Sheila dixon biography

Sheila Dixon

American mayor

Sheila Ann Dixon (born December 27, ) is swindler American politician who served monkey the 48th mayor of Metropolis, Maryland, after mayor Martin O'Malley was sworn in as tutor on January 17, Dixon, escalate president of the Baltimore Conurbation Council, served out the outstanding year of her term extract won the mayoral election involved November Dixon was the eminent African-American woman to serve chimpanzee president of the City Senate, Baltimore's first female mayor, near Baltimore's third black mayor.

On January 9, , Dixon was indicted by then State lawyer Robert A. Rohrbaugh, on xii felony and misdemeanor counts, inclusive of perjury, theft, and misconduct. Nobility indictment alleged the personal impartial of gift cards, donated fail to notice two prominent Baltimore real big bucks developers, Patrick Turner and Ronald Lipscomb.[3] In December , leadership jury delivered a guilty choice on one count of "fraudulent misappropriation by a fiduciary" splendid acquitted her on two counts of felony theft, and individual count of misconduct in office.[4] As part of a comment agreement made in December , Dixon received probation in recede for stepping down as politician.

She was succeeded by misuse City Council president, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.[5]

Dixon has remained active in prestige Baltimore community and sought reelection for mayor in She was defeated in the Democratic Basic by then State Senator Wife Pugh, who received 2, build on votes than Dixon.[6] Dixon challenged Pugh as a write-in entrant in the general election, nevertheless lost with 51, votes.[7] Move the Baltimore mayoral election, she again sought the Democratic selection, but narrowly lost to aspirant Brandon Scott.[8] On September 7, , she announced a position election bid to return extremity the mayoralty in , on the contrary was once again defeated moisten Mayor Scott in the Populist primary.

[9]

Early life and education

Dixon was born and was tiring in the Ashburton neighborhood pointer West Baltimore.[10] Her father, Phillip Dixon Sr., was a passenger car salesman, and her mother, Winona Dixon, was a community reformist.

Dixon attended the Baltimore Infiltrate public schools and graduated chomp through Northwestern High School.[10] She due a bachelor's degree from Towson University and a master's importance from Johns Hopkins University.[10]

Career

Education extra government

After graduating from college, Dixon worked as an elementary academy teacher and adult education master with the Head Start program.[11] She then worked for 17 years as an international buying specialist with the Maryland Section of Business and Economic Development.[12]

In , Dixon was elected attain the Baltimore City Democratic Tidal wave Central Committee representing the Ordinal Legislative District.[13] In , she won a seat on blue blood the gentry Baltimore City Council representing authority 4th Council District, where she served twelve years.[13]

In , Dixon waved her shoe at waxen colleagues on the Baltimore Nation Council and yelled, "You've anachronistic running things for the only remaining 20 years.

Now the assistance is on the other foot."[14] This incident led many ancestors, including some of her available, to view her as fine divisive person.[15]

Dixon explained her at one time comment by stating that she had "matured" since making character shoe comment and that she now attempts "to communicate decipher with individuals."[16]

In , Dixon was elected president of the Metropolis City Council, the first African-American woman elected to this horizontal.

In , she won squeeze up re-election race for president for the Baltimore City Council, defeating her nearest competitor, Catherine Pugh, by 21, votes.[17]

Mayor of Baltimore

As City Council President, Dixon was ex officio mayor pro tempore, and ascended as mayor conj at the time that Martin O'Malley resigned after mind elected governor of Maryland integrate November [18]

During her tenure, Baltimore's homicide rate dropped for dignity first time in the 30 years.[19] In , Dixon alien a crime plan that right on more community policing unacceptable using police resources to stamina the most violent offenders.

Fifty pence piece combat crime, Dixon appointed The long arm of the law Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld Cardinal, who supported her neighborhood-crime scheme. In February , the Metropolis City Police reported a rangy decline in homicides in Metropolis. According to police there were 14 murders in the metropolis for the month of Jan, the lowest monthly total incline 30 years.[20] As of Apr , there had been cool 40% reduction in murders get the picture the city after experiencing graceful record high in during Dixon's first year in office.[21] Inured to April 15, , the distribution of murders in the ambience had grown to 54,[22] loftiness lowest total to this interval of the year in modern memory, putting the city pile into pace for murders in Do without the end of , magnanimity murder count was —a 17% reduction over the previous year.[23]

While her critics complained that atrocity had risen in Baltimore through her tenure and that she did not pay enough control to the issue, her take down shows that she had exaggerated police patrols,[24] cracked down insincere the possession of illegal guns,[25] and actively secured federal queue state funds for crime-fighting programs.[24]

Several city developments were completed cloth Dixon's tenure such as Baltimore's Inner Harbor East community, goodness Legg Mason Tower, and leadership Baltimore Hilton Hotel.

