SALISBURY -- Salisbury attorney Matt Maciarello plans to decide Monday whether to proceed as a Republican candidate for Wicomico County state's attorney.Maciarello filed to run June 21. The next day, he announced he would pull out of the race. He cited personal attacks posted against opponent Davis Ruark on a local blog as the reason for his departure.
But Maciarello now says his decision to quit the race was a "snap judgment in the middle of the night" and he "made a mistake" in hastily pulling out. He said he'll spend the weekend to reflect upon his goals.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not a politician. This was my first taste of politics and it was initially disgusting," he said. "I did not know any other way to distance myself from these people making disgusting, disparaging remarks (online) about Davis Ruark. I do know that Davis read them, and that he was hurt by them. Any human being who would see that on the Internet would be hurt."
The deadline for Republicans to bring a candidate to the table was July 21, and if Maciarello exits the race, Ruark will run unopposed. Ruark was appointed to office in 1987 and has not faced an opponent in an election since.
Ruark declined to comment.
"I made a promise to Matt that I would not comment until Monday, and I will adhere to that promise," the incumbent said.
Maciarello, who works as a partner at the law firm Hearne & Bailey, P.A., said immediately after the death of Assistant State's Attorney Sam Vincent -- who had planned his own campaign to challenge Ruark -- a group of attorneys asked him to run. He initially declined.
"People really have to understand, when Sam died, it just threw everybody out of kilter," he said. "There was no way a person could grieve for Sam, put together a campaign, and jump into a race that a very good, honorable and decent man left. It's very sad. Sam was such a great person."
He called it a "very heavy decision" that would put his reputation as an attorney on the line.
"When you run against an entrenched incumbent, there are huge risks," he said. "I was willing to risk it because of my sense of duty. The risks are exactly what happened."
John Bartkovich, chairman of the Wicomico Republican committee, said he hopes Maciarello will stay in the race.
"We think he's great candidate, we think he has the credentials and we're excited about his prospects," he said. "If he doesn't, then we're stuck. My candidate will run a very positive campaign, and as a result, the voters will see that he will make a very good state's attorney. I think he made the right decision to run. The wave of negativity in the blogs should not dissuade him from the quality of his decision."
bshane@dmg.gannett.com
410-213-9442, ext. 14
The Daily Times
33 comments:
Matt needs to understand that he didn't create Davis' negative comments. They have been out there for a very long time. Davis should have done the right thing and resigned after the drunk driving/gun incident. He put his department, law enforcement and the community in a terrible position. He lost credibility and respect and desperately is trying to cling to an image and reputation that no longer exists. Wicomico County deserves a solid, untainted State Attorney. Davis' arrogance is appalling and really quite sad that he is so out of touch with reality. If he truly loves the county, he would have done the right thing and resigned a long time ago. The continued arrogance - including the edict that anyone running for office against him had to submit a resignation was just another nail in his demise.
Matt is not responsible for any of this. It is my understanding that Davis has had a conversation with Matt and tried to get him to believe he is responsible for hurtful comments being posted. Davis - shame on you - this is just another one of your intimidations and manipulations. AND, another reason you need to go. Why don't YOU do the right thing and bow out!!!
I wish the Daily Times had more reporters like this one.
Why doesn't everyone do the "right thing" and let the voters decide after a clean, issues only campaign?
Typical of Wicomico County. The intimidation tactics in Government are real and unbelievable to most people.
Let me get this straight, 9:04. The folks on this blog go negative, as usual, with the same old nasty attacks, and a fine gentleman is put off by their rantings and rethinks getting involved in politics. Do please explain to me how that is intimidation by the big bad county government.
Let me explain something.
I was interviewed by the Daily Times referencing this matter and the reporter agreed with me after I made a statement. The comments were NOT personal attacks, they were opinions. We are not allowing personal attacks as this race needs to be about who's the right man/woman for the job.
My quote, (which was removed by the Editor) was that they were opinions. Every single one of you are welcome to go back to that post and read the comments.
Now, that being said, were they coming in nasty, ABSOLUTELY. However, they were rejected. Now, am I perhaps to blame for telling Matt there were some nasty comments but I rejected them, YES. That was my fault and I shouldn't have said anything to him about them.
Matt's concern was that the campaign would turn very nasty and he wanted no part of that, because of the man he is.
9:11 Ask Ruark about his lenghty conversation with Matt. If you don't think Ruark isn't using every trick in the book to thwart the competition - you are sadly mistaken. He knows that unless he can find a way to eliminate the really viable candidates - he is history.
Some of the "nasty" attacks on this blog just happen to be true statements about the actions of our notorious (for all the wrong reasons) States Attorney.
If you are sick of the nasty comments, how about supporting a candidate that will set an example other than driving drunk with a gun under his seat.
I am not talking about the blog attacks. I am talking about the way the existing government controls things. They use intimidation tactics to try to keep the ball in their court. I would have loved to hear the conversation between Ruark and Matt.
8:30 and 9:29 - I think you are probably the same person. I am curious....just exactly how are YOU - and no one else - aware of or claiming that there was a "meeting" or "lengthy conversation" between matt and ruark? hummmm? when? where? for how long? subject matter discussed? I'd sure like to know where you got info from because no one else is saying the same thing.
I hope that he stays in the race. I don't know how he will do in forums or debates, but it would be nice to have a viable choice of candidates. With Sam, we had that.
