Joe Curran

To say that Edward L. Blanton Jr., the GOP candidate for state attorney general, is a refreshing return to traditional Republicanism in Maryland is the understatement of the year in this turbulent political time. For much of the 1980s -- the Reagan era -- the state's party machinery was dominated by ideologues whose philosophy reflected a curious hostility to regulation of economic forces but a busybody determination to regulate people's personal affairs by dictating their cultural tastes or telling them how many children they must have.

What's the surer route to workplace fun: Defending the Catholic Church's decision to invalidate a little girl's First Communion because the girl, who can't eat gluten, was given a rice wafer? Or promoting the GOP in a state like Maryland? Audra Miller has had the pleasure of doing both, and now the spokeswoman for the Maryland Republican Party is moving on. She left Friday to become communications director for Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska. She will work out of his Washington office.

Joe Curran and I both ran for attorney general in 1986. He beat me.I've never forgotten how he conducted himself in that campaign, and by the time he ran for re-election in 1990, I was in a position to say something about it because by then I was writing this bi-weekly column. But no one challenged him that year, so there wasn't anything to be gained by sounding off at that point.I've held my tongue for eight years.Now he's running again. This time he's got stiff opposition in next September's Democratic primary and, if he wins, a tough Republican opponent in November's general election.

As outgoing Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Jr. packed his belongings into boxes yesterday in his increasingly empty Baltimore office, he said he is looking at potential job prospects and would be willing, if approached, to serve as temporary president of the Injured Workers' Insurance Fund. The agency has terminated its relationship with former state Sen. Thomas L. Bromwell, president and CEO since 2002 of the state's largest insurance fund for injured workers. Facing federal public corruption charges and due to go to trial in March, Bromwell's last day will be Sunday.

The Curran clock tower at York Road and Woodbourne Avenue in Govans hasn't ticked or chimed in years. For better than a decade, City Hall had neither the inclination nor the $30,000 to fix the burned-out circuits in the northeast Baltimore landmark. But, then, it didn't have Curran kin in the mayor's office, either. Last week marked 10 years since the marriage of Martin O'Malley and Catherine "Katie" Curran, granddaughter of the man to whom the city dedicated the clock 20 years ago - J. Joseph Curran Sr., late patriarch of a family deeply rooted in the political gardens of northeast Baltimore.

Paul H. Rappaport, recently passed over for a second go-around as Republican Ellen R. Sauerbrey's running mate in ++ the governor's race, bounced back yesterday by launching a challenge to Democratic Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Jr.Billing himself as a "tough, two-fisted crime fighter" who would not be "a rubber stamp for the governor," Rappaport, 64, said he plans to file candidacy papers today in Annapolis.The former Howard County police chief's decision comes as a relief to Republicans, who were worried that they might not field a full statewide ticket in a year when they expect to mount a strong challenge to Gov. Parris N. Glendening.

Memo to Marylanders who expected the race for attorney general to be an arcane legal debate: It's not.It's a contest filled with juicy accusations of political hanky-panky and, yes, even illegal activities.The bulk of the charges are coming from the Republican bunker of Richard D. Bennett. He has accused Democratic incumbent J. Joseph Curran Jr. of breaking the law (by failing to file a routine report) and misusing taxpayer money (by taking a state bodyguard to political events).He has even blamed Mr. Curran for the prison system's early release of John Frederick Thanos, who subsequently murdered three teen-agers.

Irony alert! Jacksonville, the Florida city that got the NFL franchise Baltimore wanted, and a railroad company for which Baltimore was once headquarters, has sent a delegation of business and civic leaders here to learn how we got on the cutting edge of urban revitalization. About 120 Jacksonvillians (or Jacksonvillains, if you want to be cranky about it) have come to town. They've been here since Wednesday, sporting name tags and buttons. (Contrary to rumors, the buttons do not say, "I'm From Jacksonville, Punch Me!"

What's the surer route to workplace fun: Defending the Catholic Church's decision to invalidate a little girl's First Communion because the girl, who can't eat gluten, was given a rice wafer? Or promoting the GOP in a state like Maryland? Audra Miller has had the pleasure of doing both, and now the spokeswoman for the Maryland Republican Party is moving on. She left Friday to become communications director for Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska. She will work out of his Washington office.

Gov. Parris N. Glendening said yesterday he will not disclose the names of contributors who have donated more than $150,000 to pay his legal expenses from last month's court challenge to his Election Day victory.Through a spokeswoman, Mr. Glendening said he would rely on the advice of the Maryland attorney general's office and his lawyer, who say state law does not require disclosure of such contributions or who made them."The governor says if the head of his legal team says it's not appropriate to give it out, he supports that," said Dianna D. Rosborough, Mr. Glendening's press secretary.