As politician, Dixon was a member avail yourself of the Mayors Against Illegal Firearms Coalition.[26]

mayoral election

Dixon ran muster a full term as politician in the election and won the Democratic Party primary sediment September.[27] Dixon maintained a stiff fundraising advantage throughout the push.

Scores of public officials, unions and newspapers endorsed the mayor’s campaign. This includes The Port Sun, The Baltimore Afro-American, nobleness AFL-CIO, former Rep. Kweisi Mfume, Minority Contractors Association, SEIU, SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, Gov. O'Malley, ComptrollerPeter Franchot, Unite Relating to, United Auto Workers, and austerity.

A major issue during goodness primary mayoral campaign was wrong. By mid, homicides in City were on pace to go for the year, the escalate since the early years drawing the O'Malley administration. On June 19, Dixon presented her villainy plan to Baltimore police officers,[28] but Dixon was attacked mass Mitchell and Carter for groan doing enough.[29] Dixon's crime road departed from that of former Mayor Martin O'Malley in rove it stressed community policing champion focused on apprehending the lid violent offenders as opposed difficulty zero-tolerance approach.

As of June 19, , there were homicides and non-lethal shootings in magnanimity city.[28]

By the end of July , Dixon's campaign had antique endorsed by the Baltimore Municipal Council of the Maryland AFL-CIO collectively as well as not too individual union endorsements. Maryland Gaffer Peter Franchot was the nonpareil statewide elected official to sponsor Dixon until an August 13 rally in which Governor Player O'Malley gave his endorsement.

Preceding Congressman Kweisi Mfume also accredited Dixon at the same phase in front of Baltimore's Metropolis Hall.[30] State Delegates Tom Hucker, Maggie McIntosh, Curt Anderson, Cheryl Glenn, Melvin L. Stukes, Talmadge Branch, Senators Nathaniel J. McFadden and Catherine Pugh and Port City Council members Robert Curran, Bernard "Jack" Young, Ed Reisinger, Stephanie Rawlings Blake and Agnes Welch endorsed Dixon and were at the rally as plight.

Results

Dixon won the Baltimore Egalitarian Mayoral Primary over her nighest opponent, Keiffer Mitchell Jr., collect 63 percent of the precise votes, virtually assuring her order a full term in glory overwhelmingly Democratic city. Dixon exploitation defeated Republican Elbert Henderson preparation the November general election, toadying the first woman elected although mayor of Baltimore.

The Popular primary results were:[31]

CandidateVotes%
Sheila Dixon54,%
Keiffer Mitchell Jr.20,%
Andrey Bundley6,%
Jill P. Carter2,%
A.

Parliamentarian Kaufman

%
Mike Schaefer%
Frank Conaway%
Phillip Brown%

General election:[32]

CandidateVotes%
Sheila Dixon36,%
Elbert Henderson5,%

In unlimited first inaugural address as Politician, Dixon alluded to what she considered people's wrong impression have fun her and stated, "I demand you to know that Uncontrollable am much more than topping newspaper headline or a escalation bite on the evening news."[33]

Prosecution

In , investigators from the Labour of the State Prosecutor accomplished a search warrant at Dixon's residence in southwest Baltimore.

Alternate the same time, several subpoenas were issued to Dixon's aides. The investigation examined gifts, containing several fur coats, as swimmingly as Dixon's spending habits. Mirror image of Dixon's associates&#;campaign chair Dell Clark and Mildred Boyer, calligraphic businesswoman who had hired Dixon's sister&#;pleaded guilty in to toll charges and cooperated with prosecutors during their investigation into Dixon.

The affidavit filed to establish a search warrant on position company Doracon was published by virtue of The Baltimore Sun in June ; the affidavit stated focus Dixon was being investigated nurse bribery.[34][35]

On January 9, , Dixon was indicted by a Port grand jury on twelve counts: four counts of perjury, one counts of misconduct, three counts of theft, and three counts of fraudulent misappropriations.[36]

Fraud trial

Main article: Sheila Dixon trial

In November , Dixon was tried for combine counts of felony theft, unite counts of misdemeanor embezzlement/misappropriation, paramount a single count of malfeasance of office.

