George Edwards

Annapolis- State Sen. George Edwards (R-Grantsville) told PolitickerMD.com today that he is not influenced by campaign contributions that he has received from the utility industry.

Edwards, responding to a report by Progressive Maryland and Common Cause Maryland alleging that he has received the tenth highest total of campaign contributions from the utility industry among members of the current General Assembly since voting for a bill to deregulate the electricity industry in 1999, said he would not “do anything different” in terms of his duties as a lawmaker.

“I tell (contributors) upfront—I won’t treat you any different,” Edwards said.

ANNAPOLIS- On Friday, we reported the findings of a study conducted by the advocacy groups Progressive Maryland and Common Cause Maryland. In that report, the organizations reported that those members of the General Assembly who voted to deregulate the electricity industry nine years ago and who remain in office are still receiving much of their campaign contributions from the utility industry.

The report specifically named Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. (D-Clinton) as receiving at least $39,000 in contributions from the utility industry since 1998, the most of any legislator, while Sen. Thomas Middleton (D-Waldorf), the chair of the finance committee, has received at least $23,600, the second highest.

Since that time, Ryan O’Donnell, the executive director of Common Cause Maryland, has provided PolitickerMD.com with more detailed information that was not present in the study. The data below includes current legislators who voted in favor of the 1999 bill to deregulate the electricity industry, and the contribution amounts that they have received from the utility industry, according to O’Donnell, since that time.

PolitickerMD.com contacted the offices of the ten lawmakers who have received the highest contribution totals. To this point, Sen. George Edwards (R-Grantsville), listed as having received the tenth highest amount in contributions, and the office of House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Annapolis), listed as having received the fourth highest contributions, have responded to our questions. Those responses will be printed shortly.