O'Malley offers praise for Jessamy, stops short of explicit endorsement
During an appearance in West Baltimore to announce $7 million in public safety funding grants, Gov. Martin O'Malley was asked whether he would be endorsing anyone in the upcoming state's attorney's race.
He stopped short of endorsing her, but offered what sounded like high praise for incumbent Patricia Jessamy, saying their "partnership has never been stronger," that they talk every day, and that her "leadership and performance" has been a big part of crime declines in Baltimore. Specifically pressed if he would endorse her, he replied: "I anticipate - yeah, stayed tuned." Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown also appeared at her birthday fundraiser over the weekend, according to reports.
That's particular notable, as friction between O'Malley and Jessamy is well-documented, and in one his last acts as mayor he increased her salary dramatically - 60 percent, or $83,000, to $225,000 - in what many believed was an attempt to make the position more attractive to potential challengers. When defense attorney Gregg Bernstein announced he would challenge Jessamy in the Democratic primary, Jessamy even accused of O'Malley of putting Bernstein up to it.
I've sought clarity this morning from O'Malley's campaign spokesman, through text, email and phone calls, and haven't heard back. I will update this post when I do.
Rick Abruzzese, O'Malley's campaign spokesman said in an email: "I think the Governor’s words speak for themselves. And the important thing is that the two of them are working well together and achieving results."
Here's a transcript of O'Malley's remarks, which came right after he said "yes" when asked if Judge John Addison Howard had "dropped the ball" in his handling of suspect John Alexander Wagner:
The Sun: Will you be endorsing anyone in the city state's attorney's race:
O'Malley: We've done a lot of positive things together. I know you all focus on the one case where we disagreed 10 or 11 years ago. but the fact of the matter is, the partnerships between the state and the state’s attorneys office have never been stronger. I have endorsed every Democrat in our state who has endorsed me. That's been our policy, and there’s been a lot of progress made in the city of Baltimore in the last 10 years. Notwithstanding some occasional disagreements, the fact of the matter is Baltimore has achieved the third largest reduction of violent crime of any major city in America. That headline has never made a headline, but its a fact. And the partnerships with the state’s attorney, the higher level of functioning especially with the war room, and the cooperation and collaboration with the Violence Prevention Initiative, you know, underscores all of those things.
We continue to talk, and I believe the state's attorney's office led by Mrs. Jessamy has had a significant part in saving lives over these past years. It would fly in the face of the facts to say it hasn't.
The Sun: So are you endorsing Jessamy?
O'Malley: I anticipate - yeah, stay tuned. I mean, we talk every day. Partnerships between the state and the state's attorney's office have never been stronger, positive things on the war room, violence prevention initiative. This isn’t a campaign announcement today, but i believe her leadership and the performance of that office has been a part of why Baltimore has been able to achieve historic reductions in violent crime these last three years. We need to strengthen those partnerships, we need to strengthen the connection between the information we have and the information we're able to provide police to solve crimes. It all comes down to improving clearance rates and doing a much better job every day protecting the public. That's the mission we've all been engaged in, including Mrs. Jessamy over these last few years.
Categories: City Hall, Courts and the justice system, State's Attorney Campaign, West Baltimore
Comments
"I have endorsed every Democrat in our state who has endorsed me. That's been our policy..."
So, it's clear it's just political back scratching with O'Malley.
Posted by: Nate | July 29, 2010 3:14 PM
Extraordinary. This says so much about the power Jessamy has and O'Malley's fundamental weakness. O'Malley has always felt obligated to the city's black leadership for allowing him to win in 1999 and this is one of the many paybacks that he sends their way. Makes me wonder if I shouldn't pull the lever for Ehrlich.
Posted by: Ron | July 29, 2010 3:16 PM
She clearly has dirt on him he doesn't want coming out during the Gov. race.
Posted by: double b | July 29, 2010 3:18 PM
Endorse Jessamy? Are you kidding me? That kind of poor judgment would make me take a second look at Ehrlich.
Scenario: O'Malley endorses Jessamy. Ehrlich releases a plan for how he'll pay for rolling back the $.01 sales tax without cuting benefits. Ehrlich tells the racists in his camp to take a hike. IPFrehley votes for Ehrlich.
Posted by: IPFrehley | July 29, 2010 3:26 PM
She has to have something on him, he has nothing to gain by endorsing her.
Posted by: double b | July 29, 2010 5:07 PM
Vote out both of these losers. She let's malefactors out jail to practice their trade. And Martin O'Moron wants to do away with the death penalty.
They will never get my vote!
Posted by: MyXxcellency | July 29, 2010 5:21 PM
O'Malley is a liar and a hypocrite -'historic reductions in violent crime,' unbelievable. I guess he's just speaking to his constituency. They'll believe any lie he comes out with. How can so many people be so stupid!
Posted by: PeterA | July 29, 2010 9:09 PM
im voting for erhlich,omalley is a phoney and will do and give anything to stay in power.he has got steffi under his spell,and he is friends with thios sorry commissioner
Bealefeld may say nice things when they're on camera and at events together, but he hasn't forgotten that O'Malley aggressively supported ex-DC chief Charles Ramsey for the position. -JF
Posted by: Edward | July 30, 2010 4:32 AM
So does this go back to the $83,000.00 raise that he gave her just before he left office? Or the fact that if this woman loses that he fears that he will lose her constituency? What a WEAK WEAK man. I promise you this as a city resident: He will lose my vote if he utters her name. But then again, I am nothing more than a stupid Hispanic woman that cares about one case in the 30 years that I have lived here and all he cares about are black women.
Posted by: Dirt | July 30, 2010 7:49 AM
Everyone seeems to forget that Bob Ehrlich played nice with Pat Jessamy too when he was governor. She made an appearance with Ehrlich in 2006 that was not officially called a campaign event but was considered to be one for all intents and purposes.
I'm not excusing what Martin O'Malley did, but don't think for one minute that Ehrlich wouldn't have done the same thing if he was still governor. Ehrlich will gladly accept the support of ethically challenged Democratic politicians (Marvin Mandel, Wayne Curry, and C4) if he thinks it can win him some votes in the end.
Posted by: Patterson Park Resident | July 30, 2010 9:41 AM
When will O'Malley and his clones begin to realize that their personal political ambitions should not be their primary motives for why they are in office?
Posted by: ColeHunter | August 1, 2010 9:53 AM
There is no decline in crimes in Baltimore City. Innocent people are being killed senseless and of course the police have no suspects in most cases.Baltimore need to bring some new names and faces to run for the state's attorney office. Too many career criminals, killers, rapist, etc. are being set free.
Posted by: Maritza | August 2, 2010 11:55 AM
It's quite a mystery of how the city records and justifies their crime statistics. Imagine all of the crimes, including murders, that go unreported in this city. I believe that many of the city police officers and detectives are overwhelmed and/or feel unappreciated by this administration and those that preceeded this current one. I submit that the city target and canvass the most problematic crime ridden neighborhoods and have an intense police presence in these areas 24/7. Violent crime is a reality of this city and no one should have to apologize for such - it's Baltimore's reality. Sad, yet true....it's time to show action and I say take action with intense police presence in targetted city communities.
Posted by: ColeHunter | August 2, 2010 7:33 PM