Two strategists for former Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich pleaded not guilty to charges of using automated phone messages to suppress votes in overwhelmingly black Maryland jurisdictions on Election Day.
Baltimore Circuit Judge Lawrence P. Fletcher-Hill set a Sept. 22 trial date for Julius Henson, 62, and Paul Schurick, 55.
The duo was charged with three counts of conspiracy to violate state election laws, one count of attempting to influence a voter’s decision on whether to go to the polls through the use of fraud, and one count of failing to provide an authority line on distributed campaign material. In addition, Schurick is facing an obstruction of justice charge for withholding documentation sought through a grand jury subpoena.
Ehrlich’s campaign initially denied placing the calls to more than 110,000 Democratic voters in Baltimore and Prince George’s County before Henson said he was responsible — and that the former governor had no knowledge of the calls.
The calls told voters to stay home on Election Day because O’Malley already had secured enough support to win.
Henson was hired by the former governor as a political consultant, and Schurick was Ehrlich’s de-facto campaign manager.
