Art Helton, the former state senator who has run for a variety of offices and claimed residency in such places as a Darlington farm, a Joppatowne townhouse, and an Aberdeen office, has been ordered to change his voter registration address back to District 35 – essentially ending his campaign for the District 34 senate seat, pending appeal.
After hearing testimony from a private investigator hired by Helton’s political opponents, examining water usage rates at his Aberdeen office, and reviewing a litany of other evidence, a hearing officer for the State Board of Elections ordered this week that the Harford County Board of Elections promptly change the voter registration address of both Art and his wife Ann Helton back to their farm on Harmony Church Road in Darlington.
The hearing examiner also recommended that the State Prosecutor look into the Heltons’ false claims for possible further action.
“In my considered judgment, there is substantial reason here to believe that Mr. Helton has falsely signed legal documents, including a sworn voter registration application, in his wife’s name, and that both Mr. and Mrs. Helton have deliberately misled the Local Board and this forum and have lied under oath with respect to their actual residence. For that reason, I recommend that the State Board or the State Administrator refer the matter of Mr. and Mrs. Helton’s false claims of residence to the State Prosecutor for further appropriate action,” wrote Judith Armold, a former Counsel for Election Laws designated by the State Board of Elections to act as the hearing officer in this matter.
The decision is appealable and a petition for judicial review must be filed with the Circuit Court of Anne Arundel County no later than June 3.
Reached on Friday evening, Helton admitted he was “surprised by the decision” and, though his attorney Augustus Brown is out of state, hasn’t seen the order, and won’t return until mid-week, is certain he will appeal the decision.
“Not only are they moving my residency, they’re saying I lied,” Helton said.
Though Helton had not yet filed his candidacy (the candidate filing deadline is February 25), he has been actively campaigning for months. Helton’s website and The Friends of Art Helton page on Facebook both display “Maryland Senate 34” imagery and the following statement from Helton himself: “Good day! I wanted to let you know that in 2014, I will be running for a Senate seat that I previously held; I am so excited about what I can do for Harford County!”
“It Was Sort Of Like A Hearsay Court”
The decision was rendered following a pair of administrative hearings this fall, which were brought about after official complaints were filed by former state delegate and Harford County Council member Barbara Osborn Kreamer and former Aberdeen City Council President Mike Hiob, who is working on the state senate campaign of Del. Mary-Dulany James – who also has yet to file her candidacy, but presumably would have faced Helton in the Democratic Primary Election for the District 34 state senate seat. [Note: Kreamer says, “I have not been working on the Senate campaign of Mary-Dulany James to date. But in 2007, 2010 as well as 2013 I have lodged formal complaints about Art Helton’s false claims of address, this year about Ann Helton in addition.”]
In their September complaints, Kreamer and Hiob both told the State Board of Elections that the Heltons lived on Harmony Church Road in Darlington rather than the office on S. Rogers Street in Aberdeen. This distinction is of vital importance to Helton – a Democrat – because he would only be eligible to run for office in the highly-Republican northern District 35, rather than the largely-Democratic southern District 34.
The hearings began in October and featured the testimony of Richard Marts, a private investigator hired by Hiob, who trailed Helton from October 10-24 and again from November 5-18. Marts testified that Helton used his Aberdeen office during daylight hours, but never spent the night there. Rather, Helton spent every night at his Darlington farm.
According to the Final Determination (published in full at the bottom of this story), the Heltons attempted to explain their absence from their purported Aberdeen residence and their frequent presence on the Darlington farm as being necessitated by a “bumper crop” of new lambs born that fall.
“I find this explanation unpersuasive,” hearing officer Armold wrote.
During the course of the hearings, which continued in mid-November with testimony from Ann Helton, a series of facts were presented by the complainants.
Helton had been registered to vote in Darlington since 1989, but, since 2002, his voter registration address has changed numerous times:
– January 2002: From Harmony Church Road in Darlington to Fountain Street in Havre de Grace
– November 2003: From Fountain Street in Havre de Grace to West Bel Air Avenue in Aberdeen
– January 2006: From West Bel Air Avenue in Aberdeen to North Parke Street in Aberdeen
– February 2006: From North Parke Street in Aberdeen to Harmony Church Road in Darlington
– February 2007: From Harmony Church Road in Darlington back to North Parke Street in Aberdeen
– December 2007: Back to Harmony Church Road in Darlington
– February 2009: From Harmony Church Road in Darlington to Ravenswood Court in Joppa
– February 2012: From Ravenswood Court in Joppa to South Rogers Street in Aberdeen
While not quite a nomadic as her husband, Ann Helton also changed her voter registration address from Darlington to Havre de Grace to Darlington to Joppa to Darlington to Aberdeen in the past decade.
Also, ever since initially filing for Homestead Property Tax benefits in 2008, the Heltons have continuously claimed the Darlington farm as their principal residence.
It was also pointed out that, as of October 25, an online database of rental properties available in Aberdeen in connection with BRAC listed 3 S. Rogers Street, Aberdeen as “turn key office space” available for rent.
After Helton mentioned that he did his laundry at the Aberdeen office, Kreamer and Hiob compared water usage rates for the office to their own personal water usage. “Water usage at 3 S. Rogers Street during the summer of 2013 was less than half the usage of Ms. Kreamer for the same time period, and Ms. Kreamer lives alone,” Armold wrote in her decision.
