Ex-aide convicted in Md. voter fraud plot

December 07, 2011|Associated Press

BALTIMORE - A political aide to former Maryland governor Robert Ehrlich was convicted yesterday of conspiring to use Election Day robocalls in an effort to suppress black voter turnout during the 2010 gubernatorial election.

Paul Schurick was found guilty of all four counts he faced, including conspiracy to fraudulently influence or attempt to influence a voter’s decision whether to go to the polls and conspiracy to publish campaign material without an authority line.

A stoic Schurick comforted his wife in the courtroom after the Baltimore jury’s verdict was read, but declined to comment.

His attorney, A. Dwight Pettit, said they will appeal.

Prosecutors argued that the calls that went out on the evening of Election Day to about 110,000 voters in Baltimore city and Prince George’s County - two jurisdictions with high percentages of black voters - were an effort by the Republican campaign to reduce the number of black Democrats voting in heavily Democratic Maryland.

“Hello. I’m calling to let everybody know that Governor O’Malley and President Obama have been successful,’’ the call said. “Our goals have been met. The polls were correct, and we took it back. We’re OK. Relax. Everything’s fine. The only thing left is to watch it on TV tonight. Congratulations, and thank you.’’

O’Malley handily won last year’s rematch against the Republican Ehrlich, whom he had unseated in 2006.

These kinds of activities aren’t new, but have become more problematic recently, said State Prosecutor Emmet C. Davitt. He hoped the verdict would send a message that it is more than just “dirty tricks’’ and the law will be enforced, he said.