List of Maryland political scandals

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This article provides a list of political scandals which occurred in the U.S. State of Maryland. It is organized in reverse chronological order from most recent to oldest.

Politician is defined as "a person who is professionally involved in politics", and includes not only those elected to office, their staffs and appointees, but also those who routinely work in politics such as pollsters. Major officials of political parties and their staffs, as well as those elected by their party to be candidates are also included. Local politicians, mayors, sheriffs, and county officials should not be included. Scandal is defined as "loss of, or damage to, reputation caused by actual or apparent violation of morality or propriety". Breaking the law is always considered a scandal. The finding of a public court is the sole method used to determine a violation of law, but it is not the sole method of determining a scandal. Please note that all people are considered innocent until proven guilty. Allegations of misconduct do not imply guilt nor do admissions of guilt in the absence of a conviction. Investigations that end without a determination do not imply innocence. Breaches of ethics, unproven crimes or cover-ups may or may not result in inclusion depending on the amount of publicity generated, and the seriousness of the crime, if any. Notoriety and notability are a major determinant of a scandal. Politicians who resign, quit, flee, or commit suicide while being investigated or threatened with investigation may also be included. Different scandals on different dates may result in multiple listings. The list does not include crimes that occur outside the politician's tenure (such as before or after his term in office) unless they specifically stem from acts made while in office, such as bribery, and discovered later. Given the political nature of legislatures where the leading party has determining power, politicians who are Rebuked, Denounced, Censured, Admonished, Condemned, Suspended, Reprimanded, Found in Contempt, Found to have Acted Improperly, or of using Poor Judgment are not included unless the scandal is exceptional or leads to further action such as expulsion, conviction or resignation. Executive pardons may or may not be mentioned, but do not erase the scandal. The verdict and legal proceedings are not affected by pardons, but may affect the sentence.

State of Maryland

• Roy McGrath (R) Chief of Staff to Governor Larry Hogan (R) as well as Chief Executive of the Maryland Environmental Service was accused of fraud and embezzlement for claiming $170,000 in expenses, and for securing a $233,648 severance payment from the MES by falsely telling the agency’s board that Governor Hogan had approved it when he had not. When he failed to appear at trial McGrath fled and died after a shoot out with the FBI. (2023)

• Marilyn Mosby (D) State's Attorney of Baltimore City, was indicted on four counts of making false statements on loan applications in connection to allegations that she had withdrawn money from a COVID-19 pandemic assistance program. As of December 2023, she has been found guilty of two counts of perjury, and remians charged with two counts making false statements on loan applications. (2022)

• Tawanna P. Gaines (D) State Delegate from Berwyn Heights in District 22, was accused of using $22,000 of campaigns funds for personal use by placing them in PayPal accounts. She pled guilty to wire fraud and was sentenced to six months in jail. (2019)

• Anitra Edmond (D) Campaign Manager and daughter of State Delegate Tawanna P. Gaines was charged with misuse of campaign funds and wire fraud for using $35,000 of campaign funds for her own personal use. She was found guilty, sentenced to eight months home detention, three years probation and ordered to repay $35,000. (2019)

• Cheryl Glenn (D) State Delegate from Baltimore in District 45, was accused of accepting several bribes for her aid in establishing the legalized marijuana industry. She was found convicted of fraud and was sentenced to more than four years in prison. (2019)

• Catherine Pugh (D) Mayor of Baltimore, was accused of permitting a "self-dealing" arrangement in which she awarded city contracts to organizations who purchased large quantities of her self-published book, Healthy Holly. Pugh resigned amid the book scandal and was later indicted by a federal grand jury on eleven counts, including tax evasion, fraud, and conspiracy. Pugh plead guilty to four counts of tax evasion and conspiracy, and was sentenced to three years in prison and three years of probation. (2019)

• Tyler Walch (R), Chief of Staff to State Delegate Richard K. Impallaria (R) from Harford County, was convicted of violating Maryland election law by making misleading robocalls claiming that State Delegate Kathy Szeliga was an ally of the transgender community and had voted for bills to ban discrimination against people on the basis of gender identity. He was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and paid a $1,000 fine. (2018)

• Cameron Harris (R) Campaign Manager to State Delegate David E. Vogt III (R) from Frederick County, was fired from his position when it was revealed that he was the creator of several fake news sites from which he had claimed that “tens of thousands” of ballots pre-marked for Hillary Clinton had been found in a warehouse in Ohio. (2017)