Hiob also testified that the water usage at Helton’s Aberdeen office was less than half the minimum water usage billed as a matter of course by the City.
The complainants also produced evidence that, in August 2011, Helton had recommended to the Redistricting Commission a mapping plan that would have included his Harmony Church Road farm in the 34th Legislative District. That recommendation was not adopted, and the Darlington farm remains in District 35.
In her final determination, signed and dated December 10, 2013, Armold ordered the Harford County Board of Elections “promptly to change the voter registrations of Arthur Henry Helton, Jr. and Ann C. Helton to their bona fide residence address” on their Harmony Church Road farm in Darlington.
Helton said he was caught off guard by the hearing, during which any and all evidence was admissible and he was unable to object to any statements made against him.
“It was sort of like a hearsay court; you could say anything you wanted to say,” he added.
Helton, who has owned property in Aberdeen for 54 years and represented the area in both the state senate and on the county council, admitted he keeps an office in the South Rogers Street house, “but it’s also my home” – pointing out that it’s roughly the same size as his house in Darlington.
False Claims, Possible Fraud
Outside of the issue of Helton’s pending candidacy, Armold also opened the possibility of further action against the Heltons after what she called “fraudulent” behavior.
“There is evidence to suggest that Mr. Helton has fraudulently signed his wife’s name on voter registration applications and other legal documents. Furthermore, there is a significant amount of objective evidence that Mr. and Mrs. Helton both lied under oath about their residence when they testified in these proceedings,” she wrote.
Hiob, who once worked with his family on Helton’s failed state senate campaign in 2002, said he feels “more confident that the system can actually work if you have enough credible evidence.”
“Working as a team, Barbara Kreamer, Richard Marts, Adam Hiob, and I garnered more than enough evidence to support our complaint. And in this case, challenging Art and Ann Helton’s claimed residency at 3 S. Rogers Street in Aberdeen, the hard AND circumstantial evidences were overwhelming.”
My family and I have known Art Helton for many years. We worked hard supporting his failed State Senate campaign in 2002 (but that was before we knew the REAL Art Helton). Since then, we’ve learned what kind of people Art and Ann Helton are, and if everyone knew what we know regarding their tactics and ethics, the only votes they would receive when running for elected office in ANY district would be from each other,” Hiob added.
As for Helton’s political future, while he looks forward to the opportunity of defending himself and producing witnesses during an appeal, Helton said that, should this order stand and his voter registration officially be moved to Darlington, he will call off his District 34 senate campaign and will not seek an office in District 35.
“I have no plans to run for anything else. That’s a place [District 34] I thought I could be of benefit,” he added.
This is hardly the first time Helton’s candidacy has been called into question based off where he claims to hang his hat.
In 2010, Rovall Washington, an Edgewood Democrat running against Helton for the District 34 state senate seat, filed an administrative complaint with the Harford County Board of Elections challenging Helton’s residency claims, voter registration, and candidacy.
Armed with photographic evidence, testimony from neighbors, and his own eyewitness accounts, Washington hinted that Helton’s alleged infraction may go beyond more than simply an incorrect address and might be considered “possible fraud.”
The full Final Determination is posted below:
Surprise, surprise – Another Crooked Politician!
I hope Sen Helton gets a chance to run against the liberal elitist Del James who would be defeated by Bob Cassilly in the fall.
So you want someone who doesn’t even know where he lives. Sends a letter to Moore’s Mill residents and makes it seem like he is still a “senator”. Has had problems with residency before and I am sure he would lose in the general election. Don’t think he can overcome this and if he does…..he don’t have my vote! I like my state senators to be able to tell the truth. BTW he is former senator………
Well, if you want your state senator to be able to tell the truth, or be sane, or kind-hearted, that certainly rules out Helton. But the sad thing is that it rules out Mary Dulaney James even more. Are these two clowns really the best that we can do as democrats. It’s utterly depressing.
It is funny to me that you talk about telling the truth. I understand that Delegate James has gotten remarried and no longer lives in Harford County. She lives with her new husband in Baltimore County. Maybe that’s why most of her money and so much of the influence in her decision making comes from outside Harford County. And by the way, some positions carry the title, even after you hold a position.
just lookn out
Karma is a bitch.
Be careful what you say Dion, because if that is true, I see a lot of bitches in your future !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But isn’t Helton the King of all the Democrats. He is at least the King of all the Harford County Liars, I meant Demrats! Oh sorry, Democrats.
What is the Court Jester Tom Myers to do if the King can’t run?
Just read this article and the comment written by the very imaginatively named “Hanging to the Left.”
If I were Art Helton, I would appeal this decision so I could say that I lived in Aberdeen, home of the New York Penn League champion Ironbirds, and not Darlington, the “Who Farted?” t-shirt capital of Harford County.
Tom Myers “I have worked at 7-11 all of my life and cant get stage time at an open mic”
I am an assistant manager at a restaurant and did a lucrative tour of the southwestern US and released a CD in the past few months.
You are an anonymous poster on the Dagger, you waste of afterbirth.
~TOM
Really? You call waffle house a restaurant? You have to be one of the worst people attempting to call themselves a stand up comedian that has been “on a tour” for quite some time. You’re youtube videos actually have crickets in them. You make vile remarks, and wish death upon anyone who criticizes your attempt at standup. If you call 5 minute guest spots opening up for some of your other horrible comic friends “lucrative”, Then I guess you sir are truly a wealthy boy. Sir, the nacho cheese machine is broken again!.
