Group Gives Answers in Baker's Election Funding Controversy

A new treasurer for a campaign fundraising committee is providing transparency following a controversial $200,000 donation to Rushern Baker's 2010 run for county executive.

Aaron Copeland is replacing Thomas Felder after the committee, County 1, was fined for incomplete reports and for not filing any financial reports for the past two years.

"If there are any reports that haven't been filed, there are penalties associated with it, but I haven't seen the file yet," Copeland said.

Copeland showed News4's Prince George's County Bureau Chief Tracee Wilkins the checks in question -- an estimated $200,000 was donated by an arm of Southern Management, a prominent property management company  in the county. The state has records of the contribution being spent, but not filed.

"We thought the treasurer was filing everything appropriately and when we realized that, we realized we needed to get a different person in that position," County 1's chairman Kenneth Johnson said.

The group raised money for Baker and some Maryland delegates. Johnson, who served on Baker's county executive transition team, said the issue is due to a lack of oversight and not impropriety.

"We go to make sure we have the right person in place," Johnson said. "I think we have that now, and we'll make sure everything gets reported."

Jared DeMarinis oversees campaign finance for the Maryland Board of Elections. His office levied the fines against the committee and assigned a deadline for a completed report. He said, that's all his office can do.

"If the reports are not in compliance with the law, then the state prosecutor has the authority to bring actions against the committees responsible officers," DeMarinis said.

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