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Greetings Friends! Welcome to this edition of the Bowie City
Activist brought to you by The Dahms Group, LLC
Here are the highlights of this edition:
• 2005 BOWIE CITY
ELECTION RESULTS
• COMMENTARY ON CITY ELECTION RESULTS
• JENKINS IN CRISIS OVER ETHICS ISSUES
• WHAT
DID ROUSE SAY?
• MY FINAL TWO LETTERS TO THE EDITOR OF THE BOWIE BLADE NEWS
As I always use to tell my
employees at MCI Communications Corporation and e.spire Communications, Inc.: “Busy hands are happy hands!” So, let’s get
busy!
Quote of the day: "What this newspaper has done, and what it will continue to do, is to meet our responsibilities
to the people of this great county by printing the truth whether the politicians, or anyone else, like it or not." Source:
Capital Gazette Newspapers http://www.hometownannapolis.com/capital-history.html
2005 BOWIE CITY ELECTION RESULTS
Mayor
(unopposed – see note below)
G. Frederick Robinson 7,197 97.2%
Write-Ins
205 2.8%
At-Large
William Aleshire 3,845 27.4%
Dennis Brady
5,038 35.9%
Kevin Conroy 5,085 36.3%
District 1
Kurt Kroemer
1,406 68.6%
Rebecca Sunday 640 31.2%
District 2
Jack Jenkins
1,124 42.3%
James Golato 670 25.2%
Diane Polangin 863
32.4%
District 3
Gail Booker Jones 483 29.7%
Todd Turner 1,139
70.0%
District 4
Michael Lyles 1,119 67.9%
Troy Stewart
523 31.7%
Note: The BCA recommended that people refrain from pulling the lever for Mayor Robinson. According
to the City of Bowie Board of elections there were 8,450 total votes cast. Therefore, Mayor Robinson’s election is as follows:
Mayor
(unopposed)
G. Frederick Robinson 7,197 85.2 %
Write-Ins 205
2.4%
Refrain from voting 1,048 12.4%
Total 8,450
100.0%
RICHARD DAHMS COMMENTARY ON CITY ELECTION RESULTS
I’d like to start by saying I suffered three losses
on Tuesday, November 8, 2005: 1) Bill Aleshire’s defeat; 2) Diane Polangin’s defeat (at least for now); and 3) the Council
people who attacked the rights of the C&C Dance Company - Mayor Robinson, Councilman Dennis Brady and Councilman Jack Jenkins
– all still stand. However, in the case of District 2 Councilman Mr. Jack Jenkins though, I consider him a wounded Council
casualty in Dance War Theatre. I’ll explain why later.
Let me comment on the new Council composition. The city council
should reflect the diversity of the city. With respect to racial diversity, I am comfortable that there is racial representation.
However, Robinson’s discriminatory scheme to continue stacking the council deck by retaining the last vestiges of the “old
boy’s network” with the citywide system still remain with the two at-large seats. It should be noted that the three candidates
for the two at large seats were all white males. The at-large seats still discriminate against certain classes of citizens
in Bowie. Perhaps I will explain why in a future commentary.
The incoming council DOES NOT reflect the city in gender.
The new Council will consist of seven males. One would think there would be 50% of the Council seats (3 or 4) that are held
by women. This is where Councilman Jack Jenkins feeble return to the Council after 22 years plays in. So, thanks to Councilman
Jenkins, who really should not have returned considering his lack luster record, the city council will reflect seven men (navigate
to the November 7, 2005 BCA page to read the case against Jack Jenkins in GOLATO, JENKINS AND POLANGIN CALLED INTO BOWIE
CITY ACTIVIST BOARDROOM).
Let’s look at the individual council races.
At-Large
------------
Dennis Brady
(yawn) is back. Congratulations to him. Dennis, stop city lawsuit/save C&C Dance!
And Dennis, this time don’t attack
C&C Dance on one side of your mouth, and on the other side of your mouth stand up at C&C’s dance recital at BSU to take a
bow for saving it when in fact it was not yet saved. That was very misleading!
Bill Aleshire and I ran in 1992. Bill
was elected and I was not. I was aiming for a higher target. That year, the Logue/Robinson political machine ran Joe Violante
against Bill Aleshire in an open race. Joe Violante is the husband of long time supporter, treasurer of the Robinson re-election
campaigns and local realtor Linda Violante. Linda was again campaign treasurer for Robinson in 2005. Mayor Richard Logue,
Councilman Fred Robinson and Joe Violante paraded themselves in the streets of Kenilworth in 1992. Violante trying to ride
the coattails of Logue/Robinson turned many voters off in my section of town. Bill Aleshire was elected.
More personally,
I will always remember waving to Bill and his friends on the streets of Bowie as his 1992 campaign trolley car full of happy
people would drive by me while I was on the corner Route 450 and 197 waving to passing motorists during my "Citizens For New
City Management" Mayoral campaign.
Bill Aleshire loves serving the citizens of Bowie and is very constituent oriented.
In fact, I will say he was the most constituent oriented Bowie City Councilman I've ever seen. When approximately 150 supporters
of the C&C Dance Company packed City Hall in June 2004, I spoke during citizens’ participation as part of my public advocacy
for the rights of the C&C Dance Company and stated how no one on the City Council even took the time to learn about the business
they were attempting to put out of business. Bill took my comments very personally to heart and immediately went to visit
C&C Dance that very next day.
Bill Aleshire – well done! I know the truth. I know what happened. Thank you! You're
a Great American!
Kevin Conroy passed the “Mom test”. When I mentioned to my mother that Ed Conroy’s son was running
for City Council, my mom’s eyes lit up and said, “Oh, how is Mary?” The Conroy’s are modern Bowie’s first original family.
Notwithstanding John Rouse’s comment to me regarding Judge Devlin (See on this page WHAT DID ROUSE SAY?), my family were also
pioneer Somerset residents not too far behind the Conroys.