Here is a great Clip of Mr Myers Standup.
I don’t work at Waffle House. Are you sure you’re not confusing me with someone else?
As for the video you posted, a few months after that was recorded Mickey invited me to open for him. Five shows in three nights. And I blew the roof off at each show, as I have been while touring and performing in 20 states plus DC and Canada.
As for the so-called “vile comments,” I’m a comedian. My specialty is retorts. Too bad you don’t have the balls to tell me this right to my face. I’d love to see what a pathetic nobody you look like.
Any chance their could be comedy duo of Meyers and Helton on tour soon?
Blowing the doors off? HA. please put some of that on Youtube. Because out of the 10 or so times I have been at a show you did it has been quite the opposite. You ought to really use that “worlds worse comic” moniker. Hey but keep thinking it kid, We are all having a true laugh at your sad attempts.
Wait, you are asserting that opening for Mickey Cuccella is proof of your success in comedy? Now THAT is actually making me laugh. Hey even a blind squirrel
finds a nut from time to time. Keep up the good work.
No, I mentioned my touring in 20 states and getting paid to do so as a measure of my success. For someone with a name like “Watcher,” you’re not real observant. Maybe change your name to “Reader.” Oh, that’s right. You can’t.
Hey Tom,
Is living with your mother at age 30 also a “measure of your success?”
Hey, Terrance, is trolling Tom’s posts your measure of success?
And that video is of Mickey, not Tom, you loser.
jokes should be funny right?
And yours aren’t, Watcher.
perhaps because I’m not on a 20 state tour with an obnoxious midget.
Now we know that the Democrat elite in this state are tired of Mr. Helton.
To say that Mary Dulany James, Barbara Kraemer and Mike Hiob are the Democratic elite is really overstating how the Harford Democrats operate. In face, James, Kraemer and Hiob are to the Democrats in Harford County what AIDS is to Africa.
One word: “Slimeball”. Helton’s only purpose in seeking any office is to enrich himself at the expense of the populace he would represent. (In this, he isn’t alone.)
However, his removal from the political arena would please me greatly; I am tired of seeing his questionably legal campaign ads all over the state.
I am shocked you haven’t been talking about Del. James before then. Her lobbyist buddy is an ex-con, her campaign buddies in Harford County are a dis-barred attorney (Barbara Kreamer), and the local wack job (Mike Hiob). Sounds more like you just have a thing for Helton, instead of the real problems in Harford County.
You are correct, Sir! Back to the originsl substance of the story for a moment. Too many people have already forgotten when Helton ran for office a couple years ago and claimed to live in Joppatowne when that was in the District he ran for. He owned the house and it was a rental. He occaisionally parked his car there in a feeble attempt to make it look like he lived there. He was also sending letters to voters on “official” letterhead indicating he is a Senator, which appeared to be from years ago when he was an elected official.
The Democrats in Annapolis were relieved when he lost that election, too.
He may be a “nice guy” BUT……………..
I, for one, would be pleased to have the Honorable Senator Helton represent us in the 34th. He has shown good morals and good ideas for making the 34th a stronger district. Here is a man who can live in an office building and not use a lot of Aberdeen water. He’s got my vote for being a conservationist. Also, he is able to communicate with the average voter. Says he lives in Aberdeen, but has a farm in Darlington. How selfish is he to keep telling people he lives in the city and doesn’t want to live out in the country. Senator Helton has helped people read, while driving. He puts his signs on the roads and that gives me a chance to read the truth about what he wants to do for Harford County. Not that any of it is true! To close, I hope no one took me serious in the response. If a person cannot be honest with the public, as to where he lives, then why would we vote him in. Again, another FORMER senator thinking he can get over on the public. Thanks for all the people who exposed the lies.
Poster child for the crooked politician. Hopefully, he will slink away but I doubt it.
I would say to you, read the reply to John Coal. Where have you been all this time about Del. James. You have never commented on here before about her. On top of all the people she teams up with, I now read on here that she is living out of the County with her new husband.
What the hell is happening in this County?
They remind me of the scam that Obama/Soros and the Democrats pulled on the uninformed voters in this country, except on a smaller scale. I still believe that he in not a natural born citizen of the USA.
His slogan says, “It’s about OUR Future.” Doesn’t he mean it’s about HIS future. Gotta love these washed up politicians that think the average citizen is a idiot. Come up with catchy phrases and think we won’t look at the real issues. I’m sure there are people he is going to snow, but the real snow starts today. Everyone keep warm and keep reading the dagger. Makes me informed, for the most part, and I’m thinking of running for senator. Have to come up with a phase that will be remembered by the voter……Keeping my future, and paycheck, getting bigger!
AND THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE!
apparently he hasn’t learned the truth. the truth will keep being glossed over by him. I’m sure he thinks he is the answer to Harford County’s Problems. Maybe he should get in Eagle 1 and fly away.
Every judge, Deputy, fire fighter, councilman, and average Joe have known for years that Helton does indeed live in Darlington. Caught lying about his residency on several occasions. His gaudy trailer that is set up displaying his billboards often DOES NOT HAVE TAGS. How can he get away with towing an unregistered trailer around. I would get a ticket for this. Helton, just go away. You cant get elected in the district you live in, so stop trying to lie about living in another one.
