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Post by Rich Fisher on Dec 1, 2009 15:44:44 GMT -4
Breaking news!
**Baltimore Mayor Convicted In Gift Card Scandal**
The mayor of Baltimore has been convicted in a case involving gift cards for the city's poor. Mayor Sheila Dixon was accused of soliciting those cards and then using them for herself. Her defense claimed Dixon thought the cards were personal gifts. Of the seven charges she faced, she was only convicted of one count of fraudulent misappropriation. Speaking after the verdict, Dixon remarked that she's going back to work and the city's business will not be affected. However, there are questions as to whether she will be removed from office.
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Post by safetildecember on Dec 1, 2009 15:51:48 GMT -4
I wonder what the possibilites are as far as her sentence. Probably a fine. I hope her arrogant arse loses her job.
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Post by funnel101 on Dec 1, 2009 17:34:55 GMT -4
I don't know, IA: from my understanding, she's done a lot of good for Baltimore, especially (ironically) for reducing crime. I doubt very much that this was an innocent mistake, but I think she should be allowed to keep her job. I think the question is: would it best for Baltimore if she stayed as Mayor or not?
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Post by safetildecember on Dec 1, 2009 17:46:18 GMT -4
I just heard the maximum penalty is 5 years but of course that won't happen. I guess if the mayor of DC can smoke crack, it is not so bad that the mayor of Baltimore can steal from poor people. She knew what she was doing was wrong. IMO I think what she did was worse than smoking crack. She stole from poor people and knew she was doing it when she did it. Of course she knew what she did was wrong. It was not even like it was just one gift card, it was a stack of them.
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Post by island tech on Dec 1, 2009 18:41:07 GMT -4
I don't know, IA: from my understanding, she's done a lot of good for Baltimore, especially (ironically) for reducing crime. I doubt very much that this was an innocent mistake, but I think she should be allowed to keep her job. I think the question is: would it best for Baltimore if she stayed as Mayor or not? Reducing crime? Where the he double hockey sticks did you hear that? Lay off the peace pipe!
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Post by safetildecember on Dec 1, 2009 18:51:21 GMT -4
I didn't bother to check how long she has been in office. If there was a reduction in crime that does not mean she was responsible for it. A reduction in the amount of people that have gotten caught or prosecuted but I doubt an actual reduction in crime. She is a perfect example of how the justice system works. Most charges are dropped or someone pleads to a lesser crime or they have an alford plea. I am sick and tired of reading news stories where the criminal took an alford plea. It is about time people start getting tried for the actual crimes they did, maybe then would we see a reduction.
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Post by dej on Dec 2, 2009 3:08:30 GMT -4
The part of the verdict I don't get is being found guilty of fraud, but not guilty of misconduct in office. I guess fraud is acceptable conduct in office?
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Post by speedergurl68 on Dec 2, 2009 5:34:39 GMT -4
All I know is if one of us committed that type of crime at our various workplaces...we would be F-I-R-E-D. Which is EXACTLY what she should be.
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Post by deputy on Dec 2, 2009 7:03:13 GMT -4
All I know is if one of us committed that type of crime at our various workplaces...we would be F-I-R-E-D. Which is EXACTLY what she should be. Correct!
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Post by markp on Dec 2, 2009 8:38:48 GMT -4
All I know is if one of us committed that type of crime at our various workplaces...we would be F-I-R-E-D. Which is EXACTLY what she should be. Exactly! What amazes me is that she has a salary of $151,700 and still was greedy enough to take the gift cards for her own use.
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Post by Frank on Dec 2, 2009 9:16:02 GMT -4
All I know is if one of us committed that type of crime at our various workplaces...we would be F-I-R-E-D. Which is EXACTLY what she should be. Exactly! What amazes me is that she has a salary of $151,700 and still was greedy enough to take the gift cards for her own use. My thoughts too! It's not like a struggling single parent trying to feed her family. She makes GOOD money, and to steal from the needy is pretty disgusting!
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Post by sharon on Dec 3, 2009 8:56:17 GMT -4
I'm not a real political freak but lets see.......she broke the law, STOLE gift cards, found guilty of a lesser charge. The whole thing is a JOKE. Fire her ass, remove her from her position without pay while they get around to her sentencing, fine her & let her get a new wardrobe of jumpsuits & do some time. It is irrelevant what good or not she has done for the city, she broke the law. Why should she not be held to the same standards as the common folks? She is a CROOK. She got caught, she should pay the price!!!!
Our Judicial system at work. A JOKE!
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Post by mcbeth on Dec 3, 2009 9:32:58 GMT -4
I'm still processing the shock I felt when I learned that she was convicted of anything.... Many of the people I've spoken to "over here" have thought there would be either a hung jury or acquital. The question over keeping her job boils down to the fact that when she committed the crime, she was City Council President. That's the position she would have to be "removed" from, and since she no longer holds that position, but is mayor instead, the question is "which position" should she be removed from? Personally, I think she should stop embarrassing the city and citizens of Baltimore City and step down, but I don't think she has enough sense to think of anyone else other than herself. What I find appalling is that the least punishment she could receive is PBJ, which would mean that technically she was never convicted. That would be a miscarriage of justice, if I ever saw one. That's right folks, you can steal from the poor and have a jury decide that you really did it, but in the end have it appear that you really didn't do anything wrong. I just hope that the sentencing judge takes his/her job seriously. The opinion is that there won't be a sentence handed down til after her perjury trial in March, so the saga continues....
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Post by AquaHolic on Dec 3, 2009 9:36:27 GMT -4
I'm not a real political freak but lets see.......she broke the law, STOLE gift cards, found guilty of a lesser charge. The whole thing is a JOKE. Fire her ass, remove her from her position without pay while they get around to her sentencing, fine her & let her get a new wardrobe of jumpsuits & do some time. It is irrelevant what good or not she has done for the city, she broke the law. Why should she not be held to the same standards as the common folks? She is a CROOK. She got caught, she should pay the price!!!! Our Judicial system at work. A JOKE! yea...what she said!!! But then there is Marion Barry...crack addict...caught red handed..and was RE elected....lololol...
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Post by dmki on Dec 4, 2009 16:17:37 GMT -4
What was the cost of the trail by the tax payers. Isnt this over $500.00 of gift cards.
I'm sure this type of thing goes on all the time with the system we have to live with. Someone has a hard on for her and this is how they get satisfied.
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Post by Frank on Dec 4, 2009 16:56:45 GMT -4
What was the cost of the trail by the tax payers. Isnt this over $500.00 of gift cards. I'm sure this type of thing goes on all the time with the system we have to live with. Someone has a hard on for her and this is how they get satisfied. The dollar amount is not the issue. The issue is the person you elect to represent you and look out for your interests steals from the very people she was supposed to be helping.
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