A goofy bug-eyed photo of Comptroller William Donald Schaefer in an ad greeted readers of the latest edition of The Afro-American newspaper in Baltimore, but it was no sales pitch from the one-time mayor and governor.
“Does this man deserve four more years as comptroller?” the headline asked, as Del. Peter Franchot, one of Schaefer?s Democratic challengers, tried to steal black voters away.
“In many well-publicized incidents,” the ad copy reads, “William Donald Schaefer has demonstrated insensitivity, intimidation, and abuse toward Maryland?s minority communities.”
The ad in Friday?s edition specifically lists Schaefer?s negative comments last year about the renaming of Baltimore/Washington International Airport, adding the name of Thurgood Marshall, the Baltimore-born Supreme Court justice and civil rights pioneer. “This is wrong and shouldn?t be done,” Schaefer said at a 2005 Board of Public Works meeting.
Franchot also reminds readers of Schaefer?s knock of the state?s Maryland Business Enterprise program, its affirmative action set-asides for contractors. “They get their bid because they?re a minority contractor,” Schaefer said. “That?s not the way to fill a contract.”
“It?s time for a change in the comptroller?s office,” the Franchot ad concludes. Franchot said he?s endorsed by Thurgood Marshall Jr.
Schaefer campaign spokesman Laslo Boyd said, “I think it?s sad and disappointing that this is the kind of campaign Peter Franchot is running.” The ad “has nothing to do with the job of being comptroller. William Donald Schaefer has a great record of comptroller as he has as governor and as mayor,” Boyd said.
In past months, Franchot has sometimes praised Schaefer?s “50 years of public service,” a way to both acknowledge his opponent?s accomplishments and remind voters how long the 84-year-old has been inpublic office.
“None of his opponents have yet to raise objection about his job performance,” Boyd said.
Schaefer is also facing Anne Arundel County Executive
Janet Owens in the Democratic primary.