It may not display tags, but how do you know they’re not removed whenever the trailer is parked, and installed before towing? People steal tags because of how expensive the registration process is, and thus why the MVA is so interested in getting the tags back whenever you sell a car or cancel insurance (and a trailer’s tag is more useful given how little information the state saves about the trailer, vs a tag being specific to a make and model of car).
So, an untagged trailer sitting on a park and rot lot should be towed away then.
The fact that he tried to have his farm in Darlington gerrymandered into D35 is enough for me I have family who have lived in Aberdeen all their lives and none of them have a nice thing to say about Mr. Helton. I hope, for the sake of society, that he just goes quietly into the background to take care of his bumper crop of lambs.
Senator Helton is a family man, who has a long-standing track record of being a successful businessman in Harford County. He is active in his community, active within his church community, and for a “FORMER” senator? He certainly knows what’s going on currently within our county. He’s at all of the important meetings, has tried to educate our county’s citizens with important information, AND has made himself available to everyone and anyone who would like to discuss issues and/or concerns with him! WTH has MDJ or anyone ELSE in our current delegation done for us? ZILCH! I’d much prefer THIS GUY to everyone currently holding a “seat”.
That’s great, but don’t forget fraud.
Gotta leave it to the edgewood folk to butcher the English Language. Sequoia not Sacoya.
You know that’s my NAME, Uncle Tom, right? (a.k.a. welfare Will) …………….not a tree. WTH does Edgewood have to do with anything? Everyone can obviously see that you’re a racist, but bringing a community into your comment about the English language being butchered does what?!?!?!? Way to represent yourself.
Actually I am black. I hate people such as you that constantly blame the white man for your problems. You make us all look bad. Call me Uncle Tom. My father worked 3 jobs to make ends meet. We never took a hand out. Everything I have I WORKED FOR. If you hate the white man so much, why do you keep taking his money.
Who’s blaming a white man for ANYTHING or said I hated white folk????? I’m a Helton supporter – plain & simple. Firmly believe that the man would be very valuable to have in our disctrict’s “corner”. Did you even READ my comment or just try to tell me that I spell my own name wrong?
Mr Helton, has done a lot for Aberdeen. and I’am sure he will continue.
I think you mean he has done a lot to Aberdeen. Anything he has ever done has been for Art Helton.
If you mean re-habbing old empty buildings, adding to the tax base to keep residents taxes down, bringing over 300 jobs to Aberdeen. and helping start over 28 new small businesses in Aberdeen, YES I guess he has done a lot to Aberdeen. I would like to see him do that to our District, no one else seems to be making that kind of impact.
So I rode through aberdump yesterday, route 22, by the target. I bet you know where this is going.
I turned my head and gawked at a big, brick, fancy smancy office building with street lights, paved and painted parking spots with no cars. Why is that?
Gee Speakin thos are really impressive numbers. If there were just one modicum of truth they would be truly outstanding. What 300 jobs? Please name just 14 of the 28 new businesses. Now for your homework, go and check the public records to see just exactly how much he pays in taxes for those “refurbished” properties. He was given tax breaks on each and every one of them. My taxes didn’t go down because of anything Art did.
“Working for the common good” LMAO What a crock of shit.
He is another Out of the closet Marxist.
If anyone wants to talk about liars, look at Barbara Kreamer’s record: suspended from practicing law twice before finally being disbarred; being evicted from her church; having a peace order issued against her for domestic violence by her own daughter. And then there is Mike Hiob, whose only gripe is that Art didn’t support him for his mayoral race. Mary-Dulany James may think she is elite, but she is not the democrat most of us would like to see.
Is this the overwhelming evidence? Ha ha.
Maybe you shouldn’t be such a follower and actually LEAD. Stop letting Art and Ann pull the strings.
HTH do you get “evicted from your church”?
She not only got evicted, but had a restraining order, and a court order for a psychiatric evaluation, for attacking a very elderly lady at church. The following Easter Sunday she showed up and blocked the doors with her body and wouldn’t let anyone enter. She had to, again be removed by the police. I was a witness to these events, and how anyone would want to be associated with this woman is beyond me!
Hansonbabe, you might be interested to know that while Barbara Krearmer and Mike Hiob get on Helton’s case for referring to himself as “Senator Helton,” Kreamer still shows up at public events wearing a “Delegate Barbara Kreamer” name badge. Talk about hypocrisy! That woman doesn’t know ass over tea kettle.
Who cares about Barbara Kreamer. You are simply deflecting. Helton Sucks.
I agree that ABSOLUTELY no one should care about Barbara Kreamer OR Michael Hiob – for that matter; they’re useless slugs! However? These are the idiots that MDJ has “hired” to promote her & her campaign????? NO THANK YOU! I’ll take Helton over this bunch or certifiable loons – thank you very much. Kreamer is a crazy, lying, obsessed, poor excuse for a woman who has her OWN DAUGHTER wanting nothing to do with her! She’s been found guilty of theft, been disbarred, banned from her CHURCH (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), lives in a trash pile, is so disheveled looking and haggard that I don’t know whether to throw her a penny or just go straight to the liquor store & buy her some “meds”, AND….. runs around with the likes of Mike Hiob!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don’t know who’s worse???? The crazy herself OR her spineless minion! He blabbed LIES like the town crier to anyone that would listen, because he hung onto every whacked out word/ideology that Kreamer spoon-fed to his dumbass! What a sore LOSER that guy is. I agree with “Neon Dion” – Karma IS a bitch ……………… & God don’t like UGLY.
