The Bowie City Activist

The above political advertisment is from the 1998 City election. The 1998 mayoral contest was the closest in modern Bowie city history. Bowie's past, Fred Robinson, was narrowly elected by a four hundred vote margin over Betsy Burian (Bowie's present) and myself (Bowie's future), or 50.4% of vote. I still stand for the "Bowie First" platform. Ironically, in the real estate boom of recent years, Bowie city properties still gap with Columbia, Crofton and Annapolis to name a few. Taxes are lower and comparable property values are higher in the aforementioned nearby Maryland cities. One of the many memorable and ironic coincidences that occurred during the city election was one of my flights from my New York based MCI Commmunications Corporation job was diverted from LaGuardia to JFK. On the JFK flight, I struck up a converstion with a man who turned out to be John O'Connor, husband of Jean O'Connor who along with Connie Jenkins write the movie reviews for the Bowie Blade News. We arrived at BWI late and I was back on the streets early the next morning waiving to passing motorists. I financed my own campaign in 1998, and therefore was treasurer. City election law at the time allowed me that option to be my own treasurer. Also, notice the website. In 1998, Doug Peters, Jack Jenkins and I pioneered the use of websites in Bowie City elections. By the way, I was Gulf War I veteran Doug Peters chauffeur in the "Salute The Troops" driving Doug in the parade. MCI Communications Chairman and founder Bill McGowan built a management team that had a reputation of being "street fighters" in the industry. I've learned that wrestling with telecommunications monopolies and wrestling with local political monopolies both require the very same skills - monopoly "trust busters" do not follow the conventional protocol. I'm a street fighter, and I get my encouragement from the people of Bowie on the streets - and not from the Bowie Blade News!	Greetings Friends! Happy New Years to all! Welcome to the Bowie City Activist at www.bowiewatch.org. With one exception that I’m aware of, I hope all others had a good safe holiday. The Bowie City Activist website is an out growth of the e-mail newsletter we started in defense of the C&C Dance Company as a result of Mayor Robinson’s attack on the reputable dance company wasting $72,600 in city tax dollars. We will not allow Mayor Robinson to evict the C&C Dance Company. Literally and quite figuratively, America dances at the C&C Dance Company. There comes a time when you have to take a stand, and protect our American values and freedoms. Mayor Robinson picked the wrong target to use to defend his antiquated land covenants at the non-tech center. Our County Councilman, Doug Peters (whom I respect), has called the Maryland Science and Technology Center a failure. I am informed Cheryl Brennan, the first C of C&C is recovering from a heart attack that occurred near the holidays. She returned home from the Washington Hospital Center just in time for Christmas. She informs me that she is feeling better now and is getting a little stronger everyday. She starts cardiac rehab next week at the hospital and we know she will be back on track soon. I reminded her that she and second C Carrie have a Recital in six months. If you haven’t seen a C&C Dance Company recital, they are the best. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed the fun of the last two years of recitals. We wish Cheryl Brennan a speedy recovery! We look forward to seeing her at a party when we celebrate C&C Dance being saved! This webpage is a small collage of my political and business past as it relates to the Logue/Robinson local political monopoly. To understand fully, you have to trace the money! I am very proud to be the one city political activist to be raising campaign finance, conflict of interest ethics and city election law violations as it relates to the 2005 Bowie City Elections. Officers of the Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce did receive two certified letters from me in December in which I raised ethics issues. Here are the highlights of this page: • TAKING IT TO THE STREETS • DAHMS RESPONDS TO ROUSE’S “FRUITCAKE” ATTACK • BANNED FROM BOWIE CABLE TELEVISION: BOWIE CRITIC KEPT OUT OF SIGHT! • MARCH 18, 1992 VENABLE ELECTIONS ATTORNEY JAMES SHEA LETTER TO THE CITY OF BOWIE It’s a new year in Bowie! Let’s get busy: DAHMS RESPONDS TO ROUSE’S “FRUITCAKE” ATTACK The following letter was sent electronically to Mr. Brown, President and General Manager of Capital Gazette newspapers, the parent of the Bowie Blade News. I also left a telephone voice message to Mr. Brown in follow-up. As some readers know, Mr. Rouse interjected himself in my communications that I was having with the City of Bowie about ethics issues that I was raising about the 2005 City Election. Essentially, Mr. Rouse was answering for the officials of the City of Bowie – completely inappropriate. That message and my response are posted on this website. In another attempt to discredit me, Mr. Rouse made a blatant reference to my political activities in his December 29, 2005 Commentary. The reason I have placed the 1991 Prince Georges Journal article on this page as well as the 1992 Attorney Shea letter is that I feel a certain amount of déjà vu in the 2005 city elections. In the early 1990s, I knew I was right on target when the Logue/Moore/Robinson regime attempted to suppress my citizen’s participation rights as documented by the Journal article. The Shea letter documents the misconduct of the Logue/Moore/Robinson regime as it relates to my requests of City documents under the Maryland Public Information Act. So, when John Rouse implies that I’m a fruitcake – I know I’m right on target! Here is the letter to Mr. Brown: Mr. Brown, It is my understanding that you are the President and General Manager of Capital Gazette newspapers, and you are ultimately responsible for the Bowie Blade News and editor John Rouse reports up to you in the corporate hierarchy. I am escalating an issue involving Mr. Rouse to your attention. I am a political activist in Bowie promoting accountability in Bowie City Government. In his December 29, 2005 Blade News Commentary, Mr. Rouse makes a very blatant attempt to discredit