If Kevin Conroy is anything like what I remember about
his dad, the city will do very well by him. It must be something psychological from my youth, but just the name Conroy invokes
trust, warmth and confidence inside of me. Conroy ran a great campaign and his good new ideas and fresh blood will be needed
on an otherwise stagnate Council. The Robinson/Brady/Jenkins block have been on the Council way too long and all three are
very good examples of why term limits should be considered in Bowie. I truly wish Kevin Conroy had run for mayor. I honestly
believe he would have won the mayor’s seat in his first inaugural city election.
District 1
------------
In
District 1, the public would have been well served by either Kurt Kroemer or Rebecca Sunday. Kurt Kroemer was appointed to
Council as result of a vacancy resulting from Valerie Bennett’s resignation. For the record, although I disagree with Council
appointments, the Council did well by its appointment of Kurt Kroemer. Mr. Kroemer once faced Bowie city voters in 1998 and
was defeated. I can personally attest to the public that Mr. Kroemer ran a very spirited campaign in 1998. Having once gone
through the city’s election process unsuccessfully qualifies Mr. Kroemer more so than Rebecca Sunday.
Based on conversations
I have had with Mr. Kroemer, he has the proper attitude and perspective regarding his public service on the City Council.
Mr. Kroemer already has two very demanding fulltime jobs – raising his family and being a Vice President for the American
Red Cross. Having been a Vice President myself at $200 million e.spire Communications, Inc (now Xpedius Communications, Inc.
through acquisition) with well over 120 employees in my organization, I can relate to the taxing of Mr. Kroemer’s available
time being a Vice President of the American Red Cross. In fact, he had to pass on the partisan political meeting held at the
tax exempt place of worship because of his duties to his company. Mr. Kroemer made the right choice!
Mr. Kroemer has
his priorities correct – family and career come first. Then, any time left over he can use to help serve Bowie in his part
time public service job on the City Council. I sense Mr. Kroemer’s reaction to an election defeat on November 8, 2005 would
have been “no big whoop!” He has the right attitude and perspective.
With respect to Rebecca Sunday, she now has political
capital in her account for future use. Ms. Sunday did very well with 31% of the vote considering she filed her candidacy right
before the city deadline. Rebecca Sunday has a name – let’s face it “Rebecca Sunday” is a good sunny sunshine name. My advice
to Rebecca Sunday is to stay active and should she ever consider running for Council again, she should resign from her Greater
Bowie Chamber of Commerce Board of Director post before running. Unfortunately, she has helped place the Chamber in a very
bad position at this time of which I can make no further public comment at this time.
District 2
------------
District
2 is my home district. What a mess!
As stated, District 2 Councilman Mr. Jack Jenkins won election, but walks in a
wounded Council casualty in Dance War Theatre. He owes his re-election to James Golato.
In my mind, the rightful representative
of District 2 is Diane M. Polangin. First, let me disclose publicly that in early January, 2005, I had planned to challenge
Jack Jenkins myself. We’ve never had a November city election before thanks to Mayor Robinson’s altering of our city’s election
cycle with the help of Judge Devlin’s Charter Review Committee and their self serving scheme to eliminate political competition
in order to further Robinson’s incumbency. Since the November election cycle was new, I had planned in January to file in
the summer, 2005. I felt my best chance at winning a Council seat to stop the city lawsuit and save C&C Dance was with an
election win in my home District 2. But, I learned Ms. Polangin and Mr. Golato beat me to City Hall. “You snooze, you loose”
as the adage goes.
The public would be well served by Diane M. Polangin on the Bowie City Council.
Jack
Jenkins, the Cal Ripken of the Bowie City Council should have followed Cal Ripken’s example. But, we don’t have to look to
the Orioles for an example. A local political example would be former Bowie City Councilman and Council colleague from the
1990s Dick Padgett. To Councilman Dick Padgett’s credit, he knew when his time had arrived and he chose to vacate his seat
in 1998. In the open 1998 ward race for Padgett’s seat, the ward race between Tom Clabby (Democrat) and Paul Ellington (Republican)
became the partisan litmus test which state partisans followed that year.
The BCA takes challenger James Golato
at his word when he wrote to the BCA, “I am not running against Diane Polangin. I am running against the incumbent Jack Jenkins”.
If Golato’s statement is true, then Challengers Polangin and Golato received 58% of the district vote compared to the incumbent
Jenkins 42% of the vote. Jenkins walks into Council a minority winner not well representing his district.
But, it doesn’t
stop there. Over the years, I have noticed the value of the Blade News endorsement. I personally believe it to be 10% based
on observation over the years. This Blade News endorsement of Jenkins, Brady together was completely different from any others
that I have ever seen from Mr. Rouse. For whatever reason, Mr. Rouse completely ignored the challengers and the issues they
have raised. There was no mention of Diane Polangin and her second bid for Council. As mentioned on this website, the “less
esteemed editor” should have made mention of Polangin if for no other reason than the fact she is a second time city council
candidate. Mr. Rouse displays his extreme bias by ignoring Polangin.
Adjusting District 2 numbers for the 10% Rouse
extremely biased and unusual Jenkins political endorsement, Jenkins would have received 38.1% (1012 votes) while the challengers
would have received 61.9% (1645 votes). Jenkins truly is a minority representative on the council and the Rouse political
endorsement helped keep his election numbers from being worse than they were. See the related story JENKINS IN CRISIS OVER
ETHICS ISSUES on this current page.
The BCA does not believe Mr. Jenkins will finish his two year District Council
term!
It is interesting to note that Diane Polangin and I have never met until very recently. It is also interesting
to note that I can confirm her public advocacy of equal pay based on my MBA business research paper I wrote in the 1970s while
completing my graduate degree at Drake University (navigate to the November 7, 2005 BCA page to read the case against Jack
Jenkins in GOLATO, JENKINS AND POLANGIN CALLED INTO BOWIE CITY ACTIVIST BOARDROOM).
