Do you know Doyle Niemann? I have to admit that I had no idea who this inconsequential member of the Maryland House of Delegates was until I looked him up. From everything I can tell he’s a political nobody. Which, of course, made me somewhat surprised when I was forwarded a copy of this particular email….
Date: September 18, 2012, 21:59:53 EDTTo:Subject:Stand Up for Civil Marriage Stand Up and Be Counted
Please join me and other residents of Prince George’s County in an evening of food and entertainment in support of the Civil Marriage Protection Act. The historic act, which is scheduled to go into effect in January, gives all loving couples the right to marry in Maryland, while also protecting the religious rights of those who disagree.There will be entertainment by Nashville recording artist (and Cheverly resident) J.J. Nolis, as well as light fare and refreshments.All proceeds will be donated to uphold the Civil Marriage Protection Act in November’s referendum.
Of course it is incredibly illegal for Delegate Niemann to be using state resources, particularly his House of Delegates email address, to be raising funds for any political purposes. This includes ballot questions.
I’m guessing that Doyle Niemann figured that he was inconsequential enough that nobody would notice the multitude of ethics and campaign finance laws that he broke by sending this one particular email. That being said, Democrats have a pretty loose moral standard when it comes to applying fundraising laws toward their own activities.
I encouraged the State Prosecutor to fully prosecute Doyle Niemann to the fullest extent of the law and for Niemann, on the off chance that he has even the slightest bit of integrity, to resign from the House of Delegates in the manner befitting somebody who so flippantly violated such a multitude of ethics and campaign finance laws…..but I’m not holding my breath.
Doyle Niemann, sadly, is just the latest elected Democrat from Prince George’s County who seem to think that ethics and campaign finance laws are solely for the little people…..