It seems as though Matt is a fine person who has been a hard working local attorney. He hasn't laid himself out on the guillotine of politics. If he didn't run he would continue to have a successful career as an attorney and not be forced into personal attacks upon himself, his family or his colleagues. I am a hippie liberal and proud to admit it and often don't agree with the platforms of Republican candidates. However, I am quite impressed with his goal to run a clean campaign and encourage a classier political environment. I would be happy to strongly support a candidate who holds those principals.
Sorry its not the same person.
It pays to be smarter rather than bigger.
If Matt chooses to run, he is in. It is already a done deal.
10:18 do you realize how ridiculous you sound? "Smarter"??? I doubt it. I think you are intimating at things that the rest of us already know. Maybe you sat in on those meetings, who knows, but to throw out generalizations such as you have without any kind of collabaration (sp) is just worthless speculation. I mean, respectfully, how in the heck would you know what happend unless you are matt or davis?
I certainly don't know but based on your statement I can only come to the conclusion that the republican committee that drafted matt to run has "threatened" or "promised" to bring up all sorts of anti-ruark information during the campaign that delve into ruarks personal life and outside the office activities - typical smear campaign - unless ruark drops out of the race (which I cant believe he would). Maybe you should just enlighten us all instead of hinting at things.
Im voting for Matt
I understand this fellow's disgust for the politics, but to make this about the "online attacks" oh come on.
Before there was "online" there was Barrie Tilghman and the Tilghman Times trashing every candidate and citizen who didn't fall in line with everything she wanted. And the Daily Times was happy to print every lie she told.
Now all the nastiness is due to "online"? Not buying it. The Daily Times needs to step up and admit its role in this becoming a political cesspool, including its snarky Grapevine and its own "online" comments.
If you want to change the nastiness of politics, run and show people how it's done. Help change the tone here.
I don't know what to make of this fellow, whether to admire him or think less of him. He was encouraged to run by the same guy who brought Louise Smith to Salisbury who hides her dirty business behind a sweet little old lady act.
Maybe I should follow this fellow's lead and not vote because I'm sick of all the nastiness. This is a head scratcher for me. It just doesn't sound normal. Do other people in other towns quit political races because of blogs? This guy's doing it, that Brushmill guy did it, Mike Dunn says that's why he quit.
I know nasty things get said on blogs in other places so is this quitting thing normal or not? Sorry to ramble but sure is a bunch of craziness and makes one wonder a lot of things.
P.S. I would like people to be nicer in their opinions but after the acts of some of our elected officials I sure can see why they aren't.
Let the voters decide!
I would want a gun handy also if I were states attorney. It is a dangerous job.
I would encourage you to ask Matt whatever you want to ask him. Just find him on the campaign trail and ask him. He welcomes your questions. So if you have a question, heard a roumor, or just want to tell him he has big ears, just find him. He is a great guy with a lot to offer.
"The deadline for Republicans to bring a candidate to the table was July 21, and if Maciarello exits the race, Ruark will run unopposed."
What about Seth Mitchell? Not that he is real competition.
The absurd nonsense reminds me of the movie they made in Berlin -- Runaway Bride.
Does he want the State's Attorney job or not?
BTW, nasty comments about candidates and incumbents are SOP and have been part of elective politics from the start. Jefferson, Adams and Washington all had their share of detractors.
11:58 lol, I was thinking the same thing. He is sooooo non relevant that his name is barely mentioned when discussing the state attorney's race.
If Matt Maciarello chooses not to run, and avoid the bad taste of politics I would like to see a write in campaign started for him. The Republican party is entitled to a candidate. It is time for a change in politics.
BL
In Politics..."Opinion" is purposely confused with "Personal Attack"
The left engaged in "Personal Attack" for the entire 8 yrs after the Palm Beach election debacle and it was all they did..it was their playbook
It ruined the confidence in the Economy and trashed several million jobs..and got us what we have today
as far as Davis..his personal life is private..but his public mistakes entitle him to nothing
he is fair game.
If he believes comments left on a blog are a threat, how will he handle real threats from defendants who are gang connected?
I'm interested in who our Republican sheriff is going to support.
Go Matt!
If Matt doesn't run this might just be the time when a write in campaign may produce a victory. Everyone that wants Matt to be SA, just wight his name in on election day. In response to a previous post the daily times did say that Matt and Ruark had a conversation and that Ruark would not have any other comment until Monday. So that does mean that they have discussed the situation.
Matt, please remember the words that Sam held close to him: "Evil flourishes when good men do nothing." Those words helped seal the deal in his decision to run, as it should for you. Please do not let evil flourish. Please do not stand by and do nothing.
8:02 OMG I love that saying.
"The first reaction to truth is hatred." Tertullian
A clear conscience never fears midnight knocking.
9:29, you say "if you are sick of nasty comments, how about supporting a candidate that will set an example...." I have an even more novel idea; how about we just stop with nasty comments all together! So if I will support your candidate, you'll stop with nasty comments about his opposition? You want a reward for bad behavior? Even my children know that's not how it works.
Put in perspective, the Wicomico States Attorney is not the most important job in America. Mr. Maciarello is more qualified to be SA than Obama is to be president. Ruark has baggage and Mr. Maciarello doesn't. Personally I hope Mr. Maciarello stays in the race because there is just no down side to him staying in. If he wins the people get what they want, so whats the problem?
10:35 because when people get what the want they soon find out it is not what they wanted.
This candidate does not seem to possess the strength needed for the political big league. He should continue to sit on the bench for awhile, or spend more time in the minors, and keep Julie with him.
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