Donations rile rezoning foes

Friday, Feb. 20, 2009

Four Charles County commissioners took campaign donations as large as $500 from Chaney Enterprises' owner last year as they were reviewing a controversial zoning change requested by the company for Hughesville.

According to the online Maryland campaign contribution database, Commissioners F. Wayne Cooper (D), Reuben B. Collins II (D), Samuel N. Graves Jr. (D) and Gary V. Hodge (D) have all taken contributions from Frank Chaney since September, when the commissioner board began discussion of the controversial rezoning.

Chaney is seeking to rezone 150 acres of land on Route 231 from rural residential to heavy industrial in order to create an industrial park. The rezoning request is opposed by the Maryland Department of Planning and the watchdog group Preserve Hughesville, which exposed the campaign contributions on its Internet Weblog last week.

"On the surface, it looks kind of inappropriate," said Donna Cave, chairwoman of Preserve Hughesville. "I don't think it was a wise move on [Chaney's] part."

Chaney could not be reached for comment.

The commissioners began deliberating the zoning change at the beginning of August 2008, but delayed a decision on it until September 2008. The commissioners revisited the issue twice in October 2008, finally voting to table the issue until January at the earliest. The commissioners have not yet held the final vote on the rezoning request.

The campaign finance database, maintained by the University of Maryland's Center for American Politics and Citizenship, is created from the financial reports that candidates are required by law to file each year.

Cooper's campaign reported taking $500 from Chaney for a ticket purchased at Cooper's Regency Furniture Stadium fundraiser on Sept. 4, 2008. Cooper has reported a total of $3,375 in contributions from Chaney and his company since 2002.

"I would say if he never gave me [a contribution] in the past, then, yes, it would have been inappropriate," Cooper said Wednesday. "He is a big supporter. He has been since I've been a commissioner."

Chaney donated $400 to Hodge's campaign Oct. 14, 2008. Hodge has reported a total of $600 in contributions from Chaney since 2007.

Hodge said Wednesday he was aware of the contribution, but added, "Anybody who thinks a campaign contribution is going to influence my vote doesn't know me very well."

Chaney paid $400 for a ticket to a Graves fundraiser Oct. 16, 2008, bringing his total reported contributions to Graves' campaign to $600 since 2007.

"If people expect me to perform for them because they gave me a campaign contribution, they are sadly mistaken," Graves said. Graves said he does not review his finance lists to see who gave him how much. "I don't do high-dollar fundraisers for that reason."

Finally, Collins' campaign reported a Dec. 2, 2008, gift of $500 from Chaney for his holiday fundraiser. Collins has reported a total of $600 in contributions from Chaney since 2002.

"I don't [solicit] or request campaign contributions from anyone," Collins said Wednesday. He added that he was not aware of the contribution at the time of the event, which was attended by several community leaders. "My campaign event, it was obviously very open."

Collins said he did not see the problem with accepting the contribution, since it was legally reported. He added, "I couldn't necessarily say I would turn it down."

None of the contributions violate campaign finance law.

The database did not find contributions made to commissioners' Vice President Edith J. Patterson (D) by either Chaney or his company.

"No, I did not solicit any donations from anyone last year or this year," Patterson said, confirming the database's findings. Patterson said she will be judging the proposed rezoning on its merits.

"I'm not swayed one way or the other by donations," she said.

According to Cooper, he has asked the county attorney to wrap up negotiations with Chaney's legal counsel and present a proposal to the board for a vote as soon as possible.

"I have asked for closure to be brought to it," Cooper said, adding that the issue has been dormant too long.

jfriess@somdnews.com