Bob Ehrlich

I have a question for all the people who once fought so hard against casinos in the state when Gov.Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.ran on a "slots" agenda: Don't you feel silly? Now these people can't seem to get enough of the millions of dollars being generated by gambling venues, or of the jobs that are being created in their neighborhoods. Just a few years ago, Gov. Martin O'Malleyand the dim bulbs in Annapolis said that using gambling money to fund education was "morally bankrupt. " Where is their "moral superiority" now?

Guests at a June 14 dinner honoring former Maryland governor Bob Ehrlich and former Ravens all-pro place-kicker Matt Stover will dine in complete darkness. The event, called Dining in the Dark, is hosted by the Foundation Fighting Blindness , a Columbia-based national nonprofit focused on life-saving research. Described as "a distinctive sensory awareness experience," diners at the Baltimore Hilton will take their entree course "using only their senses of smell, sound, taste and touch to get a glimpse into the lives of the blind.

Former Gov. Bob Ehrlich, who has shifted his focus away from Maryland politics in recent months, will jump into the state's most high profile race of 2012 by headlining a fundraiser for Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett next week. The event will take place on Monday at a restaurant in Buckeystown, where Bartlett owns a farm, and tickets will run from $100 to $2,500. The fundraiser appears to be among the first overt signs of support the state Republican apparatus has offered Bartlett, who faces the toughest reelection of his political career in November.

Thanks to Bob Ehrlich for the long article in Sunday's paper that makes plain, without actually stating it, the big difference between Republicans and Democrats on health care ("A death-knell for employer-funded insurance," April 1). Republicans find the pre-reform status quo acceptable, in which thousands of people died annually, in this wealthy country, for lack of health insurance. Democrats do not, and would like to see the U.S. join the rest of the industrialized world in guaranteeing health care for its citizens.

Once again, Bob Ehrlich shows that his trickery is not limited to election day voting schemes ("Give pols a pass for verbal miscues," March 18). The start of his column promises an uplifting theme - let's cut politicians some slack on some of their statements because they're human and thus imperfect. But Mr. Ehrlich quickly turns to nakedly partisan attacks by listing statements that do not deserve any slack - those of Democrats. He starts off with what he calls President Barack Obama's propensity for apologizing to the world for U.S. policy.

One of my favorite activities this primary season is to read the seemingly endless analyses of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. The profiles run the gamut from glowing to scathing; just about every Washington pundit has a strong opinion of "Mr. Speaker. " Yet, most of the talking heads have not worked with the man or known him very well. I have worked with Newt, consider him a friend, but also understand the eccentricities of this fascinating leader. (I am also Maryland chairman of Mitt Romney's presidential campaign.)

I am extremely dismayed by your introduction of a column written by the evil Bob Ehrlich ("Ehrlich column to run in The Sun," Jan. 22). While I have nothing but respect for the way the late Ron Smith presented his opinions, I do not feel that way about Mr. Ehrlich. Should I detect any hint of the hatred and disrespect that emanated from the former Republican governor, I will be forced to cancel my subscription to your paper, which I have supported for many years. Although I strongly support the continuation of print media, I cannot support an entity that provides a platform for the politics of hatred.

I'm disappointed that former governorRobert L. Ehrlich Jr.will be writing a column in The Baltimore Sun, a newspaper that skewered him unmercifully when he was in office ("Ehrlich column to run in The Sun," Jan. 22). What The Sun did to Governor Ehrlich, including taking him to court, is unforgivable. I'm displeased in his decision to accept this offer as it reeks of self-promotion. Mr. Ehrlich says his first two columns will be on his decision to write for the paper and then a tribute to Ron Smith.

Former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. used $168,000 of leftover campaign funds to pay for defense attorneys for Paul Schurick, his longtime aide who was convicted on charges of electoral fraud rising out of Ehrlich's failed run against Gov. Martin O'Malley in 2010. The payments were outlined in a campaign finance report filed last week by the Bob Ehrlich for Maryland Committee, which remains in operation. Ehrlich has said he intends to stay out of Maryland electoral politics. The money paid to four law firms that took part in Schurick's defense made up the bulk of. the committee's spending last year.