Charles Boutin

Charles R. Boutin (March 7, 1942 – May 23, 2021) was an American attorney and politician who served in the Maryland House of Delegates from the 34A and 36th districts from 1999 to 2005, as a member of the Republican Party. Prior to his tenure in the state legislature he was active in local politics in Aberdeen, Maryland, with him serving on the city council and as mayor.

Charles Boutin
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 34A district
In office
January 13, 1999[1] – June 30, 2005[1]
Serving with
Mary-Dulany James (1999–2005)
B. Daniel Riley (1999–2003)
Succeeded bySheryl Davis Kohl
Mayor of Aberdeen, Maryland
In office
1994–1998
Preceded byRuth Elliott
Succeeded byDouglas S. Wilson
Personal details
Born(1942-03-07)March 7, 1942
Troy, New York, U.S.
DiedMay 23, 2021(2021-05-23) (aged 79)
Rock Hall, Maryland, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Republican
Spouse
Cynthia Ann Shepherd
​
​
(m. 1976)​
Children3
EducationSiena College (BS)
University of Baltimore (JD)

Boutin was born in Troy, New York, and educated at Christian Brothers Academy, Siena College with a Bachelor of Science in economics, and the University of Baltimore School of Law with a juris doctor. He was admitted to the Maryland State Bar Association. He entered politics when he was appointed to Harford County, Maryland Board of Education and served as the board's president before unsuccessfully running for county executive.

Boutin returned to politics in the 1990s when he was elected to the Aberdeen, Maryland city council and elected as the city's mayor. Afterwards he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates which he served in until his appointment to the Maryland Public Service Commission. He served on the commission until his resignation after a sex scandal. He served in the Maryland Office of Administrative Hearings as a judge. He died from drowning in 2021.

Early life and education

Charles R. Boutin was born in Troy, New York, on March 7, 1942, to Charles R. Boutin Sr. He graduated from the Christian Brothers Academy in 1959, graduated from Siena College with a Bachelor of Science in economics in 1963, and graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law with a juris doctor in 1970. Boutin was admitted to the Maryland State Bar Association in 1972. He married Cynthia Ann Shepherd, with whom he had three children, in 1976.[1][2][3]

Career

Local politics

In 1977, Boutin was included as one of four people recommended by the Harford County Permanent Nominating Caucus, which had delegates from thirty-nine organizations, to fill one of two vacancies on the Harford County Board of Education and was one of three peopled endorsed by state Senator Arthur H. Helton Jr. for the position.[4][5] Acting Governor Blair Lee III appointed Boutin and John Tillery Jr. to replace Thomas Snodgrass and George R. Litchfield on the board.[6] Boutin served on the board of education from 1977 to 1981, and as president of the board from 1979 to 1981.[1] He was succeeded as president by Tillery and Sue Ellen Johnson replaced him on the board of education after he resigned on December 31, 1981, to run for county executive.[7][8][9]

In 1981, Boutin announced that he would run for the Democratic nomination for county executive of Harford County which was then held by J. Thomas Barranger.[10] He placed fourth in the Democratic primary won by Habern W. Freeman.[11]

He ran for a seat on the city council in Aberdeen, Maryland, in 1990, but lost to Evlynn Becker, Ruth Elliott, and George Englesson.[12] Boutin served on the city council from 1992 to 1994.[1] Boutin defeated incumbent Mayor Ruth Elliott, who was the first person to win a mayoral election in Aberdeen, in the 1994 election.[13][14]

Maryland House of Delegates

Boutin and Michael D. Griffin won the Republican nomination to run for one of the seats in the Maryland House of Delegates from District 34A in 1998.[15] He won in the general election alongside Democratic nominees Mary-Dulany James and B. Daniel Riley.[16] He won reelection in 2002, alongside James while Riley lost reelection.[17] He resigned from the state legislature to take a position on the Maryland Public Service Commission and Governor Bob Ehrlich replaced him with Sheryl Davis Kohl.[18]

During his tenure in the House of Delegates he served on the Health and Government Operations, and Environmental Matters committees. He was a member of the Rural, Taxpayers Protection, Maryland Legislative Sportsmen's, and Veterans caucuses. From 2003 to 2005, he served as chief deputy Minority Whip.[1]

Later life

Boutin began his term on the Maryland Public Service Commission on July 1, 2005, but resigned from the commission on March 7, 2007, after a convicted prostitute stated that she had spent over one hour with Boutin and used his state computer account to send emails to her.[19][20][21] Governor Martin O'Malley appointed Lawrence Brenner to replace Boutin on the commission.[22]

Chief Administrative Law Judge Thomas E. Dewberry selected Boutin to work as an administrative law judge at the Maryland Office of Administrative Hearings which he started on April 4, 2007, and worked as until 2012.[23][1]

Boutin died after drowning in Rock Hall, Maryland, on May 23, 2021.[1][24]

