Gazette
Crawford axed over controversial Web site
by Thomas Dennison
Staff Writer
Jan. 28, 2005

ANNAPOLIS -- The Ehrlich administration has fired conservative Republican activist James Crawford after a crescendo of criticism spawned by his controversial views about race and government.

Crawford became a political liability for Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) last week after the content of the Web site he created for his unsuccessful 2002 and 1998 House campaigns sparked fierce criticism in Annapolis and throughout Southern Maryland.

Crawford, who had been hired as one of two Department of Business and Economic Development liaisons to the Southern Maryland business community, was fired after The Gazette reported that his Web site included statements opposing minority contracting set-asides, the teaching of Black History Month and the government's role in business.

"As of Friday, January 21, Jim Crawford is no longer on DBED's payroll," said Dyer Bell, a DBED spokesman.

Crawford did not return a call seeking comment.

He is destined to stay in the news for at least another week, however, as he has applied to the Charles County Republican Central Committee to fill the county commissioner seat vacated by William Daniel Mayer (R). Mayer will succeed Del. W. Louis Hennessy (R-Dist. 28) in the House when Hennessy becomes a Charles County District Court judge next month.

Crawford's firing was no surprise after top Ehrlich aides said last week that the governor was "deeply troubled" by Crawford's views. Administration officials said Crawford was fired from his $58,876-a-year job after he refused to resign. They also said that DBED's vetting process was faulty.

"Someone at DBED dropped the ball," said one senior administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the administration has a policy of not commenting on personnel matters. "There was a breakdown in the process."

James E. Rzepkowski, DBED's assistant secretary for business development­rural region, who hired Crawford, said he was unaware of Crawford's Web site when he hired him.

"He's a perfect fit here based on his resume and his experience," Rzepkowski told The Gazette last week.

Ehrlich officials said Rzepkowski will not be punished for his part in the Crawford debacle. Nor did they specify any changes that will be made in DBED's vetting process to avoid further controversy.

Crawford's views on business and government -- as detailed on his Web site -- seemed to run contrary to the mission of DBED, the state's economic development arm, whose mission is to stimulate business and job growth.

Crawford took down his Web site on Jan. 17 -- the same day a reporter asked if his views would reflect poorly on DBED or the governor.

Among the writings on his site: "Government hinders job growth. It is ultimately a long-term throttle to real growth. Government is not a producer, it is a consumer, and artificial governmental consumerism does not produce long-term, productive jobs, but rather layers of costly bureaucrats and red tape."

Among Crawford's positions that angered several lawmakers was his opposition to "such things as racial hiring quotas, teaching 'black' history month, minority set-asides in contracts or hiring practices, Miss 'Black' America beauty pageant, the 'black athlete-of-the-year award,' and the like." He continued, "I submit these are some of the most hypocritically racist and culturally divisive practices in our society."

One of Crawford's duties at DBED would have been working to promote minority businesses, a goal of the Ehrlich administration, as well as working with small businesses and the military, the region's top employers.

Democrats in Annapolis and in Charles County were outraged last week after Crawford's views were published. The Maryland Democratic Party issued a stinging one-page statement, demanding that the governor reconsider Crawford's hiring.

"Either the governor has no idea as to what's happening in his administration or he was caught trying to please the radical elements of his party," said Maryland Democratic Party Chairman Terry L. Lierman. "The governor must still be held accountable for his deeds."

General Assembly leaders such as Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Dist. 27) of Chesapeake Beach and Senate Finance Chairman Thomas McLain Middleton condemned the hire as well.

"It's a shame the Crawford family had to be dragged through the mud because the Ehrlich administration didn't do their homework," said Middleton (D-Dist. 28) of Waldorf.