• Will Campos (D) State Delegate from District 47-B and Councilor from District 2 in Prince George County, was accused of taking bribes in exchange for favors and favorable distribution of state development money. He was convicted of conspiracy and bribery and sentenced to 54 months in prison, with three year’s probation and restitution of $340,000. (2016)

• Nathaniel T. Oaks (D) State Representative from Baltimore, was approached by FBI agents with bribes to aid a fictitious housing development. He received several illegal payments of $5,000 each for this service. Oaks pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of honest services wire fraud. He was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison, fined #30,000 and 80 hours of community service. (2015)

• Michael L. Vaughn (D) State Delegate, from Bowie in the 41st District, was accused of bribery and conspiracy for accepting $15,000 to approve more liquor licenses and sale on Sunday. He was found guilty, resigned his seat and was sentenced to four years in prison. (2017)

• Richard K. Impallaria (R) State Delegate from District 7, was convicted last week of driving while impaired with an open container. With over 50 previous citations, he was sentenced to two days in jail and his privileges were suspended for 58 days. (2017) Impallaria was later convicted of misusing state funds on improvements to a personal cottage and was sentenced to pay $44,100 in restitution. (2022)

• John R. Leopold (R) County Executive of Anne Arundel County, was indicted on multiple counts of misconduct in office stemming from allegations that he had used county-provided police security to investigate political opponents and to transport him to public places to engage in sexual liaisons with women. Leopold was found guilty of misconduct in February 2013 and subsequently resigned from office. (2012)

• Don H. Dwyer Jr. (R) State Delegate from Glen Burnie in District 31, was operating a motorboat on the Magothy River when it collided with another vessel injuring himself and five others. Dwyer pled guilty and was given a 30-day jail sentence. He was appealing that ruling when, in a separate incident, Dwyer was stopped and arrested in his car for DUI, for which he received an additional 30 day sentence, for a total of 60 days in jail. (2012)

• Paul E. Schurick (R) Campaign Manager for Republican Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., was accused of fraud for approving 112,000 robocalls on election day to mainly black voters telling them to stay home because the Democratic candidate had already won. Shurick was sentenced to 30 days home detention, four years of probation and 500 hours of community service. (2012)

• Julius Henson (R) Campaign Manager for former Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R), wrote and organized a robocall intended to confuse and suppress Democratic voters. He was convicted of fraud and conspiracy and sentenced to 60 days in prison, banned from political work for 3 years and fined 1 million dollars. (2012)

• Jack B. Johnson (D) County Executive of Prince George's County, was accused of accepting bribes while deliberating on a one-million-dollar annual lease for a county agency. He and his wife were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of witness tampering and destruction of evidence, and the FBI further alleged that Johnson had taken kickbacks in exchange for helping a developer secure federal funding for housing developments. Johnson plead guilty to charges in May 2011, and were sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison. (2010)

• Sheila Dixon (D) Mayor of Baltimore, was indicted on twelve felony and misdemeanor counts stemming from incidents in which she allegedly misappropriated gift cards intended for low-income Baltimore residents. She was convicted on one misdemeanor count of fraudulent misappropriation and was sentenced to probation provided she resigned as mayor, which she did on February 4, 2010. (2009)

• Larry Young (D) State Senator from Baltimore in District 44, was expelled from the Maryland Senate on January 17, 1998, after the Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics released a report accusing Young of misusing his office for private gain. Young's expulsion vote was along racial lines and was the first in the Maryland Senate's history. (1998)

• Spiro Agnew (R) County Executive of Baltimore County, Governor of Maryland, and eventual Vice President of the United States, faced accusations that he accepted kickbacks involving bribery, extortion, and tax evasion dating back to 1968. He plead nolo contendere to charges of tax evasion and was later ordered to repay $248,735 back to the State of Maryland. (1973)

• Irving C. Friedman (D) State Delegate from Baltimore, was blocked from being sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates during the 1965 special legislative session by Majority Leader W. Dale Hess (D) over a voter fraud conviction in 1936 of inducing a minor to vote, for which he was later pardoned. He was sworn in on January 19, 1966, after the House Rules Committee voted 4-3 that he could take his seat. Friedman resigned less than two weeks later on January 31, following the controversy. (1966)

• Ernest D. Young (D) State Delegate from Baltimore, was indicted on charges that he had hired four hitmen to assassinate his political rival, State Senator Verda Welcome. He denied any connection to the assassination attempts, claiming that he did not know two of the hitmen and had "strictly business" relationships with the other two assassins. Young was acquitted of all charges. (1964)

See also

• Lists of political scandals in the United States by state or territory
• List of federal political scandals in the United States
• List of federal political sex scandals in the United States
• List of American state and local politicians convicted of crimes

References

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