Richard Cross, former Ehrlich speechwriter, dies at 51
Apr 10, 2018Cross III, a speechwriter for former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. who became a Republican renegade after leaving the State House, has died. He was 51.Police said he was found dead Thursday afternoon in his home in the 1900 block of Thames St. in Fells Point. A spokesman for the state medical examiner’s office said Friday that the cause of death had not been determined. Police said there were no signs of foul play.Mr. Cross’ sister, Gina Cross, said friends noticed that he hadn’t been posting on Facebook or showing up at a favorite restaurant, which raised concerns. Building managers checked his apartment.Raised in Towson and Timonium, Mr. Cross attended St. Paul’s School and the Johns Hopkins University.Ms. Cross said that from an early age, her brother loved to read, write and follow politics. She said that as early as middle school, he loved to watch returns come in on election night.He became a Republican stalwart who worked in the congressional offices of Mr. Ehrlich and Helen Delich Bentley during the 1980s and 1990s. He was Mr. Ehrlich's congressional press secretary from 1995 to 1998.Mr. Cross later worked as communications director for the Downtown Partnership before going to work at the State House after Mr. Ehrlich was elected governor in 2002. He stayed through the four years of the administration but later became critical of Mr. Ehrlich, writing that the former governor’s failed 2010 run against Gov. Martin O’Malley was “the most poorly conceived and executed campaign for governor of Maryland in recent memory.”“Richard was a good writer and played an important role in the Ehrlich administration,” the former governor said in a statement. “Richard had a very quirky personality but will be missed.”Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican who worked with Mr. Cross in the Ehrlich administration, released a statement: “As a former colleague, I am very sad to hear of Richard’s passing. The First Lady and I send our prayers and condolences to his loved ones.”The politician Mr. Cross was c... (Baltimore Sun)
