Ivan Bates distances himself from endorsement of indicted Dalya Attar

Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates is clarifying his October endorsement of a group of Baltimore State House candidates that includes indicted state Sen. Dalya Attar, after a campaign ad appeared to highlight his support.

The digital campaign piece for the 41st District Unity Team, a slate of candidates including Attar, Del. Sandy Rosenberg and Del. Sean Stinnett, declared they were “proudly endorsed by Ivan Bates,” and featured Bates’ testimonial and a photo of the three candidates with the state’s attorney taken last year.

The flyer was passed among Baltimore politicos this week, and it was unclear whether it was a real campaign advertisement. But the ad had the same colors, font and design elements as other mail sent by the slate.

Attar, her brother and a Baltimore Police officer were indicted by federal prosecutors in October on extortion charges. Prosecutors allege the three tried to blackmail a former campaign consultant, covertly recording the woman in bed with a married man and threatening to share the tape with the consultant’s family unless she sat out the 2022 election.

Attar pleaded not guilty to the charges and remains in office while awaiting trial. She is seeking reelection for the district covering Northwest, West and Southwest Baltimore and faces Del. Malcolm Ruff in the contested June 23 primary.

Attar formerly worked for Bates and has said during bill hearings that she has pushed legislation at Bates’ request.

Bates, through spokesperson Hassan Giordano, clarified his endorsement in a statement Wednesday. Giordano is also chairman of the 41st District Unity Team.

Bates endorsed Attar and her slate in October, before the indictment was revealed on Oct. 30, Giordano wrote. Since the indictment, Giordano said Bates is staying out of the race.

“As the sitting State’s Attorney and Chief Law Enforcement Officer for Baltimore City, he cannot and will not become involved in this state senate race due to the ongoing legal proceedings involving the state senator,” the statement reads. “Mr. Bates continues to support the excellent work being done by Delegates Sandy Rosenberg and Sean Stinnett but has chosen to remain out of this race to avoid any potential conflicts of interest with his federal partners.”

Asked to clarify if Bates was rescinding his initial endorsement or if the Unity Team slate was improperly using his endorsement from last year, Giordano did not immediately respond.

Attar could not be reached for comment. Neither could her lawyer.

Bates is known as a tough-on-crime prosecutor who, on his first day in office, rescinded a policy from predecessor Marilyn Mosby against prosecuting low-level, nonviolent offenses, including drug possession.

“While the Senator remains innocent of these charges until proven guilty,” Giordano wrote, “Mr. Bates supports the hard work and dedication to the residents of 41st district demonstrated daily by his elected colleague and former SAO employee.”

Rosenberg said Wednesday he welcomed Bates’ personal endorsement and was “disappointed” but “understood as a prosecutor his decision regarding the Senate race.”

Rosenberg said he had not seen the digital flyer featuring Bates’ endorsement and did not know if the slate had produced it.

Ruff said he spoke to Bates Wednesday.

“He informed me that he has nothing to do with this race for obvious reasons,” Ruff said by text. “Despite her pending felony criminal indictment for extortion, she was willing to publicly release an unapproved endorsement from our sitting State’s Attorney.

“Values matter, and the 41st District deserves much better representation than this in the State Senate.”

Ruff has picked up endorsements from Gov. Wes Moore, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume, state Sen. Antonio Hayes, former Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and seven Baltimore City Council members.

Attar posted a video to her Facebook account early Wednesday morning touting her work in juvenile justice, featuring a clip of a speech by Bates.

In the undated clip, Bates praises Attar’s work in the General Assembly. While the speech plays, a smiling Attar points to herself.

“We’ve been working hard. And I look forward to continue working hard in Annapolis on your behalf,” she concludes.

Attar was elected to the House of Delegates in 2018 and reelected in 2022. Outside of the legislature, she is an attorney in private practice. Ruff was appointed to fill a vacancy in the House of Delegates in the summer of 2023. He’s an attorney with Murphy, Falcon & Murphy law firm.

Attar was appointed to the Senate over Ruff in January 2025 after then-Sen. Jill Carter stepped down to accept an appointment to the Maryland Board of Contract Appeals.