Baltimore Mayor Indicted
<a href="http://www.cityethics.org/node/463" target="”_blank”">Last June, I wrote</a>
about the state prosecutor's investigation of Baltimore Mayor Sheila
Dixon, which was being taken before a grand jury. I focused on a series
of ethical problems Mayor Dixon had in her pre-mayoral days and how
they built toward these more serious alleged offenses. A little more
than six months later, the grand jury has brought<a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/media/acrobat/2009-01/44441728.pdf" target="”_blank”">
a 12-count indictment</a> against her, including four counts of
perjury, two counts of theft over $500, and counts of theft under $500,
fraudulent misappropriation by a fiduciary, and misconduct in office.<br>
<br>
Some of the accusations involve false disclosure statements submitted
under the Baltimore City Ethics Law, leading to perjury charges. Also
among the charges are that the mayor used for personal purposes gift
cards intended to be distributed to needy families. Also involved were
gifts from a developer who was her lover as well as a city contractor.<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_city/bal-dixonstatemen…; target="”_blank”">Mayor
Dixon's statement </a>says in part, "I am being unfairly accused. Time
will prove that I have done nothing wrong, and I am confident that I
will be found innocent of these charges." She says she has no intention
of resigning.<br>
<br>
According to <a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_city/bal-dixon0109,0,3…; target="”_blank”">an
article in today's Baltimore </a><span><a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_city/bal-dixon0109,0,3…; target="”_blank”">Sun</a>,
</span>the grand jury indicted two other people: the developer,
Ronald H. Lipscomb, for bribery, and Councilwoman Helen L. Holton, who
was charged with accepting a bribe, with perjury, and with malfeasance
and nonfeasance in office. Holton was immediately removed from her
committee chairmanship.<br>
<br>
Robert Wechsler<br>
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics<br>
<br>
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