The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland • Page 27

C3 THE SUN, Tucsoay, July 25, 1978 Kovens denies he would 'smear' Sachs, who, in turn, detects 'theater of absurd' Carroll commissioners, Cerame to part company By PATRICIA A. ROUZEn Wdiimiiulfr Bureau 0 The Sun Westminster-John R. Cerame, Carroll Ant. Iui tl. 4..

w. i-uuuvj in ai, iuu'iijiic tuumy aiiurney, The first public opposition to Mr. Ce will retire from his post in November at By G. JEfPEIUON PRICE Irvin Kovens, the political money genius convicted in the Mandel corruption trial last year, denied yesterday that he would "smear" Stephen H. Sachs, the former federal prosecutor who is a Democratic candidate for state attorney general.

"In my 27 years In politics, I've never tried to smear anyone, Kovens said in a lengthy printed statement delivered to the press late yesterday afternoon. "I have no intention of resorting to that kind of thing now." But Kovens went on to say that he was "hurt and disappointed that Steve would attempt to disassociate himself from the many friends of mine who have helped raise money for his campaign by attacking me." Mr. Sachs characterized the Kovens statement as a joke and quipped that it was the "ultimate smear." The assertion that Kovens had ever helped him in his career he called "totally, completely and absolutely false. "As (or the rest of It' Mr. Sachs said.

"he Is smearing me with himself. It has a thcater-of-the-absurd quality. "I'm sure he knows people who contribute to my Mr. Sachs added. "But I bet you my bottom dollar that any such person for me is for me despite Kovens and not because of him." Kovens was referring to a press conference two weeks ago In which Mr.

Sachs said (hit he was on Kovens's "hit list" and warned that any of his three opponents for state attorney general in the Democratic primary might be used by Kovens' to defeat him. Kovens, Mr. Sachs said at the time, might try to accomplish this by directing money to the campaign of any one of his opponents. In his statement yesterday, Kovens asserted: "I've helped Steve with his career before, and my friends are helping him now." Kovens singled out Caiman J. Zamo-iski, the head of the Sachs campaign finance committee, as an old friend, and cited a letter that Mr.

Zamolski had written on his behalf after Kovens was convicted last year, In the letter, a copy of which Kovens attached to hit press statement yesterday, Mr. Zamolski said he had known Kovens they were youngsters and added: "I have great respect for him and have always found his personal dealings with me to be most honorable and forthright. "Irv Kovens Is a person of such character that his concerns have always been for those individuals and those needs that have surrounded him," the Zamolski letter added. "Mr. Kovens has always demonstrated the highest level of Integrity with regards to the operation of his business." "I normally don't brag or give press releases, either," Kovens's statement added.

"But I ask you, does that sound like the kind of a guy who would go around smearing candidates? And remember, that statement wis written by Steve's chief fund-raiser." Kovens went on to list several other contributors to the Sachs campaign, whom he claimed he "knows personally," including one of Mr. Sach'a major backers, Jer-old C. Hoffberger, chairman of the Orioles and until this mooth chairman of the Carting-National Breweries. "Call any or all of them and ask If I've IRVIN KOVENS rame surfaced In March of this year. He was involved in a dipute with the county liquor license board over the way the board conducted its liquor license hearings and all three liquor board members threatened to resign if the county commissioners did not replace Mr.

Cerame as the board's legal adviser. The county commissioners relieved Mr. Cerame as the board's legal consultant and hired Francis Arnold, a local lawyer, to counsel the liquor board at a rate of 40 an hour. "It was a lot of things which added up. John is a knowledgeable and able man but he has an abrasive manner and sometimes rubs people the wrong way," Mr.

Graham said, conceding that the three-member beard of county commissioners first raised the question of asking Mr. Cerame to retire after the dispute with the liquor board. Mr. Cerame said the commissioners could not force him to retire in November but, "I can't work under these conditions. I think there wu more to it than what 1 was told.

But all we really said was I would agree to leave In November If they would agree to let me stay until November." ine request o( tne county commissioners, who complained he was "abrasive" and did not work well with other officials. Although reluctant to discuss the matter yesterday, J. Norman Graham, president of the Board of County Commissioners, confirmed that the board has asked Mr. Cerame to retire. "This is really a personnel matter.

It is a matter of mutual agreement that he will retire. We're not really forcing him to retire but we're asking him to, Mr. Graham said. Asked yesterday about the situation, Mr. Cerame said, "I was told (by the commissioners! that for the good of the county I should leave.

I told them that as long as I had five years of service, 1 will leave." The 14-year-old attorney, a retired lawyer who had worked for the Internal Revenue Service, became the first full-time county attorney In November, 1973, at a salary of (15,000 a year. He now earns 121,000 and under the county's retirement system will be eligible for a 100-a-month pension after five years of service. He will complete those ever smeared any candidate," Kovens stated. "1 wish I hadn't retired from politics. This year looks like fun." Kovens did not elaborate on his assertion that he had helped Mr.

Sachs early in his career. By the time the Kovens statement was distributed to the press, Kovens wu on his way to Philadelphia, where he could not be reached for comment Mary Risteau, first woman in legislature, dies at 88 Sign law enforcement doubted SIGN, from CI law, I'm in bigger trouble." It has fallen to Mr. Stein, of the highway administration's outdoor advertising section, to insure that Maryland is attempting to live within the guidelines of the federal Highway Beatification Act of 1945, lest the state lose its share of funds available under the act. Since 1931, Mr. Stein said, Maryland has had a law on the books requiring candidates to obtain permits for political signs.

