Andy Harris’ top staffer keeps her job
Last week it looked like Republican Sen. Andrew P. Harris would have to find a new chief of staff. Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller had issued an ultimatum: Either get rid of Kathy Szeliga or tell her to stop running for office.
The Democratic senate president pointed out that Szeliga had a campaign website and was raising money – those activities, he said, put her in conflict with a rule that says no candidates for office can work for the General Assembly.
Harris, who is running for Congress and was asking uncomfortable questions on the Senate floor about lawmaker pensions, called the threat “Chicago-style” politics. Miller denied there was any connection between the two events.
Not so, said Szeliga. She pointed out that she has not yet filed for office. The employee guidelines say staffers must bow out only after filing for candidacy. And her lawyer, Dirk Haire, agreed.
Szeliga wrote a letter to Harris this week saying she will continue to work in Harris’ Senate office until she files her certificate of candidacy after session ends in April. At that point she’ll resign. Miller was copied on the correspondence.
However, concessions were made. She’s taking down the bulk of her campaign website, she’s not going to accept any money from lobbyists or political action committees and, aside from a fundraiser set for next week (featuring former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.), she said she won’t actively campaign.
Comments
the concessions sound fair, although they weren't legally need.
Posted by: NotableM | February 26, 2010 9:00 PM
I'm stunned this is allowed. There must be something else we do not know about.What really makes me sick is that Gardinia punk in Baltimore County. First he breaks the county charter to work for the state. He didn't know anything so Ehrlich appointed someone with 27+ years experience. Gardinia sues, wins, gets the loot AND HE GETS AWAY WITH VIOLATING THE CHARTER! Now he beats up a kid while violating the county charter - again - but you know he'll get his full pension.Gardinia - Perry Hall's criminal.
Posted by: Kev | February 26, 2010 10:36 PM
The Totalitarian wins again. She wasn't violating the law or the Senate rules. Miller's spent his career screwing up the State, so I guess trying to screw up someone's career just comes naturally.
Posted by: trebort49 | February 27, 2010 10:20 AM
She should cancel the fundraiser as well. And return Money donated during session.
Taking advantage of an ethics law loophole, is hardly better than outright breakibng the rule.
A Legislative aide has an enormous amount of control over who gets to see the Senator she works for. Having that kind of power during a time you are fundraising is why the rule was created.
Doing something wrong and claiming rightly (or as in this case wrongly) that the person pointing it out is doing so for bad reasons does not make your actions right.
Especially when the inquiry started befoore the the alleged reason.
Posted by: Vex Machine | March 1, 2010 10:04 AM
Ms. Szeliga can still receive donations from individuals wishing to contribute to her campaign throughout the session. Her website is still up as of this writing and has a contribution button
Shameful.
Posted by: Vex Machine | March 1, 2010 10:08 AM
On the other hand Sen. Miller can use the power of his office to campaign and extort donations 24/7/365. Sounds like an incumbent protection law to me.
Posted by: Observant citize | March 4, 2010 5:48 PM
not so observant...miller is forbidden from taking donations during the session by law.
Posted by: skip | March 5, 2010 1:32 PM
What is shameful is Mike Miller's son getting a judgeship thanks to his last name.
Where is the investigation on this one?
Posted by: jay | March 8, 2010 5:00 PM
This is a disgrace. Andy Harris and Kathy Szilega are making a mockery of the law. She has neglected to file officially, she has not neglected to run for office. They are getting a pass for evading the rules. If she is holding events, publishing a website and solicting donations she has done everything except file a candidacy statement. What bogus B. S. is this?!?
Once again Andy evades the real issue and hides behind a little technicality. DISGRACEFUL.
And he wants to be a US House of Representatives?
Posted by: matteasternshore | March 10, 2010 2:22 PM