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Hoyle blames Bowling for racist flier

Reward announced for information about culprit

By JOSHUA STEWART, Staff Writer

Published 11/10/09

Before the start of a crowded City Council meeting last night, Alderwoman Classie Hoyle said she believes a racist and homophobic flier that caused an uproar in the days before last week's election was a hoax created by her Ward 3 opponent.

Hoyle, a Democrat, said neither she nor anyone else has seen an original copy of the flier, only electronic versions, and she doesn't think it was actually circulated around the city.

"I think it came out of the other camp," Hoyle said, referring to the campaign of her now former opponent, Scott Bowling.

Hoyle introduced a resolution last night asking the Board of Supervisors of Elections and the county State Attorney's Office to investigate the flier. The non-binding resolution, along with a similar measure from Alderman Sam Shropshire, D-Ward 7, passed first reader, the initial reading of a bill when it is introduced.

Meanwhile, Bowling, a Republican who lost the race with 284 votes to Hoyle's 414, told the council and a packed chamber that civil discourse in Annapolis has eroded.

His comments came six days after the election. In the final stretches before polls opened, the flier circulated through parts of Ward 3, attacking Bowling, who is openly gay. It said that he would sexually assault men and children if elected.

It is uncertain what organization or individual created, duplicated and distributed the flier. It lacked the authority line - a declaration of who produced a piece of political literature - and nobody has stepped forward to claim responsibility. Almost immediately the flier was condemned by officials across party lines.

Since the election, Bowling has written letters to both state Attorney General Doug Gansler and U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein asking them to investigate who was responsible for the flier.

"My character and my reputa-

-tion have been impugned. My reputation has been tarnished," Bowling said last night in a speech that concluded with a standing ovation from council members Fred Paone, R-Ward 2; Julie Stankivic, R-Ward 6; and Shropshire.

Other people present also stood and cheered, and Alderman-elect Mathew Silverman, D-Ward 5, embraced Bowling after he left the dais.

Bowling decried the tone of discussions in Annapolis and attacks based on someone's gender, sexual orientation, religion and race.

"We must, absolutely, must change the level of discourse in this city. We must end the ability of individuals, fictitious groups to put out stuff," he said.

Others also condemned the flier and the nature of city politics.

Bowling's partner and campaign treasurer, Dave Miller, asked for Hoyle's resignation from the council. He said that she did not immediately condemn the flier and has made no assurances that she had nothing to do with its production or distribution. She should step down and not be sworn in with the rest of the new council on Dec. 7, he said.

In addition, the lack of public condemnation from everyone except Mayor-elect Josh Cohen, Democratic Central Committee Chairman Nick Berry and civil rights activist Carl Snowden represents a silent sanctioning of the attack, Miller said.

"The lack of condemnation says that this type of flier is acceptable," he said.

Hoyle offered response to his statements during last night's meeting.

Miller also announced that there will be a reward for providing information to authorities that lead to the arrest, prosecution and conviction of the person or people behind the flier. So far about $2,500 has been collected, and he asked all sitting and incoming council members to contribute.

Shortly thereafter, Hoyle and Berry both said they were donating $500 to the fund.

Smears, silence

Trudy McFall, a housing executive who finished third in the Democratic mayoral primary, was critical of her party for remaining silent when one of the members of its central committee said that five candidates for office were gay.

McFall said she was the victim of several anonymous smears about her professional record. When things like that happen without repercussions, it just emboldens people to try more outrageous things.

"Nobody within the party made the slightest effort," she said.

And then, when people who are attacked raise protests, they are criticized as too frail for Annapolis politics, McFall said.

Mayor Ellen O. Moyer, who earlier in the night said that "character assassination is the norm," said McFall supported "hate-filled blogs."

"I have been vilified by you and other people," Moyer said to McFall from her council seat.

However, the mayor has attacked McFall in her own blog. This summer, Moyer posted and later removed an entry about McFall's work on the city Housing Authority.

It read, in part, "I did not check her background and I have to assume some responsibility for what transpired in the Housing Authority under her leadership."

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To those with motive share the sham - 2009-11-14 06:06:15

If you have been dealt an underhanded race card here, we will be taking a long look at you. Yes, you were treated unfairly by an oppressed group with activity of subversion. Now, you have nothing to do but blame the rest of us for sharing in the spoils of your unjust failure. You were wronged, and now we wonder if you can be trusted.