"But whoever was here" at the state enforcement level "didn't have to account to anybody," he said. In 1940, however, Maryland strength ened Its permit law by adopting the federal guidelines regulating outdoor advertising In order to be eligible for "bonus money," which Mr. Stein tald has amounted to 2 million over the last decade. In accordance with federal state law now prohibits display of political signs on Interstate highways and expressways and limits them on primary roads, such as Routes 2, 3, and 50, to commercial and industrial property. Permit applicants are also required to obtain approval from local toning authorities.

Despite the relatively small enforcement staff, Mr. Stein said hundreds of violation notices have been sent out to political candidates so far in this election year. One of the first went to James Lightl-ter of Crofton, a Democratic candidate for the House of Delegates in the 33d district, who was Informed June 30 that he was subject to 12,000 in fines and confiscation of four signs on Route 3 if he did not obtain permits or remove them. Mr. Lightiier, an attorney, tald yesterday he it not confident that the atate't warningi are toothless.

"There are more than three full months left until the general election," he tald. "I believe they could carry out the process if they want to." A bird in hand almost A horse may aet drink when It is led to water bit It is a rare pigeon that will Ipore a kaadfil of food. Foir-yearold Joseph Walker, discovered yesterday that all he had to di was show the birds la Hopklas Plaza he had some tasty crambs to have at least oie eatlag oat of his laid. verslty of Baltimore law school from which she graduated in 1924, while she was serving in the state legislature. She always considered herself a farmer, and boasted frequently In the legislature of her agriculture skills.

Once, In 1924, a New York state farmer wrote, asking her to join him on his tract as his wife. Miss Risteau declined and remained unmarried, leaving only friends and distant cousins as survivors. After her first election, Miss Risteau conceded that she had been a little intimidated by the prospect of being the first woman In what had always been an all-male institution. She taid she had decided to run (or the office "on a dare." A few months later, she said there was nothing to it. "It's no more exciting than a church sewing circle," the state's first well-known woman politician said of the state legislature.

Gladys Bessey, a neighbor who helped take care of Miss Risteau in her old age, said the onetime Harford county leader remained "very strong-willed and very firm about her ideas right up until yesterday." Mary Rigdon, who Is married to Miss Risteau's second cousin, said Miss Risteau "was always thinking of others, especially of youth, and was Interested In historical and educational things right up until her death." She said Miss Risteau had a photographic memory, which remained unaffected by old age and illness. A member of the Harford Community College Board of Trustees from 1941 to 1951, Miss Risteau was also a former president of the Jarrettville Volunteer Fire Company's Ladles Auxiliary, a past president of the Harford county Heart Association, and I founder of the Harford County Homemakers' Club and the Harford county 4-H club camps. She was a member and former organist at the Christ Episcopal Church in Forest Hill, but will be buried beside her parents and two brothers it the William Wattrn Memorial Methodist Cemetery In Coop-town, Mir Jarretttvllle. The Watten Methodist church was built by Miss Risteau's ancestors, a relative said. RISTEAU, from CI first for a Maryland woman.

Miss Risteau told a Democratic party convention in Philadelphia in 19)6 that "the women in Maryland are so interested in the Democratic party that many of them travel all the way from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore to attend a one-day rally. "Why, if the men of the state were as well organized as the women, we wouldn't have to apologize for a Republican governor," she added. In a characteristic jibe at her male colleagues. The governor was Republican Harry W. Nice, who held the stile's highest office from 1935 to 1(39.

"Miss Mary," as she was known In the Forest Hill section of Harford county, was born in Towson, the daughter of William M. Risteau and the former Elizabeth Wat-trrs. She moved to Eden Manor, the Walters family farm, in 1917 when her mother inherited the property. A. 1912 graduate of the Maryland State Normal School, Miss Risteau taught in Baltimore county until she moved to the old brick farmhouse, then went to the Uni- B.C.& E.

to ask rate increase KLKCrniCJroniCI comparable 1977 period, the company said. Revenues rose to (4aS.077.OO0 from $391,244,000. B. G. li E.

attributed the gains over what it termed "depressed" levels in the 1977 periods to both rate Increases and sales growth Total electric ules in the first six months of 1971. the utility said, were I per cent ahead of those In January-to-June 1977, paced by 8 5 per cent growth In residential ules, "principally due to an Increase in houscbeating customers." That Increase, the company said, has bets aided by expanded use of heat pumps. The growth In beating customers is helping G. ft i finances by enabling the utility to use spare generating capacity, suet IU winter peak is growing faster than its higher summer peak, according to the firm. Sales to small commercial customers climbed 10 per cent, and sales to large commercial and Industrial consumers went up 4 per cent.

Total gat ules were 7.0 per cent higher, because of both colder weather and slightly lower gas curtailments by Its supplier during the 1971 period, the company said. B. G. ft E. added, however, that "in the longer range, we are projecting no significant growth In our supply of natural gat." (Q.ialfisftplK map mm mm mm Funeral services for Miss Risteau will be held at 2 P.M.

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