Almond Releases Las Vegas Trip Records
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Councilwoman Vicki Almond asked for her name to be removed from a list of owners and development employees listed as attending a shopping center convention in Las Vegas in May, according to records released Friday by the councilwoman's office.
Almond's office provided copies of three pages of documents including a letter Almond wrote on May 15 to the International Council of Shopping Centers.
"I have been made aware that my name is on your database of attendees for the RECon Las Vegas Conference," Almond wrote. "I am listed as attending the event as an owner/developer in the firm Greenberg Gibbons.
"I am in no way affiliated wth, or employed by, Greenberg Gibbons Commercial. Please remove my name immediately from any online materials including the searchable 'Who's Coming' database."
The three pages of documents are in response to a Maryland Public Information Act request filed by Shirley Supik and the Say No To Solo Coalition.
Almond's office released the emails and letters to Patch first. In an interview last month, Almond promised to release them quickly to the press but said Supik and her group would likely have to wait the full 30 days allowed by state law.
Almond was not immediately available for comment and was not present when the documents were provided to Patch by her aide, Jonathan Schwartz.
Supik, in August, said Almond and her aid Jonathan Schwartz were guilty of ethics violations because they posed as employees of Greenberg Gibbons to attend a Las Vegas conference for shopping center developers and retailers at a discounted rate. She declined to back up the accusations and said the response to her request would back up the group's allegations.
Schwatz said the councilwoman was listed as staff as a result of an action taken by Greenberg Gibbons who had intended to provide passes valued at about $600. The passes allow attendees access to the exhibition hall of the convention center.
A second letter in the packet, dated May 17, contains an apology to Almond from Thomas Fitzpatrick, president and chief executive officer of Greenberg Gibbons.
"I apologize for the miscommunication regarding the registration for the ICSC convention in Las Vegas," Fitzpatrick writes in the two sentence letter. "The error has been rectified."
Schwartz, who also attended the conference with Almond, said neither he nor the councilwoman visited the convention center. He said that airfare and hotel costs were paid for by each of them individually and that they did not use campaign funds or county money.
Schwartz allowed inspection of his personal credit card records showing that the tickets were indeed purchased by himself. The electronic tickets were emailed to his personal email account, according to documents Schwartz showed Patch.
Copies of the email records and credit card statements were not provided to Patch and Schwartz said they would not be part of the release of records that will be provided to the coalition.
The document release Friday also includes a two-sentence email sent to staff of County Executive Kevin Kamenetz. The statement was used in an October 2011 press release regarding the redevelopment of the Solo Cup plant.
Supik and her group requested the documents in August, days before the council was scheduled to vote on the rezoning of the Solo Cup property as part of the quadrennial Comprehensive Zoning Map Process.
The request asked for personal, government, and campaign records including emails, press releases and office and cell phone records.
In an email, Supik and her group accused Almond and her staff of an inappropriate relationship with developer Greenberg Gibbons.
"Councilwoman Almond and her staff attended the International Council of Shopping Centers Conference in Las Vegas as Greenberg Gibbons employees, in order to get a discounted membership," according to the email sent out by Say No to Solo. "
"This type of relationship with a developer—especially one with zoning approval pending—is unethical at best," the statement continues. "But Vicki doesn’t agree. She called questions about her relationship with Greenberg Gibbons 'ridiculous' This begs the question: is it even appropriate for Almond to be making a vote on this zoning issue?"
Supik, in an interview, declined to comment or provide evidence to back up her claims.
"Well, I guess we have to wait and see how it pans out," said Supik, explaining that her group was waiting for Almond and the council to respond to the public information act request.
At the same time that Supik was requesting records and accusing Almond of a lack of transparency, the leader of the Say No To Solo Coalition was declining to discuss how her group was funded and it's alleged ties to Kimco— a development rival to the Solo Cup project—and Kearney O'Doherty Public Affairs, Kimco's politically connected firm.
Joe
9:14 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
Some seem to be so damn good at covering their tracks AFTER the fact.
Buzz Beeler
10:42 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
How do you cover your tracks when you're stuck in the mud, i.e these quotes from the article: "Copies of the email records and credit card statements were not provided to Patch and Schwartz said they would not be part of the release of records that will be provided to the coalition."
Why not?
Another quote: "This begs the question: is it even appropriate for Almond to be making a vote on this zoning issue?"
I guess that depends on the vested interest. I don't understand why no just be upfront and stop all this hide and seek. The truth shall set you free.
Bryan P. Sears
4:18 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
Buzz: the reason why the credit card statements will not be part of the release is that they are private. The Maryland Public Information Act does not apply to private records, such as a public official's personal credit card statement. The statements and the email to the personal account were shown to me, I was told, to backup claims that the airline tickets and hotel were paid for with private money and not campaign or county funds.
Arbutus Town Crier
7:02 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
You cant follow the money when its in cash!
JBC
2:24 pm on Sunday, September 16, 2012
So are we done with this nonsense? She didn't go to the event, and it appears that she paid for her own hotel and airfare. There has been so much speculation around this whole Las Vegas trip without any evidence presented.
Buzz Beeler
8:27 am on Monday, September 17, 2012
Brian I understand but in light of being upfront and transparent it cannot hurt.
The thing I don't understand is why go to Las Vegas if your not going to gamble?
The peoples business is here in the county not at the Supper Bowl.