Anne Arundel County Executive Janet S. Owens has yet to do it. Ditto for Prince George's County Executive Wayne K. Curry. Baltimore County Executive C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger has tiptoed around the subject. With less than six weeks until Election Day, the top officials in three of the Baltimore area's largest jurisdictions have not formally endorsed fellow Democrat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend's bid for governor. Most have tried to offer Townsend support in other ways. Ruppersberger and Curry have attended recent events with Townsend, and Owens has campaigned with Charles R. Larson, the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor.

The Curran clock tower at York Road and Woodbourne Avenue in Govans hasn't ticked or chimed in years. For better than a decade, City Hall had neither the inclination nor the $30,000 to fix the burned-out circuits in the northeast Baltimore landmark. But, then, it didn't have Curran kin in the mayor's office, either. Last week marked 10 years since the marriage of Martin O'Malley and Catherine "Katie" Curran, granddaughter of the man to whom the city dedicated the clock 20 years ago - J. Joseph Curran Sr., late patriarch of a family deeply rooted in the political gardens of northeast Baltimore.

ATTORNEY General J. Joseph Curran Jr. does not need another headache as he ponders whether Maryland should join other states in a massive tobacco settlement.But Joe Camel might have put a little more stress on the attorney general. A Harvard study released yesterday showed that smoking by college students, normally lower than their younger high school counterparts, has jumped precipitously. Experts say is a result of heavy tobacco-company advertising and marketing campaigns aimed at youngsters and starring Joe Camel.

Paul H. Rappaport, recently passed over for a second go-around as Republican Ellen R. Sauerbrey's running mate in ++ the governor's race, bounced back yesterday by launching a challenge to Democratic Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Jr.Billing himself as a "tough, two-fisted crime fighter" who would not be "a rubber stamp for the governor," Rappaport, 64, said he plans to file candidacy papers today in Annapolis.The former Howard County police chief's decision comes as a relief to Republicans, who were worried that they might not field a full statewide ticket in a year when they expect to mount a strong challenge to Gov. Parris N. Glendening.

Maryland's top law enforcement officer has come out firmly against casino gambling, calling the proposal a potential "disaster" for the state that would cause crime to "skyrocket."In a speech delivered last night, Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Jr. predicted casinos would attract organized crime, make drugs and prostitution more available and push compulsive gamblers to steal."We could expect to see an increase in virtually every kind of crime," Mr. Curran said in an address to the Maryland Sheriff's Association in Ocean City.

Gov. Parris N. Glendening said yesterday he will not disclose the names of contributors who have donated more than $150,000 to pay his legal expenses from last month's court challenge to his Election Day victory.Through a spokeswoman, Mr. Glendening said he would rely on the advice of the Maryland attorney general's office and his lawyer, who say state law does not require disclosure of such contributions or who made them."The governor says if the head of his legal team says it's not appropriate to give it out, he supports that," said Dianna D. Rosborough, Mr. Glendening's press secretary.

Against the foggy background of Baltimore's Inner Harbor, Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Jr. stood atop Federal Hill to receive the endorsements of two environmental groups.Although the campaign for attorney general is in its last week, the news conference, held yesterday by the Clean Water Coalition, was to be a low-key affair, not a lot of fanfare, just simple and to the point, the way Joe Curran likes things.But arriving just after the news conference began was Curran's Republican challenger in Tuesday's election, Edward L. Blanton Jr. Blanton had come to ambush the incumbent in an effort to force a campaign debate.

As outgoing Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Jr. packed his belongings into boxes yesterday in his increasingly empty Baltimore office, he said he is looking at potential job prospects and would be willing, if approached, to serve as temporary president of the Injured Workers' Insurance Fund. The agency has terminated its relationship with former state Sen. Thomas L. Bromwell, president and CEO since 2002 of the state's largest insurance fund for injured workers. Facing federal public corruption charges and due to go to trial in March, Bromwell's last day will be Sunday.

Memo to Marylanders who expected the race for attorney general to be an arcane legal debate: It's not.It's a contest filled with juicy accusations of political hanky-panky and, yes, even illegal activities.The bulk of the charges are coming from the Republican bunker of Richard D. Bennett. He has accused Democratic incumbent J. Joseph Curran Jr. of breaking the law (by failing to file a routine report) and misusing taxpayer money (by taking a state bodyguard to political events).He has even blamed Mr. Curran for the prison system's early release of John Frederick Thanos, who subsequently murdered three teen-agers.

Irony alert! Jacksonville, the Florida city that got the NFL franchise Baltimore wanted, and a railroad company for which Baltimore was once headquarters, has sent a delegation of business and civic leaders here to learn how we got on the cutting edge of urban revitalization. About 120 Jacksonvillians (or Jacksonvillains, if you want to be cranky about it) have come to town. They've been here since Wednesday, sporting name tags and buttons. (Contrary to rumors, the buttons do not say, "I'm From Jacksonville, Punch Me!"