A local political newcomer is asking government watchdog Common Cause to investigate an out-of-state developer?s campaign contributions to his opponent, fearing they might have been bribes to smooth the development approval process.
Catonsville resident George Kapusinski said he questions why Baltimore County Council Member Sam Moxley, D-District 1, accepted campaign contributions from a St. Louis, Mo.-based developer building a Walgreens in his district. The county approved plans proposed by Pace Properties and all its variance requests in June 2005.
Pace has donated $2,000 and $1,500 to Moxley?s and County Executive Jim Smith?s campaign funds respectively since April 2003, according to state records. Pace president David LaPee, who attended hearings before the county?s zoning commissioner on variance requests, gave $500 to Moxley and $1,000 to Smith campaigns in 2002.
“I’m not accusing them, but I just have questions about it,” said Kapusinski, a Republican. “This appears very fishy. Why are St. Louis developers giving money to a local Baltimore County councilman?”
Moxley said Kapusinski should address his questions with him personally, and he defended the Walgreens project on a site with several vacant buildings. Moxley said he welcomes a Common Cause inquiry.
“I want to campaign on the issues, and I don?t see a need to try to get into this,” Moxley said. “If I have a question, I would go to the person who has the answers instead of going to a third party.”
The county?s zoning commissioner approved Pace?s requests for more signs than typically allowed, saying the total sign space LaPee requested was less than his entitlement.
Kapusinski?s concerns are the reason Common Cause has advocated for recusal, said the group?s Maryland Director Bobbi Walton, something current state laws don?t require.
“The ethical thing for a lawmaker to do is to step away from making those kinds of decisions for people to whom they are beholden,” Walton said.
The organization is analyzing donations to Moxley and other Baltimore County officials from Owings Mills-based developer David S. Brown Enterprises and its subsidiaries, Walton said. The firm?s attorney has denied violating any state campaign finance laws.
That firm has donated $6,200 to Moxley?s campaign since October 2002, according to state records.
