NAACP raises questions about mayoral succession

[frogman68]

Leaders of the Maryland NAACP, worried that a Baltimore mayor's criminal conviction could result in the appointment of a white or Republican leader who may not fully represent the majority black and Democratic city, are asking state lawmakers to strip the governor of authority to permanently fill the office.

The request, made in a resolution adopted at a state meeting of the civil rights group last weekend, marks the first time a mainstream organization has raised questions about succession should Baltimore Mayor Dixon be convicted of any of the nine charges she faces. Dixon has been indicted for theft and perjury and the first of two trials is scheduled for early next month.

"There is that possibility of a conviction, and we want to know those protocols that are in place," said Elbridge James, the political action chairman of the state National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. "If it looks like it is going to rain, I am going to buy an umbrella."

Still, it is not clear that the resolution or a law change is warranted. According to Dan Friedman, an assistant attorney general who is counsel to the General Assembly, the governor does not have the authority to make an appointment.

Instead, the state constitution defers to the city's charter, he said, which elevates the city council president to be mayor in case of a vacancy. That's how Dixon became mayor in 2007 after Martin O'Malley, her predecessor, was elected governor.


NAACP raises questions about mayoral succession -- baltimoresun.com

They are not serious are they ? Do they honestly think a Democratic Governor would appoint a Republican ?
This is a attempt IMO to get the current mayor out of these charges .

[lewin]

Mayor Dixon





Yzma from "emperors new groove"






look the same to me

[Joe Walther]

NAACP raises questions about mayoral succession -- baltimoresun.com

They are not serious are they ? Do they honestly think a Democratic Governor would appoint a Republican ?
This is a attempt IMO to get the current mayor out of these charges .

OK, I probably shouldn't ask this, but I have to hear an explanation. How does this "get the current mayor out of these charges?"

The current mayor has been formally indicted on both felony and misdemeanor charges that will result in two trials. As such, she has only two choices: plead guilty and go to sentencing or plead not guilty and decide on either jury or bench trials. She's obviously chosen jury trials.

The questions on the part of the NAACP pertain to succession procedures and protocols.


Regards,

Joe Walther

[Outspoken]

Replace her with this guy

[frogman68]

OK, I probably shouldn't ask this, but I have to hear an explanation. How does this "get the current mayor out of these charges?"

The current mayor has been formally indicted on both felony and misdemeanor charges that will result in two trials. As such, she has only two choices: plead guilty and go to sentencing or plead not guilty and decide on either jury or bench trials. She's obviously chosen jury trials.

The questions on the part of the NAACP pertain to succession procedures and protocols.


Regards,

Joe Walther

Juror Nullification

Thanks Joe I couldnt remember it

[Roogle]

Either he gets convicted or he doesn't.....

[frogman68]

Either he gets convicted or he doesn't.....

Lol I know SHE looks like a man but its a woman

[Joe Walther]

Juror Nullification

Thanks Joe I couldnt remember it

I'll concede your point to a small degree here, Frogman. Jury nullification is always a potential problem. The courts won't include jury nullification in their instructions simply because, short of culpable fraud, tampering, etc, they can't hold juries in contempt for their findings of "fact."

Having said this, they have yet to even pick juries for these upcoming trials. Impaneling a jury is the first step, once a trail begins. It will be a few weeks, at the least, before that happens and a matter of weeks for each of the trials.

All sorts of legal shenanigans can happen in the interim. Depending on what discovery uncovers, she could end up at the extremes of either plea bargaining if the evidence points to an overwhelming chance of conviction or going all out for an acquittal.

You gave me pause to check into this one by going into the public record to date. Personally, I think the prosecution poses a bigger threat to any acquittal or reduced charges.

She has proffered a defense of legislative immunity to the perjury charges. This is fine as far as it goes. But, her argument is weak. Essentially she claimed that since she has legislative immunity, she was never required to divulge certain information in the first place.

OK, let's say that she has a valid legal point. But, she still lied under oath, which IS perjury; and legislative immunity does not mitigate it. First year law students understand this intuitively.

But, somehow, the prosecutor in this case failed to notice it. Of course, if it goes contra to what the investigators and prosecutors wanted, they'll blame it all on the judge.

Finally, it's ludicrous at best to think that a Democrat Governor would appoint a Republican Mayor if it comes down to it. It's even more ludicrous to assume that there would be a Republican dumb enough to take the job in a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans by a ratio of about 15 to 1.

I wouldn't worry about jury nullification here; it's the least that can go wrong for the prosecution.

All the NAACP has done is inquire as the the succession protocols. They're hedging their bets, so to speak.

Regards,

Joe Walther

[frogman68]

I'll concede your point to a small degree here, Frogman. Jury nullification is always a potential problem. The courts won't include jury nullification in their instructions simply because, short of culpable fraud, tampering, etc, they can't hold juries in contempt for their findings of "fact."

Having said this, they have yet to even pick juries for these upcoming trials. Impaneling a jury is the first step, once a trail begins. It will be a few weeks, at the least, before that happens and a matter of weeks for each of the trials.

All sorts of legal shenanigans can happen in the interim. Depending on what discovery uncovers, she could end up at the extremes of either plea bargaining if the evidence points to an overwhelming chance of conviction or going all out for an acquittal.

You gave me pause to check into this one by going into the public record to date. Personally, I think the prosecution poses a bigger threat to any acquittal or reduced charges.

She has proffered a defense of legislative immunity to the perjury charges. This is fine as far as it goes. But, her argument is weak. Essentially she claimed that since she has legislative immunity, she was never required to divulge certain information in the first place.

OK, let's say that she has a valid legal point. But, she still lied under oath, which IS perjury; and legislative immunity does not mitigate it. First year law students understand this intuitively.

But, somehow, the prosecutor in this case failed to notice it. Of course, if it goes contra to what the investigators and prosecutors wanted, they'll blame it all on the judge.

Finally, it's ludicrous at best to think that a Democrat Governor would appoint a Republican Mayor if it comes down to it. It's even more ludicrous to assume that there would be a Republican dumb enough to take the job in a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans by a ratio of about 15 to 1.

I wouldn't worry about jury nullification here; it's the least that can go wrong for the prosecution.

All the NAACP has done is inquire as the the succession protocols. They're hedging their bets, so to speak.

Regards,

Joe Walther

Joe I think this guy was planting the seed like you said the jury hasnt been picked yet. This is putting the potential jurors on notice if she is convicted the might get a white republican mayor . So now matter what the jury sees might not convict her

[daisy dog]

OJ got off by Juror Nullification.

[Curly]

Leaders of the Maryland NAACP, worried that a Baltimore mayor's criminal conviction could result in the appointment of a white or Republican leader

Talk about racism............

[Outspoken]

Yea let me try to get back on topic...So the problem here is that the NAACP doesn't think Baltimore should have a mayor unless that mayor is African-American, correct?

I suggest you all watch seasons 3 and 4 of the HBO television series "The Wire" as it is based in Baltimore and touches on this exact subject.