Jack Jenkins has nothing new
to offer to the residents in my home district 2, and the city as a whole. He is on the city council to be a rubberstamp mouthpiece
for Mayor Robinson in the same way that Fred Robinson was a rubberstamp mouthpiece for Mayor Richard Logue in the 1980s and
early 1990s. The Bowie City Activist has plenty of examples to demonstrate Mr. Jenkins lack of district representation. In
the coming months, we’ll make sure he earns his re-election since he owes his council seat to John Rouse and James Golato!
District 3
-------------
Todd Turner won in district 3 by a landslide. I thought the race would be much
closer. Watching the candidate forums made me think the race would be very close. Both are very intelligent individuals.
On
a personal note, I first met Gail Booker Jones during the 1998 city election. We both lost our elections together that year.
Gail was in a three way race between Bill Aleshire and Kurt Kroemer. For the public record, Gail Booker Jones is truly the
“Jackie Robinson of Bowie”. To the best of my knowledge, she set a city record in 1998 as the first African American to ever
place his/her name on the city ballot. One can only imagine how Gail must have felt deep inside back in 1998; to go through
the city’s crooked election process that produced people like Fred Robinson and an election process which couldn’t withstand
a NAACP legal threat.
Gail Booker Jones was truly "a change agent" in Bowie. By the way, if you still have your November
3, 2005 Bowie Blade News, notice on page A9 City Election the blurred picture of Gail Booker Jones compared to all others.
Observing
Gail on the Council, she truly seemed to understand her fiduciary responsibility. In the era of WorldCom and Enron where Board
of Director culpability now comes under scrutiny, Gail understood her responsibility as a Board member of the City of Bowie.
I want people to know I hold Gail Booker Jones in the highest of esteem. She is a local hero!
Todd Turner
ran a great campaign. He appears very personable, knowledgeable and articulate. He kept his supporters well informed with
his well styled electronic campaign newsletters. His “the rhetoric versus the record” analytical spreadsheet dissecting each
and every vote of Gail Booker Jones on record concluded she supported 4,560 new housing units. Personally, I have never seen
anyone track an incumbent city council person’s entire voting record the way Todd Turner did in “the rhetoric versus the record”.
During
a candidate forum, Mr. Turner quoted American President Ronald Reagan. In beautiful downtown Bowie, you won’t offend that
many people by invoking the name and memory of President Ronald Reagan.
I liked Mr. Turner’s answers to the BCA survey,
and it is my hope that Mr. Turner will be the "change agent" problem solver in a workout solution for the Melford Property
– a solution that includes allowing a reputable dance educational and recreational institution serving 1,000+ students to
continue to exist - a family business that took the Brennan family a lifetime to build.
The BCA congratulates
and welcomes Todd Turner to the Bowie City Council.
District 4
-------------
Michael Lyles must think all we
do in Bowie is have elections. He was elected in a special city election held in March, 2004. As a funny aside, there were
some people in Bowie who actually thought the Special District 4 election was our regularly scheduled general election under
the old spring election cycle – which it would have been but for Mayor Robinson and crony Judge Devlin’s self serving scheme
to extend Robinson’s incumbency. Michael Lyles has now gone through the time and expense of two elections in less than two
years.
In fairness to Mr. Lyles, he did not receive a BCA survey like the others due to my time constraints. So,
I do not know how he feels about city taxes (although I have a sneaky suspicion I might know). Furthermore, I don’t know how
Mr. Lyles feels about Mayor Robinson’s assault on the C&C Dance Company and how Robinson wasted $72,600 in city tax money
attacking a reputable dance company serving 1,000+ students. Again, that is my fault not Mr. Lyles. I didn’t get a survey
to him.
Troy Stewart did receive a BCA survey and he gave well thought out answers and offered some new ideas. Mr.
Stewart was a write-in candidate and received 6 votes in the District 4 special election in 2004. He did a respectable showing
in this election given it was his first official run. Mayor Robinson’s “milk and cookies” statement (the mayor is such a moron)
and Mr. Stewart’s reply retort puts Mr. Stewart on the Bowie political map. Like Rebecca Sunday, Troy Stewart now has political
capital for future use. He is encouraged to stay active and finish his MBA degree.
What I like about Michael Lyles
is that he has good natural instincts. He quickly gets to root causes of a problem. His statement about “a parenting problem”
at a candidate forum isn’t what most people want to hear, but he had the guts to say it. He also had the guts to go against
the tide of public opinion as expressed in the Bowie Blade News regarding the Police question.
What I didn’t like about
Michael Lyles, after winning his seat in the special city election, immediately asking Council for what ended up as a 34%
pay hike.
Congratulations to Michael Lyles for a good campaign.
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JENKINS IN CRISIS
OVER ETHICS ISSUES
Even as 22 year veteran incumbent Jack Jenkins prepares to return to the Bowie City Council at
this evening's swearing in ceremony, questions abound about Mr. Jenkins relationships with the Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce
and the Bowie Blade Newspaper. The Bowie City Activist attempted to get questions answered, but the Jenkins campaign and the
city administration quickly clammed up.
“He just didn’t know to quit while he was ahead”, one observer noted to the
BCA. Another city observer noted that Jenkins took down his campaign flag (yard sign) when the ethics issues started to surface.
The same city observer stated that Jenkins was surprised by his win and had to be summoned to the Golf Course.
“There
are more ethics issues and campaign finance irregularities that have yet to be disclosed”, said long time activist and two
time Bowie Mayoral candidate Richard Dahms. Dahms confirms he had a discussion with Venable law firm this past week (navigate
to Nov. 7 BCA page), the same Baltimore law firm that represented him during his 1992 “Citizens For New City Management” Mayoral
campaign in which he had filed Public Information Requests with the city in order to obtain access to certain city financial
records.
