Baltimore mayor to resign under plea deal

[The Northerner]

Source: Associated Press

BALTIMORE – Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon has agreed to resign under a deal with prosecutors a month after her conviction for embezzling gift cards meant for needy families.

Dixon entered an Alford plea to a charge of perjury on Wednesday, meaning she admits there is enough evidence to convict her on that charge but does not acknowledge guilt. It wasn't immediately clear how the plea will affect her previous conviction. Her resignation is effective on Feb. 4.

The surprise plea ends the mayor's drawn-out legal battle. She was trying to get a new trial and if that failed, she could have been thrown out of office.

Dixon was mayor for nearly three years after taking over in January 2007 for fellow Democrat Martin O'Malley, who was elected governor. She was the first woman to hold the job.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100106/ap_on_re_us/us_baltimore_mayor

[JuniperLea]

1. Surely there's a special place in hell...

For corrupt politicians... especially those who would steal from the needy... that's disgusting.

Good. I don't care what party you're in, if you are crooked, you're out!

[Rebubula]

3. Stealing from the Needy..

...was the only thing that she was convicted for. Listening to her rationalizations and bullshit made me sick.

She is an embarrassment to a pretty awesome city...as big cities go.

[JuniperLea]

6. Everyone forgets Nixon!

The rationalization is worse than the deed! Argh!

[ProgressiveProfessor]

4. BWI isnt that far from hell sometimes n/t

[JuniperLea]

5. Weird how that works!

I've lived in Los Angeles County all my life... hellish at times, no question. Big cities are like that 'round the world. Still, I'm at ground zero on so many levels! Good stuff starts here all the time. And if we get nuked, I live between LA/Long Beach Harbor and the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station... I'll be toast before I know what hits me! It's all good:)

[alcibiades_mystery]

2. LOL

Martin O'Malley = Tommy Carcetti
Sheila Dixon = Nerese Campbell

When you walk through the Garden...

[enid602]

7. Big B

Well, I just hope they were Target gift cards, and not Wal Mart gift cards; that wouald just be downright tacky, even for the Big B!