Martin O’Malley gave Patricia Jessamy a tremendous raise in 2006. Some thought O’Malley was trying to attract a better candidate to the position. Jessamy’s bloated tax payer funded $225k a year salary is allowing her to loan her campaign money to pay for some upcoming TV ads. WBAL TV is reporting that Jessamy is loaning her campaign money to pay for about $176,000 worth of TV air time. The Bernstein campaign commented on this development:
“It was just reported on WBAL-TV that Jessamy is personally loaning her campaign the funds needed to cover a $176,000 worth of ads on network TV. She has the highest salary of any elected official in the state, which presumably has enabled her to make this personal expenditure. It appears that after fifteen years on the job, she has not garnered enough support from the community to run an effective campaign and now must make this attempt to buy the election.”
I have heard that employees of the State’s Attorney’s office appear in the Jessamy TV ad. Some say that they were filmed during lunch breaks, others have told me that the filming took much longer than a even a bureaucrat’s lunch break. The ad is at the end of this post.
When I was researching this article I found an article of mine from 2008 which talks about Jessamy’s salary and to keep in mind the future 2010 election. I also talk about Steve Fogleman and ask which politicians supported him in 2006. In a future article I will talk about how in 2006 George Della’s campaign handed out sample ballots with Jessamy’s name on them.
State Senator Lisa Gladden of the 41st district is briefly in the video.
Adam is the most recognizable face of the recent resurgence in Reservoir Hill. He has appeared on many national and local radio shows, in several news publications, and at numerous events discussing his innovative urban redevelopment ideas and his unique lifestyle. Adam is a successful entrepreneur, community activist, and a local political guru who ran for city council in 2007. He is the founder and director of the TechBalt.com Buy a Block Project and BaltimoreHourly.com. His fearless local political commentary has rocked the local blog scene for most of this decade and he plans to take it to the next level in the next decade here on Charm City Current.
Doni brings up some great points. His points can be interpreted as many different battles in the war to make Baltimore a better place for everyone. There is a major problem with the police union and the revolving door police commissioners who all seem to have confused agendas. There is the issue of major abuse of government funds by the city council and Mayor in order to build a hotel and other misguided development boondoggles (the UNELECTED BDC is also a major player in this). These are all worthy battles that need to be fought and that that the media must help expose. Then there is Patricia Jessamy…
For 15 years we have lived under the Jessamy approach to crime and justice. There is a significant percentage of the population who are quite tired of this approach and the peculiar individuals who make a disgraceful living off of it (Margaret Burns is the main name that comes to mind). There are some people who want to fight to keep Jessamy in power. Compared to the other battles that must be fought I do not see why anyone would want to spend valuable time on this one. I personally see very little negative impact in the loss of Jessamy.
That’s a pretty good argument. However, the lay the blame at the SAO alone is a tad weak. Granted, she plays a role in this. However, this is so much bigger than her.
You are correct in that if a person isn’t breaking any laws, there is nothing to fear. At the same time, there are mountains of brothers over the jail for nothing.
And as I have stated, many of the people I grew up with are in prison.
Honestly, I don’t think that is what they aimed for back in their formative years. But, you do have to admit that in a city that builds more prisons than schools, where the police commissioner acts as though he were the mayor, where disrespect is not only ubiquitous – seemingly – amongst our youth – but also with a billboard downtown welcoming folks to a city where the mayor and the city council dont support the police and fire, and where summer jobs for kids are nill while recs and pools are but a thought in the rear view mirror – yet camden yards gets a big screen for $5 mill and a $350 million convention center hotel gets built on our tax dollar – a question becomes: who has our interest at heart?
born and raised in this city as well, i am not a victim. nor do i play the race card unnecessarily.
however, this election for the next SA wreaks of lies, willie lynch, self hate, and a an overwhelming lack of faith in one’s own people to do the right thing.
further, PJ has worked with 7 different police commissioners. i dont know about you black woman, but i just happen to believe that there are some good black people who serve us on a daily basis, understand our dilemma, and find purpose in what they do.
mr. bernstein: i’m just not feeling.
yes, i think it will lead to the arrest of our grandmothers next.
speaking of which, the seniors are marching on city hall – friday at 11:30 am. they feel neglected as well.