me personally. The people on this public distribution and also copied on the blind copy distribution list are well aware that I have observed and sent e-mails to city officials regarding certain city election irregularities involving the November, 2005 Bowie City Election. I am well qualified to make such an assessment since I have run twice for Mayor of Bowie myself. Therefore, I am familiar with the city’s election process. Specifically, I have observed city election law violations by certain members of the Bowie City Council, and other ethics issues involving the 2005 Bowie City Election and the Bowie Blade News. So, when Mr. Rouse writes a personal attack to discredit me, there can be no doubt in the minds of those on this distribution about whom Mr. Rouse is referring to in his 12/29/05 commentary, but cowardly does not specifically name. I have forwarded below an e-mail I wrote to Mr. Rouse earlier this week. The truth is I am a very stable long time member of our Bowie community with Fortune 100 financial experience, educated with an MBA, and have professional references from top executives of $200 million to $20 billion dollar companies. In this age of corporate board of director governance (Enron, Adelphi, WorldCom), business ethics are under scrutiny to ensure no corporate manager misuses corporate assets for personal use, or acts in an unethical manner. In the public sector, the Abramoff criminal indictment involving influence peddling and members of Congress that is in today’s news is being called the “Enron of the Potomac”. Again, I would encourage you to visit my website, www.bowiewatch.org. I believe Mr. Rouses attempt to discredit me personally in his 12/29/05 Commentary crosses the line. Again, all these people copied know who Mr. Rouse is referring to as a “fruitcake” because they have been copied on the e-mails he references in his commentary. Frankly, I will not allow Mr. Rouse to continue interfering with my scrutiny of the city’s broken election process as I have been escalating these matters to the City’s attention (to no avail) since early November. I am escalating the Rouse matter to you so you have understanding of the situation. I am requesting that in the future, Capital Gazette takes some accountability and responsibility for Mr. Rouse’s editorial opinions. I suggest reviewing his work products at the Capital Gazette level before they go to publication in your Blade News publication to ensure such personal attacks and biases are not made. In Bowie, we expect a hometown newspaper to be neutral, independent and above reproach. I am a reader of Capital Gazette’s Evening Capital and I believe the City of Bowie is ready to have an editorial page similar to The Evening Capital that serves the City of Annapolis. Bowie is now in the big leagues no longer a “Mom and Pop” operation, and it is time for Mr. Rouse to clean up his business and editorial ethics act and cease from the personal political agendas and attacks. My website, www.bowiewatch.org mentions some other irregularities involving the Blade News and the 2005 City elections which are worthy of your attention if you navigate through the website pages. I trust you will understand the seriousness of this electronic communication, the concepts of “fiduciary” responsibility, “corporate governance” and “conflict of interest”. I don’t think Mr. Rouse quite understands, but I’m quite confident that you will understand. Mr. Brown, I thank you in advance for your consideration of this matter. I trust there will be no more interference from Mr. Rouse as I pursue these legal and ethics matters with the City. If you care to discuss with me personally, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss further with you. Richard A. Dahms 1992 and 1998 Bowie mayoral candidate, Public Domain and Fiduciary for City of Bowie’s broken election process. 301-262-9232 ----------------------END OF LETTER------------------- EDITORS NOTE: Due to the volume of e-mails and time constraints, there will be no “Mailbag” section on this page. I hope people understand. Thanks! The Bowie City Activist can be reached at richarddahms@comcast.net. Have fun in Bowie land! Until next time, this is your Bowie City Activist, Richard Notice: Content on this website may not be copied or reproduced without permission. © 2006 – The Dahms Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
I gave the Logue/Moore/Robinson regime (Hey Moe! Hey Larry!) enough rope to hang themselves with the television trickery. I was aware that the trickery was going on, and allowed it to continue for several months without saying anything publicly while quietly and privately giving some the heads-up of the Logue/Moore/Robinson political malfeasance. The Prince Georges Journal broke the above story in early 1991. By the look on the expression of the face of Councilman Gene Kiley who immediately turned to the television monitor, it was very clear to me that he was not part of this malfeasance. Councilman Gary Allen (later mayor) was also not a party to the malfeasance and immediately put a stop to the televison trickery of Logue/Moore/Robinson. Someone must have explained to the three stooges about how stupid it was to put the city in such a compromised liability situation selectively and discriminately blocking a political opponent off the cable television cameras (and, for so long that it could be easily documented). After being victimized by this political malfeasance, one can only image how the mayor might use a city police force against political opponents!	Four month's after my Venable elections attorney James Shea filed this letter with the City of Bowie and a subsequent short letter following the 1992 City election reserving my rights to file suit, the named city manager resigned. My 1992 "Citizens For New City Management" campaign was successful without winning the election. Our plans were to file the lawsuit against the City in October, 1992 before the statute of limitations had run in order to allow me time to finance the lawsuit. With the City Manager's resignation announcement in July, 1992, I did not pursue the litigation. I counseled with Attorney Shea in November, 2005 following the 2005 City election. He is still an attorney with Venable after all these years.