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As Donald C. Fry prepares to head up the committee that will decide which bidders get to operate slot machines in Maryland, some have questioned whether his role as head of the Greater Baltimore Committee will affect his judgment.  Fry claims he will openly disclose any current of past relationship he or the Greater Baltimore Committee has had with any of the applicants for the slot machine licenses.  He cites that he has had now conflicts of interests while serving as an adviser to the Baltimore Development Corporation. 

Many of Maryland’s largest most influential companies are represented by the Greater Baltimore Committee.  Both Constellation Energy Group and Legg Mason Inc are among the companies represented by the business committee.

“I'm not going to financially benefit and the GBC isn't going to financially benefit in any way from any of those people who are interested in the slots application,” said Fry.

“Under any normal ethics procedures, I'm going to be disclosing any sort of relationship or connection that exists ... but I don't necessarily believe that's going to preclude me from making decisions.”

The Cordish Cos. is among the few members of the business group that has openly expressed interest in operating slot machines in the state.  Lisa Harris Jones also represents Penn National, another operator intending to bid for a slot machine license.  Jones is also a lobbyist for the committee in Annapolis.

“We've always represented the interest of GBC as with all of our clients in an ethical manner,” said Jones.

“And Don Fry's appointment does not alter our ethical representation of the GBC and any other clients.”

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