Severna Park Del. Cathy Vitale contacted the police on Thursday night after she alleges Del. Tony McConkey refused to shake her hand at a Republican “Unity” event, called her names and advanced toward her in an aggressive manner.
According to a report filed with the Anne Arundel County Police Department, Vitale told police the altercation between the two Severna Park delegates took place at about 8:53 p.m. at a state GOP-sponsored “Unity Party” held at the Columbian Center in Severna Park.
Vitale says that while she was at the function, she saw McConkey and walked over to him to congratulate him on his recent primary election win. Vitale and McConkey, who represent District 33, are two of three Republicans who have advanced to the Nov. 4 general election.
When Vitale extended her hand to shake McConkey’s, she says McConkey began to speak in a raised voice and stepped toward her.
Vitale alleges her husband, Mark Muckelbauer, stepped between the two. She says McConkey then raised his right hand in the air as if to strike Vitale, while pushing his wife aside.
Vitale stressed in an email Friday that there was no physical altercation. She has not pressed charges against McConkey, but “requested the event be documented,” according to the police report.
McConkey called Vitale a “liar.”
“The woman lies about everything,” McConkey said. “I was standing minding my own business, she thrusted herself into the conversation. She’s trying to fight me and I’m standing there minding my own business.”
Thursday night’s incident comes after McConkey and some of his colleagues had a falling out in 2013.
That was when Sen. Ed Reilly, R-Crofton, filed an ethics complaint against McConkey.
The complaint led to an investigation by the General Assembly’s ethics committee finding McConkey failed to disclose a conflict of interest and improperly pushed for legislation that committee said would have made it easier for him to regain his suspended real estate license.
Neither Vitale nor the other five competitors in District 33’s House of Delegates race went after McConkey for the ethics issue during the primary election campaign.
But Reilly, who ran uncontested to retain his Senate seat and formed a slate earlier this year with Vitale, sent out a mailer to 10,000 Republicans in the area asking them not to vote for McConkey.
Reilly’s letter, which he said Vitale had no role in creating or distributing, listed events that have occurred during McConkey’s three terms in office, including the reprimand.
“It is my request that you research these activities and ask yourself if he should be returned to public office,” the letter said.
Still, McConkey, Vitale and Crofton’s Sid Saab were picked by voters to advance to the Nov. 4 general election.
McConkey said he would not file a report in response to Vitale’s report.
“The fact that she had to run and file a police report,” McConkey said, “obviously shows she feels guilty about something.”