A small band of renegade Republicans defected to the Democrat in the governor's race yesterday, drawing some unfriendly fire from the GOP camp.
About a dozen business executives, politicians and others gathered outside the World Trade Center to endorse Democrat Parris N. Glendening, praising him as a pro-business moderate. Several also took their own party's candidate, Ellen R. Sauerbrey, to task for her plan to cut state income taxes by 24 percent over four years.
"I do not believe that the way to move Maryland forward is to cut local school and police aid or to raise local property taxes," said Kenneth A. Yowan, president of the Westminster City Council. "But that would be the upshot of Sauerbrey's [tax] plan."
Michael Kosmos, former campaign manager for Helen Delich Bentley -- who lost to Mrs. Sauerbrey in the Republican primary -- said Mrs. Sauerbrey represents the GOP's "right wing . . . a crowd more concerned with ideology and exclusion than with building the party and opening it to people of all views."
Carol L. Hirschburg, a spokesman for Mrs. Sauerbrey, chortled when she was told about the formation of the 23-member Republicans for Glendening Committee.
"I have to thank Parris for giving me such a good laugh," she said. "I don't know how he got together this crew of political cross-dressers and sore losers. They may be Republicans by affiliation or registration, but they are certainly not active Republicans."
Other committee members include Joshua Smith, chairman of the Prince George's-based Maxima Corp.; Raymond V. Haysbert Sr., chairman of H.G. Parks Inc. of Baltimore; J.W. Marriott Jr., chairman of Marriott International; and Morgan Wooten, basketball coach at DeMatha High in Prince George's County. Republican candidate Bill Brock has put another $300,000 of his own money into his bid for the U.S. Senate, bringing his total stake in the race to $1.1 million.
Political observers say Mr. Brock has donated more personal wealth to the race than any Maryland candidate in recent memory. His closest competitor in that category appears to be Montgomery County businessman Stewart Bainum Jr., who spent $411,000 of his own money in an unsuccessful attempt to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Constance A. Morella in 1986.
Mr. Brock contributed the $300,000 last Thursday -- the day after a statewide poll showed him trailing Democratic incumbent Paul S. Sarbanes 57 percent to 32 percent. The challenger, who disputed the poll results, said the decision to spend the money was made before the poll came out. The money will help pay for television advertising.
A multimillionaire heir to a candy fortune, Mr. Brock said he had to use more of his own funds because, "we have to compete with [Mr. Sarbanes'] political action committee and lobby money."
Brock finance director Rob Carter said the campaign continues to raise money at a brisk pace. In the past three and a half weeks, it has brought in $315,000 in donations, Mr. Carter said.
Frank Langfitt
Vandals tear down Sauerbrey signs
Vandals ripped down 55 campaign signs of GOP gubernatorial candidate Ellen R. Sauerbrey in Harford and Baltimore counties late Monday or early yesterday, authorities said.
The destroyed signs included a 4-by-8-foot placard in a field near the Kingsville Tavern in Baltimore County, a similar sign outside the Fallston Gun and Pawn Shop and a smaller one at U.S. 1 and Route 152, said Larry Mr. O'Laughlin, a Sauerbrey campaign aide.
Mike Farabaugh