September 18th, 2015 by WCBC Radio
Maryland's Attorney General's office says the state's ethics commission won't review former Gov. Martin O'Malley's purchase of furniture from the governor's mansion. The Washington Post reports that the Attorney General said Thursday night that the commission advised that it doesn't have jurisdiction. Documents obtained by The Baltimore Sun show O'Malley and his wife paid $9,638 for 54 pieces of furniture that originally cost taxpayers $62,000. The Department of General Services sold the furniture after the pieces were declared "junk." But an agency rule prohibits preferential sales of state property to government officials. An assistant attorney general asked for a ruling on whether the sale violated the rule. Representatives for O'Malley, who is running for president, said he followed proper procedures and the furniture was authorized to be thrown away.