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February 12, 2009

Leopold 911 call: What's the fallout?

It's pretty clear that John Leopold and the Anne Arundel County Police Department have no interest in divulging furhter details of the bizarre incident in which an officer responding to a 911 call from a person complaining of possible sexual activity in a car in the Annapolis mall parking lot found said car to be occupied by the county executive himself. The Sun's Julie Scharper reports this morning that Leopold isn't talking beyond a one-paragraph statement saying the police found nothing improper, and the police aren't saying whether Leopold was alone or what he and the officer said to each other.

So now what? Will that be the end of it, or will Leopold face pressure to say more? What we may actually get answers about in the next few days could be how strong a challenge Leopold can expect to face in the 2010 election. He faced strong opponents in both the primary and general elections in 2006, and it would certainly help a challenger this time if Leopold were weakened by some sort of scandal. So far, the Arundel political establishment is snickering about this behind their sleeves. If you see a politician making a stink about this, perhaps arguing that the public deserves more answers, take that as a sign that somebody's got ~~the state's only Republican county executive~~ (apologies to David Craig; it was early when I wrote this) one of the state's most prominent Republican elected officials in his or her sights for 2010.

Posted by Andy Green at 7:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)

Comments

"the state's only Republican county executive"

So, what party is Harford County Executive David Craig now?

Until anything substantial is leaked, this seems like a non-story. Weird, but a non-story.

Posted by: Dave | February 12, 2009 8:00 AM

I've listened to the audio, and it took the responding police officer a relatively long time to identify Leopold's car. The time lapse would have given him and his partner enough time to put their clothes back on, and for his partner to leave. Did the police trace the licence plates of the SUV? I hope the press does not drop this story.

Posted by: Mary | February 12, 2009 8:02 AM

Note to self: Next time I see a politician I don't like in his/her car in a parking lot, make a crank 911 call accusing them of imporpriety.

Posted by: bryanintimonium | February 12, 2009 8:24 AM

Maybe the 911 caller was a leftist and hated his Republican Executive?

Posted by: AnotherWatcher | February 12, 2009 9:09 AM

Well, listen to the audio. I am sure a quick tap of the siren woudl alert someone to the police presence. And then the cop had a tough time "finding" the car after he already identified it as the County Executives.

There is some cover up and Leopold just needs to do a Phelps and come clean and let the cards fall where they may.

Voters are tired of the bullcrap. They react much more favorably to a pol that can admit his shortcomings. One that tries to hide and muscle his way out will be a one termer!

Posted by: John F | February 12, 2009 10:54 AM

Ok There are naked 50+ people in a car at a well lit shopping mall?

Did anyone consider it would take for
middle age person to get dress and undressed in the back seat of a car.
Its could easily take a little longer than 7 minutes.

Good Grief

Posted by: Joe | February 12, 2009 12:55 PM

The county exec should be commended for interviewing county job applicants on his own time.
The county should buy him a windowless van.

Posted by: Richard L. Howard | February 12, 2009 5:05 PM

Leopold will likely find pressure within his own party. 4 of the 7 Anne Arundel Councilpersons are Republican. It just so happens that all 4 of them are forbidden by term limits from running for their current seat again. Leopold's botched PR attempt opens the door for one or more of these 4 to enter the primary against him.

Posted by: Bud | February 12, 2009 5:19 PM

AnotherWatcher,

Leopold is hardly right-leaning. His 2006 Democratic opponent, George Johnson, was considered to be the more conservative of the two candidates.

Thanks for playing.

Posted by: MCG | February 13, 2009 1:37 PM

MCG,

I sure wish I had known that when I voted. What specifically made Johnson the more conservative candidate?

I don't doubt that Leopold is relatively moderate, but if Johnson did or said anything to indicate he was more conservative, I sure don't remember it. Come to think, I don't remember Johnson saying or doing much of anything. Maybe that's why he lost.

Posted by: Brandon | February 13, 2009 9:29 PM

You know, I would like to see Devin Tucker, a young, smart, African-American male, who ran for council in 2006 jump into the race. He's a Democrat but the guy was probably the smartest candidate in local politics in 2006 who didn't win. He's one to keep an eye on. Oh, and yes, the Leopold call was very strange indeed.

Posted by: Kathy | February 16, 2009 2:59 PM

Do you mean the same Devin Tucker who garnered 15% of the vote in his 2006 primary?

Posted by: aawatchdawg | February 18, 2009 12:35 AM

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About the bloggers

Annie Linskey covers the statehouse for The Baltimore Sun. Previously, as a City Hall reporter, she covered the corruption trial of Mayor Sheila Dixon and kept a close eye on city spending. Her reporting on the city’s economic development arm led to the termination of multiple improperly bid seven-figure public works contracts and her coverage of the death of a fire department cadet resulted in overhaul of that agency’s top brass. Before that, as a crime reporter, she interviewed Bloods gang members and the police detectives who pursue them.
Originally from Connecticut, Annie has lived and reported on war crimes tribunals and landmines from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. She lives in Baltimore.

Paul West covers Washington for The Baltimore Sun, continuing a tradition that began the month the paper was born, in 1837. He hasn't been in the DC bureau that long--only since Ronald Reagan was president. He's covered Congress, the White House and presidential campaigns as the paper's national political correspondent and Washington bureau chief. He's on the lookout for news of significance to Sun readers at the other end of the B/W Parkway. That includes the activities of the state's congressional delegation and anything else that might shed some light on the inner workings of the nation's capital.

Julie Bykowicz's first days as a political reporter, in January 2009, coincided with Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon's indictment and the start of the Maryland General Assembly's 426th legislative session. She focuses on coverage of state agencies, such as social services, juvenile justice and prisons. During the session, she wrote about the death penalty, slots parlors and speed cameras, among other hot topics. Julie began political reporting after more than seven years on The Baltimore Sun's crime desk. She lives in Baltimore and works primarily in Annapolis.

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