Baltimore Sun, February 13, 2008:

Comptroller Peter Franchot today accused Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller of plotting to slash the tax collector's budget and eliminate two senior advisers as "political payback" for Franchot's outspoken opposition to slot machine gambling and other legislation passed in November's special General Assembly session.

Moments later, Miller dismissed Franchot's claims as an "outrageous" public relations stunt designed as a "pre-emptive strike" against necessary budget scrutiny of all state agencies. He attacked the comptroller as "an embarrassment to the state of Maryland."

...

"I've been around Annapolis a lot, and when I hear the steady drumbeat of these rumors I take them seriously," Franchot said. "The exact quote communicated back to me was that 'We're going to pistol-whip your agency.' "

The article went on to discuss Senator Miller's claim that the Comptroller's office has largely political operatives at higher levels. Intuitively, that claim would be consistent with my perception that the Comptroller is frequently focused away from his core job duties - collecting, counting and reporting tax and tax information to the General Assembly - but I have no evidence for the truth or falsity of Senator's claim. We shall see, and enjoy the blood on the ice.