Wednesday, January 30, 2013
The county attorney calls the bill to permanently remove the Anne Arundel county executive "premature, because sentencing has not occurred.”
The Anne Arundel County Council introduced legislation that would remove County Executive John R. Leopold from his office, but the county’s attorney said such a decision is may be too hasty. The council cast no vote at its emergency session on Wednesday afternoon, but introduced Bill 7-13, which would declare a vacancy in the executive’s position. The bill draws on a provision recently added to the county's charter after its passage in the November general election. Leopold was found guilty on two counts of misconduct in office on Tuesday. Chief Administrative Officer John Hammond is now serving as acting Anne Arundel county executive as a result of the suspension of Leopold from his duties. County Attorney Jonathan Hodgson argued that …
The Anne Arundel county executive was found guilty on two counts of misconduct in office on Tuesday.
When Anne Arundel County Executive John Leopold was found guilty on two counts of misconduct in office, a number of his former employees and political opponents were watching. "I'm very happy about at least two out of the four counts," Joan Harris said. Harris is a former county employee who, along with Karla Hamner, has filed a discrimination lawsuit against Leopold in U.S. District Court. Judge Dennis Sweeney found Leopold guilty on two of the four counts of misconduct in office brought by the state prosecutor's office. Leopold was also found not guilty on the fifth—and most serious—charge of fraudulent misappropriation by a fiduciary. That count carried a sentence of up to five years in prison. In his decision, Sweeney said Leopold …
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
The Anne Arundel county executive could now face removal from office.
UPDATE (6:15 p.m.)—A Circuit Court judge in Annapolis found Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold guilty of two counts of criminal misconduct in office on Tuesday. Chief Administrative Officer John Hammond is now serving as acting Anne Arundel county executive as a result of the suspension of Leopold from his duties. Sweeney acquitted Leopold of three other charges. Leopold faced a five-count grand jury indictment that included four counts of misconduct in office and one count of fraudulent misappropriation by a fiduciary. The Anne Arundel County Council is expected to vote on Leopold's removal from office as soon as Monday. Prosecutors of the case claimed that Leopold misused his security detail—which is paid for by the county—…
Monday, January 28, 2013
The defense rested its case on Monday morning.
Circuit Court Judge Dennis Sweeney is expected to begin deliberations after closing arguments on Tuesday in the misconduct trial of Anne Arundel County Executive John Leopold. Sweeney rejected defense attorney Bruce Marcus' motion for a summary judgment of acquittal on Monday, which was the second time the defense put forth the motion. Sweeney agreed with part of the first motion on Friday, dismissing one misconduct charge against the Pasadena Republican. The judge said when the police drove Leopold around the county to destroy or remove the campaign signs of his opponent Joanna Conti during the 2010 election it showed "poor judgement" but not misconduct in office. Leopold still faces three counts of misconduct in office and one count of …
Shank
12:13 pm on Thursday, January 31, 2013
This quote sticks in my head with many of today's politicians, "Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct". ~Thomas Jefferson more ›