Steele Might Sue Over Report

By John Wagner and Ann E. Marimow
Thursday, March 23, 2006

An attorney for Michael S. Steele said yesterday that the lieutenant governor and Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate might file a lawsuit to learn more about an episode in which a Democratic researcher accessed his credit report.

Lauren B. Weiner , a former staff member at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, has been charged by federal prosecutors with obtaining Steele's report without authorization and is scheduled to appear in court tomorrow.

During a conference call with reporters, E. Mark Braden , an attorney for Steele, said the lieutenant governor might sue Weiner and the Democratic committee if several questions about the episode are not answered in the court proceedings, in which Weiner is expected to accept a plea arrangement that could result in charges being dropped in a year.

The episode took place in July as both parties started to dig into the backgrounds of candidates in this year's marquee races. Committee officials have said Steele's credit report was immediately destroyed after Weiner obtained it and was not disseminated. Weiner and the committee's research director resigned.

In a letter to prosecutors released yesterday, Braden, a former counsel to the Republican National Committee, said several questions remain unanswered, including whether the Democratic committee still has information in the report.

"Lt. Gov. Steele and his family are entitled to a full and complete factual explanation of the circumstances surrounding this criminal activity at the DSCC and the role of more senior individuals at the DSCC," the letter says.

Phil Singer , a spokesman for the Democratic committee, said he considers the matter closed. "As has been said repeatedly, the DSCC has never been implicated in any wrongdoing in this incident," Singer said.

House Budget Advances

With little debate, the House gave preliminary approval yesterday to a $29 billion spending plan that freezes tuition for undergraduates at the state's public universities.

Legislative budget writers intend to work out minor differences this weekend between the House-backed budget and the plan approved last week in the Senate before sending the final product to Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R).

House lawmakers trimmed money for stem cell research by $5 million, delayed raises for prison guards until next month and made funding for a new voting system contingent on final passage of legislation to lease such machines for this year's primaries and general election.

Some of the most lively discussion yesterday came during debate over the proposed move to Prince George's County of 110 employees from the Maryland Department of Planning.

Del. Peter Franchot (D-Montgomery) said the idea to shift Planning Department workers from Baltimore to Prince George's "ironically did not have a lot of planning behind it" and suggested more study before spending nearly $3 million.

After an initial voice vote in support of his amendment, the county's delegation stood in protest on the floor to request a roll call vote. Even so, the measure to delete the funding passed 102 to 28.

A disappointed Del. Melony G. Griffith (D-Prince George's) said, "This presented an opportunity for us to share in some of the economic benefits of having a state agency in your county and access to department leaders."

Offender Bill Clears Panel

A measure aimed at enhancing restrictions on sex offenders passed a House of Delegates committee yesterday.

The bill was stitched together from several proposals offered this session, including those from Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr . (R), Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley (D) and Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Jr . (D).

Under the terms of the bill, those listed on the state's public sex offender registry would remain there for a minimum of 20 years instead of 10, would have to re-register every three months, submit a fresh photo every year and submit DNA. Those convicted of sex offenses in the future would face a more rigorous review upon release provision.

"We've come up with some reasonable enhancements," said Del. Carol S. Petzold (D-Montgomery), who chaired a work group that produced the version the committee will send to the floor.

The lawmakers left to a judge's discretion other restrictions, such as monitoring offenders with electronic bracelets or banning offenders from schools.

A similar Senate bill was discussed in committee yesterday but did not go to a vote.

Staff writer Matthew Mosk contributed to this report.