O'Malley rumor controversy

Steffen role is focus of hearing

Joseph F. Steffen Jr., discounted by the Ehrlich administration as a rogue employee who operated on his own to target workers for firing, was assigned to a large state agency by the governor's chief of staff and reported to him directly, state Human Resources Secretary Christopher J. McCabe testified yesterday.

Democrats, Post named in Steffen Web scandal

On the eve of a meeting of a special committee investigating Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s personnel practices, the state Senate minority leader said yesterday that a former Maryland Democratic Party operative may be the elusive MD4BUSH, and may have colluded with a journalist to post Internet messages to help the governor's political rivals.

Democrats want to hear from Steffen

Democratic lawmakers reviewing Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s personnel practices said yesterday that they want to hear more from Joseph F. Steffen Jr., the former Ehrlich aide who said last weekend he was instructed by top administration officials to target low-level state employees for firing.

Steffen defends role in targeting state workers

Joseph F. Steffen Jr., the aide to Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. who was banished after discussing rumors about Mayor Martin O'Malley on the Internet, said he was sent into state agencies to identify employees who should be fired not because of their party affiliation but because they were not performing up to par.

Mayor's sister-in-law never targeted, says state official

A high-ranking state official said yesterday that Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley's sister-in-law was never targeted for dismissal, despite e-mails from an ousted aide of Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. questioning her position.

Analysis combs contents of Steffen's state computers

The state computers assigned to gubernatorial aide Joseph F. Steffen Jr., fired for spreading Internet rumors about Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, contained 3,690 references to "Martin," 2,005 mentions of "affair," and 3,011 hits for the term "freerepublic," the name of the conservative Web site where Steffen posted messages, according to an analysis released yesterday.

O'Malley claims Ehrlich smear tactics

In some of his harshest language yet, Mayor Martin O'Malley charged Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. with orchestrating a taxpayer-financed smear campaign against him and demanded the governor cease his "cowardly abuse of power."

Analysis

O'Malley rumor has become weapon in governor's race

It started as a rumor, but the tale of Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley's supposed marital infidelity, unproven and denied by the mayor, has become much more.

Michael Olesker: Md. politics: 'Abuse of power' meets 'whining'

There they were, on stage yesterday at that gentle springtime ritual called the Flower Mart, gritting their teeth for the assembled crowd and pretending they feel a rose petal's ounce of civility for each other: the mayor of Baltimore, Martin O'Malley, and the first lady of Maryland, Kendel Ehrlich, separated only by that thin layer of human diplomacy and tact named William Donald Schaefer. Schaefer, wearing a battered railroad engineer's cap and sticking his tongue out for the cameras, is now the calm one out there. Oh, Lord.

Full text of O'Malley's comments

There's a big difference between public wonderings about a young couple thrust into the spotlight of being the city's first family, and a premeditated, orchestrated and relentless campaign run by dirty trick operatives close to the governor funded on state taxpayer dollars. What do I mean by that?

Ehrlich wants to determine if rivals exposed former aide

Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. said yesterday he wants to determine whether Democratic rivals were behind exposing a former administration aide who participated in Internet rumor-mongering about Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley that the governor says he knew nothing about.

E-mailers beware: 'Private' messages may be anything but

Millions of fingers would freeze in mid-typing right now if everyone in the world could keep in mind what a minefield e-mail can be.

Michael Olesker: E-mails show Steffen not 'irrelevant,' 'mid-level'

IN THE continuing saga of Official State Dirtball Joseph Steffen, a new name enters the mix: Kendel S. Ehrlich. It turns out, the day before Steffen was to be outed for spreading filth about Mayor Martin O'Malley, he turned to the first lady of Maryland for a shoulder to cry on. Relax, Kendel Ehrlich told Steffen, we need you. The next day, Steffen was shoved offstage. As Shakespeare didn't quite say: Out, out, damned Dirtball.

First lady's influence draws new attention

First lady Kendel Ehrlich has re-emerged as a central part of her husband's team and as one of the state's most prominent Republicans - even drawing attention from GOP observers as a possible candidate for U.S. Senate.

Thousands of Steffen e-mails released

The Ehrlich administration released 14,500 e-mails and other documents yesterday from former aide Joseph F. Steffen Jr., revealing a portrait of a political operative who had regular access to the highest levels of government and was actively involved in an effort to stack state agencies with workers loyal to the governor.

State says computer used to spread rumors is secured

The state computer used by an Ehrlich administration employee who was forced to resign after spreading Internet rumors about Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley has been secured, and some contents will be disclosed in coming days, Insurance Commissioner Alfred W. Redmer Jr. said yesterday.

Ehrlich counsel queries media

Jervis S. Finney, chief counsel to Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., has begun questioning members of the media - including two Sun reporters - about "MD4BUSH," an anonymous contributor to a Web site that posted rumors about Mayor Martin O'Malley.

By David Nitkin

Political Game: New riddle in O'Malley rumor saga

NOW WE know "NCPAC".

Sun Q&A

David Nitkin on the O'Malley rumors

Kim MacLean, Ellicott City: I find it very hard to believe that someone without a college degree could apply for and get a job as head of communications for a state agency without someone exerting influence. Is there a job description with education requirements listed for [Joseph F.] Steffen [Jr.'s] former position? Just curious.

O'Malley gets apology from rumor-spreader

The state employee who was forced to resign this week for spreading rumors about Martin O'Malley's personal life has sent an e-mail apologizing to the mayor and his family for actions he admitted were "reckless" and "mean-spirited."

Michael Olesker: 'Dirty tricks' allegations dot Ehrlich's past

ON THE DAY Official State Dirtball Joseph Steffen admitted spreading stories to humiliate Mayor Martin O'Malley and his family, Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. appeared on WBAL-TV news, where he was asked by reporter Dave Collins, "Have you known about this rumor?"

O'Malley denounces rumors

Mayor Martin O'Malley and his wife stood hand-in-hand outside City Hall yesterday to denounce "orchestrated" and "relentless" rumors about their marriage, while Democrats called for an independent investigation into the Ehrlich administration appointee who admitted spreading stories about the mayor on the Internet.

Steffen worked in dark behind political scenes

Joseph F. Steffen Jr. left Reisterstown's Franklin High School and quickly found a home in the rough-and-tumble world of politics, working mostly behind the scenes as a self-described "Prince of Darkness" on behalf of favorite Republicans - including, for more than a decade, Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.

After months of gossip, rumors get public airing

For months now "it" has hovered in the shadows of Baltimore politics, emerging occasionally on partisan radio shows or in questioning calls from constituents, a frustratingly persistent annoyance for supporters of Mayor Martin O'Malley and his staff.

Web has changed the shape of 'reporting'

"I don't like O'Malley and I am no Dumbocrat / Caligulite. Still, methinks you should validate stuff like this before you post it."

Today, apology drains regret of responsibility

Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. insists he knew nothing about a staff member's spreading allegations online about Mayor Martin O'Malley's personal life. He immediately demanded the man's resignation and has publicly repudiated his actions.

Rumors foreshadow battle for governor's office in 2006

Ninety-one weeks before the next election, this much is certain: The race for Maryland governor will be no dull affair.

Ehrlich associate targeted O'Malley

A longtime campaign operative of Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. resigned his state job yesterday after admitting he had been spreading rumors on the Internet about the personal life of Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley.

Steffen's career spans writing and politics

The man at the center of an emerging controversy over Internet postings about Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley's personal life is a Baltimore County native, longtime political operative of Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. and unpublished novelist who writes horror and science fiction in his spare time.