Ron Paul Takes the Ribbon in State Fair's GOP Straw Poll

The legislation, sponsored by Democratic Sens. Barack Obama (Ill.) and Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.), makes it a federal crime to distribute campaign literature that makes false claims about endorsements. Prison sentences for those convicted of intimidating voters at the polls also would stiffen.

At a hearing on the bill in June, Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.), who beat Steele in November, denounced the misleading fliers, which were distributed heavily in Prince George's County. Maryland Republicans defended the episode at the time as an accepted part of Election Day politics.

-- Lisa Rein

After Complaints, Verizon Hands Over Data on Telephone Repairs

Verizon officials delivered a trove of data to the Public Service Commission late Friday that could help explain why increasing numbers of customers are waiting for what critics say are excessive periods of time for telephone repairs.

Maryland's dominant telephone provider has been in the hot seat with state regulators all summer. The commission has received hundreds of complaints this year from customers who waited days and even weeks for routine repairs. After a tension-filled hearing last month, Verizon provided its own road map for improving service, mostly by beefing up its crew of technicians.

But the plan has not satisfied the commission, which pressed for more data than it was getting on the extent of the delays and missed appointments and whether the company's installation of high-tech fiber-optic wire is diverting resources at the expense of traditional phone service.

Commission spokeswoman LaWanda Edwards said Friday that Verizon could still face civil penalties if regulators find the company in violation of state regulations governing service reliability.

"We don't want to tell a company how to run a business," Edwards said. "But if we find they're absolutely unwilling to change their practices to help consumers, that's a real issue."

She said the commission also could decide to make public some data on service problems that Verizon maintains is proprietary.

"We certainly recognize the need and are taking steps to communicate better with our customers whose voice service is affected," Verizon spokeswoman Sandy Arnette said in a statement.