Melvin Stukes

Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Baltimore): Campaign PhotoAccording to his Federal Elections Commission report, the campaign committee of Seventh district Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Baltimore) made $47,420 in political donations in the second financial quarter of 2008, a third of what he raised.

Cummings dispersed the majority of his political donations to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, with $28,000 made to the national committee in three transfers.

He sent $2,000 each to to First district Democrat Frank Kratovil and Congressional Black Caucus chair and Michigan Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick.

Del. Saqib Ali (D-Gaithersburg) acknowledged that he has been “rebuked” by some members of the House Ways and Means Committee in regards to his sponsorship of House Bill 347, The Special Legislative Session Campaign Finance Reform Act. Despite what the delegate called a “bumpy hearing” before the committee on Tuesday, Ali told PolitickerMD.com that he would continue to push for the bill to be voted on.

The delegate did not know when or if a vote would be scheduled. Del. Sheila Hixson (D-Silver Spring), the chair of the committee, could not be reached for comment. Del. Ann Marie Doory (D-Baltimore), the vice-chair, was also unavailable.

Ali’s bill would prohibit elected officials from accepting campaign contributions during special legislative sessions. Currently, they are forbidden to do so only during the regular 90-day session.

Reiterating past comments, Ali said he introduced the legislation to prevent the appearance of a conflict of interest or other improprieties.

“When voting on important legislation we want to focus on the policy, not on the politics,” Ali said.

Del. Saqib Ali (D-Montgomery County) is the lead sponsor of House Bill 347, The Special Legislative Session Campaign Finance Reform Act, which would prohibit elected officials from accepting campaign contributions during special legislative sessions.

Fundraising is banned during the regular 90-day session of the General Assembly, which meets every year beginning in January. This year, session runs through April 7.

During a special session, as the state saw last fall, elected officials are allowed to fundraise, and many did so in late 2007.