Maryland Officials Pay Tribute To Frank Conaway, Sr.
BALITMORE (WJZ) -- Longtime Baltimore Clerk of Courts Frank Conaway died this weekend. The self-described "Godfather of African-American politics in Baltimore" died in his sleep.
Political reporter Pat Warren reports it was a quiet ending for an outspoken leader.
Conaway was clerk of courts and political crusader.
"I politic 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year," Conaway said.
And he was bold about it.
"Look at this shoe---in fact, it's a bullet hole. I am the cobbler who can fix it," he said.
The high heel was an '06 jab at Mayor Sheila Dixon. In 2010, he handed out cameras to counter criminal activity, telling people to take pictures of crime.
In 2011, he used a rap to campaign in the mayor's race.
"Finally someone we can believe in. For all you non-voters, now we finally got a reason, Baltimore believe, man," he said.
He used a rubber rat last year to make a point about conditions in the Courthouse.
"It is very difficult to think of someone who had so much character and so much life not being with us. And whether you agreed with him or disagreed with him, he was a public servant for decades and had given so much to Baltimore. He's certainly going to be missed," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.
From Governor Hogan, "Nobody had the presence and personality of Frank Conaway, a businessman and fixture in city politics. Frank loved people and the people loved him, too."
"I know a lot of things, not because I'm so smart but because I've lived a long time," Conaway said.
Conaway was 81 years old.
Conaway said he had no trouble voting for someone other than himself if it was for the good of the people.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been completed.