The Fraternal Order of Police union used felons to gather signatures in ballot drive.

Montgomery County's police union used felons, including a fugitive and a man convicted of forgery, to collect signatures for a ballot measure that would kill legislation reducing police collective bargaining rights, court documents show.

The county cites the Fraternal Order of Police's use of felons among reasons why at least 6,700 of the 34,828 signatures validated by the County Board of Elections are insufficient to put the measure, protecting police officers' ability to negotiate any management decision, on the November ballot.

The felons were responsible for collecting signatures and certifying they were gathered legally.

"The notion that a felon who under Maryland law would be prohibited from voting in an election, and who at any time was at the risk of arrest by the very individuals on whose behalf he was circulating the petition, would be responsible for preventing fraud flies in the face of common sense and is truly laughable," attorneys for the county wrotein documents filed in Montgomery County Circuit Court.

One felon, Keith Gregory Moore, of Grand Rapids, Mich., was convicted of forgery, fraud, aggravated assault and home invasion, the court filing shows.

Another petition circulator, Jessie James Rowe, of Kalamazoo, Mich., was a fugitive felon at the time he wasgathering signatures -- and still is -- the document says.

The union asked that the criminal records be omitted from the court record because the county submitted them after a legal deadline.
http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/maryland-news/2012/06/montgomery-county-police-union-used-felons-gather-signatures-ballot