Uhh, what? Come back when you have something useful to add.
There’s a lot of big words in my statement, Buddy………grab your thesaurus and a dictionary & THEN give a re-read a try. Good luck, “Lol wtf bro”!!!!! Classy username by the way.
Oooh wow, big words? Aren’t you so great. Wow wow wow.
Actually many of you Progressives like to use big words to hide the fact that you really dont know what you are talking about.
Good hopefully his annoying signs will be removed from the roadways.
Anybody else notice the nowhere on his signs does it say he’s a democrat.
BTW: Hiob is an Omally clone = sucks
Art Helton, started out like the rest of us with Nothing. Working his way up to buy a two bed room house on Helton Ave prospect Mill rd. working a franchise with western Auto in Haver De Grace then Aberdeen.
Just proves hard work can pay off.
No it just proves you can get rich on the taxpayers dime
Simon says, I am an Aberdeen tax payer and I would like you to site some details about getting rich on the taxpayers dime. Do you have documented proof of that, or are you just throwing stuff out there because you can do it anonymously? If you are going to make accusations you should be prepared to back it up. If not you have then become the biggest scum bag of all !
Why weren’t any of these expenditures made against Mr. Helton labeled on Del. James’ campaign finance report? It says Hiob and Kreamer were working for her campaign and Hiob doesn’t even shy from saying he wishes to destroy any possible Helton candidacy, so wouldn’t these be in-kind political contributions?
Helton’s ridiculous, but at what point does it become ok to break the law to simply say another person broke the law? Del. James’ unofficial–yet more active than most official–campaigns should issue an apology.
Looks like Art is heading baaaaahhhhhh-ck to Darlington.
I’m neither demorcrat nor republican but I do have a view on this topic. In the military they would say that one cannot be almost completely loyal. Being the slightest bit disloyal made you completely disloyal. Being a liar has got to be the same way. Trying to obtain an unfair advantage in an election by misstating ones address makes one a liar. I have children who believe in America and want to believe in its leaders. Unfortunately this type of gross lack of character is all too common in government on every level. We have a chance to make a difference in this case. Trying to line up on one side or the other based upon the motivations of those folks who exposed the lie just deflects the major question; do you want someone in a powerful elected position who won’t even tell the truth about where he lives?
You certainly don’t want that candidate. But you also don’t want the one with the campaign launching these sort of attacks before even filing. Particularly if they’re essentially unreported campaign expenditures. Will Mary Ann Lisanti step forward to run when the Democratic ticket is plagued by such a poor choice?
Point well taken
Rt. 40, What unreported campaign expenditures? You have tossed that out there a couple of times but I doubt that you know of what you speak. A volunteer spending his or her time and funds in an effort to support a campaign is not reported. The types of things that go into non monetary contributions are the use of the airplane or car or bus. The operation of your factory to produce something for the candidate, etc. The fact that the two people, who are in support of MDJ, expended time and effort is not and need not be reported. You are welcome to hate James, God knows lots of others do as well, but don’t imply illegal activity where none exists.
Hell Lasanti makes great money sucking off taxpayer dollars from things like the greenway. Give me Helton over that thief.
Doesn’t she live in Cecil County?
In this article there is mention of former candidate for this seat, Rovall(Rovell or perhaps other monikers as well) Washington. Where is he? I know that he was a registered independent last cycle who wanted to run for State Delegate in this district. Then, when a certain Delegate who may or may not be a current candidate for this Senate seat convinced him that he should become a democrat and run in the Senate Primary against Helton and not against the incumbent democrats as Delegates.
You want deep rooted sketch, look to the candidate(s) who are currently filed for office.
Oh, you mean Mary D. James. I heard the same thing. And by the way Mike Hiob and Babara Kreamer were working on that one too. I would call them the three amigos, but I wouldn’t want to leave out their handler and convicted felon Bruce Bereano
Several points of clarification, via Barbara Kreamer:
“1. The Heltons have not been ordered to change their place of registration; the State Board is ordering the Local Board of Elections to change their addresses of registration from Aberdeen back to Darlington. An opinion and order of 2007 in response to my complaint as to Art Helton then did the same thing.
2. I have not been working on the Senate campaign of Mary-Dulany James to date. But in 2007, 2010 as well as 2013 I have lodged formal complaints about Art Helton’s false claims of address, this year about Ann Helton in addition.
3. I did not hire the private investigator Richard Marts. He was Mike Hiob’s witness. We each submitted witness lists in advance of the hearings. Mr. Marts was not on my witness list.
4. The Heltons have been at 3069 Harmony Church Road in Darlington since 1989. The date 1960 refers to when Art Helton first registered to vote in Harford County.
5. Mike and I did not “pull water usage rates.” Helton entered his water bill at 3 South Rogers as his Exhibit 7 at the first hearing. To contrast it I entered my two recent bills, one of which covered the same period as his, as my Exhibit 30.”
WHO CARES?!?!?!? That dirty nutjob actually slinked up out of her hole in the ground to respond? She’s a pathetic excuse for a human being, and an even worse mother. Way to “represent”, MDJ!!!!!
