ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The Maryland Republican Party has hired a fundraiser who was fired by the national party for authorizing payment for young donors to attend a bondage-themed nightclub.

State GOP Executive Director Joe Cluster tells The Washington Post (http://tinyurl.com/oblwhkd ) says Allison Meyers will work to raise money to promote Larry Hogan’s bid for governor.

Cluster says the incident involving the nightclub outing was a mistake that occurred nearly five years ago. He says Meyers has helped numerous political campaigns since then, adding that Maryland voters have many more important issues to worry about.

Hogan is running against Democratic Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown. Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-to-1 in Maryland. Hogan is using public funds for the general election, but the state GOP can also raise money to promote his candidacy.

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Information from: The Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com

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