Valerie Ervin, a former candidate for Maryland governor, claims a Democratic frontrunner in the race bullied her and played a part in her being fired from the Working Families Party. Ervin says former NAACP President Ben Jealous has been bullying her since February. WFP National Communications Director Joe Dinkin, tells WEAA's Julius White that Ervin was not fired--but rather, she left the organization to mount a gubernatorial run of her own.
She says the WFP endorsed Jealous and when she decided to become the running mate of Kevin Kamenetz the organization fired her. "Ben Jealous is a bully, and he has been bullying me since February-before I even got on Kevin Kanenetz's ticket, said Ervin. "[Jealous] did everything in his power to to keep me off Kevin's ticket. When I decide to go on the ticket, then my employer decided to release me from my employment."
Following the unexpected death of Kamenetz, Ervin briefly joined the governor's race but dropped out. She now supports Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker. A spokesperson for Jealous says in a statement that Ervin's claims are false and it's unfortunate she's allowed an otherwise distinguished career to be reduced to nothing more than an attack dog for Rushern Baker. Ervin says her claims against Jealous are not political. WEAA reached to Valerie Ervin for reaction to comments Working Families Party National Communications Director Joe Dinkin, but did not immediately respond to our request.