(Md. first lady) Kendel Ehrlich joins husband in fight against newspapers [View All]

[Newsjock]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.kendal26apr26,1,4505950.story?coll=bal-pe-maryland

Associated Press

First lady Kendel Ehrlich, in a fiery speech to Republican supporters on the lower Eastern Shore, joined her husband's public fight against newspapers, saying they "lie" and "need to be punished."

As the guest speaker at the Lower Shore's Lincoln Day Dinner in Ocean City on Sunday, Kendel Ehrlich also lashed out at elected Democratic officials, saying their behavior during the legislative session was "rude" and "despicable," the Worcester County Times reported.

As broadcast news stations picked up on the comments yesterday, Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. moved quickly to support his wife and to clarify her remarks. Speaking alone to reporters, he said her complaint is specifically with The Sun and The Washington Post - papers that the Ehrlichs say are biased against them and don't provide fair coverage.

The governor said he and the first lady were the target of personal attacks after news broke this year that a longtime administration aide had spread rumors about Democratic rival Martin O'Malley on the Internet. E-mail released from aide Joseph F. Steffen Jr.'s private account included one from Kendel Ehrlich in which she said, "We need you."

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