Interesting that lawsuits for slander have come from less on blogs and newssites, and you direct it at someone who knows a tad about the legal system… What IP address are you hiding behind?
Hey Tiffany, this thread is about the lies and illegal registration of Art Helton. If you want to start a thread about someone else give it a try. You have displayed such eloquent writing skills that I am sure any number of folks would be glad to read your opinion on someone. Com on Tiffy give it a shot.
Why would I do that, Arturro? Kreamer and Hiob are taking public responsibility for their part in this, so if that’s the case? GAME ON They are part of the problem and have EVERYTHING to do with all of the comments on here. If those two can’t take the heat, OR yourself – for that matter, quit reading. PROBLEM SOLVED (Thank you for the compliments on my writing capabilities, though.)
There are any number of reasons that you wouldn’t do that Tiffany. Not the least of them is that you are apparently a useless slug. It is easy to see that you have absolutely no logic skills. The site is not about Kreamer (sic) and Hiob. It is about Art Helton. You are shooting the messenger and ignoring the message. Follow the basic decorum rules or go away.
I’m just a reader, wading through all the comments. If indeed the issue is Helton and his disputed residency, then why did you have to resort to name-calling? How did calling the poster a ‘slug’ advance the discussion?
Looks like Tiffany Loudermouth picked up a fresh batch of punctuation marks at the Walmart. I especially like the way she skillfully alternates question marks and exclamation points after her first statement, which is posted IN ALL CAPS for added EMPHASIS!!!!!!!! Pretty clever, am l right?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
You certainly pay a whole lot of attention to how and what I write. Glad you like it all so much! You’re not a whackjob stalker like KRAZY KREAMER, are ya’ PHIL DIRT? Hope not.
And now you have joined the likes of David Porter, Cdev, Proud to be liberal, et al. That is to say that very few folks will bother responding to or reading your posts. There are a number of folks who do want to discuss and argue on this blog, but the ones who last seldom resort to name calling and slander. It’s been real.
If Maryland’s first lady can live in Annapolis and serve as a District Court judge in Baltimore City then residency doesn’t mean a thing. Residency is just a state of mind. I wonder if Delegate James think Katie O’Malley should resign?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/06/AR2007010601164.html
The O’Malley’s have an house that is due to his office. Their official residency is Baltimore City. Just like the Obama’s are not residents of the District of Columbia or any one in the Senate or House is. The same way that no one in the House of Delgates is a resident of Annapolis based simply off of their apartment in Annapolis!
Last I check, I don’t recall seeing anything in the law that said residency requirements apply to everyone but Katie O’Malley. Saying you have a residency somewhere doesn’t make it true. I don’t care why they don’t live in Baltimore City but the fact is they don’t live in Baltimore City. If James’ supporters think Helton has residency issues they should ask Katie O’Malley to resign. This just goes to show the hypocrisy of the James’ supporters.
Mister Maryland –
O”Malley is a progressive liberal with whom I disagree.
He is the governor and lives in the governor’s mansion, not the O’Malley mansion.
Katie O’Malley doesn’t need to resign and she is obviously not doing what Art Helton is doing by gaming the residency requirements.
The O’Malleys do not own property in Baltimore City. They are not residents of the Baltimore City. She claims to be a resident when she clearly isn’t.
I understand why she lives in Annapolis. But nobody forced her husband to run for governor. Nobody forced them to sell their property in the City. This is cut and dry she isn’t a City resident.
For the record, I don’t know Helton, James or the O’Malleys. I just value intellectual honesty.
First of all, I’d like to thank Brian Goodman for his commitment to reporting news in a thorough and very timely manner. We (THE DAGGER readers and posters) appreciate you and what you do.
Second, I welcomed Art Helton’s comments quoted in the article written by Brian Goodman. In his comments, Art seemed dismayed that he was accused of lying. To that I respond “you did, many times”. An example would be that during his testimony (under oath), Art said that they did their laundry at the Aberdeen address. But 3 weeks later, Ann Helton testified (under oath) that they did their laundry on their farm in Darlington, and that they don’t even have a clothes washer and dryer at their Aberdeen address, and that is why the water usage was so minimal at the same. Also, I found it interesting that Art was “surprised by the decision” of the hearing examiner, but I’m NOT surprised that Art claims that he is “certain he will appeal the decision”. To that I say ” Bring it on Art. The facts AND the law are on our side (not yours). If you decide to spend more of your money and time pursuing this endeavor, then Barb, Richard, I and “the system” will be right there to stop you again.
Also, I’d like to mention something about campaign signs (since they were mentioned in someone’s post). Art has (and continues) to place his lovely sign trailers all around district 34. The problem is, most of the signs are in illegal locations owned by the S.H.A. (park and ride lots, and along Rte. 40 intersections….like with Rte. 24). Yes we’ve all seen them, and when I do, I call Ed Railey at the Churchville S.H.A. shop, who in turn contacts Art Helton and directs him to remove the offending vehicle(s). The problem is, not long after Art is forced to remove the sign vehicle(s) from S.H.A. property, they “magically” re-appear at the same locations, and the cycle begins again. What a waste of taxpayer’s S.H.A. money (and by of a man who continually desires to represent district 34 as our senator, when he clearly lives in district 35).
