Jack Johnson, Prince George's County (Maryland) executive, and his wife, Leslie, arrested

[Psephos]

Source: Washingto Post

Just after 10:12 a.m. Friday, Leslie Johnson frantically phoned her husband, Jack B. Johnson, the Prince George's county executive. Two FBI agents were at the front door of their two-story brick colonial in Mitchellville. "Don't answer it," the county executive said, unaware that more agents were listening in.

Johnson ordered his wife to find and destroy a $100,000 check from a real estate developer that was hidden in a box of liquor. "Do you want me to put it down the toilet?" Leslie Johnson asked. "Yes, flush that," the county executive said.

But what about the cash? she asked - $79,600. Put it in your underwear, the county executive told his wife. She replied, "I have it in my bra" - which is where agents discovered the money after she answered the door.

That conversation, as documented in an FBI affidavit, led to the arrest Friday of Jack Johnson and his wife. Each was charged with evidence tampering and destroying evidence in a case the U.S. attorney called the "tip of the iceberg" in a broader corruption investigation in Prince George's.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/12/AR2010111204001.html?hpid=topnews

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

1. Correction: Prince George's County, MD (vs. Prince George County, VA)

[Psephos]

2. thanks ;) n/t

[Roma]

3. $80,000 hidden in her bra and the

U.S. attorney called it the "tip of the iceberg"?

That must be some rack she has there.

[ananda]

4. She put 79k in her bra??!!!

ROFL

[boppers]

6. I'm not buying it.

Even in 100's (which is the largest common bill most people see), that's 790 pieces of linen-paper, over a ream and a half.... which, even when flattened and pressed, would be about 4-5 inches.

Something's a tad fishy here.

[onenote]

17. two inches in each side of a bra seems quite plausible

[Roma]

11. Not to mention that those had to be some really sharp agents

"I have it in my bra" - which is where agents discovered the money after she answered the door.

[KamaAina]

44. Beats the hell out of Dollar Bill Jefferson's freezer!

:P

[jody]

5. I hope Jack Johnson is not a Democrat.

[keepCAblue]

14. Sorry. He is. n/t

[Blue_Tires]

15. The P.G. county political structure is corrupt from the top-down

Also, RNC chairman Michael Steele cut his political bones there as well....

party doesn't matter so much because it's such a big and rich county, everyone has their hands out...

[AnnieBW]

33. We're not rich in PG

Not by the standards of Montgomery or Howard Counties, that is. We just have bad government.

I'm totally unsurprised by this arrest. Back in 1999, when we put a contract down to build a house, it took about a year to get the permits for our subdivision. Our builder was new to PG County. The running joke between us and the builder's rep was that the builder didn't bribe the right people, and that's why it took so long to get our permit. And this was before Johnson was in office.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

40. That's right! High-ass taxes with very poor schools and public services.

The county has a history of corruption and leaders that don't give a shit about the people.

I used to live there and you couldn't pay me a million bucks to move back!

[sarcasmo]

20. Way to many politicians are the same regardless of the D or R.

[cartouch100]

7. I Agree

this sounds a little bit too "convenient" for the authorities to "catch" these two like this. Race was probably a factor, I'm guessing.

[Blue_Tires]

16. race no factor -- he's a crook

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

41. Race is definitely not a factor, and I'm saying this as a former resident

of the county and a black woman. When whites were the majority in the county and it was run by Paris Glendening, it was just as corrupt. White county executives were just as corrupt.

Jack Johnson just got caught, and he was stupid as he was getting caught.

[emilyg]

26. He is a crook.

[Creative]

34. Are suggesting that his crime should have been ignored because he is black?

:shrug:

[northzax]

36. he's leaving office

in a month. what better time than now? he has no more favors to dole out, and it puts the incoming Executive on notice

[msanthrope]

45. The only color that matters here is green. n/t

[UpInArms]

8. more info:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/12/AR2010111206844.html

On the day after Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson was reelected in 2006 - the fourth time that residents had elected him to a countywide position - he wearily explained what accounted for his victory.

