Friday, April 12, 2013
John Leopold, former Anne Arundel County executive, left jail Friday after serving a 30-day sentence for misconduct.
John Leopold, the former Anne Arundel County executive found guilty on two counts of criminal misconduct in January, was released Friday after serving a 30-day jail sentence. Leopold will continue to serve 30 days on house arrest, according to his sentencing. After starting his political career 43 years ago as a state representative in Hawaii, the 70-year-old faces his first time out of elected office since 1995, according to Maryland State Archives. Patch wants to know what readers think Leopold should do next. Vote in our poll. Editor's note: The poll has been published to all eight Patch websites in Anne Arundel County.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
The former county executive was sentenced to two years in jail with all but 60 days suspended.
Former Anne Arundel County Executive John Leopold was sentenced to two years in jail with all but 60 days suspended. Leopold was sentenced Thursday in Anne Arundel Circuit Court in Annapolis. He was convicted of two counts of misconduct in office in January. According to ABC News Leopold will serve 30 days in jail and 30 days on house arrest. He will also pay a $100,000 fine and is expected to complete 400 hours of community service. This is a breaking news story. Patch will update it when more information is available. See more:
Friday, February 22, 2013
Laura Neuman said she will make Anne Arundel County a leader in Maryland.
Anne Arundel's new county executive, Laura Neuman, was sworn into office on Friday morning at the county courthouse in the company of her family. Neuman recited the words that formalized her office, while standing next to her daughter, Avery, and son, Alex—who both beamed and waved for the cameras. After the ceremony, Neuman laid out a portion of her plans as executive. "We will be a leader in the state, and I look forward to meeting that effort. We will restore confidence in the executive branch of government in Anne Arundel County," she said. "I am truly honored to have this opportunity. Thank you." Neuman assumed the office of county executive almost exactly 12 hours after Thursday night's County Council meeting, where she received the …
The chief executive officer of Howard County’s Economic Development Authority will be sworn into office at 10 a.m. Friday in Annapolis.
UPDATE (11:45 a.m.)—Laura Neuman, who was selected to be the new county executive, was greeted with a rush of applause moments after she received a majority vote Thursday from the Anne Arundel County Council. Neuman, 46, is a native of Anne Arundel County and the CEO of the Howard County Economic Development Authority. She gave a rousing speech during her interview with council members on Thursday night, laying her whole life bare—her trials and successes in making her own way in the world. Neuman earned a master's in business administration without a high school diploma or undergraduate degree, worked at T. Rowe Price, and Hilton Hotels before earning a name for herself in Maryland. "It is truly an honor to serve," Neuman said after she …
Friday, February 15, 2013
Five Republicans looking to be appointed as the next Anne Arundel county executive spoke in Odenton Thursday night. The county council will hold a meeting on Feb. 21 to vote on candidates.
Five Republicans seeking to be the next Anne Arundel county executive spoke before a packed house in Odenton Thursday, with the county council just days away from voting to appoint a successor to John Leopold. The candidates included a state delegate, a former first lady, a former Marine and businessman, a former state trooper, and a past head of the county’s Department of Recreation and Parks. They represented more than half of the nine candidates who have publicly stated an interest in the position, though potential candidates can apply until noon Friday. By law, all of the candidates are Republican and live in Anne Arundel County. Those that spoke Thursday included: Kendel Ehrlich—an attorney and former first lady of Maryland Steve …
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Anne Arundel County Council is set to appoint the next executive on Feb. 21.
As of Wednesday, there have been no applications submitted for the open Anne Arundel County Executive position, and the deadline for application is Friday. But a handful of local politicians have their eyes on the seat. The county council is set to select a successor for former county executive John R. Leopold later this month. Leopold resigned on Feb. 1, shortly after he was found guilty of two counts of misconduct in office. Since then, Leopold's Chief Administrative Officer John Hammond has been serving as executive. Leopold's term was set to expire in 2014. The person appointed by the council later this month would only serve out the remainder of Leopold’s term, and an election in 2014 would choose the next executive. Candidates must …
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
The county attorney calls the bill to permanently remove the Anne Arundel county executive "premature, because sentencing has not occurred.”
The Anne Arundel County Council introduced legislation that would remove County Executive John R. Leopold from his office, but the county’s attorney said such a decision is may be too hasty. The council cast no vote at its emergency session on Wednesday afternoon, but introduced Bill 7-13, which would declare a vacancy in the executive’s position. The bill draws on a provision recently added to the county's charter after its passage in the November general election. Leopold was found guilty on two counts of misconduct in office on Tuesday. Chief Administrative Officer John Hammond is now serving as acting Anne Arundel county executive as a result of the suspension of Leopold from his duties. County Attorney Jonathan Hodgson argued that …
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold could be permanently removed from office by a county council vote Wednesday.
The Anne Arundel County Council will meet in an emergency session Wednesday afternoon to introduce legislation that would declare a vacancy in the county executive's office. The emergency session notice came Tuesday, shortly after the verdict was read in the trial for County Executive John R. Leopold. Based on recent charter amendments, the county council can declare a vacancy if an executive is found guilty and convicted of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude, misfeasance or malfeasance in office. Chief Administrative Officer John Hammond is now serving as acting Anne Arundel county executive as a result of the suspension of Leopold from his duties. The Maryland Constitution provides for suspension of an elected official upon a …
The Anne Arundel county executive could now face removal from office.
UPDATE (6:15 p.m.)—A Circuit Court judge in Annapolis found Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold guilty of two counts of criminal misconduct in office on Tuesday. Chief Administrative Officer John Hammond is now serving as acting Anne Arundel county executive as a result of the suspension of Leopold from his duties. Sweeney acquitted Leopold of three other charges. Leopold faced a five-count grand jury indictment that included four counts of misconduct in office and one count of fraudulent misappropriation by a fiduciary. The Anne Arundel County Council is expected to vote on Leopold's removal from office as soon as Monday. Prosecutors of the case claimed that Leopold misused his security detail—which is paid for by the county—…
Friday, January 25, 2013
Circuit Judge Dennis Sweeney said having officers drive Leopold around to remove his opponent's campaign signs did not amount to misconduct in office.
An Anne Arundel County Circuit Judge on Friday found County Executive John Leopold not guilty on one of four counts of misconduct in office. Leopold still faces three counts of misconduct in office and one count of fraudulent misappropriation by a fiduciary. Judge Dennis Sweeney said while officers assigned to protect Leopold were present when Leopold allegedly destroyed or removed the campaign signs of his opponent Joanna Conti during the 2010 election, it did not rise to the level of misconduct in office. "Mr. Leopold may have been able to be charged with the crimes of theft or malicious destruction of property," Sweeny said. "It was not being done in part and parcel of his office, but [it was] being done as a private citizen." Sweeney'…
Melody LaPier
12:21 am on Friday, April 19, 2013
He should pay back the $60,000 plus that the County paid out for his legal fees, lose his pension and pay back the money the officers were paid in regular pay and overtime while they were taking him to and from his sexual liaisons at the Annapolis Mall parking lot and everywhere else he and the other county employee were obliging themselves on the taxpayers dime. Why haven't we heard anything … more ›