Baltimore is headed to the Super Bowl, and so, it seems, is a good bit of city government.
City Council President Sheila Dixon and at least four others on the 19-member council are going - though not at city expense - in addition to a five-person mayoral entourage that is traveling mostly on the city's official dime.
Like state legislators with the right connections, City Council members seemed to find ways to get tickets if they wanted them, whether by calling the mayor's office and getting a referral to the Ravens' influential lobbyist or by calling the Ravens directly and just asking.
"Sheila had called the Ravens to ask if they had any tickets left, and when they said yes, she purchased them," said Dixon's spokesman, Jason Young.
At least seven members of the all-Democratic City Council bought or received tickets, including two who say they won't personally be using them.
Mayor Martin O'Malley's office sent an e-mail to Dixon's chief of staff saying that council members who wanted tickets should contact Annapolis lobbyist Gary R. Alexander, who represents the Ravens.
One of the members who was referred to Alexander was Councilwoman Rochelle "Rikki" Spector, of Northwest Baltimore's 5th District, who was able to buy five Super Bowl tickets from different sources. But she has given the tickets to her sons, grandsons and a close family friend from Florida.
She was hoping she'd be able to find a sixth one so that she could join them in Tampa for the big game.
Alexander said yesterday that no one on the City Council purchased or received tickets from him.
"The Baltimore City Council all got their tickets from the Ravens," he said. "Our involvement was to make up a list so that the Ravens knew who were elected officials and who weren't."
Councilwoman Catherine E. Pugh, of West Baltimore's 4th District, said that she bought her two $325 tickets - including one she sold to Spector at face value - without using the benefits of her office.
"I called and asked for Ravens tickets," Pugh said. "I didn't identify myself as a councilwoman. I only wanted one ticket, and I knew that Rikki wanted one ticket."
Councilwoman Stephanie Rawlings, who like Spector represents the 5th District, wouldn't identify the exact source of her tickets. She said the tickets were a gift to her husband and were not from anyone with business interests before the city - which means the gift is allowed under city ethics laws.
