DeGrange blasts Franchot for releasing state salaries

Release was politically motivated, senator says

‘‘He is the keeper, entrusted with this information and you just go out and offer it?” DeGrange said during a news conference in the Senate lounge. ‘‘What other reason would there be than political?”

Franchot offered to release the 98-page list after members of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, including DeGrange, scrutinized the Comptroller’s office budget last week.

Budget leaders and the O’Malley administrator have tussled over three senior officials in the office who are paid $148,000 annually.

Last year, Budget Secretary T. Eloise Foster, in a series of letters to Franchot, questioned whether his deputies should be paid more than the governor’s cabinet secretaries.

Franchot’s office fired back on Thursday afternoon.

‘‘The Comptroller respects Senator DeGrange and has enjoyed a productive working relationship with him through the years,” Joseph Shapiro, a spokesman for Franchot said in a statement. ‘‘However, with respect to the issue of public records, the Senator unfortunately misunderstands State law and the importance of transparency in government.”

Shapiro went on to cite state code, saying that it states ‘‘very clearly states that ‘‘‘Public record’ includes a document that lists the salary of an employee of a unit or instrumentality of the State government or of a political subdivision.”

Franchot ‘‘misused the trust of state employees,” said DeGrange (D-Dist. 32) of Glen Burnie, who is the Senate majority whip.

Examiner reporter Len Lazarick said he requested the information in an e-mail in which he mentioned the Freedom of Information Act, but did not submit a formal request. Franchot did not provide the list in electronic form, which Lazarick said he requested.

DeGrange said the list could be given to the press, but complained that no one in the press had asked for it.

Two weeks ago, Franchot (D) accused Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. of targeting the jobs of Chief of Staff David S. Weaver and Deputy Comptroller Len N. Foxwell.

Miller (D-Dist. 27) of Chesapeake Beach, in a dueling news conference on Feb. 13, denied the allegation, criticizing Franchot’s performance as comptroller.

Franchot and his staff were ‘‘missing in action this entire year in terms of helping the state solve the budget crisis. ... Certainly, during the entire [22] days of the special session he was gone,” Miller said.

Shapiro defended Franchot’s performance of his job duties, including ‘‘his obligation under the law to keep confidential records out of the public domain.”

‘‘Tax records are confidential; state employees’ salaries are not,” Shapiro wrote.

House Majority Leader Kumar P. Barve criticized both sides for the latest chapter of the public tiff.

‘‘Both sides need to calm down a little and figure out what to do in respect to policy,” said Barve (D-Dist. 17) of Gaithersburg. ‘‘I wish the comptroller had not done this unhelpful escalation.”