Maryland Man Charged With Campaign Fund Theft

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- The grandson of former Baltimore Delegate Hattie Harrison is accused of stealing $17,600 in campaign funds, the state prosecutor said Monday.

Philip Harrison II, of Salisbury, has been charged with felony theft, fraudulent misappropriation of campaign funds and a related election law violation in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, said state prosecutor Emmet Davitt.

Harrison was the former delegate's campaign treasurer from July 2006 through November 2009. Prosecutors allege he wrote numerous unauthorized checks from a campaign account to himself and his then girlfriend, who is now his wife. Prosecutors say he continued to write campaign checks in 2010 to himself after he stepped aside as treasurer. Prosecutors say he paid several Comcast and Verizon bills by forging another treasurer's name.

"Both candidates and campaign treasurers must recognize that misuse of campaign funds cannot be tolerated," Davitt said in a statement. "We will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute violations of Maryland campaign finance laws."

Harrison could face up to 21 years in prison and up to $40,000 in fines, if convicted of all charges.

Hattie Harrison died last year at the age of 84.

(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)