme investors, Conley said the friend of his brother-in-law's "sues everybody" to which I asked, what did that matter? Conley insists his other investors are satisfied and will be getting their money. I suggested he publish the names of all his investors and have them say if they are okay with him or not. He said it would be okay if they agreed.  He then said he was a history major and asked me how long he would have to wear this scarlet letter? Conley was upset wit The Capital's coverage which he felt missed many important things,

The $90 is not much money-but believe me--I need every penny these days yet I cannot accept his money because I cannot in good conscience promote his campaign in any way. I told him I would not cover his campaign any more and I also am calling for Republicans to repudiate him. I hope they will speak up and do something positive. I let him know that with all these clouds hanging over his head, I sure don't want him being one of nine votes deciding how to spend my tax dollars for my services. I also asked him how could he expect to govern with all these questions about him? Why would he so much need to be alderman that he would take on this job with all these other problems to worry about? Shades of L'Affaire Pierre! Would you believe he suggested I keep his advertising money? No way I told him in reply. He can expect a check within the week.

As for Conley's opponent, county police officer Mat Silverman, the only questions being raised about him of which I am aware is why he has apparently switched jobs so many times. The 30-year old has been a firefighter, US Capitol Police Officer and a Federal Air Marshall. If he can be considered good enough for those positions, I doubt there can be too many issues to worry about him--but Mr Silverman--since I am getting questions about this, why not write about it and publish it on your web-site? Let the public know.

Now on to Ward Six's Kenny Kirby....in a day or two....as he has some explaining to do as well....and I expect a full frontal assault on me for bringing this up--but Kirby has had a chance to provide information and comments confidentially and refused. We're not just talking about a DWI and a couple of little things. Stay tuned.


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