Four months after Venable, Baetjer and Howard attorney James L. Shea filed his March 12, 1992 letter with
the city, City Manager Charles Moore announced his resignation and left town shortly thereafter.
Fast forward to year
2005, “I cannot comment any further about my discussion this past week with Venable other than to say that elections attorney
James L. Shea is still with the prestigious Baltimore law firm after all these years”. Dahms says he last spoke with Mr.
Shea during the 1998 city election following an incident involving his mayoral opponent Fred Robinson.
“The Jenkins
relationship with the Blade News is a very interesting one”, said Dahms. “There are two immediate problems that I see: no
other city politician has the same equal access to the mind of Blade News editor John Rouse as Jack and Connie Jenkins have
enjoyed for over 14 years. That is one issue.
The other issue is much more serious and I cannot comment any further
other than saying Mrs. Jenkins e-mail to me opens up another possibility (or public perception) that is the reverse of what
she described”, said Dahms.
“I am well aware of the economic squeeze on profit margins that newspapers in America
are experiencing at this present time”, said Dahms.
“When Venable filed notice with the city of Bowie in the March
12, 1992 letter, City Manager Charles Moore knew enough to “get out of Dodge” so to speak resigning four months later. The
question is will others know enough to do the same?”, said Dahms
Moore announced his resignation in July, 1992 and
we were scheduled to file the freedom of information lawsuit in October, 1992 before the run on the statute of limitations
while I was making financial preparation to fund the lawsuit. Mr. Moore's resignation announcement achieved my Mayoral campaign
promise of "New City Management".
Dahms said he is distributing copies of election attorney James L. Shea's March
12, 1992 letter to several key activists in the city.
Here are the unanswered e-mails by Richard Dahms and one e-mail
from Blade News movie critic, Councilman's wife and Jenkins Campaign Treasurer Constance (Connie) Jenkins at the center of
the Jenkins/Blade News conflict of interest crisis:
Good morning Mrs. Jenkins,
I did not see a reply answer
to my very simple question. I don't know if you received my reply e-mail yesterday so I am forwarding it out to you again.
See my e-mail forwarded below dated Monday, November 07, 2005 1:37 PM.
It should take you less than a moment to reply,
unless of course you feel the need to run your answer by an attorney.
I finally figured out why incumbents always
win and challengers always lose in Bowie. Since you have inside access (that others do not have) to the Bowie Blade News,
check out the history of city election results going back to 1988. Sort the results between Incumbent (I) and Challenger (C).
You are more than welcome to throw out of your research my 1992 and 1998 campaigns since I know your bosses/cronies
Mr. Rouse & Mr. Robinson consider me a "publicity seeker" not worthy to live in Bowie - my hometown of 45 years.
By
the way, I don't know if you caught it in other e-mails, but I financed my own campaigns. I put my own money where my mouth
is. Logue/Robinson/Jenkins & others put "other peoples' money" where their mouths are. In the case of Mr. Rouse, he puts Capital
Gazette's money where his mouth is. Do you understand the difference?
Please reply to my very simple question Monday,
November 07, 2005 1:37 PM.
I am leaving this campaign contribution and ethics issue (Issue #3) as an open item pending
your response to my question. I have additional campaign finance issues with the Jenkins campaign yet undisclosed. Thanks!
Richard
-----Original Message-----
From: Richard A. Dahms [mailto:richarddahms@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday,
November 07, 2005 1:37 PM
To: 'Triad'; 'David Deutsch'; 'Pam Fleming'
Cc: 'cab2@erols.com'; 'Dennis Brady'; 'Dennis
Brady'; 'geefred1@aol.com'; 'D. Michael Lyles'; 'Kurt Kroemer'; 'Gail Booker Jones'; 'bookerjones4bowie@yahoo.com'; 'James
Golato'; 'jrouse@bladenews.com'
Subject: RE: Campaign Contributions & Ethics Issues (Issue #3)
Mrs. Jenkins,
Thank you for your e-mail message. Before I provide a more broader response to you with my committee on the blind distribution
to witness, can you clarify which individual or individual(s) are responsible for the weekly review (pun intended) of your
Bowie Blade columns? Please identify all individual(s) who have a hand in the review your work products before they go to
weekly publication.
I am leaving this campaign contribution and ethics issue as an open item pending your response
to my question. Thanks!
Richard
-----Original Message-----
From: Triad [mailto:triad3@visi.net]
Sent:
Monday, November 07, 2005 11:20 AM
To: Richard A. Dahms; 'David Deutsch'; 'Pam Fleming'
Cc: cab2@erols.com; 'Dennis
Brady'; 'Dennis Brady'; geefred1@aol.com; 'D. Michael Lyles'; 'Kurt Kroemer'; 'Gail Booker Jones'; bookerjones4bowie@yahoo.com;
'James Golato'; jrouse@bladenews.com
Subject: Re: Campaign Contributions & Ethics Issues (Issue #3)
Mr. Dahms:
I have been made aware of your November 6, 2005 e-mail to the City Manager and City Clerk with widely disseminated copies
in which you state your belief that, in my role as campaign Treasurer, I falsely certified the October 25, 2005 Jenkins for
Council financial report.
Apparently, you have based your belief on two erroneous allegations:
A failure to assign "value" to the "employment relationship Ms. Jenkins enjoys with the Bowie Blade Newspaper," and
A failure to assign the "value of the campaign endorsement by the Blade News."
Please be advised of the following
facts:
I have no "employment relationship" with the Bowie Blade-News. My writing partner and I have written the "Reel
Opinions" column in the Bowie Blade-News for nearly 13 years as a source of personal enjoyment and public service. We have
neither been on the Bowie Blade-News payroll for this service nor have we asked for or received compensation for this service.
