Last week it was reported that undercover state police officers conducted surveillance on war protesters and death penalty opponents during the Ehrlich administration.
The spying continued for over a year despite the fact that no evidence was ever found that these activists broke any law or were in anyway a public safety threat.
This was not only an open attack on freedom of speech in Maryland, but a stultifying waste of time and taxpayer money that focused the state police on harmless demonstrators rather than legitimate public safety issues.
June 13, 2008 Common Cause Maryland Report Triggers $55,000 Fine by State Prosecutor
Citing a report by Common Cause Maryland, the Office of the Maryland State Prosecutor said today that it would bring the maximum fine of $55,000 against Mr. Edward St. John for skirting contribution limits by asking friends to donate through limited-liability partnerships and corporations with the promise that he would repay them.
In his release, State Prosecutor Robert Rohrbaugh said, "the use of third parties or LLCs to disguise the true source of contributions certainly violates the spirit of Maryland law..."
The action comes as Gov. Martin O'Malley stated his willingness to "to take another look at the LLCs," in a recent interview on WTOP-FM.
June 5, 2008 Taking Reform to Cecil County
The Cecil County Democratic Club (which on this night contained both Democrats and Republicans!) welcomed Ryan O'Donnell from Common Cause Maryland at its monthly meeting.
Among the topics was CCMD's call for elected officials to refuse donations from organized gambling interests until the end of the referendum on slots in November. Perryville in Cecil County is expected to be one of the five sites where slots would be installed.
Common Cause is actively working in all 24 counties in Maryland!
May 8, 2008 Big Crowd in Silver Spring as CCMD Pledges to Change Annapolis
Close to 100 people descended the steps to the Quarry House in Silver Spring, the subterranean venue of choice, for a rally and fundraiser for campaign finance reform.
Keynoting the event was Delegate Heather Mizeur, who praised Common Cause Maryland as a positive force that has been making a greater and greater impact in Annapolis. Del. Mizeur was an early supporter of the Transparency and Accountabilty Act championed by Common Cause this year in Maryland.
Board President Gary Magnuson renewed the group's commitment to growing and rallying more and more Maryland citizens under the good government banner. "We want a government of for and by the people," he said, "Not of for and by the dollar."
April 21, 2008 Common Cause Issues Challenge to Both Sides in Slots Referendum
At an annual gathering of the Mid-Atlantic Associated Press, executive director Ryan O'Donnell challenged both pro-slots and anti-slots campaigns to reject contributions from the gambling industry.
O'Donnell issued the challenge at a public forum on the issue to both Scott Arceneaux, senior advisor to Marylanders United to Stop Slots and Fred Puddester, chair of For Maryland For Our Future, heading the effort to pass the referendum in November.
Organized gambling makes hundreds of thousands of dollars in political contributions in Maryland, and speculation has been brewing that out-of-state gambling interests might be interested in donating to the anti-slots effort within Maryland, to keep customers crossing state lines to gamble.
Citing a report by Common Cause Maryland, the Office of the Maryland State Prosecutor said today that it would bring the maximum fine of $55,000 against Mr. Edward St. John for skirting contribution limits by asking friends to donate through limited-liability partnerships and corporations with the promise that he would repay them.
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