Donor Says Leopold Is Under Investigation

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold is under investigation by a state office, according to a donor who says he was contacted during the probe.

Craig Oldershaw is president of the union that represents most of the county firefighters. He told The Capital of Annapolis that he was contacted by the Office of the Maryland State Prosecutor last week about a check for $4,000 he wrote in September to Leopold's re-election campaign.

Oldershaw said he gave the check to a county police officer assigned to Leopold.

Oldershaw has protested Leopold's efforts this year to curtail the bargaining rights of the county's public safety unions.

An investigator for the office of state prosecutor said Wednesday that he could not confirm or deny a probe. The state prosecutor investigates state election law violations, ethics law violations and misconduct in office by public officials.

Leopold said Tuesday he was unaware of any investigation. He said he got most campaign donations in person or in the mail, but he added that members of his security detail — all county police officers — helped him during his campaign last year when he was recovering from back surgery.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)