Hale Using Baltimore Blast Resources to Promote Campaign
It was only a matter of time before newly minted Republican gubernatorial candidate Ed Hale’s Business and Political Interests started to intersect.
It was only a matter of time before newly minted Republican gubernatorial candidate Ed Hale’s Business and Political Interests started to intersect.
In a post on the Baltimore Blast social media sites, Ed Hale “Alumni” are being invited to a special gathering this week.
The link takes you not to an event invitation, but to a “Team Hale Alumni” page that seems dedicated less to alumni of Hale’s companies, but instead to the success of Hale’s campaign.
The group claims that “Ed doesn’t love sharing these stories” of “Ed’s kindness, generosity, and the impact he’s had on so many lives” as he runs for Governor.
That kindness and generosity of Hale’s does not extend to the Baltimore Blast itself. The Baltimore Blast Corporation, of which Hale is the owner, is not in good standing with the State of Maryland for failing to pay a $30 fine for filing their personal property report with the state late in 2025.
Nothing shows us that somebody will have their eye on the ball as a governor like failing to pay a $30 fee on time.
Regardless of all of this, the use of the Baltimore Blast’s social media to promote Hale’s candidacy is unsightly, at best. The Blast has been a part of the fabric of the Baltimore sports community for nearly fifty years. We’ve all been a fan of the team, and many of us have attended at least one Blast game in our lifetime. I can’t think of another sports team that has allowed its branding or social media to be used in this way. And there have been plenty of owners who have been elected to public office who made the choice not to.
Morality questions aside, Hale’s campaign using the Blast resources to promote Hale’s candidacy is more of a potential grey area when it comes to campaign finance law. The Blast is a corporate entity, and using its assets for campaign purposes may put both Hale and the corporate entity at odds with State Campaign Finance law. That question, I’m sure, will be breached by some candidate or political entity in the not-too-distant future.
Regardless of its legality, Hale’s use of the Blast in this way does not pass the smell test. It reeks of desperation, seemingly the act of a Trump-like candidate who will win at any legal or moral cost. It’s something for Republican voters to think about over the next few weeks.