Thiru Vignarajah, past candidate for Baltimore mayor and state’s attorney, enters 2024 mayoral race

Pledging to run a “different” kind of campaign, Thiru Vignarajah, a former prosecutor and past candidate for Baltimore mayor, announced a second bid for the office Wednesday.

The campaign, which Vignarajah made official at an 11 a.m. news conference in front of City Hall, will be his fourth in six years for a citywide office. In addition to a failed bid in 2020 for the Democratic nomination for mayor, Vignarajah unsuccessfully sought the party’s nomination for state’s attorney in 2018 and 2022. His past efforts, while well-financed, were dogged by allegations that he was a cruel boss who punished subordinates for perceived disloyalty.

In an interview with The Baltimore Sun, Vignarajah, who was recently named a managing partner at the national law firm of Sanford Heisler Sharp, said he was compelled to run again for mayor by a lack of public enthusiasm for the current field of candidates, evidenced by what he said was “underwhelming” fundraising on their behalf.

“I’ve watched, waited. I’ve been patient, hoping we would hear echoes of William Donald Schaefer from someone,” Vignarajah said, sitting in his 19th-floor office overlooking the Inner Harbor. “Whether it was Brandon [Scott] growing into that role or Sheila [Dixon] being inspired by that kind of vision. And it’s clear that’s not what the current choices are presenting.”

The late Schaefer, who served as Democratic mayor of Baltimore from 1971 to 1986 before becoming governor, was a relentless, enthusiastic promoter of his hometown, renowned for a “Do it now!” philosophy of resolving constituent concerns as well as pushing for the development of projects such as Oriole Park at Camden Yards and the National Aquarium.

Vignarajah, previously a partner at DLA Piper and a deputy Maryland attorney general, is a late entry to a field of Democrats that includes notable names. Mayor Brandon Scott, a first-term mayor who assumed office in 2020 after beating Vignarajah and others, is vying for the chance to serve a second term. Former Mayor Sheila Dixon, who also finished ahead of Vignarajah in 2020, is trying to reclaim her seat. Also running as a Democrat is Robert Wallace, a business owner who ran as an independent candidate in 2020.

Many of Vignarajah’s goals during the 2024 campaign are similar to those of 2020. He pledges to pursue free college educations for graduates of city public schools, make bus rides free citywide, reform procurement and implement a plan to cut property taxes in half over 10 years.

One significant difference from Vignarajah’s 2020 campaign stands out, however: Donors’ contributions.

When the first finance reports of his last mayoral campaign were filed in January 2020, Vignarajah had raised more than $1 million and was airing commercials and buying billboard ads. Last week, by comparison, Vignarajah filed a report with the state saying he had not raised or spent more than $1,000 in the last year.

During his 2020 and 2022 campaigns, Vignarajah was the recipient of significant financial support from the family of David Smith, chairman of Sinclair Broadcast Group. It owns 185 television stations, including WBFF-TV, also known as Fox 45, in Baltimore. At least six Smith family members gave the maximum donation to Vignarajah’s initial fundraising effort in 2020. In May of that year, Fox 45 hosted an hourlong show with just Vignarajah after other candidates backed out, some citing Smith family donations to Vignarajah.

This month, Smith purchased The Baltimore Sun.

In 2022, a PAC known as A Safer, Stronger Baltimore spent $220,000 in support of Vignarajah’s race for state’s attorney. Of that pot, $200,000 was contributed by David Smith’s children: Blake, Devon, Jacqueline and Matthew Smith.

Ahead of the 2024 race, however, the Smith family has backed Dixon. Campaign finance reports filed last week showed a PAC in support of Dixon raised more than $200,000 in support of her candidacy, $100,000 of which was contributed by David Smith. Family members and their associated businesses gave another $30,000 directly to Dixon’s campaign, finance records show.

This time, it is Dixon making frequent appearances on Fox 45, both ahead of and during her campaign. She has granted the station exclusive interviews and the station has aired her town hall events.

Dixon’s campaign said Wednesday the former mayor is the only candidate with a track record of successfully running the city.

“That’s why she’s going to win this race regardless of who enters,” said spokesman Gabe Ortis.

Scott said his focus will continue to be on his own record.

“Mr. Vignarajah is free to run and he always does,” Scott said.

Vignarajah said he plans to take advantage of public campaign financing from Baltimore’s Fair Election Fund, which was established to reduce the role of large contributions in elections. To qualify, candidates for mayor must get contributions from at least 500 residents, each of no more than $150, and raise at least $40,000 that way. Vignarajah has not yet started raising the money, but this week he created a separate campaign fund, as required.

“We’ve never had that, not in the history of this city. The opportunity to elect a mayor that’s not bought and paid for,” Vignarajah said. “I think this is what a politician should do to break that cycle.” Asked how that squares with his past donations, Vignarajah said he received maximum $6,000 donations from numerous sources and his policy positions “rarely” reflected those of his donors.

“The positions I took before I ran, while I ran, and after I lost, precious few of them are the ones Jack Luetkemeyer or Mary Miller or David Smith or anyone else would be pushing,” he said, highlighting several past donors. John Luetkemeyer Jr. is a real estate developer, while Miller is a former undersecretary of the U.S. Treasury who also ran for mayor in 2020.

Vignarajah said his latest campaign will differ from those of the past because he will not allow his opponents or the media to “define who we are.” In the past, Vignarajah’s fellow candidates have capitalized on reports that he harassed and abused staff during his time with the Maryland attorney general’s office and the office of the state’s attorney in Baltimore.

One former staffer told The Sun in 2022 that Vignarajah mentally abused and manipulated her, threatening to ruin her career if she spoke out against him. The staffer said Vignarajah on one occasion grabbed her phone while he was driving and began speeding toward a wall. Vignarajah previously refused to comment on the allegations, saying through a 2022 campaign spokesman they were a “coordinated political effort” by his opponents.

Asked to address the allegations Tuesday, Vignarajah acknowledged he’s “made mistakes.”

“I’ve learned from them. I’ve had tough times and I’ve grown,” he said. “I’ve become a better manager, leader and person. That’s the work I’ve put in. I’m not perfect. No one is.”

Asked to specifically address text messages the subordinate shared with The Sun in which Vignarajah used abusive language, calling her a “bitch” and a “wretched piece of s—”, Vignarajah said, “now is not the time for that.”

“This race has got to be about issues that affect us all,” he countered.