As Treasurer, I certified the Jenkins for Council financial report as of October 25, 2005. The Bowie Blade-News endorsement,
dated October 27, 2005, was on news stands on the evening of October 26, 2005. Even if the premise were accepted, which it
is not, that assigning a value to an endorsement is appropriate and standard practice, it would have been impossible for me
to
so certify in meeting the October 25, 2005 financial report filing deadline, two days prior to the endorsement.
Mrs. Constance (Connie) Jenkins
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard A. Dahms"
To:
"'Richard A. Dahms'" ; "'David Deutsch'"
; "'Pam Fleming'"
Cc:
"'Triad'" ; ; "'Dennis Brady'"
; "'Dennis Brady'" ;
;
"'D. Michael Lyles'" ; "'Kurt
Kroemer'" ; "'Gail Booker Jones'"
;
"'Gail Booker Jones'"
; ; "'James
Golato'" ;
Sent: Sunday, November 06, 2005 1:57 PM
Subject: RE: Campaign Contributions & Ethics Issues (Issue
#3)
Good Sunday Afternoon Mr. Deutsch and Pam Fleming,
I have not seen a response from the City of Bowie
other than Mr. Rouse's response of last evening.
Frankly Mr. Rouse, you were completely out of place in responding
on behalf of the City administration. I really don't give a "rat's ass" what you think. Unfortunately, I am going to have
to forward your note of last evening to my legal counsel as yet another example of your intimidation tactics and your attempts
to influence the outcome of a free election for the next Bowie City Council.
You really are not very smart, are you
Mr. Rouse? Here is a suggestion: Keep your mouth shut and stay out of this electronic discussion that I am allowing you to
witness only as a courtesy to you! You're already in enough
hot water as it is.
Ethics Issue #3: Jenkins For Council,
Constance Jenkins treasurer.
The Campaign Report has been sign by the treasurer stating that "Constance Jenkins, treasurer
for Jenkins For Council do here by certify that the following is a complete and accurate statement of the contributions and
expenses
discharged by me as of October 25, 2005". In reality, I believe this statement to be false.
Mr. Jenkins will have
to clarify publicly whether or not "Constance Jenkins" is the same "Connie Jenkins" who writes a weekly column in the Bowie
Blade Newspaper's entertainment section.
If she is one and the same person, I do not see listed on her report any
value that she has assigned to the employment relationship Ms. Jenkins enjoys with the Bowie Blade Newspaper which to nobody's
surprise, publicly
endorsed her campaign. Mr. Rouse might want to visit www.bowiewatch.org
where this conflict of interest was identified. Mr. Rouse, this is why I left all those cards taped to the Blade News parking
signs on Friday. If discretion to you is defined as pieces of scotch tape left over, I'll, be happy to come down to the Dennis
Brady Building (oops another pun) Monday and get any remaining pieces of scotch tape left.
Additionally, Ms. Jenkins
failed to place a value on the Bowie Blade's endorsement. I admit this is difficult to assess a value, but off the top of
my balding little head, I would suggest the value to be the part-time salary
and any fringe benefits for the two year term).
This endorsement too was predicted well in advance to the Blades endorsement publication at www.bowiewatch.org.
To
quote Mr. Golato, "That did not look good".
What are the penalties, if any, under the code for this type of omission
on the candidate's financial statement - if true? In my mind, this conflict of interest and ethics issue is actually two counts:
the value of Ms. Jenkins
employment and the value of the campaign endorsement by the Blade News.
Also, I have not received
an answer to my questions below, so let me repeat
them: What is the process by which ethics issues being raised in this
city election are to be addressed? Please advise me. Time is of the essence. The city election is next Tuesday.
Question
to the Jenkins and Golato campaigns: would either or both campaigns like to withdraw from the race and concede District 2
to Diane M. Polangin
at this time? Please advise me.
I have the same members of the community and press on blind
distribution as before as witnesses to the events that are unfolding.
Whoa! I'm sure glad I stayed out of this election
- based on Rouse's note of last evening, he must think I'm pretty stupid. What a mess!
Richard
The thought
of the day: Think Retirement!
-----Original Message-----
From: Richard A. Dahms [mailto:richarddahms@comcast.net]
Sent:
Saturday, November 05, 2005 7:23 PM
To: 'David Deutsch'; 'Pam Fleming'
Cc: 'Triad'; 'cab2@erols.com'; 'Dennis Brady';
'Dennis Brady';
'geefred1@aol.com'; 'D. Michael Lyles'; 'Kurt Kroemer'; 'Gail Booker Jones';
'Gail Booker Jones'; 'bookerjones4bowie@yahoo.com';
'James Golato';
'jrouse@bladenews.com'
Subject: RE: Campaign Contributions & Ethics Issues
Good Saturday evening
Mr. Deutsch,
What is the status of your staff consultation with the City Attorney and the response to my inquiry pursuant
your e-mail of November 4, 2005 forwarded below?
I am labeling the aforementioned Jenkins ethics matter on my list
as "Ethics Issue #1". As I recall watching on TV, Mr. Jenkins seemed to do cartwheels in his support of the spending of city
tax money on businesses in the Greater Bowie Area (apparently defined as the Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce businesses
adversely impacted by the 450 re-alignment). Gee (pun very much intended), that sounds like an issue the state has control
over, not the city of Bowie so I would question Mr. Jenkins logic as to why he felt city tax money should be used to assist
these businesses and not state tax money?
Ethics Issue #2: Friends of James Golato Campaign Expense Report.
The
Campaign reports $50 paid on 7/11/2005 to Gerald Devlin. I spoke with Jim Golato this evening to discuss and he identified
the individual as Judge Gerald Devlin. According to Golato, it was paid to Devlin in order to
support the DAV (because
as he indicated Devlin is a disabled American Veteran). There a several ethical issues that are quite obvious: 1) Judges are
suppose to be impartial; 2) Judge Gerald Devlin writes a commentary for the Bowie Blade News often influencing the thinking
of our community; and 3)Subsequent to the 7/11/05 payment to Devlin, the Bowie Blade News publicly reported that Judge Devlin
would be the Narrator of the Oden Bowie
Democratic Club/Bowie Blade News partisan political meeting held at a tax exempt
place of worship.
