Republicans and a political watchdog group are accusing Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith of creating and funding a phony slate committee to circumvent campaign finance laws and funnel $315,000 to the county?s Democratic state?s attorney nominee.
Smith is the sole contributor to a $400,000 campaign fund belonging to the Baltimore County Victory Slate, which has transferred $315,000 to state?s attorney candidate Scott Shellenberger since August, according to finance records. Maryland laws cap account transfers at $6,000, but does not limit exchanges between candidates on a mutual slate.
Citing concerns with the transaction dates ? two before the State Board of Elections received Smith?s registration with the slate ? Republican state?s attorney candidate Steve Bailey filed a complaint with the board and state prosecutors.
The slate?s treasurer, Ann Beegle, works for Smith?s campaign, and its address is a post office box registered to Smith.
“I never expected and was quite frankly shocked the county executive would form what appears to be a sham slate,” Bailey said. “Even if it technically complies with the letter of the law, it clearly violates the spirit of the law.”
Prosecutors investigated and cleared Smith, said Jared DeMarinas, director of the board?s campaign finance division, and Smith?s campaign. The state board received Smith and Shellenbergers? registration with the slate, which includes 18 other Democrats, two weeks after the pair signed the forms and Smith transferred $150,000 from his account to the slate fund. He transferred another $250,000 Oct. 10.
The Victory Slate also transferred $1,500 to Democratic State Senate candidate Delores Kelley and $4,000 to the United Together slate. The rest went to Shellenberger and funded rent, supplies and automated phone calls. Smith?s camp mailed the forms to the county?s elections board erroneously, said spokesman Sterling Clifford. He said the slate has made contributions to other candidates since filing its most recent report. The beneficiaries of Smith?s transfers don?t appear on his finance reports ? which his campaign blamed on a technical glitch that was corrected Monday evening.
“I think it?s an unfair and unrealistic attack on Jim Smith,” Clifford said. “The suggestion that he would do anything to compromise the integrity of the legal system is just wrong.”
The case highlights why political watchdog group Common Cause of Maryland opposes slates, said executive director Bobbie Walton, who questioned if Smith?s donors knew their contributions would benefit Shellenberger.
“When you put that many names on a slate and one person has money transferred to someone who needs it, it?s a cover-up,” she said.
THE MONEY TRAIL
» Smith contributions to Slate:
Aug. 29 – $100,000
Sept. 6 – $50,000
Oct. 10 – $250,000
» Slate contributions to Shellenberger:
Aug. 30 – $60,000
Sept. 7 – $50,000
Oct. 4 – $25,000
Oct. 18 – $180,000
