Incumbent State Sen. Sandra Schrader challenged her Democratic opponent on his claim that he didn?t know about a mailing that she says inaccurately attacked her position on birth control.
“Shame on him for not knowing what was going out against his opponent,” said Schrader, R-District 13, referring to Howard County Executive James Robey.
“You know when you join [a slate, or list of candidates of the same political party running for various offices], that?s part of the deal.”
The mailings featured pictures of birth-control pill packs and said Schrader voted to ban access to birth control.
They were authorized by the Maryland Democratic Senatorial Committee, part of the Maryland Democratic Party.
Robey said he didn?t know about the mailings.
He also was quoted as saying he didn?t know who the committee is, but later said he was consumed with another event at the time and didn?t realize the committee was one with which he was connected.
“I did not connect that name with the group I slated my campaign with earlier in the year to help pay for campaign expenses,” he said in a statement.
The state Board of Elections acknowledged in an Oct. 12 letter that Robey was affiliated with the Maryland Democratic Senatorial Committee Slate.
At a news conference Wednesday, Schrader pointed to these documents as proof of Robey?s connection to the committee ? and therefore the mailings.
Robey said he met with the committee chairman to discuss “this race broadly,” but “I am not aware of who makes the strategic decisions for the committee, including what or when to send information through the mail.”
Despite the authorization by the committee, Schrader held her opponent responsible, calling it “one of the worst political smears in Howard County history.”
“Last week Jim Robey lied about my record,” she said.
“This week, he?s lying about his involvement.”
Robey and Maryland Democratic Party Executive Director Derek Walker stand by the accuracy of the mailings.