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christopher linnen - annapolis, md - Karma: Terrible

Racist flyer - 2009-11-14 05:31:40

That's ridiculous.

Everyone knows that only white people can be racist.

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Tyler Durden - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

Just delete everything - 2009-11-11 21:31:00

For what its worth, I referred to an "audience" of the flyer because it is unknown who or how many actually read it and based their vote on it. I referred to the audience which the author of the flyer was trying to persuade. A distinction which I am sure escaped The Capital and Mr. Shubbie.

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Neill Harrier - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Bad

i agree with neil - 2009-11-11 16:28:30

neil they take my comments off of here when i mention race also.... the lilly white capital staff can't stan to think that race may actually be involved in some bad decisions...wake up capital..... sometimes it is about race...get over your bias....join us free thinkers....somebody circulated that hate flier...... and guess what color they are ....think hard now....got an answer yet >>????

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stanley davis - mayo, md - Karma: Terrible

I knew it - 2009-11-11 11:13:06

Race played an important (and not pretty) part in this election. I pointed that out and my comment was deleted. Plenty of people are pissed off at the way race is used to defeat truly meritorious leaders, and its not right to censor that. Another sacrifice on the altar of political correctness.

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Neill Harrier - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Bad

Typical! - 2009-11-11 09:51:55

Looks like nothing has changed in Annapolis! The same tired losers have a vice grip on city politics and it's back to some stupid story line about how some idiotic moron who isn't qualified to represent the city landfill is slandering some other foolish individual who actually thought he could win an election in a district that busses them in and gives them gift cards and other goodies to buy the vote! It's sick..but thats Annapolis!!

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Fred Bralman - Arnold, Md - Karma: Excellent

racist theories - 2009-11-11 07:42:18

Neill, could you at least try and make a cogent argument to support what can only be perceived as a ridiculous series of racist statements clearly based only on your deep-seated bizarre ideology and prejudices ? huh ? can you ?

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Fred Shubbie - annapolis , md - Karma: Terrible

Comment removed by HometownAnnapolis staff. - 2009-11-10 20:42:24

Staff message: Why is this comment hidden?

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- Karma: Bad

Classie - 2009-11-10 16:34:34

http://bit.ly/2L0stc

Another opinion on this. Classie speaks with forked tongue. When I questioned her about the flier on Thursday 11/5/09, she claimed to have never seen it and could offer no comment.

As to her allegation it came fro Bowling's campaign, that seems like a pretty big gamble to have a political underdog purposely undermine his campaign in the hopes that people will feel sorry for him and vote for him? Come on Classie, you can come up with something better than that--maybe Balloon Boy was flying in his balloon and dropped them.

And a question Josh S ought to ask regards her intention to vacate the seat she just won. There is talk that she is lobbying hard to claim Josh Cohen's seat on the County Council.

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John Frenaye - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

Possible Scenerio - 2009-11-10 16:24:49

Ms. Hoyle may well be on to something, In the end though, does any of it really matter ? Surely the writer of the flier knows who she is, and any reasonable person would immediately discredit the pamphlet ridiculous comments about an openly gay republican candidate. What would Rush Limbaugh do ?

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Fred Shubbie - , - Karma: Terrible

More of the same - 2009-11-10 15:51:58

Classie Hoyle continues more and more of the same nonsense. During the campaign she made baseless complaints that Scott's campaign fully investigated and found to lack any merit. These complaints were simply to distact from any discussion of the issues. She now makes the preposterous allegation that Scott has created this hateful propaganda about himself.

Any sane person has to wonder about this suggestion. What advantage has Scott received, or could he possibly gain from characterizing himself as a repulsive criminal? On Fox 45 last night, her story was that the Republican Party was behind this matter. Again, why would the Republican party seek to derail a bright, competent candidate from being seated on the City Council?

Ms. Hoyle continues to make excuses and lob nonsensical charges rather than contributing to an improvement in the level of civil discourse and an examination of the issues. One has to wonder what it will take to get her to put the focus on where it belongs - actions that will stop this vile and repugnant character assassination, and consequences for those who choose to participate in such shenanigans.

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Dave Miller - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Good