Md. Developer Charged With Straw Contributions

TOWSON, Md. (AP) -- A Baltimore County developer has been charged with making straw contributions to a county councilman and exceeding contribution limits, and his attorney says he plans to plead guilty.

The Maryland State Prosecutor's office announced charges Thursday against Stephen Whalen. He's charged with giving $2,500 in cash to three different people who then contributed that money to Councilman Tom Quirk last year. Whalen is also charged with violating the $10,000 limit on contributions during a single Maryland election cycle through his donations to Quirk, County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and Councilman David Marks.

Whalen's attorney, Andrew Jay Graham, says he has worked out a plea deal but declined to provide specifics. Graham says Whalen will "acknowledge that he made some mistakes." He describes the violations as technical in nature.

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