Obviously, we should not find Judge Gerald Devlin's name on a campaign report (regardless of the
materiality of the money). I have copied on the public distribution Mr. John Rouse, Editor of the Blade News so he can begin
to
get a flavor of the ethics issues I am raising in this election. For the record and to his credit, Mr. Rouse as editor in
chief did not endorse Mr. Golato in this election.
In my conversation with Mr. Golato this evening, his direct quote
which I repeated to him twice to make sure that I didn't misquote him is: "That did not look good". He also informed me that
the 7/11/05 payment was made to
Devlin at a "political party". I did not ask Golato what type of political meeting (i.e.
partisan/non-partisan).
Just so you and the copied Council members know, I have leading members of our community and
members of the local press copied on the "blind distribution" of this e-mail so they may witness the ethics issues I am raising
relating to the 2005 Bowie City Elections in case we find need to contest the election and go to litigation as I alluded in
my November 4, 2005 e-mail. I am compiling all the ethics issues I am seeing in this election for Venable, the Baltimore law
firm I retained in 1992.
So again, let me ask you Mr. Deutsch: What is the process by which ethics issues being raised
in this city election are to be addressed? Please advise me. Time is of the essence. The city election is next Tuesday.
Thank you!
Richard
P.S. - You also did not answer my "PS question" on my Friday, November 4,2005 note
so I will ask it again: I have reviewed my Mayoral candidate Financials for 1992 and 1998, and I pretty much paid for my own
campaigns
out of my own money! Has something changed in city elections that I am not aware of?
-----Original Message-----
From:
David Deutsch [mailto:ddeutsch@cityofbowie.org]
Sent: Friday, November 04, 2005 10:18 AM
To: Richard A. Dahms; Pam Fleming
Cc:
Triad; cab2@erols.com; Dennis Brady; Dennis Brady; geefred1@aol.com; D.
Michael Lyles; Kurt Kroemer; Gail Booker Jones;
Gail Booker Jones;
bookerjones4bowie@yahoo.com; Lmb0258@aol.com
Subject: RE: Campaign Contributions & Ethics Issues
Mr. Dahms et al: That is correct. I did not answer that question---yet. Staff will consult with the City Attorney and
a response will be provided. The information I provided earlier was to clarify that the facade
improvement program dollars
from the City are restricted; those funds will not be spent on businesses outside the City. David Deutsch.
-----Original
Message-----
From: Richard A. Dahms [mailto:richarddahms@comcast.net]
Sent: Friday, November 04, 2005 9:53 AM
To:
David Deutsch; Pam Fleming
Cc: 'Triad'; cab2@erols.com; 'Dennis Brady'; 'Dennis Brady';
geefred1@aol.com; 'D. Michael
Lyles'; Kurt Kroemer; Gail Booker Jones; Gail
Booker Jones; bookerjones4bowie@yahoo.com; Lmb0258@aol.com
Subject: RE:
Campaign Contributions & Ethics Issues
Mr. Deutsch,
We watched the council proceeding that evening from home
on TV. But, you have failed to answer my question.
What is the process by which ethics issues are being addressed
in this election?
Thank you!
Richard
----Original Message-----
From: David Deutsch [mailto:ddeutsch@cityofbowie.org]
Sent:
Friday, November 04, 2005 8:57 AM
To: Richard A. Dahms; Pam Fleming
Cc: Triad; cab2@erols.com; Dennis Brady; Dennis
Brady; geefred1@aol.com; D.
Michael Lyles; Kurt Kroemer; Gail Booker Jones; Gail Booker Jones;
bookerjones4bowie@yahoo.com
Subject:
RE: Campaign Contributions & Ethics Issues
Mr. Dahms et al: City Council approved the extension of the commercial
facade improvement program to West Bowie Village on April 4, 2004. Council restricted the program to businesses/structures
within City limits.
David Deutsch
-----Original Message-----
From: Richard A. Dahms [mailto:richarddahms@comcast.net]
Sent:
Friday, November 04, 2005 2:29 AM
To: 'Richard A. Dahms'; Pam Fleming
Cc: 'Triad'; cab2@erols.com; 'Dennis Brady'; 'Dennis
Brady'; David Deutsch;
geefred1@aol.com; 'D. Michael Lyles'; Kurt Kroemer; Gail Booker Jones; Gail
Booker Jones; bookerjones4bowie@yahoo.com
Subject:
Campaign Contributions & Ethics Issues
City Clerk Pam Fleming,
I've reviewed the Candidates' Financial Reports
filed by the campaign treasurers. I have noticed some additional issues other than the ones publicized in this week's newspapers.
For example, a reader to the Bowie City Activist website raised the issue about incumbent Jack Jenkins supporting the
spending of city money to help businesses located outside of our corporate city limits. Jenkins responded
by saying, "I
have, on occasion, expressed support for City assistance to long standing businesses in the greater Bowie area (whether technically
inside or outside City limits) which have been negatively impacted through
no fault of their own by major road relocation
such as the Route 450 project." Now, we find that Jenkins receives a campaign contribution from the personal account of an
owner of one of these businesses that benefited from Jenkins support.
At the 20,000 foot level, I don't think the
taxpayers of Bowie should be paying for a new façade on a business located outside our corporate city and taxing limits, and
then Jack Jenkins receiving a campaign contribution for
it.
The Greater Bowie Area IS NOT (and, I repeat) IS NOT
defined by the Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce. See my reply to Jenkins at www.bowiewatch.org
. You'll have to navigate to find it.
I have other questionable ethics examples, and it's not very pretty. What is
the process by which ethics issues are being addressed in this election?
Or, would you rather wait until I have had
the opportunity to meet with Venable next week, the Baltimore law firm that represented my 1992 "Citizens
For New City
Management" campaign when the city was stonewalling and blocking my access to the financial records of the city during the
election?
