Cummings, a member of the subcommittee, wrote Kucinich yesterday to express his support.
"At a time when people across the United States believe their civil rights are being violated and question the credibility of our justice system, it is imperative that we make clear that this behavior will not be tolerated," the Baltimore Democrat wrote. Cummings said he has also asked O'Malley to review the matter.
According to the ACLU, which released 43 pages of state police summaries and computer logs, at least two undercover agents spent 288 hours monitoring and recording peaceful protest activities. During that time, agents infiltrated the Baltimore Pledge of Resistance, a peace group; the Baltimore Coalition Against the Death Penalty; and the Committee to Save Vernon Evans, a death row inmate.
The ACLU said that nothing in the documents indicated criminal activity or intent by the protesters. Police also entered the names of activists in a law enforcement database of people suspected of being terrorists or drug traffickers, the documents show.
Maria Allwine, a member of Baltimore Pledge of Resistance, said that she hopes congressional action will pressure state officials to release other information, including why the spying was ordered, and result in safeguards to prevent such surveillance. She said lawmakers should examine laws governing the release of public information, noting that her group has been trying to obtain answers through formal requests since 2006.
laura.smitherman@baltsun.com
matthew.brown@baltsun.com
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