MD4BUSH Asked To Come Forward

BALTIMORE -- For the first time, the operators of a California-based Web site are revealing they have evidence that an e-mail address from the Maryland Democratic State Party is associated with MD4BUSH.

WBAL-TV 11 News I-Team reporter David Collins said the operators of FreeRepublic.com are not revealing the name behind MD4BUSH. But this is the first time that they are suggesting the state democratic party is associated with the MD4BUSH account on their Web site.

Jim Robinson, the president of the conservative Web site, issued the following statement: "Free Republic has evidence that an mddems.org (Maryland Democratic Party) e-mail address is associated with the MD4BUSH account. This is not just coincidence."

They also call on the account holder to come clean.

Free Republic has the electronic trail associated with the saga of MD4BUSH.

MD4BUSH used the site to coax former Joe Steffen, a former aide to Gov. Robert Ehrlich, into discussing a rumor about the personal life of Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley over the Internet.

The governor fired Steffen and Steffen has since apologized to the mayor.

Last week, the name of Ryan O'Doherty, a former official with the state Democratic Party who left that job in January, surfaced publicly in connection with the MD4BUSH mystery. That happened when the governor's lawyer forwarded an e-mail with O'Doherty's name on it to the committee investigating the governor's firing practices.

Collins reported the e-mail was sent to some of the mayor's strongest supporters, six hours before the Steffen story broke in February. It encourages them to use the Steffen story to complain about the governor on talk radio.

O'Doherty, in a written statement last week, said he didn't write the e-mail and claimed that the e-mail address on it is incorrect.

Collins reported that indeed it does appear to be slightly different from an e-mail address O'Doherty publicly used while at the Democratic Party.

But through a public review, 11 News has obtained other e-mails apparently written by O'Doherty while he worked for the party. Those e-mails bear the same address as the one that appeared on the Feb. 8 letter sent to supporters.

The I-Team tried to ask O'Doherty about the apparent discrepancy.

Q: "Did you use two different e-mail addresses when you were employed by the Maryland Democratic Party?"

O'Doherty: "I'm not going to answer any further questions. Thank you."

The I-Team also asked O'Doherty if he in any way is associated with the MD4BUSH account or MD4BUSH's postings. He claimed repeatedly he already answered that in a telephone conversation back in June when he said he doesn't know who MD4Bush is.

O'Doherty: "I've answered all the questions from your news organization. I appreciate the opportunity and that's all I have to say."

The I-Team caught up with O'Doherty outside the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, where's he's held a newly created job for the past nine months. The agency is publicly funded, with close ties to the mayor and county executives.

O'Doherty is a friend of Steve Kearney, one of the mayor's top aides. Sources said Kearney first tried to get O'Doherty hired in City Hall. Kearney told 11News he couldn't remember if he provided any help.

Collins reported in response to Free Republic's disclosure, Josh White, the executive director of the state Democratic Party, said how could anyone take the word of a right-wing Website that wants nothing more than to help the governor.

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