Pierre stays in Annapolis race

[Blue_Tires]

The Annapolis mayoral candidate whose spokesperson announced her withdrawal from the race Friday amid revelations of personal financial problems said Saturday that she is staying in the contest.

Zina C. Pierre won the Democratic nomination Tuesday, putting her on track to become Annapolis' first African-American mayor. Her campaign abruptly announced her withdrawal Friday amid questions about a foreclosed home, bounced checks, state liens for unpaid income taxes and other problems.

But less than 24 hours later, Pierre said she was staying in to "continue to fight for all residents, many of whom are calling, texting and e-mailing me with extraordinary support."

It was a stunning turn of events in the capital city, where news of Pierre's financial troubles shocked political observers. While Democrats have publicly supported Pierre, others have privately grumbled at her apparent naivete in not realizing that her personal finances would become an issue. They also critiqued her vacillating during the fallout.

Pierre herself has yet to address the questions. She was not available for comment Friday or Saturday; she said in a statement she plans to hold a news conference Wednesday.

It was unclear what led to her apparent re-entry. A woman who identified herself as a new spokeswoman for Pierre said that the previous spokeswoman "said what she thought was the case at the time," in telling various media outlets, including The Baltimore Sun, that Pierre was withdrawing Friday evening.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/anne-arundel/bal-md.ar.annapolis20sep20,0,7066735.story

[kwassa]

1. I don't know how she expects to overcome this.

My wife knows her from back in the Clinton administration.

I'm impressed that Zina won the primary, which usually means that she has won the election to become mayor as it is a very Democratic town. I think the public has less tolerance for mismanaged money now, particularly in someone who will be managing the city finances.

[kwassa]

2. Pierre quits for the second time.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/anne-arundel/bal-md.ar.pierre24sep24,0,469503,print.story

Pierre quits race for 2nd time
Annapolis candidate says financial problems stemmed from starting business, helping others
By Nicole Fuller | [e-mail]

September 24, 2009

Three days after her win, reports surfaced that Pierre's Bowie townhouse was in foreclosure. Additionally, she had written a bad check for a car repair, failed to pay community association fees on her townhouse and paid thousands of dollars in fines for failing to maintain car insurance, among other financial problems.

A spokeswoman announced Friday that she was quitting the race, only to have a new spokeswoman say Saturday that she was staying in.

Questions were also raised over whether Pierre, who claimed her Bowie townhouse as her primary residence in court documents as late as this year, had lived in Annapolis long enough to meet the two-year requirement to run for mayor.

On Wednesday, The Baltimore Sun published an article that raised questions of whether a company that she paid more than $11,000 in campaign funds for advertising was a legitimate business.