Attorney general candidate Douglas Gansler is on trial today to defend his candidacy for Maryland?s top law enforcement job against a constitutional challenge.
“After the hearing, the judge will close this thing and say, ?This is frivolous,? ” Gansler?s campaign manager Vivek Chopra said.
Nikos Stanford Liddy, of Bowie, filed a motion Oct. 19 in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court attempting to eliminate Gansler from the Nov. 7 election.
Liddy wrote that Gansler “has not actually practiced law in this state for at least 10 years and is, thus, constitutionally banned from running for that office.”
Montgomery County State?s Attorney Gansler is the Democratic Party?s nominee for attorney general. Frederick County State?s Attorney Scott Rolle is the GOP hopeful.
The challenge is a “desperate” attack from the Rolle campaign, Chopra said, referring to Rolle?s campaign manager, Jason Shoemaker, who is representing Liddy.
But Rolle?s spokesman Kevin Igoe said the suit raises legitimate questions and is not connected to the Rolle campaign.
“Clearly, it?s not a dirty trick,” he said.
“It?s a valid constitutional question that people deserve the answer to. Mr. Rolle believes the courts ought to decide the question.”
At issue is whether Gansler meets Maryland?s constitutional requirement of having practiced law in Maryland for 10 years to be eligible to run for attorney general.
Gansler has been a member of the Maryland Bar since 1989, but Liddy contends that Gansler has only practiced law in Maryland for eight years. Gansler was an assistant U.S. Attorney from 1992 to 1998, when he was elected to the Montgomery County State?s Attorney?s Office.
But Chopra said Gansler?s 17 years as a Maryland bar member and his work within the state of Maryland as an assistant U.S. Attorney qualify him for the job.
“He?s been a member of the bar forever,” Chopra said. “I really don?t think this suit has merit.”
Neither Shoemaker or Liddy returned phone calls.
Judge Ronald Silkworth will preside over the trial today.