Political positions

Boutin proposed legislation while serving in the Maryland House of Delegates which would make observing animal fights a misdemeanor charge with a punishment of ninety days in jail and a $1,000 fine. It would also make the transportation and breeding of dogs for fighting a felony punishable by three years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Those who arranged fights would be punished with a felony conviction punishable by three years in prison and a $5,000 fine.[25] He proposed an amendment to the Constitution of Maryland which would define marriage as only between a man and a woman.[26]

Electoral history
1982 Harford County Executive Democratic primary[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Habern W. Freeman 6,687 31.49%
Democratic J. Thomas Barranger 6,581 30.99%
Democratic William O. Carr 2,795 13.16%
Democratic Charles Boutin 2,011 9.47%
Democratic Donald W. Androsky 2,010 9.46%
Democratic John A. Kennedy 897 4.22%
Democratic Frank W. Soltis 257 1.21%
Total votes 21,238 100.00%
1990 Aberdeen, Maryland city council election[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan George Englesson (incumbent) 790 25.99%
Nonpartisan Ruth Elliott (incumbent) 754 24.80%
Nonpartisan Evlynn Becker (incumbent) 697 22.93%
Nonpartisan Charles Boutin 630 20.72%
Nonpartisan John Bailiff 169 5.56%
Total votes 3,040 100.00%
1994 Aberdeen, Maryland mayoral election[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Charles Boutin 1,164 60.50%
Nonpartisan Ruth Elliott (incumbent) 760 39.50%
Total votes 1,924 100.00%
1998 Maryland House of Delegates 34A district Republican primary[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Charles Boutin 2,924 26.85%
Republican Michael D. Griffin 2,262 20.77%
Republican Sheryl Davis Kohl 2,253 20.69%
Republican Charles E. King 1,911 17.55%
Republican William G. Christoforo 1,541 14.15%
Total votes 10,891 100.00%
1998 Maryland House of Delegates 34A district election[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Mary-Dulany James 18,357 21.70%
Republican Charles Boutin 17,844 21.10%
Democratic B. Daniel Riley 17,798 21.04%
Democratic Robin Walter 15,370 18.17%
Republican Michael D. Griffin 15,207 17.98%
Total votes 84,576 100.00%
2002 Maryland House of Delegates 34A district Republican primary[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Charles Boutin 3,078 26.85%
Total votes 3,078 100.00%
2002 Maryland House of Delegates 34A district election[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Charles Boutin (incumbent) 11,182 34.85%
Democratic Mary-Dulany James (incumbent) 10,947 34.12%
Democratic B. Daniel Riley (incumbent) 9,957 31.03%
Total votes 32,086 100.00%

References
  1. "Charles R. Boutin, Maryland State Delegate". Maryland House of Delegates. Archived from the original on May 27, 2021.
  2. "Miss Shepherd to wed". The Baltimore Sun. March 14, 1976. p. 80. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Charles R. Boutin, Aberdeen, 40". The Evening Sun. September 7, 1982. p. 81. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Harford unit backs 4 for school posts". The Baltimore Sun. April 24, 1977. p. 34. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "3 education appointments recommended in Harford". The Baltimore Sun. June 7, 1977. p. 30. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Teachers' Certification Still Issue". The Evening Sun. September 7, 1977. p. 39. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Harford school newspaper ad ban supported". The Evening Sun. July 7, 1981. p. 18. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Hughes names Johnson". The Baltimore Sun. January 16, 1982. p. 26. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Johnson gets Harford school post". The Evening Sun. January 22, 1982. p. 36. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Boutin to run in Harford". The Baltimore Sun. December 2, 1981. p. 50. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "1982 Harford County Executive Democratic primary results". The Evening Sun. September 16, 1982. p. 19. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "1990 Aberdeen, Maryland city council election results". The Baltimore Sun. May 6, 1990. p. 429. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Voters go to polls in Aberdeen and Havre de Grace". The Baltimore Sun. May 1, 1994. p. 171. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Councilman Boutin elected new mayor in Aberdeen". The Baltimore Sun. May 4, 1994. p. 110. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "1998 primary election results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021.
  16. "1998 election results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021.
  17. "2002 election results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021.
  18. "New delegate aims to push for efficiency in government". The Baltimore Sun. July 24, 2005. p. G1. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. "In e-mail, prostitute told friend she met with PSC member". The Baltimore Sun. April 8, 2006. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021.
  20. "Ehrlich appointee exits, new PSC chair gets 58% pay hike". The Star Democrat. February 25, 2007. p. 6. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. "PSC members used state account for sexual messages". The Baltimore Sun. April 7, 2006. p. A10. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. "O'Malley to name Brenner to PSC". The Baltimore Sun. May 15, 2007. p. B5. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. "Ex-PSC member gets new position". The Baltimore Sun. March 31, 2007. Archived from the original on May 28, 2021.
  24. "Former Aberdeen Mayor Charles Boutin drowns in Kent County". WMAR-TV. May 25, 2021. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021.
  25. "State lawmaker looks to impose penalties on animal-fight watching". The Star Democrat. January 26, 2004. p. 4. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. "Md. lawmakers propose ban on same-sex union". The Star Democrat. February 12, 2004. p. 7. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. "2002 primary election results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021.
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