Holton Addresses Charges at Council Meeting

Monday night the Baltimore City Council met for the first time since indictments were handed up against Mayor Sheila Dixon, Councilwoman Helen Holton and developer Ronald Lipscomb.

The mayor does not typically attend council meetings, so the focus was on Helen Holton -- would she show up, and would she talk about the four criminal indictments she's facing? The answers were yes, and yes.

Councilwoman Holton, who represents the 8th district, which is in West Baltimore, entered the council chamber confidently, and after the members worked through the night's agenda she stood up and declared she would be cleared of all charges. ‘These last several days have been very difficult for me and my family. I also want to assure you and the public that i have done nothing wrong,’ she said.

Holton faces charges of bribery, perjury, malfeasance and nonfeasance in office. Prosecutors allege that she took a bribe from Lipscomb in exchange for her approval of city tax breaks for several buildings he is developing in the Harbor East neighborhood.

Council members pledged their support to Holton and to Mayor Dixon, who has also been indicted by the same grand jury. ‘I just want to remind us all that allegations are exactly that, and they will be answered as part of a legal process,’ said Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

They also pledged to keep working, despite the indictments. ‘The mantra is, tough times don't last tough people do. We'll just tough it out,’ said Councilwoman Rochelle 'Rikki' Spector, who represents the 5th district.

Councilman William Cole will take over from Holton as acting chairman of the Taxation, Finance and Economic Development Committee. In her statement, Holton took a shot at the state prosecutor, saying the indictments against her were ‘cobbled together’ to justify the cost of a four-year-investigation. ‘I would ask all to reserve any judgment, and not draw any conclusions while these charges are exposed to the sunlight of public scrutiny, and the glare of the truth,’ she said.

At this time, a court date has not been set for the charges against Helen Holton. The mayor's arraignment has been scheduled for February 3rd.

Statement made by Councilwoman Helen Holton, at the City Council meeting on Monday, January 12:

'I want to take this opportunity to thank my constituents of the 8th district, my church family, my colleagues in government across the state of Maryland and beyond, as well as my many friends for your expressions of support and concern.

These last several days have been very difficult for me and my family. I also want to assure you and the public that I have done nothing wrong. As I said last week, I have dedicated my public life to making Baltimore a better place for all to live work and play. Your support and my faith in God give me the strength to continue to do that.

The indictment filed against me, upon review, is little more than a series of alleged acts cobbled together by prosecutors to reach a pre-determined result: an indictment against a public official, to justify having spent thousands of taxpayer dollars over the course of an almost four-year investigation.

The charges were drafted in secret and are based upon information chosen by the prosecutors and presented in secret. We will have our day in court and I am confident that when we do we will demonstrate that the charges are legally and factually meritless.

Throughout the course of the investigation, I have cooperated with the investigators. I produced all documents requested, and was interviewed twice. Not until just before New Year's was I advised, for the first time, that I was a target of the grand jury and that I was to be indicted on January 7, 2009. My attorneys were given no meaningful opportunity to respond to these accusations before I was indicted last week. I will respond to the charges, through my attorneys, in court, as the principles of justice, due process and fairness all command.

In the meantime, I would ask all to reserve any judgment, and not draw any conclusions while these charges are exposed to the sunlight of public scrutiny, and the glare of the truth.

I have faith in our legal system, and the administration of justice in this city. My attorneys and I are confident that I will be exonerated, as the law and facts require. In the meantime, while the case proceeds I intend to continue my efforts to make Baltimore the best city it can be. Thank you.’