@ Doni… as a black female and mother of a black man in Baltimore City, I see what you are saying but I must agree with Adam. What the city needs is both but if I had to choose between Love and Law & Order, I would definitely choose the the law and order! Yes, white collar crime is just as serious as street crime but white collar crime wouldn’t “directly” leave my loved one face-down in a pissy alley with a bullet in the back of his head. Yes, the aftermath of white collar crime can lead to street crime, the pissy alley and the bullet but, we have to fight one thing at a time. Baltimore residents are finally speaking up and getting involved in the electoral processes… lets celebrate that… First Pat and then maybe clean house with the other deal making crooked black politicians in Baltimore City… you know who they are. You use to be very vocal and called a spade a spade…what happened, they pull you in with them…are you crossing over to the dark side? I thought you always wanted what was best for Baltimore and its residents? I know Pat is your girl but come on… you can’t see anymore? We can take this fight to corporate america and get the corporate thugs too… but, before we do that we must first get the city thugs outta office…you know, the usual suspects that have been robbing Baltimore and Maryland blind for decades. Bernstein brings a missing element to Baltimore leadership… “fear of authority”… now that folks are afraid of what he may do perhaps they’ll get their shiznit together and stop preying on others. They won’t listen to the black man and/or woman who probably sympathizes or empathizes too much with the down-trodden giving break after break after break… I figure if you are not out doing anything wrong, what is there to worry about? Parents don’t wanna or can’t parent their children, let the system do it… kids don’t wanna listen, let the system get and keep their attention… we have to be willing to sacrifice something for the betterment and safety of us all… they don’t respect the law, police, each other, the elderly, children , women, pastors, etc. Someone has to do something NOW or many more will never see a later…. Personally, I’m tired of the disrespect, the profanity, the crime, the fear associated with their mere presence…yes, and I am black and I said “their” I grew up in Baltimore City and I have never been a person who was afraid to walk the streets of my own neighborhood now, things are just ridiculous…enough is enough!! Bernstein for State Attorney… lock ‘em all up and let those of us who want to do right, work hard, raise our children and see them off to college or starting their own families live in peace…. Yes, in my book, and given the crime rate and conditions of Baltimore City now as opposed to 30 years ago, Berntein is Jesus… and I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my Lord than to dwell in the tents of wickedness… hows that?
Brandt, thanks for being honest. I disagree with your comment, but I respect your honesty.
Jessamy represents the welfare sucking vagrants of the city. She and they need to go. For once the middle class (actually employed) voter is going to take this city back and make it what it once was. Bernstein is the only candidate that can clean up this city and lock all of the welfare low class law breaking dirt bags up. Criminals better enjoy their last days of preying on tax paying people, because we are taking back this city once and for all!
What Baltimore needs is some love (Jesus is love) and some jobs.
I don’t think Jesus would lock up all of the black folks. I think he would lock up people, including those criminals on Wall Street. Bernstein-supporters, who are walking the trail of lies, are saying that Jessamy is not tough on crime when half the people I grew up with are locked up, some for violent crimes. Like I said, I guess they wanna start locking up our grandmothers next. One question is this: Who is gonna lock up the Wall Street thugs who mug us everyday? Isn’t that violent? Mortgage rates? Car insurance? Parking tickets? Finance rates?
Jesus was a somewhat outspoken Jewish guy in his community and so is Bernstein. If you saw Jesus walking down the street in his day you would think he looked like an average Jewish guy of the time period. Today if you saw Bernstein walking down the street you would think he was just a pretty average (secular) Jewish guy. Jesus tried to stress emotion/belief over law (Laws of the Torah) while Bernstein is very much a law and order guy (secular law). So they have some differences and similarities. I think Baltimore needs a lot more law and order and a lot less Jesus.
So, what you’re saying is that Bernstein is Jesus.
I doubt Jessamy would be able to represent herself since she has not been in a courtroom in a few decades. She probably lacks the ability to defeat her own campaign finance entity in a lawsuit. Remember she is just supposed to “manage” the office.
If she can loan her campaign the money does she plan to sue her campaign if they can’t pay her back?