Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: PG campaign meeting on county time ruled illegal Date: Sat, 31 Oct 92 14:00:15 EST Message-ID: \SE A;METROPOLITAN \HD PG campaign meeting on county time ruled illegal \BY Jim Keary \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES Prince George's County employees who attended an August meeting to discuss a campaign against tax and term-limit questions on the ballot met during office hours, a violation of election laws, the state prosecutor said yesterday. "We found violations of the election law, which prohibits political activities during working hours," said State Prosecutor Stephen Montanarelli. But while there was a violation of the law, he said, there would be no prosecution. "Some of the participants who can be classified as public officials didn't have enough criminal intent to charge them with misconduct in office," the prosecutor said. "This is exactly why we need term limits," said Judy Robinson, who organized the petition drives that put the tax-cap and term-limit questions on the ballot. "They are supposed to be working for us, not us working for them." While she cheered the prosecutor's findings, she said it is unfortunate that no penalties would be assessed against the county employees involved. "I think that law needs to be changed," she said. The 10:30 a.m. meeting on Aug. 26, a Wednesday, was held by Major Riddick, the county's chief administrative officer, and other county employees to explain the impact of the initiatives on county government to potential opponents. But Mrs. Robinson claimed that a tape recording of the meeting indicated that its main purpose was to organize opposition to the two initiatives. Tim Ayers, a spokesman for County Executive Parris Glendening, said that after the complaint was filed the county employees at the meeting were charged with two hours of personal leave. He also said that Mr. Montanarelli's findings showed it is legal for county employees to be involved in politics as long as it is not on public time. "We should not have had the meeting on county time," Mr. Ayers said. "What we did at the meeting was not wrong, only our timing was off." This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM