Maryland?s attorney general is “gathering information” on the Baltimore contractors that illegally secured lucrative government contracts, potentially banning the company from doing business with the state.
Officials said Poole and Kent ? whose former president was sentenced to jail Monday for bribing former state Sen. Thomas Bromwell in exchange for top government projects ? could join 29 other companies barred from state contracts. A spokeswoman Monday said prosecutors are “looking into the issue.”
“We are gathering information,” said the office?s spokeswoman, Raquel Guillory. “But Poole and Kent has not been convicted by a judge of any crime.”
With Bromwell?s help, company president David Stoffregen won contracts for construction of the University of Maryland Medical System?s Weinberg Building over a competitor with a lower bid. Stoffregen, Bromwell and Bromwell?s wife also admitted to creating a sham woman-owned company to secure a minority contract for the expansion of the Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall airport.
Stoffregen, who was fired in March 2005, admitted to looting his own company and will pay $660,000 in restitution, according to Poole and Kent spokesman Bob Chlopak.
“Here, I think it?s quite clear the company is a victim of all this,” Chlopak said. “Stoffregen was at the top of the pyramid and may have corrupted ? or rather did corrupt ?others.”
Chlopak could not say if the company has any pending contracts with state agencies. Officials at Maryland?s Department of General Services, Board of Public Works, Stadium Authority, and BWI all said they have no current projects with Poole and Kent.
Debarment from state contracts starts with a complaint from the attorney general?s office, and is then referred to the state?s Board of Public Works.
State officials were quick to emphasize the quality of Poole and Kent?s work ? procured before allegations of fraud were made public. Most declined to speculate if the scandal will affect future contracts.
“The Maryland Aviation Administration does examine and consider the responsibility of potential contractors,” said agency spokesman Jonathan Dean.
