Campaign

An old reporter often begins his daily routine by turning to the newspaper's obituary page with mild trepidation, fearing another friend has gone to that great newsroom in the sky. So it was this week in reading of the death in Baltimore, at only 62, of Richard Ben Cramer, arguably the best writer of a presidential campaign chronicle ever. That would be his 1,047-page opus of one of the less memorable contests, in 1988, among six less-than-heroic candidates: Republicans George H.W. Bush, the eventual winner, and Bob Dole; and Democrats Michael Dukakis, the eventual party nominee, Richard Gephardt, Joe Biden and Gary Hart.

I read with interest your article about Catonsville developer Steve Whalen Jr., who pleaded guilty to five counts of election-law violations for illegally funneling money to a Baltimore County councilman's reelection campaign ("Builder admits illegal gifts," Jan. 4). Prosecutors said Mr. Whalen exceeded the $10,000 limit on total contributions over a four-year election cycle, all in an apparent attempt to help certain politicians get elected. Yet Las Vegas billionaire Sheldon Adelson reportedly gave over $100 million to Super PACs working to defeat President Obama and get the Republican candidate elected.

Catonsville -based developer Steve W. Whalen Jr. is scheduled to be in Baltimore County Circuit Court on Thursday morning to face charges that he channeled $7,500 in illegal contributions to a Baltimore County councilman, and also exceeded the total campaign contribution limit for individuals. The allegations against Whalen, 62, owner of Whalen Properties, stem from contributions made to Catonsville-area Councilman Tom Quirk , County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and Towson -area Councilman David Marks . Whalen has reportedly reached a plea agreement with prosecutors.

Catonsville developer Steve W. Whalen Jr. pleaded guilty Thursday in Baltimore County Circuit Court to five counts of election-law violations for illegally funneling money to a county councilman's campaign and exceeding political contribution limits. Whalen, 62, was fined $53,000 in a plea agreement worked out by his attorneys and state prosecutors. He already has paid $5,000 in civil fines related to the case, his lawyer said. Each count had carried a potential of one year in prison.

A panel established by the General Assembly to recommend changes to Maryland's campaign finance laws is urging lawmakers to adopt sweeping reforms to ensure the public knows where election money is coming from and how it is being use to influence their votes. In a report to lawmakers, the Commission to Study Campaign Finance Law said the Assembly should close loopholes that have allowed donors to funnel large sums into campaigns with little chance voters will know before Election Day. As a trade-off, the commission also recommended that the legislature raise Maryland's limits on how much donors can contribute to reflect two decades of inflation.

Taking a cue from what they're learning in class, some Johns Hopkins public health students are spearheading a climate-conscious drive to get the university to divest itself of fossil fuel holdings. Just before taking off for the holiday break, leaders of the Refuel Our Future campaign delivered to JHU President Ronald J. Daniels' office a petition with more than 800 signatures on it calling on the university to rid its $2.7 billion endowment of fossil energy stocks in an effort to ease the predicted environmental and health impacts of climate change.

Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz's campaign committee plans to keep a $4,000 donation from the Catonsville developer who was charged this week with violating state campaign finance laws, its treasurer said Friday. Two county councilmen who also received contributions that led to criminal charges against Stephen W. Whalen Jr. say they've returned the money or plan to do so. Kamenetz's campaign treasurer, Charles Klein, said the organization doesn't "have any information that we need to do that at this point in time.

A prominent Catonsville developer accused of channeling $7,500 in illegal contributions to a Baltimore County councilman and exceeding the total campaign contribution limit for individuals was charged Thursday with violating campaign contribution laws. The criminal charges against Stephen W. Whalen Jr., 62, of Whalen Properties stem from contributions made to Catonsville-area Councilman Tom Quirk, County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and Towson-area Councilman David Marks. Whalen has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors, according to his lawyer, who declined to offer details.

Anne Arundel County Councilman John Grasso announced his candidacy for county executive two years ahead of the 2014 election in hopes that the extended campaign will give voters time to "build up a tab of likes and dislikes of John Grasso. " The first-term Republican said he declared this month in order to give voters ample opportunity to learn about him and to judge his actions while knowing he aspires to become county executive. "I want the people to have plenty of time," Grasso said.

The campaign that won last month's referendum on expanded gambling spent almost $48 million, its share of the most expensive political fight in Maryland's history. But it but didn't provide much of a direct cash infusion to the state's economy. "For Maryland Jobs and School – Vote Yes on 7," the ballot committee backed by pro-expansion casino companies led by MGM Resorts International, spent only 4 percent of that money on companies, nonprofits and individuals with Maryland addresses, according to its post-election report to the State Board of Elections.