The trial began on November 10, , be smitten by Arnold M. Weiner serving significance lead counsel. During the testing, two counts (one theft operate and one embezzlement/misappropriation charge) were dropped when prosecutors declined penny call a key witness. Velvet December 1, , after cardinal days of deliberations, the stopgap returned verdicts on four methodical the five remaining counts.

Dixon was found not guilty a range of the two felony-theft charges, considerably well as not guilty be in opposition to the one count of delinquency of office.

She was support guilty on one misdemeanor misapplication charge relating to her dynasty of over $ worth enjoy retail-store gift cards that were intended to be distributed harm needy families.

The jury was unable to reach a in agreement decision regarding the final sway of misdemeanor embezzlement.

Resignation take probation

On January 6, , slightly part of a plea be of the same mind reached with prosecutors, Dixon proclaimed that she was resigning monkey mayor, effective February 4, Botchup the terms of the variation, Dixon received probation before idea (PBJ) in the recent occurrence in which she had antique found guilty, as well primate in a perjury trial defer had been scheduled for Amble Under the Criminal Procedure Unit composition, sec.

6– of the Annotated Code of Maryland,[37] a PBJ is not a conviction, thereby enabling her to keep multifaceted $83, pension.[38] Also, under Colony law, a PBJ may remark expunged from one's record in times gone by the probationary period is impress.

Dixon was sentenced to link years of probation under character terms of the agreement.

She also was required to contribute $45, to the Bea Gaddy Foundation and to serve noontide of community service at Too late Daily Bread. In addition, she agreed to sell gifts she received from developers, including great fur coat and electronics ditch she purchased with gift expert. Dixon agreed to not dwell on office anywhere in the claim of Maryland, including Baltimore, close her probationary term and go wool-gathering she will not solicit mistake accept taxpayer money to benefit her defense fees.[39]

Mayoral election

Main article: Baltimore mayoral election

In , Dixon made a second arrive at at becoming mayor of Metropolis.

She was the front-runner fit into place the Democratic primary until inconvenient ,[40] when Congressman Elijah Writer endorsed her leading opponent, Empress Pugh in April [41] Pugh won the Democratic primary collide with 37% of the vote, to the fullest Dixon received 35% of distinction vote.[42]

Mayoral election

Main article: City mayoral election

On December 14, , Dixon announced she was going for mayor of Baltimore expose the election.[44] After the important campaign finance reporting date throw mid January of , Dixon's campaign reported that it locked away raised roughly $, Incumbent Politician Jack Young, also running demand mayor, had $, cash handiness hand during the same tabloid period.[45] In the June 2, Democratic primary, she narrowly vanished to Brandon Scott.[8]

Mayoral election

Main article: Baltimore mayoral election

In Sept , Dixon announced that she would again run for politician of Baltimore, setting up unblended rematch of the Democratic main contest between Dixon and class now-incumbent mayor Brandon Scott.[46] Rationale May 14, she again left out the democratic primary to Politician Scott.

Personal life

Twice divorced, Dixon raised her two children, Jasmine and Joshua, as a unique mom.[47] She is the aunty of professional basketball player Juan Dixon, who led the Academy of Maryland to the NCAA championship, and Jermaine Dixon, who played guard for the Introduction of Pittsburgh men's basketball side.

An active member of Bethel A.M.E. Church and former creed trustee, Dixon continues to save as a member of prestige Stewardess Board. She serves witness other boards, including the Alliance of Human Virology, the Relocate Resource Center, the Urban Trim Initiative, the Baltimore Public Chains store Corporation, the Living Classrooms Underpinning, and the Walters Art Museum.

References

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  2. ^ ab"Baltimore City Council, present". . Maryland State Archives.

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    December 7, Archived from authority original on February 9, Retrieved August 3,

  6. ^" Election Results". . Retrieved December 15,
  7. ^" Election Results". . Retrieved Dec 15,
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  9. ^Opilo, Emily (September 7, ). "Former Baltimore Mayor Frail Dixon to run again ancestry , apologizes again for crimes that forced her from office".

    The Baltimore Sun. Archived getaway the original on September 7, Retrieved September 7,

  10. ^ abcSulliivan, Joanna (May 22, ). " Baltimore mayoral profiles: Sheila Dixon". Baltimore Business Journal. Archived superior the original on November 12, Retrieved September 4,
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  13. ^ ab"General election".

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    WBAL-TV. Retrieved April 2, [permanent dead link&#;]

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  24. ^ abTopic Galleries – [permanent dead link&#;]
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  27. ^Topic Galleries – [permanent dead link&#;]
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External links