In addition, while reading the various posts from the past couple of weeks, I find it interesting (but considering the sources, not disturbing) that I’ve been compared to “AIDS in Africa” by someone posting as “Loyal Harford Democrat”, called a “wack job” by someone posting as “kickin it”, called a “useless slug”, an “idiot”, a “dumbass”, a “loser” and a “spineless minion of Barbara Kreamer” by a “Tiffany Louderman”, and “hansonbabe” foolishly stated that I don’t support Helton because Art didn’t support my mayoral campaign in 2009. Really “hansonbabe”? I may not be a rocket scientist, but I knew damn well going into the mayoral race in 2009 that Art Helton wouldn’t support me, when he had his “hand picked” mayoral candidate Michael Bennett running for re-election to support. By the way, Barbara Kreamer was on the ballot as a mayoral candidate that same year, and now we’re working together on this Helton residency issue. Strange bedfellows? I say not.
Finally, I am happy to say “you’re welcome” to someone that posted on December 14th as “pleased”. And if necessary, I’ll be happy to continue my efforts regarding this issue.
Happy New Year to everybody (even Art and Ann Helton, who I’m certain read The Dagger daily).
Well said Mike. Its going to be interesting to see how this all plays out. Will Helton just abide by the law or will he continue to look for ways to circumvent the rules? Everyone who really knows Helton knows exactly where he lives. So that means that everyone that really knows Helton in good conscience could not vote for him. Its sad in so many ways. He moves his voter registration card every election cycle trying to find the weakest district to run in and still manages to get beat soundly. I wonder if anyone in Helton’s “New” Demorcratic Club would like to weigh in on the actions of their founding member?
Where have you been hiding Al? You are spot on with this guy. During the Wilson reign he was able to bully his way around so easily that he figured out that rules don’t apply to him. For a short period of time in the mid first decade he got put into his place and was forced to abide by most of the rules, but the sneaky devil still continued to lie, cheat and steal. Ince he got his puppets into office in Aberdeen he was able to return to doing everything the “Helton Way.” The Helton way is the antithesis of the Pipken way. I hope that the States Attorneys office takes this up now. There are certainly more than adequate grounds to charge him with several violations, starting with lying under oath. What will his butt buddy Steve do without Art’s clout?
What can I say Arturro Nasney….now YOU are the one that is “spot on”! 🙂
Thanks for your observation and input.
Thanks Al J Thong. I doubt if anyone in Helton’s “New” Democratic Club will say anything negative about “Daddy Art”, but I’m certain that they will come out against me again (“spineless minions”) 🙂
Hiob, do you have any plans to take your show on the road?
How about trying to make an issue of Askew Gatewood’s residency? Although, I don’t think Askew would be pleased if you did!
Is this the SAME MIKE HIOB…who as a member of the Aberdeen City Council took THOUSANDS of dollars from developers for voting and supporting the “Wetlands Annexation”?????……..a plan that would have cost city taxpayers MILLIONS?????? Thought so. Nice diatribe, Toolbag; feel better? Hope you and your dirty “madame” have a fantastic 2014.
I’m curious Tiffany. i was around for the annexation debacle and I never heard that it would cost the taxpayers millions. I heard that some folks living outside of town didnt want to pay city taxes and I understood that but to increase our tax base by 100’s of homes could only have decreased the taxes for us currently living here. What I did see on my my front porch were people that neither were current residents nor folks that would be affected by the annexation. The folks on my porch were from out of town (some from Harmony Church) and their message was more to get rid of the current administration than it was to defeat the annexation. As it turned out they did both. It was a classic example for this thread. People with no resident standing effecting critical change on local residents. And Helton was at the head of that movement. Now we loyal Aberdeen residents have a puppet government run by a city manager with a council that was put in office by a resident of Harmony Church Road. However, I truly believe that people usually get the government they deserve. So we all know where Helton lives; what are we going to do about it?
Is this Aberdeen Councilman Hiob, that while in office put Aberdeen in such financial disparity that they took $900+ thousand out of the stadium fund and deposited it in the general fund, because they almost bankrupt the City?
I am a taxpayer in Aberdeen, and all I remember about Mike Hiob is the tax free ride he tried to sell us for Pres. Homes. He was trying to sell us on the B.S. that Pres Homes was going to give us a six million dollars worth of gifts. What he wasn’t telling us is that the infrastructure bill for that project was $32mil. The taxpayers would have had to eat a $26mil bill, and that too would have bankrupt the City. And lets don’t forget the huge tax increase to fund he and Fred Simmons private mob squad police force. (That in no way is a slam on our Police Force, it was the leadership at the time). Since you were put out of office, our taxes have been lowered and the City is in very good financial shape.
Oh yes, we remember you Mike Hiob!
That was a sell out for campaign money, G.I. Joe.
What I remember is the delay that Mr. Hiob caused in the water amendment agreement, because he didn’t want Mayor Bennett to have that accomplishment before Mr. Hiob ran against him in the race for Aberdeen Mayor. That little stunt cost the citizens of Aberdeen over $100,000 in interest.
I follow the Council meetings pretty close, and to my recollection Mr. Hiob, please correct me if I’m wrong, Art Helton hasn’t received anything or done any projects under Bennetts term as Mayor.
