Simonaire’s words vs the facts

Regarding the use of hotel rooms by Senator Bryan Simonaire, the following quote is
from the Maryland Gazette: “He said he stayed in a hotel on days when hearings
stretched into the early morning hours, as well as during the last two weeks of the
session”. Unfortunately the honorable Senator’s statement doesn’t square with the
record. Below is information extracted from the Maryland Senate Journal, as well as the
expense account reports which bear the Senator’s signature.

Date Stayed Convened Adjourned Total time

Mon 1/16/2007 8:16 pm 8:48 pm 32 mins
Mon 1/22/2007 8:13 pm 8:38 pm 25 mins
Mon 1/29/2007 8:12 pm 8:34 pm 22 mins
Mon 2/5/2007 8:20 pm 8:51 pm 31 mins
Mon 2/12/2007 8:15 pm 8:55 pm 40 mins
Tue 2/13/2007 10:14 am 10:53 am 39 mins
1 Mon 2/19/2007 8:08 pm 8:33 pm 25 mins
2 Mon 2/26/2007 8:16 pm 9:07 pm 51 mins
3 Mon 3/5/2007 8:13 pm 8:40 pm 27 mins
4 Wed 3/7/2007 10:11 am 10:56 am 45 mins
Thu 3/8/2007 10:17 am 12:25 pm 2 hrs 8 mins
Mon 3/12/2007 8:15 pm 8:41 pm 26 mins
Mon 3/19/2007 8:08 pm 8:53 pm 45 mins
5 Wed 3/21/2007 10:18 am 12:40 pm 2 hrs 22 mins
Mon 3/26/2007 8:13 pm 9:38 pm 1 hr 25 mins
Tue 3/27/2007 10:27 am 12:24 pm 1 hr 57 mins
6 Wed 3/28/2007 11:09 am 12:00pm 51 mins
Thu r 3/29/2007 10:22 am 11:45 am 1 hr 23 mins
Mon 4/2/2007 3:44pm 5:21 pm 37 mins
7 Tue 4/3/2007 10:17 am 12:40 pm 2 hrs 23 mins
Wed 4/4/2007 10:15 am 12:25 pm 2 hrs 10 mins
8 Thu 4/5/2007 4:21 pm 7:09 pm 2 hrs 48 mins
Mon 4/9/2007 8:40 pm 11:21 pm 2 hrs 41 mins
Expense reports bearing his signature reflect the following:
1. On this date he viewed a movie in his hotel room at 4:32 pm.
2. On this date he viewed a movie in his hotel room at 4:39 pm
3. On this date he viewed a movie in his hotel room at 4:50 pm
4. On this date he viewed a movie in his hotel room at 3:36 pm
5. On this date he viewed a movie in his hotel room at 8:08 pm
6. On this date he viewed a movie in his hotel room at 8:45 pm
7. On this date he viewed a movie in his hotel room at 9:48 pm
8. On this date he made a phone call from his hotel room at 7:08 pm, one minute
BEFORE the evening’s session ended, indicating he left the session early.
Another phone call was made from the room at 9:37pm.

As is clearly evident, in no case when he expensed hotels did the session “stretch into the
early morning hours” as the Senator has claimed. The Senator is a member of the
Judicial Proceedings Committee. Several people have verified that committee hearings
are rarely held on Mondays early in the session, and almost never after the session
adjourns on Monday evenings. If the Senator contends that committee meetings
“stretched into the early morning hours”, the burden of proof rests with him. Since this
evidence proves that he no longer can be taken at his word, he should produce the official
minutes of the Judicial Proceedings Committee to verify his rebuttal.