MARYLAND (WBFF) — Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson has not responded to questions about campaign donations he’s received from utility companies, after a political challenger publicly called on him to return the money.
FOX45 News reached out to Ferguson’s office on Monday asking about nearly $60,000 in energy-related donations and requesting his response to calls that he give the money back. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Senate president had not replied.
The questions stem from a viral social media post by small business owner Bobby LaPin, who is running against Ferguson for his Baltimore City state Senate seat.
ALSO READ | Challenger calls on Senate President Ferguson to return utility-related campaign donations
In a Rocky Balboa–inspired video that has racked up thousands of views online, LaPin accuses lawmakers of taking money from the very companies they regulate and calls on Ferguson to return $58,950 he says the Senate president has received from utility companies and related energy interests.
“You can’t fight for the people if you’re owned by the corporations,” LaPin said in the video.
At a time many Marylanders are struggling to pay their soaring energy bills, LaPin has vowed to reject any corporate campaign donations. But most lawmakers can’t say the same.
A recent Spotlight on Maryland investigation found energy and utility companies spend millions lobbying lawmakers in Annapolis. In 2024, Constellation Energy was the top spender, funneling nearly $1 million into various campaigns.
State campaign finance records show several energy companies donating directly to Ferguson. Over the past three years, a political action committee associated with Constellation Energy contributed $4,000 to Ferguson’s campaign. Other contributions include $6,000 from the Baltimore Gas and Electric PAC, $12,000 from Washington Gas Light Company’s PAC, and $3,450 from Pepco Holdings’ PAC.
In that time period he’s also received a number of individual donations from top energy executives, including $6,000 from Constellation Energy President and CEO Joseph Dominguez, $3,000 from Vicinity Energy’s Government Affairs Manager Samay Kindra, and $1,500 from Exelon’s Executive Vice President of Transmission and Development Carim Khouzami.
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“$60,000 buys you a lot of time with a member of the state legislature,” argues taxpayer advocate David Williams, “Whenever you’re a state legislator and you’re receiving campaign donations from a company or any sort of conglomerate that represents companies, you are automatically compromised. You are automatically going to be looked at as being in the pocket of those companies.”
Williams says it’s encouraging to see a candidate publicly call for a stop to corporate campaign donations, and hopes the pressure for greater transparency and accountability doesn’t stop with Ferguson.
Baltimore City Councilman Mark Conway has already taken that step himself. Late last year, Conway returned all utility-related donations and called on others to follow suit. “What I didn’t want to happen is to have my insight, my judgment, clouded by any fiscal support or funding or donations from an energy company, knowing that my constituents can’t afford their energy bills,” said Conway.
FOX45 also planned to ask Ferguson about the donations in person Tuesday. The Senate president typically holds a weekly media availability following Senate floor debate, but this week, another lawmaker took questions from reporters instead.
FOX45 will update this story if Ferguson responds. FOX45 will update this story if Ferguson responds.
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