Abrams had pressured African-American victim to quit campaign

The latest Abrams scandal surrounds the school board member's controversial - and, Maryland GOP sources say, much-resented - pressure to force an African-American candidate for a Montgomery County Council at-large seat to quit the campaign so that he, Abrams, could run in his place.

After Republican voters rejected him in the September primary to become state comptroller, Steve Abrams pressured fellow Republican Adol T. Owen-Williams (pictured) to step aside.

Abrams reportedly agreed to pay Owen-Williams' $5,000 campaign debt in exchange for quitting the race.

Voters rejected Abrams, handing him a humiliating 9 percent of the ballots cast.

When Owen-Williams approached Abrams after a November 13 meeting of the Montgomery County Central Committee, according to the Washington Post, Abrams brushed him off and allegedly assaulted him.