Sinclair Propped For Bush After 911 w/ the Help Of My MD. Governor

[bigtree]

{snip}

Two years ago, Duncan Smith, vice president of Sinclair, gave then Maryland GOP gubernatorial candidate Robert Ehrlich extensive use of a luxury helicopter Smith owned and billed Ehrlich’s campaign-at a discounted rate of $1,000 an hour-only after an inquiry by the Baltimore Sun. Smith’s company, Whirlwind Aviation, Inc., rents out the aircraft for $2,500 an hour. "Ehrlich used the helicopter at least six times during and after the gubernatorial campaign," according to a Nov. 20, 2002 Baltimore Sun story. Smith said at the time that the remaining fee of more than $13,750 would be picked up by Whirlwind and listed by the company as an "in-kind" contribution to Ehrlich’s campaign.

But the conflict went even further and it highlights the problems with relaxing federal rules governing media ownership. While Ehrlich campaigned for governor, a campaign that he eventually won, he also lobbied the Federal Communications Commission on behalf of Sinclair who was embroiled in a licensing dispute with the agency. The FCC chastised Ehrlich for intervening on Sinclair’s behalf without disclosing that the company provided him with use of its helicopter.

In September, Sinclair and Ehrlich once again made headlines as a result of the media company’s cozy relationship with the governor. Sinclair produced a series of tourism ads in which Ehrlich appeared and waived its production fee on the condition that the state of Maryland purchase $60,000 worth of time on a Sinclair-owned station to air them, a deal which Ehrlich agreed to.

A week after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Sinclair Chief Executive David Smith and his three brothers who control the media company handed down an edict to their news and sports reporters, and even a weatherman, at the company’s flagship Baltimore television station, WBFF, requiring the broadcasters to follow up each on-air report with a statement conveying full support for President Bush and the war on terror.

More:
http://www.intl-news.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1191

[LiberalEsto]

1. Ehrlich must go

in 2006. He acts so palsy-walsy (Governor Bob) but he is trying behind the scenes to turn Maryland into a mini-Texas, with all that that implies.

It will be interesting to see Baltimore Mayor Mike O'Malley and Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan slug it out for the Democratic nomination for governor.

Keep the Free State Free -- Dump Ehrlich!

[bigtree]

2. This is good stuff

I'm going to try to get my local media to kick this every chance I get.

edit: Doug Duncan is a responsive, hardworking, dyed in the wool Democrat. O'Malley is a smart, tough, progressive, activist. O'Malley may be able to get the city, hard to tell where he is with the minority vote which will be crucial if he is to blunt the effect of Duncan sweeping vote rich Montgomery Co., an upper middle class bastion that he nurses well.

[deutsey]

3. Who do you think will be the best to go against him?

O'Malley or Duncan?

I lean more toward O'Malley.

[bigtree]

4. I like O'Malley

He's really dynamic. I like his straightfowardness. Duncan may be too much the county executive.

[LiberalEsto]

5. Duncan used to be okay

when he was elected mayor of Rockville. He was very results-oriented and made the city run efficiently with fantastic services.

But since getting the county exec job he's become extremely beholden to the developers who are trying to pave every last square inch of Montgomery County. I do not consider him progressive.

I live right outside Rockville.

[donkeyotay]

6. this is good stuff

While Ehrlich campaigned for governor, a campaign that he eventually won, he also lobbied the Federal Communications Commission on behalf of Sinclair who was embroiled in a licensing dispute with the agency.

How freedom loving of them.

[CBHagman]

7. @&%#!! Ehrlich.

Typical that he would be in bed with Sinclair. I can't wait till we vote someone new in (Maybe Martin O'Malley?).

[sbj405]

8. Yep. He must go!

From what I can tell, the MD Dem party is using this election as the big lead-in to his ousting. And it can't come soon enough.

[DemocracyInaction]

9. Depressed

My god....it's just the usual power structure of business in action in our government. They have all the deals and perks and privileges on top of the whole world's rich contributing to their campaigns (and figured out by lawyers how to do it)and this is what we are fighting against.