Metro

MARYLAND

Newspaper Criticized in Steffen Case

A spokesman for an Internet site said yesterday that a Washington Post reporter may have violated a federal privacy law and the newspaper's ethical code when he used an unidentified person's account to view private conversations that linked a former aide to Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich's administration to a whisper campaign about a political rival.

"How in good faith could The Washington Post access a private Internet account without the express permission of the account holder?" Kristinn Taylor, a spokesman for the conservative FreeRepublic.com, asked in a morning news conference in front of The Post's offices in Northwest Washington.

In response, R.B. Brenner, The Post's Maryland editor, said: "As part of our reporting, we needed to verify that the chat room postings were authentic. We were authorized to view them, and it was appropriate to do so under the circumstances."

The claims relate to a series of Internet chats in October and November 2004 between Joseph Steffen, then an aide to the governor, and a person using the screen name MD4BUSH. In those postings, MD4BUSH coaxed Steffen into revealing his role in spreading rumors about Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, now a Democratic candidate for governor.

To verify that printouts of the postings he had been given were not fake, Post reporter Matthew Mosk logged onto the site a couple of months later using a password provided by an intermediary who was acting on behalf of MD4BUSH, Brenner said. He said Mosk read the messages and did not post anything on the Web site.

Duncan Drafts Plan on Heating Assistance

Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan (D) has proposed a plan to help more low-income residents pay for rising home-heating costs by doubling the county's energy tax rebate program and expanding Montgomery's Earned Income Tax Credit program.

The plan would double the tax rebate for low-income residents, currently $40, and provide for an additional $50 credit under the EITC. Duncan is asking the County Council to approve $1.3 million in supplemental funding to finance the program. He has also asked the state of Maryland for additional money.

Silver Spring Woman Reported Missing

Montgomery County police are asking for help in finding a missing Silver Spring woman.

Marlena Ardell Worthy,31, was last seen in the Rockville area Oct. 28. Her family, of the 10300 block of Nolcrest Drive, said she may not be taking needed medication. She was described as black, 5 feet 2 and 180 pounds. She was wearing a denim cap with a brown band and a denim, waist-length jacket. Police asked anyone with information to call 301-279-8000.

House Fire Takes Life of Man, 76

A 76-year-old man died yesterday in a fire at a house in the Hillcrest Heights-Temple Hills area of Prince George's County, authorities said. The fire started about 9 p.m. in the 3500 block of 23rd Parkway.