As Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith kicked off his re-election drive Tuesday, activists accused a member of his campaign committee of using the government?s e-mail database to distribute promotional literature.
Residents representing both political parties said Smith?s re-election staff member and county employee Duane “Tony” Baysmore obtained e-mail addressees from the county?s official electronic update service to send campaign information.
Steve Whisler, president of the Westview Park Improvement and Civic Association in Catonsville, said he signed up for the service using his association e-mail address and his personal address.
When county updates are sent, he receives two identical e-mails simultaneously to each address. That?s what happened Monday night when Baysmore sent him an e-mail reminding him of Smith?s campaign event Tuesday morning, Whisler said.
“I?m convinced they used or had access to the county?s database,” he said. “And I think it?s totally inappropriate to use government data for those purposes.”
Smith campaign spokesman Sterling Clifford said Baysmore works in the county?s Office of Community Conservation, but volunteers for Smith?s campaign on his personal time. Clifford said Baysmore said he used his personal e-mail address list when he sent the campaign materials, but could not recall the specific circumstances of how he obtained each address.
“We absolutely do not use county distribution lists for campaign reasons,” Clifford said. “And we?re very careful with anyone who has a county job that wants to work for the campaign that they are allowed to do so on their personal time and aren?t allowed to use any county resources.”
Whisler and Corinne Becker, president of the Riderwood Hills community association who is also receiving campaign e-mails, said they do not know Baysmore. Both have said they do not support Smith?s re-election bid. Baysmore did not return a phone call by press time.
Smith officially began his campaign Tuesday morning with a speech outside the county courthouse, attended by many elected officials and county personnel. Two Republicans and three Democrats have filed to challenge Smith.