JBC I think the issue is the red carpet atmosphere. Got to be seen or your not a player.
Steve
9:54 am on Monday, September 17, 2012
Duh! Because there was a convention there. Tons of deals are made there.
"Supper Bowl"??
Buck Harmon
8:46 am on Monday, September 17, 2012
It's all part of the endless little mind games played by today's insecure perceived wannabe leaders Buzz, I would liken this to David Marks need to buy into the Smith clan thriugh the acceptance of fund raising that WILL in fact have strings attached.
Bad politics 101....
Buck Harmon
8:48 am on Monday, September 17, 2012
Strong leadership has NO reason or need to get involved in any questionable arena, but today's clique seems to have no choice for some reason.
Stacy Deems
10:16 am on Monday, September 17, 2012
The RECon in Las Vegas was held from May 20-23, 2012. So if Ms. Almond requested her name be removed as an employee of GG prior to May 17, then she was aware of it before the convention started. However, how did she become aware that she was listed as an employee of GG? Did she learn that through Supik's group and then backpedal to get her name removed and decide then to purchase her own tickets, or was she planning on paying her own way the entire time?
For clarification, i support Foundry Row and Ms. Almond. However I feel the article could have been more clear on these points and does not give all the information needed to make an informed opinion regarding this issue.
Buzz Beeler
2:00 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
The peoples business is in Baltimore County. How many shopping centers have failed? There are at least two in Dundalk with another hanging in the balance.
While RG just ringed on its promise to the steel workers O"Malley is stomping around the country running for president.
Wait until the military budget cuts kick in and watch O'Malley's teasr flow. See how Maryland fares then. People seem to forget the foundation the feds provided Maryland's economy.
Another recession is just around the corner. I see were doing well in he mid East while still sending money to these people. Just keep lowering the standards to become a citizen and like the city police department you see what you get.
Steve
2:53 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
" Just keep lowering the standards to become a citizen and like the city police department you see what you get."
What in the heck are you ranting about??
Buzz Beeler
2:10 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
Buck wheres there money there are strings. The old saying you don't get something for nothing.
Buzz Beeler
4:44 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
Steve read this from the Sun.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-baltimore-police-20120731,0,6607765.story
Now read this.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/03/19/public-safety-workers-blast-decision-lower-police-recruit-test-scores-ohio/
Baltimore County has already lowered their standards and it shows.
Steve
4:53 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
When were the standards to become a citizen lowered? You practically have to have a college degree to become a cop nowadays, back in your day all you needed was a GED.
How is that lowering the standards?
Buzz Beeler
5:25 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
You still don't need a degree and the background checks are lax. it's more about the numbers and not the quality. The numbers are what counts. It would even shock you if you knew what was going on.
How many went to jail in the city because they did not do their due diligence with background checks. I know one of he members involved in that mess. He was thoroughly disgusted he way that went down.
How long do you think he Ravens would be a contender if they operated that way? You either make the grade or they show you the door.
Steve
5:30 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
They all have the same background checks.
Buzz Beeler
5:39 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
Based on your knowledge? Did you work in the unit? A lot of my friends did and it was a joke. They did what they were told by by politicians. Don't look too hard at this issue or that mistake, he's really a good guy.
They made the rules up as they went along.
FIFA_archived
5:46 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
Then, like many other jobs at that time, was a good 'ole white boys club, Buzz. Just admit it.
Buzz Beeler
6:29 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
You think the Raven's care what color you are? You think the NBA care what color you are?
I'm white and Tiger Wood is black, and guess what, he's better than I am.
I get sick of this race stuff. Maybe I should join the PGA Tour and claim discrimination.
FIFA you make a remark like that and you lose a lot of creditability. I saw people that could not find the trigger on the weapon and guess what it didn't matter.
You let a brain surgeon operate on you that should have never gotten out of med school not matter what color and I don't think you would feel comfortable at least not as a vegetable.
FIFA_archived
7:25 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
Sorry Buzz, no credibility lost here. The police departments were good 'ole white boy clubs. If you can't admit that, you were one of them and still are. Very sad. I thought you were better than that, perhaps I was wrong.
Steve
6:42 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
The Ravens are performance based the Police Department isn't. You have to get in first then graduate medical school. There is no easy way. Either you make it or you don't.
Buzz Beeler
11:41 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
Lets see now, you have to pass a test, a physical, a psychological exam an agility test, firearms test just to name a few.
What planet are you from? There were some years when the county only took a small group out of thousands.
I thought you were a mining engineer not a cop. But then the great Steve knows all.
Steve
7:56 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
All applicant's go through the same checks. I just heard it straight from the horse's mouth.
Buzz Beeler
11:07 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
You got that right. the horses mouth. You hear everything from the horse of course.
Steve
11:13 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
Beeker hears everything from the Horse's Ass
Buzz Beeler
11:32 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
You're still a foul mouthed street kid. Get you wife or mother to proof read your comment before you post.
A horse's butt in not a proper noun. Was that the same horse that told you about the background checks?
Buzz Beeler
11:44 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
FIFiA did you ever think that for blacks being a cop was selling out like being an Uncle Tom .
For you to say something like that is ludicrous. At that time blacks wanted nothing to do with the police. You couldn't get blacks to join no matter what you did.
Like politics it's the issues that count not the race or the D or R. You think the Black Panthers is a club of alter boys?
Look at the issues not layers of color's that leads to to sea of grey.