Robert McKee

Former state Del. Bob McKee (R-Hagerstown)Yesterday, lawyers for former state Del. Robert McKee (R-Hagerstown) said he will be pleading guilty to a federal charge of possessing child pornography obtained in a raid which caused him to resign his Washington County seat earlier this year.

McKee's attorney, Timothy F. Maloney, told the Baltimore Sun of the pending plea agreement shortly after the Justice Department issued the charge. A court date has not been set.

The Jan. 31 raid of McKee's home was not known to the General Assembly until details leaked and he announced his resignation via fax two weeks later. McKee has been in treatment since.

Elizabeth A. Jones has worked as a legislative aide to Del. Christopher Shank (R-2B) for six years. In that time, Jones told PolitickerMD.com that the current minority whip has “constantly relied” on her “to be by his side” providing assistance. Among other responsibilities, Jones said she has helped to draft bills and answer constituent phone calls during her time with the delegate.

Jones said her experience working closely with Shank would “absolutely” help to distinguish her from her opponents in the race to fill the open District 2A delegate seat vacated by the resignation of Robert McKee. Washington County Commissioners James F. Kercheval and William J. Wivell, Williamsport Mayor James G. McLeaf, II, Williamsport Councilman Jeffrey A. Cline, and former Washington County Commissioner John C. Munson highlight the remaining 18 candidates.

There are several current and former elected officials vying to fill the open District 2A house delegate seat vacated by the resignation of Robert McKee. Those officials include Washington County Commissioners James F. Kercheval and William J. Wivell, Williamsport Mayor James G. McLeaf, II and Williamsport Councilman Jeffrey A. Cline, and John C. Munson, a former Washington County commissioner. Elizabeth A. Jones, an aide to Del. Christopher B. Shank, the minority whip, is also a candidate.

PolitickerMD.com has learned that the Washington County Republican Central Committee will release the names of those candidates who have filed to fill the open state delegate seat later today.

“We were going to check the PO Box today just in case there was any late ones that met the postmark requirement,” committee member Corey Stottlemyer said.  

The central committee had imposed a Thursday postmark deadline to file for those interested in filling the District 2A seat left vacant by the resignation of Robert A. McKee.

Stay with PolitickerMD.com as more information becomes available.

Members of the Washington County Republican Central Committee have yet to respond to repeated requests for information on candidates’ seeking the open District 2A House Delegate seat vacated by the resignation of Robert A. McKee. The committee will recommend a replacement.

On Sunday, committee member Corey Stottlemyer said in a statement that those seeking the position should “send a letter of interest with a resume” to the committee in Hagerstown. He also asked that Chairperson Penny Pittman be contacted, and said letters of interest needed to be postmarked by Thursday, Feb. 21.

John Flynn, the Executive Director of the Maryland Republican Party, and David Paulson, the Communications Director of the Maryland Democratic Party, reacted to the scandal surrounding the resignation of Del. Robert A. McKee (R-Hagerstown), during interviews this afternoon with PolitickerMD.com. McKee resigned after authorities conducted a raid of his home amid allegations that the delegate possessed material related to child pornography.

“It’s a black eye for Maryland,” Flynn said, adding, “It’s not good for the Republican Party.”

Robert A. McKee (R-Hagerstown), who represented Washington County in the House of Delegates (District 2A) for 13 years, resigned Friday after word spread that authorities raided his home in search of child pornography.

In a letter faxed Friday to the Hagerstown-based The Herald-Mail, McKee wrote, “On January 31, 2008, deputies from the Washington County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant at my residence in Hagerstown. They seized my personal computer and other items, including images that are available on the Internet.”

“For me, this is deeply embarrassing,” McKee continued. “It reflects poorly on my service to the community as a state delegate and as executive director of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Washington County. Accordingly, I am resigning today from both positions.”