board flared into the open yesterday when two commissioners called for
punitive sanctions against the chairman and an investigation into corruption
accusations leveled against them by the chief liquor inspector.
Claudia L. Brown and John A. Green Sr., members of the Board of Liquor
License Commissioners, voted in a closed-door session Thursday to reprimand
chairman Mark S. Fosler for failing to adhere to board rules and include them
in certain decisions, such as recent raids on bars where illegal gambling took
place.
Yesterday, they aired their grievances and scolded Fosler for intervening
on behalf of chief liquor inspector Samuel T. Daniels Jr., who was suspended
for investigating illegal gambling without board approval and discussing the
raids with a reporter.
Fosler asked for a delay on the suspension until the board could get legal
advice, but other board members overruled him and the suspension went into
effect March 21.
Charges at issue
“Everybody needs to know what is really going on,” said Brown. “Responsible
people have been irresponsibly charged with illegal and unethical behavior. It
is simply not true.”
In court documents filed in response to his suspension, Daniels has accused
Brown and Green of political collusion and corruption. He accused them of
favoring certain bars and trying to replace him with assistant chief liquor
inspector Vernon “Tim” Conway, the husband of state Sen. Joan Carter Conway,
whose district includes The Block.
Daniels has made similar allegations against board executive secretary
Nathan C. Irby Jr. and board attorney Jane M. Schroeder. Irby and Schroeder
have declined requests for comment.
“The board has been accused of being corrupt and these are very serious
charges,” Green said. “That is why we have voted to have the matter
investigated.”
Green and Brown took up the issue at an executive session Thursday at City
Hall, but refused to discuss the meeting with The Sun at that time.
In interviews yesterday, Fosler said he had no advance warning that the
meeting would be held, and that he excused himself to seek legal advice.
Fosler said that by the time he returned, Brown and Green had voted on a
handful of motions, many of them directed at him or Daniels.
Fosler said he voted on two motions, including one to request an
investigation by the state prosecutor, whose job it is to review charges of
misconduct by public officials. He also voted on a motion that his
professional relationship with Daniels be investigated by the city’s Ethics
Commission.
“I have nothing to hide,” he said.
The chairman said his efforts to enforce the city’s liquor laws, including
the use of investigations and raids, had upset Brown and Green.
Questioning of city statute
Fosler defended his actions regarding Daniels and questioned the city
statute that defines the powers of the liquor board chairman. Recent opinions
by the attorney general’s office have also noted that language in the statute
needs clarification.
“All I wanted to do was shine a flashlight into some of the shadowy areas
to see if there were any illegal activities,” Fosler said. “And now someone
wants to take away the batteries.”
Daniels, who returned to work Wednesday after a month without pay, has yet
to receive notice of a court hearing on his complaint. Meanwhile, he has filed
a separate grievance with the liquor board, said his attorney Arthur Frank of
Baltimore. The grievance will most likely be heard by the city’s labor
commission.
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Speaking for his client, Frank said yesterday that he was pleased the
liquor board was seeking an investigation into the allegations of corruption
and political collusion. He said he had advised Daniels to not speak to the
news media for fear that board members would use it as an excuse to dismiss
him. On his return to work this week, Daniels was placed on six months
probation.
“Any kind of investigation like that is very welcome,” Frank said. “For the
board the best defense might be a good offense. This could be an effort to
deflect attention from themselves.”
Correction: An article in yesterday’s editions about Baltimore’s liquor board erroneously said state Sen. Joan Carter Conway’s district includes The Block. Conway represents the 43rd District, which is north of downtown Baltimore.
The Sun regrets the error.