The controversy over Senate candidate Ben Cardin?s fired staff member who made racial and anti-Semitic remarks in a blog is being kept alive by bloggers, talk radio and by Lt. Gov. Michael Steele?s campaign, which is suggesting Cardin ought to apologize to Steele directly.
The staffer, who has been identified as Ursula Gruber, was hired in early August and began posting on a blog under the name of “Persuasionatrix.”
Over the next month, she commented on her personal life and the campaign, and made reference to ?Oreo? cookies in a campaigncloset, in an oblique reference to Steele, and also asks, “Why am I a sex object for old, Jewish men?”
The woman, who Cardin said was a junior staffer, was fired on Friday after her blogs? entries were brought to light by politics.WizBangBlog.com. Steele campaign manager Michael Leavitt questions whether the woman was indeed a member of “senior staff,” as she says on her blog. He also asks if Cardin will investigate “the alleged sexual harassment” and “make any sort of direct apology” to Steele.
In an appearance on WBAL radio Monday, Cardin continued to insist that the incident was “horrible” and “it has no place in our campaign.”
“Her comments were terribly offensive to a large group of people,” Cardin said. “I don?t think it was a designed plan.”
“Michael Steele and I agree,” he said. “We don?t think racial politics have a role in this campaign.” He said he had not talked to Steele, but he had “reached out” to a number of people who were offended by the blog.
The Democratic Party in turn is attacking Steele?s latest TV ad, in which he proposes “a ban on all gifts from lobbyists to congressmen,” saying Steele has collected more than $140,000 from 139 lobbyists.
In March, the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call talked about the formation of a group of Washington lobbyists called “Team Steele,” which was raising money for the Steele campaign.
In Steele?s ad, the candidate says, “Soon your TV will be jammed with negative ads from the Washington crowd. Grainy pictures and spooky music saying, ?Steele hates puppies.? For the record, I love puppies.” Steele is shown holding a puppy in his hand.
Republican Party spokeswoman Audra Miller said, “The Maryland Democratic Party is working overtime to divert attention from the dirty racial politics they are playing.”
