Minority businesses knock performance of Ehrlich, Steele

Two dozen African-American business people gave Rep. Ben Cardin a piece of their mind Tuesday about their problems with federal and state set-aside programs for minority businesses.

It was a chance for Cardin, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate, to tout his own record in helping minorities win government contracts, and an opportunity for a few black business people to take shots at the Ehrlich-Steele administration. Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, the likely Republican Senate nominee, has played a visible role in revamping the Minority Business Enterprise program.