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County state’s attorney investigating O’Malley furniture purchase County state’s attorney investigating Martin O’Malley furniture purchase
(about 1 hour later)
Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) is being investigated by the Anne Arundel County state’s attorney office for purchasing furniture from the governor’s mansion at a discount, according to a spokesman with the state’s attorney’s office. Democratic presidential hopeful Martin O’Malley is being investigated by the Anne Arundel County state’s attorney office for purchasing furniture from the state at a discount after serving two terms as governor, a spokeswoman with the state’s attorney’s office said.
The investigation stems from the O’Malley family taking dozens of items with them when they moved out of the Annapolis mansion last January, pieces of furniture that his administration deemed “excess property,” according to state records. The investigation stems from the O’Malley family taking dozens of items with them when they moved out of the Annapolis mansion last January, pieces of furniture that O’Malley’s administration had deemed “excess property,” according to state records.
The family paid $9,638 for beds, chairs, desks, lamps, mirrors and other items from the mansion’s living quarters that originally cost taxpayers $62,000, according to the Baltimore Sun, which first reported on the furniture purchase. [O’Malley says furniture purchases from governor’s mansion followed the rules]
Heather Epkins, a spokesman for the state’s attorney’s office, confirmed that an investigation has been launched. The family paid $9,638 for beds, chairs, desks, lamps, mirrors and other items from the mansion’s living quarters that originally cost taxpayers $62,000, according to The Baltimore Sun, which first reported on the furniture purchase and, on Thursday night, the investigation.
Heather Epkins, a spokeswoman for the state’s attorney’s office, confirmed that an investigation has been launched.
“We will give due diligence to any complaint given to our office,” Epkins said.“We will give due diligence to any complaint given to our office,” Epkins said.
She would not comment on other details about the investigation. She would not give additional details.
Haley Morris, a spokeswoman for O’Malley, said she thought the investigation was politically motivated. Haley Morris, a spokeswoman for O’Malley’s presidential campaign, said she thought the investigation was politically motivated.
“This is a bogus political attack that the Maryland Republicans have tried to make stick, and it’s sad that they’re wasting taxpayer resources on it,” Morris said.“This is a bogus political attack that the Maryland Republicans have tried to make stick, and it’s sad that they’re wasting taxpayer resources on it,” Morris said.
Morris said O’Malley purchased the furniture under the same procedures that were used by former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R), who also purchased a smaller amount of furniture when he moved out of the governor’s mansion. Morris said O’Malley — who is lagging far behind candidates Hillary Cliinton and Bernie Sanders in national polls — purchased the furniture under the same procedures that were used by former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) when he moved out of the governor’s mansion in 2007. Ehrlich purchased a lesser amount of furniture.
[O’Malley says furniture purchases from governor’s mansion followed the rules] O’Malley said in September that he was “kind of surprised” by the controversy over his furniture purchase, saying his family “followed the rules as they were laid out to us.”
O’Malley, who is running for president, said in September that he was “kind of surprised” by the recent controversy over his purchase of discounted furniture from the governor’s mansion, saying his family “followed the rules as they were laid out to us.” Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who moved into the mansion a year ago, has questioned O’Malley on social media for taking such “beautiful” furniture with him to furnish a new home in Baltimore.
Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who moved into the mansion a year ago, questioned O’Malley on social media for taking such “beautiful” furniture with him to furnish a new home in Baltimore. O’Malley said last year he wrote a check for what the state’s Department of General Services determined was the furniture’s depreciated value.
O’Malley said last year he paid a check for what the state’s Department of General Services determined was the furniture’s depreciated value.
“I know there was no negotiating of the price,” O’Malley said in September. “We were just told it was some sort of standard depreciation formula they had used for the prior family.”“I know there was no negotiating of the price,” O’Malley said in September. “We were just told it was some sort of standard depreciation formula they had used for the prior family.”