Robert L. Ehrlich

Aide To Former Maryland GOP Governor Found Guilty Of Election Fraud

Ryan J. Reilly | December 6, 2011, 2:45PM

Maryland gubernatorial candidate Rep. Robert Ehrlich (R), left, listens to Paul Schurick.

A chief of staff to former Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich (R) was found guilty on Tuesday on four counts, including election fraud, for his role in setting up robocalls intended to surpress minority voting turnout in the final hours of Election Day last year.

Paul Schurick's trial took place in Baltimore Circuit Court, where he was brought up on charges of conspiracy, election fraud and a charge relating to his failure to include a disclosure on the robocall that it was authorized by the campaign. He had been indicted by state prosecutors alongside Julius Henson in June.

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Robocalls

Md. Investigators Raid Home, Office of Alleged Robocaller

Ryan J. Reilly | December 21, 2010, 12:47PM

Julius Henson and Fmr. Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R-MD)

Investigators for the Maryland prosecutor last week raided the home and office of Julius Henson, the man on the payroll of former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R-Md.) who was allegedly behind controversial robocalls on Election Day which told mostly Democratic voters not to bother going to the polls.

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Leslie Johnson

Alleged Bra-Stuffer Sworn In As Councilwoman (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | December 7, 2010, 10:02AM

Leslie Johnson and Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson

Despite the federal indictment against her, Leslie Johnson was sworn into office on Monday in Prince George's County, Md. on a Bible held by her husband and alleged co-conspirator, Jack Johnson.

Leslie Johnson is accused of stuffing nearly $80,000 in cash in her bra and flushing a $100,000 check down the toilet as FBI agents knocked on the door in order to search her home as part of a corruption probe.

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Jack B. Johnson

Despite Federal Charges, Leslie Johnson Poised To Assume Council Seat

Ryan J. Reilly | November 23, 2010, 9:09AM

Leslie Johnson and Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson

Leslie Johnson, the wife of Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson whom the feds say stuffed nearly $80,000 in cash in her bra and flushed a $100,000 check down the toilet to try and hide evidence, could still take the seat she was elected to on the County Council despite the federal charges pending against her.

Not so fast, say current and incoming members of the council who have joined critics in calling for Johnson to step aside.

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Robo-calls

Maryland AG: 'Relax' Election Day Robocalls Violated Law

Ryan J. Reilly | November 12, 2010, 2:27PM

Julius Henson and Fmr. Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R-MD)

Maryland's Attorney General filed a complaint in federal court this week alleging that the company and two individuals behind election day robocalls that told mostly Democratic voters to "relax" and not bother voting violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

The court filing by Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler also revealed that the phone calls, which began two hours before polls closed, went out to more than 100,000 Maryland residents, more than double the number originally reported.

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Robocalls

Robocalls Telling MD Voters To 'Relax' Came From Dem Supporting GOP Nominee

Ryan J. Reilly | November 5, 2010, 2:50PM

Julius Henson and Fmr. Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R-MD)

Two hours before polls closed on Tuesday, over 50,000 Maryland voters started receiving mysterious phone calls instructing them to "relax" and not bother voting because Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) had already won re-election.

The Baltimore Sun reported that calls were sent from the account associated with a controversial Democratic operative, Julius Henson, by Rhonda Russell, a former director of Progressive Maryland.

Russell, now a Universal Elections employee, placed the order with Robodial.org, a Pennsylvania company which works exclusively with Democrats. Universal Elections is the company of Henson, a longtime Democratic operative who is based out of Baltimore but worked as a consultant for the former Gov. Bob Ehrlich (R) this election cycle in his campaign against O'Malley. In an interesting twist, Hanson previously called Ehrlich a "Nazi," but eventually took at least $32,000 in consulting fees from the Ehrlich campaign, according to the Sun.

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Maryland

Early Robocall Reportedly Tells MD Voters To Relax, O'Malley Won

Ryan J. Reilly | November 2, 2010, 7:45PM

The campaign of Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley posted audio to its website today of what appears to be a misleading message being left for their supporters in the state.

"I'm calling to let everyone know that Gov. O'Malley and President Obama have been successful. Our goals have been met. The polls were correct, and we took [inaudible]," the message says. "We're okay. Relax. Everything is fine. The only thing left is to watch on TV tonight."

The robocalls reportedly went out sometime before 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, but the polls in Maryland don't close until 8 p.m.

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Jack Abramoff

Jack Abramoff Gets A New Gig

Megan Carpentier | June 22, 2010, 6:42PM

Jack Abramoff

Disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, mere months after serving his debt to society for bribing Congressmen and related shenanigans, is making mad dough these days in his new job.

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