Jessamy: O'Malley recruiting challenger against me
Over at The Baltimore Sun's Crime Beat blog, colleague Justin Fenton reports that Baltimore State's Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy may have a challenger in the fall election.
Word is that former assistant U.S. attorney Gregg Bernstein is testing the waters, and Adam Meister at Examiner.com blogged that a reader had received a phone call from a pollster asking questions about a possible Bernstein candidacy. Bernstein may be best known for successfully defending state Sen. Larry Young against bribery and extortion charges.
Fenton continues:
But he is also the husband of Sheryl Goldstein, the director of the Mayor's Office on Criminal Justice, which is essentially the mayor's crime czar. In that role, Goldstein works closely with the police department and other law enforcement agencies, and is an integral part of programs such as GunStat and issues dealing with juvenile justice. Obviously, she has a lot of insight into the innerworkings of the criminal justice system, and that would include the state's attorney's office.Goldstein was brought in during the Dixon administration and is a close ally of Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III, and may have to step down or take a leave of absence if her husband's candidacy comes together.
Goldstein declined comment, and Bernstein could not immediately be reached. Jessamy, for her part, said she believes Gov. Martin O'Malley "recruited" Bernstein and said she confronted O'Malley with the claim at an event over the weekend.
"I've heard from a lot of different sources that he's been recruiting. I told him, 'I'm ready for it,'" she said. "I think I have an outstanding record; I'm going to run on my record. I don't know what [Bernstein] is running on, but my record, it's a good one."
Rick Abbruzzese, a spokesman for O’Malley’s campaign, confirmed that Jessamy approached O’Malley at an event for the Associated Black Charities, but said it’s “simply not true” that O’Malley is behind a potential Bernstein candidacy.
Comments
What does it matter who "recruited" Bernstein. The citizens of Baltimore have been dying (unfortunately, literally) for a viable candidate to replace this useless delusion woman.
Posted by: City Redux | June 18, 2010 6:44 PM
Jessamy is paranoid. Bernstein gave Jessamy money in 2006. He liked her then, because her job performance was so awesome in 2006 compared to now?
Only one thing has changed about Jessamy since 2006. Her salary has increased. Smells like money is the motivator here, not the Governor.
Posted by: Cantonian | June 19, 2010 12:29 PM
Ms Jessamy, nice lady, needs to retire
gracefully. The reality is that our city needs
tougher justice initiated from the States
Attorney's office.
I am ready to vote for anyone who challenges the status qou. Yes, Jessamy
needs to go.
Posted by: Tired of it All | June 21, 2010 1:22 AM
Yes, I think its time for a change in the
States Attorney's Office. None of these
elected offices should be careers for
life.
With the crime surge our city has faced
for years, citizens cannot afford to not
shake things up a little, if not a lot.
Nice lady, Jessamy, however, we don't
have nice criminals. Short of the national
guard being deployed, we need to see
a radical change in our State's Attorney
office.
Hand gun crimes, repeat offenders and
the simply incorrigible need something
different to contend with from this office.
Yes, without question, Jessamy needs
to thank O/Mallely for the pay raise, retire
with dignity and let some one else take
a look at shaking things up.
Bmorans are tired of the okey doke. By the way, the killers of the census worker
should be charged with first degree murder.
Posted by: motivated | June 21, 2010 3:25 AM
One of O'Malley's last acts as mayor was to increase Jessamy's salary. Nobody was fooled into thinking it was a reward for good service - it was clearly a way to attract higher talent to challenge her in the next election. She was nothing but a thorn in O'Malley's side during his years in Baltimore.
Pat, if you're so upset with O'Malley, how about coming out and endorsing Ehrlich? Get your supporters to vote for him next time.
Posted by: ByeByePat | June 21, 2010 1:02 PM
O'Malley gave her the raise to keep her out of the mayor's race against Dixon. Learn your history.
Posted by: Cantonian | June 22, 2010 9:35 AM