Two female employees of the Howard County Board of Elections obtained extended restraining orders against an Ellicott City attorney Tuesday, saying the man cursed at one worker multiple times last month and threatened to fight her at the office.
District Court Judge JoAnn Ellinghaus-Jones on Tuesday extended to Jan. 11 a restraining order against William Morstein, the husband of Board of Election Member Brenda Morstein.
He is forbidden from entering the work space or having any contact with employees Kimberly Phillips and Gwendolyn Hart, the judge ruled.
He may, however, enter the part of the building accessible to residents.
William Morstein did not attend the hearing and his wife, Brenda, had no comment.
At the hearing, Phillips told the judge of how William Morstein repeatedly cursed at her June 26.
“He then charged up to me and got nose-to-nose with me,” she said.
Morstein then told her he wanted to “take it outside” with her, she said.
“Everybody knows you don?t ?take it outside? to conversate,” she said.
Morstein also came into the Board of Elections office June 16 and began a “loud tirade” about being reprimanded for “messing with receptionist desk equipment,” according to the complaints filed by the two elections board workers in court.
In a previous interview, Brenda Morstein said the complaints stem from the bitterness of officials at the elections board, who are angry because she and her husband questioned the board?s spending habits in paying an attorney and the selection process through which they hired counsel.
She said Board of Election officials didn?t properly advertise for an attorney and paid him too much.
Based on Brenda Morstein?s complaints, the board has re-advertised for the position and will conduct interviews next week.