We MBA types love financial records. It's funny how City Mis-Manager Moore resigned four months after Venable
served notice of my intent to file suit back in 1992.
Please advise me. Thanks!
Richard
PS. I have
reviewed my Mayoral candidate Financials for 1992 and 1998, and I pretty much paid for my own campaigns out of my own money!
Has something changed in city elections that I am not aware of?
WHAT DID ROUSE SAY?
The BCA has received several
inquiries regarding what Bowie Blade News editor John Rouse said when he interjected himself in my communications with the
Bowie City Council and city administration regarding ethics issues. Here is what Mr. Rouse said to me as a thread in the electronic
communications published above in the story “JENKINS IN CRISIS OVER ETHICS ISSUES”:
With all your self-proclaimed ``expertise''
one would think you would at least get the name of a long-time, and sitinguished, state delegate, judge and ``pioneer'' resident
of Bowie right. He has certainly contributed more to the community than you have. By, the way, in future, I would appreciate
your NOT defacing my company's parking signs. They are on private property, in case you hadn't noticed, or perhaps you are
oblivious of the law. And, yes, Jerry is a columnist for our paper, and we're quite proud of it. If you had all these ``concerns''
about the electoral process in Bowie, you should have put your rhetoric into play by actually running (again) for public
office rather than standing at intersections waving signs..
=================
John L. Rouse
Bowie Blade-News
jrouse@capitalgazette.com
Fax:
301-464-7027
Phone:301-262-3700 X200
Cell: 301-717-9189
-----Original Message-----
From: Richard A. Dahms
[mailto:richarddahms@comcast.net]
Sent: Sat 11/5/2005 7:22 PM
To: 'David Deutsch'; 'Pam Fleming'
Cc: 'Triad'; cab2@erols.com;
'Dennis Brady'; 'Dennis Brady'; geefred1@aol.com; 'D. Michael Lyles'; 'Kurt Kroemer'; 'Gail Booker Jones'; 'Gail Booker Jones';
bookerjones4bowie@yahoo.com; 'James Golato'; John Rouse
Subject: RE: Campaign Contributions & Ethics Issues
Good
Saturday evening Mr. Deutsch,
What is the status of your staff consultation with the City Attorney and the response
to my inquiry pursuant your e-mail of November 4, 2005 forwarded below?
I am labeling the aforementioned Jenkins ethics
matter on my list as "Ethics Issue #1". As I recall watching on TV, Mr. Jenkins seemed to do cartwheels in his support of
the spending of city tax money on businesses in the
Greater Bowie Area (apparently defined as the Greater Bowie Chamber
of Commerce businesses adversely impacted by the 450 re-alignment). Gee (pun very much intended), that sounds like an issue
the state has control over,
not the city of Bowie so I would question Mr. Jenkins logic as to why he felt city tax money
should be used to assist these businesses and not state tax money?
Ethics Issue #2: Friends of James Golato Campaign
Expense Report.
The Campaign reports $50 paid on 7/11/2005 to Gerald Devlin. I spoke with Jim Golato this evening to
discuss and he identified the individual as Judge Gerald Devlin. According to Golato, it was paid to Devlin in order to
support
the DAV (because as he indicated Devlin is a disabled American Veteran). There a several ethical issues that are quite obvious:
1) Judges are suppose to be impartial; 2) Judge Gerald Devlin writes a commentary for the Bowie Blade News often influencing
the thinking of our community; and 3)Subsequent to the 7/11/05 payment to Devlin, the Bowie Blade News publicly reported that
Judge Devlin would be the Narrator of the Oden Bowie
Democratic Club/Bowie Blade News partisan political meeting held at
a tax exempt place of worship.
Obviously, we should not find Judge Gerald Devlin's name on a campaign report (regardless
of the materiality of the money). I have copied on the public distribution Mr. John Rouse, Editor of the Blade News so he
can begin
to get a flavor of the ethics issues I am raising in this election. For the record and to his credit, Mr. Rouse
as editor in chief did not endorse Mr. Golato in this election.
In my conversation with Mr. Golato this evening,
his direct quote which I repeated to him twice to make sure that I didn't misquote him is: "That did not look good". He also
informed me that the 7/11/05 payment was made to
Devlin at a "political party". I did not ask Golato what type of political
meeting (i.e. partisan/non-partisan).
Just so you and the copied Council members know, I have leading members of
our community and members of the local press copied on the "blind distribution" of this e-mail so they may witness the ethics
issues I am raising relating to the 2005 Bowie City Elections in case we find need to contest the election and go to litigation
as I alluded in my November 4,2005 e-mail. I am compiling all the ethics issues I am seeing in this election for Venable,
the Baltimore law firm I retained in 1992.
So again, let me ask you Mr. Deutsch: What is the process by which ethics
issues being raised in this city election are to be addressed? Please advise me. Time is of the essence. The city election
is next Tuesday.
Thank you!
Richard
P.S. - You also did not answer my "PS question" on my Friday,
November 4, 2005 note so I will ask it again: I have reviewed my Mayoral candidate Financials for 1992 and 1998, and I pretty
much paid for my own campaigns
out of my own money! Has something changed in city elections that I am notaware of?
Richard
Dahms dissects John Rouses e-mail above and inserts his reply comments:
With all your self-proclaimed ``expertise''
[Dahms writes: what self proclaimed expertise is Mr. Rouse talking about?] one would think you would at least get the name
of a long-time, and distinguished, state delegate, judge and ``pioneer'' resident of Bowie right [Dahms writes: what does
this have to do with a judge taking money from a political campaign? By the way, Rouse, my family is as much “pioneer” as
Devlin, not that it is relevant to anything].
He has certainly contributed more to the community than you have.[Dahms
writes: again, how is this relevant to anything and by whose standards does Rouse judge who has done more for the community?]
