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Mayor: Member of council stole date book
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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Aberdeen Mayor S. Fred Simmons says City Councilwoman Ruth Elliott stole his appointment book from City Hall.
Elliott said Friday it was an accident. She said she believes Simmons’ date book was “planted” in her City Hall mailbox to discredit her because she opposes the way he runs the city and has been considering a run for mayor.
“I did not take it off anyone’s desk,” Elliott said, denying Simmons’ allegation that she took it from the desk of city clerk Scott Hunsinger.
Elliott said she went to City Hall on Wednesday and retrieved her mail. After she returned home, she realized she had Simmons’ date book in her possession.
“I then called [City Hall] and said I had it by mistake,” Elliott said. She said she did not look at it while it was in her possession.”
Hunsinger confirmed Elliott’s call.
“She said she did not have her glasses on, and she took it by mistake,” Hunsinger said. After her call, he went to her home to collect the appointment book.
Hunsinger declined further comment, citing concern for his job.
“No one put the book in her box. I was not there and the clerk denies any involvement,” Simmons said in an e-mail to The Examiner. He said Elliott suffers from a “cognitive disorder.”
“Lately, she is very paranoid about how I spend my days. … Her condition is unfortunate and her infirmity often makes her a pawn to those who would use her disability to harm the city,” Simmons said.
Elliott said she saw her doctor last week and was “given a clean bill of health.”
“It’s just a blatant, nasty lie,” she said.
Though Simmons used the term “theft” to describe the incident, even complaining to the chief of police via e-mail, he has not filed a formal complaint, and Aberdeen police are not investigating, said Sgt. Fred Budnick, a police spokesman.
“It sounds like an internal matter, and in order for it to be theft there has to be intent,” Budnick said.
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