Soccer Dad

Is Angelos becoming a Republican?

Wizbang! asserts that Judith Regan did well to release Jose Canseco's book a few months after the election. After all one of the former Bash Brother's most damning accusations is that President Bush as owner of the Texas Rangers knew of steroid use among ballplayers and did nothing about it. Wizbang! figures that many of the 48% of those who voted against the President will be eager to snatch up a book that further demonizes the President.
There is however one Democrat who doesn't seem to be amused.
In defending his Cuban born player, Rafael Palmeiro, Peter Angelos defended the President too:

"No purpose is served in giving audience to these type of claims in view of Major League Baseball having stepped to the plate with the encouragement of President Bush in addressing the steroids issue," Angelos said in his statement. "To suggest, as Canseco allegedly does, that President Bush, as the Texas Rangers managing partner in the early 1990s, 'must have known about the steroid use on that team' is a desperate ploy to sell a book. What credibility does such a person deserve?"

Angelos has been quite active in Maryland's Democratic party for quite a while. He gives generously to Democratic candidates. And the Democratic powers have been good to him, such as making him the lead lawyer for the states tobacco lawsuit. (The legislature turned on him, but he still did quite well from the settlement.)
Back in November, after Angelos's family bought the Rosecroft Raceway, it bacame clear that Angelos would support slots, a pet project of Republican Governor Bob Ehrlich against the wishes of many of Maryland's most prominent Democratic politicians:

A representative of the new owners of Rosecroft Raceway said yesterday that they hope to build a hotel and offer thousands of slot machines at the racetrack, a plan likely to prompt fierce opposition from Maryland lawmakers and Prince George's County leaders opposed to legalizing slots.

Gerard E. Evans, a lobbyist for the family of Baltimore Orioles owner Peter G. Angelos, which has agreed to purchase the racetrack in Oxon Hill, said he was "very confident" that Angelos's long-standing political ties would make lawmakers more likely to support slots legislation.

Finally, there's the split between Angelos and Democratic Baltimore City Mayor Martin O'Malley.

Angelos also criticized Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley claiming the mayor is in effect looking away from the interests of the city because he has aspirations of running for higher office.

Angelos took a verbal shot at the mayor by saying "I shouldn't have been too harsh with Mayor O'Malley since his expertise is limited to hiring police commissioners." Baltimore has had four police commissioners since O'Malley took office 4 years ago.

Angelos also accused O'Malley of pitching to the Washington suburbs with regard to a baseball team possibly moving there. Angelos says the mayor has given the public the impression that he is not really concerned with the economic value the Orioles bring to the city.

Look at the record: Peter Angelos has split with a Democratic Mayor, allied himself (on a single issue) with the Republican Governor and defended the integrity of a Republican President. Might Angelos be thinking of switching parties?

Posted by SoccerDad at February 10, 2005 5:23 AM