Gov. Robert Ehrlich?s re-election campaign launched its first television ad Wednesday and it has already drawn fire from Democrats and environmental groups for distorting his record.
The ad, which can be seen online at www.bobehrlich.com, uses a series of average residents to make the case for Ehrlich. “He hasn?t governed from the right or the left but the center, where most of us are,” it says.
The ad asserts “some people got upset” when Ehrlich blocked an income tax increase and “others got annoyed when [he] fought to save the Bay.”
This refers to the so-called “flush tax,” the Bay restoration fee added to water and sewer bills, and also charged people who have septic tanks.
“I don?t know who?s annoyed about cleaning up the Bay,” said Terry Harris, executive director of the League of Conservation Voters. “His plan was strengthened by the members of the General Assembly.”
Democrat Sen. Paula Hollinger, chairman of the Senate environment committee, said the governor was unhappy when the fee was added to rural households who have their septic tanks emptied.
Hollinger was more upset with the ad?s assertion that Ehrlich “pushed stem cell research.” “He certainly didn?t push the bill,” said Hollinger, who sponsored the legislation on stem cell research. “The governor was just putting a few million dollars in the budget.” She noted that Senate Republicans were filibustering her bill. In any case, Ehrlich had a major signing ceremony for the legislation.
The ad also says: “When faced with a crisis on electric rates, he could have blamed others, instead he led, and that?s what a governor should do.”
“Rather than lead,” the state Democratic Party said in a statement, “Ehrlich sat back and criticized anyone but his Public Service Commission appointees.”
The governor and Republicans had repeatedly blamed the sharp jump in electricity rates on Democrats who supported the deregulation of rates in 1999.
Democratic Party Chairman Terry Lierman said the ad campaign shows Ehrlich “is in trouble.”
Mayor Martin O?Malley?s campaign manager, Josh White, said, “Bob Ehrlich has failed time and time again to provide real leadership for Maryland?s working families, choosing instead to side with giant corporate interests.”
