By David Nitkin
Sun Staff
Originally published January 29, 2002
Gov. Parris N. Glendening quietly wed his deputy chief of staff over
the weekend and will return from a brief honeymoon later this week,
aides said yesterday.
Glendening, 59, and Jennifer E. Crawford, 35, were married in a civil
ceremony inside the governor's mansion at 4 p.m. Friday.
Members of both families were invited to a more lavish celebration
Saturday evening, when vows were exchanged again in a second
ceremony, said Michael Morrill, the governor's communications
director.
The couple left town the next day for an undisclosed destination, and
Glendening will return to official duties Thursday.
It is the third marriage for the governor, who was divorced from
Frances Hughes Glendening on Nov. 19. It is the first for Crawford, a
longtime aide who held several jobs in the administration before
resigning from state government effective Friday.
Keeping with Glendening's desire for privacy, only a small circle of
friends and officials were notified of the wedding ahead of time. Most
of the 50-member executive staff were told during a meeting yesterday
morning.
The governor's office released a photograph of the couple showing a
tuxedo-clad groom standing behind the bride, who wore a white
strapless gown and a shawl. Their fingers are encircled by gleaming
gold bands.
"The bottom line of my observation of that couple is that they are very
happy together, and ready to face a new future together," said Anne
Arundel Circuit Court Clerk Robert P. Duckworth, who performed
Friday's ceremony.
No public funds were used for the wedding reception or honeymoon,
Morrill said, adding that he did not have a guest list for either
ceremony. No government officials were invited, he said.
"This is literally news to me," said James C. Rosapepe, a former
legislator and longtime Glendening friend appointed by the governor to
the university system Board of Regents. "It's his personal life. He's
entitled to his personal life."
Major F. Riddick Jr., the governor's former chief of staff and a
candidate for Prince George's County executive, said through a
spokeswoman that he, too, did not learn of the marriage until
yesterday.
"The governor has been a friend of mine for over two decades, and I
wish he and his entire family my very best," Riddick said.
Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend was told in advance of the
wedding but was not invited, according to a spokesman.
Glendening has a son, Raymond, 22, from his second marriage. His
first marriage, to Lynne V. Shaw, ended in divorce shortly after he
moved from Florida to Maryland in the early 1970s.
New first lady
Crawford, who is expected to keep her maiden name, will as
Glendening's spouse assume the unofficial title of first lady, a position
that traditionally comes with publicly funded staff and other expenses.
But administration officials said that with less than a year remaining
until
a new governor is elected, she is not expected to have personnel at her
disposal or advocate for issues.
Glendening and Crawford will reside - along with two small terriers -
at Government House, the official executive residence that is part of
the state capital complex in Annapolis.
Crawford owns a townhouse in Annapolis, which became a focal point
last year for an article in the Washington Post about the governor's
relationship with his aide. The article, published in August, said
Glendening spent the night at her home on several occasions.
The newspaper delayed publishing the article for several weeks, but
said it was persuaded to act after Comptroller William Donald
Schaefer referred to Crawford as the "big boss" to whom he would
appeal to resolve a spat he was having with Glendening.
The governor had shut down a fountain at Government House that had
been commissioned by Schaefer's longtime companion, Hilda Mae
Snoops.
Glendening and Crawford have never publicly commented on their
relationship.
In July 2000, the governor's office confirmed that he and Frances
Glendening were living apart, a development that surprised many
because it came just a few weeks after she appeared at his side as he
was installed as head of the National Governors' Association.
Their divorce in November came two days before what would have
been their 25th wedding anniversary.
Increasing responsibilities
Crawford worked on Glendening's campaigns, and subsequently held
a series of government jobs with increasing responsibilities and pay.
State records show that her salary rose from $46,576 in May 1997 to
$107,732 this year. As one of three deputy chiefs of staff, her portfolio
of responsibilities included some of the issues of greatest concern to
the governor, including Smart Growth and the environment.
Under the Maryland Constitution, Glendening is prevented from
seeking a third consecutive term.
Crawford, a vegetarian, has angered some sportsmen's groups who
believe she is behind what they perceive to be stronger administration
positions against hunting.
She played an active role in Glendening's congressional redistricting
plan, a draft of which was released last week.
Critics have raised questions about the propriety of close relations
between a supervisor and subordinate in the executive branch, but no
law or guidelines address the situation.
Sushant Sindh, an assistant to Crawford, will serve as acting deputy
chief of staff, Morrill said.
Copyright © 2002, The Baltimore Sun