After disclosing his father and campaign treasurer spent $40,000 in election funds on personal expenses, City Councilman Keiffer Mitchell said he would not drop his bid to unseat Mayor Sheila Dixon.
The misuse of money was announced as candidates prepare for the Aug. 14 state deadline for reporting campaign expenditures.
“He is not dropping out of the race,” said Mitchell spokesman Tony DeFranco.
The Mitchell campaign disclosed Thursday that Dr. Keiffer Mitchell Sr., the campaign’s treasurer, used campaign funds for personal use, including $14,000 for a stay in a Towson hotel for his wife, who was recovering from surgery, and $19,000 in checks made out to cash that
is still unaccounted for.
Mitchell’s father, a doctor with his own practice, resigned from his position as campaign treasurer Thursday. DeFranco said Mitchell would address the issue in more detail today.
“He will be discussing the issue directly at one of his campaign events,” he said.
But political pundits said a finance scandal this close to the Sept. 11 primary could cripple Mitchell’s candidacy. Richard Vatz, a professor of political rhetoric at Towson University, said Mitchell’s survival depends on several factors.
“Number one, did candidate Mitchell know about this?” Vatz said. “Did he have an inkling this was going on, and does it appear that he acted
immediately upon learning about it?”
Money troubles have hurt past city campaigns.
In 1999, then-City Council President Lawrence Bell’s mayoral campaign stalled after he used campaign funds to purchase suits and defaulted on a car loan. Bell had been the front runner, but the scandal helped enable Martin O’Malley to win the mayoal race.
Last year, the campaign treasurer for Councilwoman Paula Johnson Branch was indicted for misappropriating $2,000 in campaign funds. The case was later dropped after Branch changed her testimony on the stand.
Dixon campaign officials expressed sympathy for the Mitchell family.
“It’s obviously a very difficult time for the family,” campaign spokesman Martha McKenna said. “We’re praying for them.”
But rival candidate Del. Jill Carter slammed the candidate.
“I’m more concerned about Councilman Mitchell’s lack of leadership in the city council than the integrity issues that continually plague the Mitchell family,” he said.
