Today we're calling Bob Ehrlich out on his outrageous claim that his fees aren't taxes. This doesn't even pass the smell test. This is the second "Pop-Up Video" in a series that fact checks Bob Ehrlich on his double talk to reporters and voters about his record. Watch reporter John Harwood do a double take when Ehrlich claims that the Flush Tax isn't a tax.

In addition to the widely publicized Flush Tax he created, Bob Ehrlich raised the property tax by 58 percent or $700 million; the car tax by 58 percent or $500 million; and filing fees on 79,000 small business. According to the Maryland Department of Legislative Services, Ehrlich raised taxes and fees by a total of $3 billion. It’s clear that Bob Ehrlich can’t be trusted to answer a straightforward question.

Just last week in an interview, Bob flip-flopped on his opinion of Sarah Palin. In 2008, Ehrlich heaped praise on Palin saying, “she’s a reformer, she’s a maverick, and she’s a budget hawk.” Now Ehrlich is trying to dismiss Palin because she endorsed his primary opponent, Brian Murphy.

Bob Ehrlich is creeping to the right after losing ground to his Republican-primary opponent and sluggish fundraising reports showing Bob Ehrlich with only $2 million in the bank – and Martin O’Malley with a 3 to 1 cash advantage – heading into the final months of the campaign. Sarah Palin’s endorsement of Bob Ehrlich’s primary opponent has people talking --- even Bob Ehrlich…

Shortly after Palin’s endorsement of Brian Murphy – Bob Ehrlich creeped to the right, giving an interview to the Institute on the Constitution, a conservative organization associated with the far right.

When the moderator pressed Ehrlich on the constitutional right to public education, saying that government should not provide education, Ehrlich replied that “the courts determine the constitution,” and has made “lots of dreadful decisions.”

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According to the Baltimore Sun Maryland Politics blog, one timeMaryland Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele will attend a fundraiser for Maryland House of Delegates candidate Cathleen Vitale. As the current chair of the Republican National Committee and former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland it stands to reason that Steele would help his fellow Maryland Republicans by stumping for them on the campaign trail.

This begs the question: What about Bob?

So far, Steele has remained curiously silent about his old partner’s campaign for governor.

What gives, Michael?

Vitale attributes Steele’s support to their longtime friendship and history of working together on the Republican State Central Committee. Based on that rationale, it would seem reasonable that Steele would lend a hand to his old buddy Bob Ehrlich, who handpicked him to be his running mate and partner in leading Maryland as Lieutenant Governor.

Or, like many Marylanders, the Chair of the Republican National Committee has serious doubts about Bob Ehrlich’s ability to effectively lead our state.