By, the way, in future, I would appreciate your NOT defacing my company's parking signs. They are on private property,
in case you hadn't noticed, or perhaps you are oblivious of the law [Dahms writes: So everyone reading these words knows,
I scotched taped my BCA business cards to the Blade News reserve parking signs. I was trying to get the Blade News attention
to what I’ve written on this website about the Blade News duplicity. Obviously, I got a reaction from Mr. Rouse. Perhaps Rouse
can quote the applicable law against scotch taping business cards to reserve parking signs. As promised, I went down to the
Dennis Brady Building and removed the remaining three strands of scotch tape. See photo at the bottom of this BCA page. Poor
John Rouse. Time for retirement]
And, yes, Jerry is a columnist for our paper, and we're quite proud of it. If you
had all these ``concerns'' about the electoral process in Bowie, you should have put your rhetoric into play by actually running
(again) for public office rather than standing at intersections waving signs.[Dahms writes: again, how is this relevant to
a judge taking money from a political campaign. When John Rouse inserted himself in the e-mail exchange with the city, he
proved in writing what some already know – the Blade News is considered an arm of the City of Bowie government. Rouse should
know by now that I enjoy waving to my neighbors and friends on the streets of Bowie]
MY FINAL TWO LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
OF THE BOWIE BLADE NEWS
In order to help the community to better understand the pieces of a puzzle, perhaps my final
two letters to the editor of the Bowie Blade News might help.
This letter was published on Thursday, October 20, 2005
entitled “Aunt Agatha Wrong”:
Sir,
Aunt Agatha has it wrong again. Mayor Gary Allen was a two term Bowie Mayor,
not a one term mayor as Auntie wrote. I know some have lost all concepts of Council terms following the Mayor’s altering of
our city elections and the unprecedented three and one half year term of this Council. Unless of course, Aunt Agatha was agreeing
with me that Mayor Allen was a very productive Mayor and accomplished much more in shorter time than Mayor Robinson.
With
the respect to Aunt Agatha’s comment about causing consternation among the City’s Charter Review committee, I am aware that
Robinson’s cronies with chief Robinson crony and Blade News writer Judge Jerry Devlin presiding recommended altering the city
election cycles following the Mayor’s narrow election in 1998 (50.4%) and the subsequent aggressive challenges by Michael
McArdle and Councilman Paul Ellington. This is normally how such local political chicanery to benefit an incumbent occurs.
The public referendum passed by the roughly same margin as Robinson’s close election win over Paul Ellington. There was no
rational reason to change our traditional spring city elections other than the pure political reason of keeping Mayor Robinson
in office longer following his narrow election and subsequent challenges. In fact, during his Mayoral tenure Robinson held
altering our city elections in higher priority than public safety with the current police question.
The self serving
scheme to alter our elections to kill Robinson’s political opposition in the city appears to have worked as the Mayor is running
unopposed for the first time. I will be recommending at my Bowie City Activist website that the public refrain from pulling
the lever for Mayor Robinson running unopposed.
Richard A. Dahms
301-262-9232
My final letter
was published on October 27, 2005 entitled “Dahms Responds”:
Sir,
I would like to respond to Aunt Agatha’s
recent comment about running for mayor – and losing again!
Having wrestled with monopolies in the telecommunications
industry for most of my adult life, I know a local political monopoly when I see one. In essence, I copped the political equivalent
of an “Alford Plea” meaning the overwhelming evidence to me is that Mayor Robinson would be re-elected again if contested.
Perhaps I was ahead of my time in the 1990s twice challenging monopoly giants Logue/Robinson, but I thought allowing the
Mayor to run in this city election uncontested is also a local political statement.
Richard A. Dahms
301-262-9232
AUNT
GABBY ON CITY POLITICS
Whoa! Auntie is glad this city election is over! This was a nasty one. Auntie is not surprised
the Police question was overwhelmingly passed with a loud “yes”. The BCA predicted Mayor Gee Fred Flintstone would make this
his issue on the June 14, 2005 BCA page. See “The Politics of a Bowie City Police Force”. The only thing missing now is a
true cost study of what it will actually cost city taxpayers.
-------------------------------
Auntie hears through
the grapevine that Tap Dancer and Mickey Devaney, the wife of Mayor Gee Fred Flintstone’s closest political advisor and Campaign
manager, greeted one another at the City Hall polling place with a very prolonged hug. Auntie knows the prolonged hug was
very healing. Auntie knows the name Mickey Devaney was a very important name in Tap Dancer’s family household in the 1960s.
Does “Bonko” ring a bell?
----------------------
And this note from the “Politics and dance studios make very strange
bed fellows” department, Auntie could not help but notice Tap Dancer and former Bowie City Councilman Dick Padgett conversing
amicably at City Hall on election day.
----------------------
First there was the “Twigger Technique”. Now, there is
the “Polangin Pointer” with her campaign in scripted nail files.
--------------------
Auntie believes in freedom of
choice and local competition. Auntie congratulates Rebecca Sunday, Diane Polangin, James Golato, Gail Booker Jones, and Troy
Stewart. Auntie spoke with Tap Dancer, and he says their names will be added to the list found on the August 12, 2005 BCA
page in the story entitled “City Elections Return to Bowie”. Diane Polangin and Gail Booker Jones names are already found
on the page as second time candidates.
--------------------
Auntie is still laughing at the pictures of Dennis "the
engineer" Brady in the November 3, 2005 Bowie Blade News. For laughs, compare the vintage 1990s Brady picture on page A9 with
the Brady campaign photo in the same "A section" political advertisement. Does anyone see a difference?
--------------------
Auntie
discovered a gross error of omission in the story found on the August 12, 2005 BCA page entitled “City Elections Return to
Bowie”. Auntie notes there was no mention of two time Bowie Mayoral candidate and former City Councilwoman Betsy Burian.
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.
© 2005 – The Dahms Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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