Maryland Republicans questioned the State Board of Election?s impartiality this week amid alleged holes in a Democratic state delegate?s campaign finance reports.
In February, J. Michael Collins, a Republican candidate for Baltimore County Clerk of the Courts, asked the board to look into Del. Bobby Zirkin?s campaign finance reports, which suggest Zirkin maynot have reported $28,000 of in-kind donations he received from a local development company.
In a letter to Jared DeMarinis, the board?s director of campaign finances, Collins pointed out the absence of rental payments for an Owings Mills office suite Zirkin used for his campaign.
DeMarinis said he asked Zirkin?s campaign treasurer for a letter of explanation. The letter, obtained by The Examiner, says Zirkin paid a lump sum of $5,000 that covered rent from the time of acquisition in 2005.
But the letter doesn?t say how many months the campaign rented the office, nor what it typically rents for. And DeMarinis didn?t ask, Collins said.
“This is a serious complaint,” Collins said. “We?re not talking about nickels and dimes. You can?t just call up a candidate that?s $28,000 short and say, ?Send me a letter.? ”
According to real estate listings, the office is priced now for more than $3,000 a month and a Zirkin volunteer said the campaign occupied the suite for 11 months.
DeMarinis acknowledged he did not ask for a copy of the check. He said he did not know the value of the apartment, nor how long Zirkin?s campaign occupied the suite. He said the board has no investigative unit and most complaints are forwarded to the state prosecutor?s office.
“I try to find out as much as possible and if I can contact people and get more information, I will,” he said. “In this case, we resolved it in that manner. From the reports filed and the letter of explanation, we were satisfied.”
GOP spokeswoman Audra Miller said the Collins? complaint is one of several against the board?s impartiality.
“These are questionable actions,” Miller said. “We would hope they would continue their mission of nonpartisanship.”
