A personal attorney and friend of Gov. Robert Ehrlich met with Baltimore County employees and asked them to work to relax County Executive Jim Smith?s planned opposition to the proposed liquefied natural gas plant at the Sparrows Point shipyard, according to records released by the county.
Ehrlich chastised members of the Dundalk-based LNG Opposition Team last week for asking the state?s Ethics Commission to investigate attorney David Hamilton?s alleged lobbying efforts as the controversial project moves forward. Ehrlich, who testified against the project at a federal hearing Monday night, has repeatedly defended Hamilton, who does not represent the energy firm trying to build the plant, Virginia-based AES Corp.
But through e-mails to Smith adviser Damian O?Doherty and a meeting with county Economic Development Director David Iannucci, Hamilton tried to persuade the employees to cushion Smith?s opposition. He told them the plant is “fundamental” to his clients? redevelopment of the shipyard.
He cited Ehrlich?s noncommittal comments on the plant in a Dundalk Eagle article and requested that Smith use the same technique.
“Of course, you understand that we hope for no comments, and, pursuant to our meeting today, we will relay information to AES promptly so that AES may address this issue with you and/or the County Executive as soon as possible,” Hamilton wrote.
In another e-mail exchange, Hamilton suggested Smith may not want to testify against a General Assembly bill that would have blocked AES? proposal.
“The [county executive] must balance the need to act locally [versus] being perceived as unable to be effective in Annapolis,” he wrote. “Tough choice.”
Calls and e-mails to Hamilton were not returned by press time Wednesday.
An Ehrlich spokesman on Wednesday restated the governor?s opposition to the proposal.
In a letter to The Examiner, shipyard owner Vincent Barletta said Hamilton has not been hired to engage in any lobbying efforts on his behalf. Representatives of his companies “briefly entertained” retaining lobbyist William Pitcher to represent their interests, he wrote, but opted not to.
Hamilton told The Washington Post last month that he represents his clients in legal matters and allows Pitcher to handle their lobbying needs.
The proposal
AES Corp. intends to build a terminal that will receive liquid natural gas from tankers at Sparrows Point. The gas will be vaporized at the plant and distributed through an 87-mile pipeline that will go through Harford County into Pennsylvania. The Federal Energy Regulation Commission, which will ultimately approve or deny the proposal, held its last public input meeting Wednesday night. If approved, AES estimates the plant would open in 2010.
