Manno accused of soliciting campaign funds during MD General Assembly session

The Montgomery County Young Republicans organization is accusing Maryland State Senator Roger Manno (D) of continuing to solicit campaign funds on his website, even as the current state legislative session is well underway. State lawmakers are forbidden from soliciting and accepting campaign contributions while the legislature is in session.

A MCYR press release includes a screen capture image of Manno's website, showing his fundraising page is active. Other legislators' online fundraising pages have been disabled, the press release says. As of this writing, Manno's fundraising page was still active to fill out forms, and select dollar amounts to contribute. The above screen capture was taken this morning.

The apparent transgression is particularly notable, the GOP group notes, because Manno has introduced a Senate bill that would make the solicitation of campaign contributions during a session a civil offense. "He is literally introducing legislation to make it a civil penalty for exactly what he is doing," the MCYR statement says. The organization says Manno should disable his fundraising page immediately, and return any contributions received since the session began.

Manno represents District 19 in the Maryland Senate, including Aspen Hill, Leisure World, Kemp Mill, and parts of Wheaton and Glenmont.