Developer charged in campaign violations

A Baltimore County developer has been charged with multiple violations of the campaign finance laws. 

 

Developer Stephen Whalen, Jr., 62, of Catonsville has been charged in the Circuit Court of Baltimore County in a five count charging document with violating the campaign finance laws for the State of Maryland. 

 

The first three counts allege that Whalen made unlawful contributions through third parties to the campaign finance entity, Friends of Tom Quirk, in late summer of 2011. 

 

Specifically, Whalen is accused of giving $2,500 in case to each of three individuals in exchange for personal checks made payable to Friends of Tom Quirk. 

 

He is also charged with one count of exceeding the $4,000 limit contributions to a single candidate by giving $7,500 to Friends of Tom Quirk. The final count alleges that he also exceeded the contribution limit of $10,000 to all candidates by contributing $4,000 to the Committee for Kevin Kamenetz and $250 to Friends of David Marks and $7,500 contributed to Friends of Tom Quirk. 

 

The charges of contributing in a name other than his own are each punishable by up to 1-year in prison and a fine of $1,000. Each of the charges of exceeding the contributions limits are punishable by up to 1-year in prison and a fine of $25,000.