Again, just like when you were in office, deception, and half truths. You, with so much dirt on your hands Mr. Hiob, should stop pointing fingers! WE DO REMEMBER YOU
You gotta be kidding me, dirt on his hands? That guy is so deep in dirt, he would have to dig himself out with a shovel. I haven’t heard him say one thing about Mary D James living outside the County with her new husband. Oh, maybe that’s because he is doing her dirty work for her.
And as a tax payer, I would like to know if Hiob was on the County clock, and supposed to be working, when he was in court testifying against Helton. Yes we in Aberdeen also pay County taxes Hiob.
Is helton so indefensible that you want to burn the whistle blower? Don’t we have the right to know the truth? Don’t we have a system with in district candidates and in district voting? When you write about past political actions you remind me of a Eunuch in a Harem. You obviously saw many things going on that you didn’t understand and certainly had nothing to do with.
Hey Aberdeen Room Fan; shouldn’t you be a more accurate Historian? Mike Hiob has been a public servant in Aberden and Harford County for many years. When he was in public office he crossed party lines many times to work out difficult problems for the greater good of Aberdeen. Many of us remain sorry that Hiob lost his race for Mayor. I know that I often say that people generally get the governments they deserve so lets see….Our Mayor was sanctioned by his own ethics board for accepting an all expenses paid vacation down south where he attempted to use his position as Mayor to sell Ripken Stadium wolf tickets to another city that didn’t understand the financial boondoggle it has been to the City of Aberdeen. Yep, I miss Mike Hiob.
Art Helton is a proven liar. Take your ugly signs down and stick them up your ass where they belong!
W.BelAir ave. resident, Aberdeen Room Fan, and G.I.Joe, I take it you “three” is really just “you” with “three names”?
I agree with “Curious Clown”, and the “you” is more than likely the sore loser (in many ways) Arthur Henry Helton (resident of 3069 Harmony Church Road, Darlington, Maryland District 35). We proved that! I deal in facts, not fiction.
And hey Art, you are correct regarding one thing “IT’S ABOUT OUR FUTURE”
(but it doesn’t include you!) 🙂
Hiob – you are the worst sore loser I have ever seen. What a disgrace to the Democratic Party you are. Damn good thing you lost to Bennett; with you in office I may just have switched parties simply so that I am not affiliated with such a whining crybaby.
Hey George, with Art Helton representing the head the Democratic Party in Harford County, I wouldn’t blame you if you switched parties. Hiob may be a crybaby, but at least he doesn’t lie about where he lives (and where he does his laundry!).
There is one comment about funding a mod squad police force; That group did not cost the City one thin dime in tax payer money. It was funded and supported with money gotten through drug busts. That money can only be used for the purpose of law enforcement per Federal guidelines.
Yes your taxes were lowered, on the backs of the city employees.
Another respondent said something about taking money out of the stadium fund. The administration that took money from Peter to pay Paul was during the Wilson days. Money was taken from the general budget to finance the disaster at the stadium and was also taken to finance the water and sewer fund. Both of those actions was illegal by the way. The retirement funds for the city had been allowed to fall behind funding requirements and had to be corrected. The City was spending $100,000 per cop to train and outfit to bring in new officers. The officers were then leaving to go to the Sherrif, Transportation Authority, etc. In order to hide the hemorrhaging funds in the budget, short term loans were taken under the guise of paying for short falls in capitol improvement/building funds. Hiob and Simmons inherited that disaster and to their credit divulged the data and raised taxes to the tune of about $450 per homeowner for 2 years to make up for over $3,000,000 (yep that’s 6 zeros) in unfunded debt.
this could go on forever but perhaps a few facts, undisputed facts would help a lot. The disinformation which is being repeated by several people is the same crap that Helton and his puppets used to kill Aberdeens future to fuel his personal gain both financially and ego wise.
Thank you so much for the clarity you brought to some very key issues. The tax increase was at once terrible, burdensome, extremely exspensive….and necessary. Playing Ponzi with enterprise funds is illegal as they are designed to always be self sufficient. But here is the reality; if you raise the water rates; whether it be for increase in the price of chemicals, employee wages, or even to forward fund plant improvement, you risk not being re-elected. Most folks in office serve only to be re-elected. Mike Hiob did not. He’s a stand up guy and he believes in fair and truthful elections.
Any updates on this?
I received an email over the weekend that stated that Mr. Helton was now an ‘Official Candidate’ for the Senate seat in district 34. Was there a new decision here that we have not heard about?
I am not going to say that I always agreed with Mike Hiob and the causes that he championed in the City Council Chambers. I will not say that I would vote for him or Ms. Kreamer if they were running. I will say, as a resident of Aberdeen, that I emphatically refuse to vote for Mr. Helton for any office that he pursues. The claim that he lives in the building that houses his office is a farce. I would not trust him to be in the legilature of Weebleville!
What is going on with Helton? He is listed on the Board of Elections website as a candidate for State Senate as of 2/10/14. Did he win an appeal?
More and more Helton signs are going up in and around Aberdeen. Does anyone know what has become of the ruling and or appeal?
@Al; I have heard from an unreliable source, (a demented old woman), that the good old bahoys have swept this entire thing under a stack of carpets.
How is he running in Aberdeen? He lives in Darlington. Seen him there a few days ago. He lives there not aberdeen. I see he bought adds on this site in an attempt to silence opposition to his Crookedness.