Early in his campaign, Howard County judicial challenger David Titman said that he was able to raise just as much money as Howard County?s two sitting judges without soliciting donations from attorneys.
Turns out, he was wrong.
Campaign finance reports filed this week show Howard County Circuit Court judges Louis Becker and Richard Bernhardt have 10 times the amount of money Titman does. The reports are available to the public at www.elections.state.md.us.
From January to August, Becker and Bernhardt?s campaign raised a combined total of $19,465 and still has $32,087 in campaign coffers. By contrast, Titman raised $3,595 this year and has $3,314 on hand.
Titman attributed Becker and Bernhardt?s fundraising pace to the “power of incumbency.”
“They have a lot more money,” he said. “They have a lot more resources. I believe that the people of Howard County are too smart to be persuaded by a slick campaign.”
Betty Adams, the chairwoman for the sitting judges? campaign, said she didn?t consider the amount of money to be excessive.
“I didn?t see anything that was unusual at all,” she said. “I?m one of the largest contributors.”
The sitting judges have no contribution higher than $500, while Titman has two donations for $1,000 ? one from himself and one from Eugenia Somers, of Columbia, according to the financial reports.
Becker and Bernhardt?s largest contributors include Adams, Becker?s wife, the Howard County police union, Ellicott City businessman Donald Reuwer and several lawyers.
Adams pointed out that the judges have received donations from community activists, doctors and friends.
“I think it speaks to the broad nature of the support they?re raising,” she said. “People want to have the best judges on the bench.”
But Titman said that the judges? fundraising raises troubling questions.
“What you?re seeing is people trying to influence and undercut the impartiality of the judiciary,” he said. “No special interest group is going to have their hooks into me when I?m sworn in as judge.”
Adams disputed this.
“This is not an amount of money that you?re going to give up your judicial integrity for,” she said.
Campaign funds
Judges Louis Becker
and Richard Bernhardt
» Contributions: $19,465
» Cash on hand: $32,087
David Titman
» Contributions: $3,595
» Cash on hand: $3,314
Source: Maryland State
Board of Elections