"People know me," he said. "And they know the type of person I am."

In fact, county residents have long debated just who Jack Johnson is.

Dogged for years by reports that state and federal authorities were investigating his relationships with developers and his hiring of friends for public office, Johnson will leave office next month a deeply polarizing figure.

His detractors have long said his style of politics hurts the county's image and its efforts to spur business.

For critics, that impression will be cemented by Johnson's arrest Friday, along with his wife, Leslie, just three weeks before his final term in office is to end. He was charged with destroying evidence and witness tampering.

...more...

[LiberalFighter]

29. I wish they investigate some county elected officials in NE Indiana.

[indimuse]

9. strange~~

[AngryAmish]

10. I knew all these Rethuglikkkans were crooked

[karynnj]

13. He's a Democrat -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_B._Johnson

[tabasco]

38. Very transparent.

You're slipping.

But nothing to worry about.

[Stevenmarc]

12. Tempest in a D Cup

Although that's a lot of cash...perhaps a DD

[herbm]

18. Agnew's county, isn't it? Some things don't never change.

[Alexander]

24. Agnew was Baltimore County. He was an executive, just in a different county.

And he took bribes both at that job and as governor of Maryland.

[herbm]

43. With family living in and coming from, and a wife from with family in

Balmore, isn't Balmore Maryland's Cook County/Chicago? I'm just saying.

[elleng]

25. Not agnew's county; agnew from baltimore.

http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=a000059

[The abyss]

19. Frankly - I enjoy seeing the system disintegrate!

I don't care about race, colour or creed.

I don't care about religious or political affiliation.

I do love it when these reptiles get exposed for what they are.

Thanks for posting!

[rasputin1952]

21. A crook is a crook, regardless of party or anything else...

I'm sure this investigation was going on for quite some time.

Getting the corrupt pout of office and into jail is the correct application of the law.

[elleng]

23. Lengthy investigation.

'FBI agents said in an affidavit that they learned through an investigation started nearly five years ago that real estate developers based in Prince George's and their associates were regularly providing things of value to public officials in exchange for favors to them and their companies.

That investigation and another one related to it led U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz to authorize a series of wiretaps, starting in September 2009.

"Those interceptions confirmed, among other things, investigators' information concerning official corruption and extortion in Prince George's County," the affidavit said.

After agents had heard about cash changing hands for favors at a November meeting between Johnson and a developer, FBI agents entered the room where a separate payment had taken place on Friday, identified themselves and asked him about the payments.

Johnson reportedly told the agents the payments were for a party marking the end of his tenure -- and that he had no business dealings with the developer.

U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein said authorities have tapped Jack Johnson's phone since January 2010. This has been a lengthy investigation involving the FBI and the IRS, he said, and prosecutors expect more charges to be filed and more people to be charged.'

http://wjz.com/local/prince.georges.county.2.2007215.html

[L.Torsalo]

32. And how

is what he did any different than what Congress does all day and night?

"...their associates were regularly providing things of value to public officials in exchange for favors to them and their companies."

In Congress its called lobbying, but it is the same as what Johnson is accused of committing as a criminal act.

[elleng]

22. More complete story here, notes he's at end of his term, and SHE just elected:

http://wjz.com/local/prince.georges.county.2.2007215.html

p.s., posted yesterday.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9547795&mesg_id=9547795

[rasputin1952]

27. I guess he didn't learn much from the Law School...

apparently ethics was not a part of the curriculum.

I have no empathy for crooks though, and the FBI did a good job; now it's up to the courts.

[elleng]

28. History, P.G. County, school integration. Some may recall the difficulties.

http://www.watson.org/~lisa/blackhistory/school-integration/pgcounty/

[Alcibiades]

30. Real estate developers do this all the time

There's also a revolving door between elected officials, their families, and real estate developers. Politicians are in a position to do these folks big favors, ones that will also make themselves rich if they play ball.

This is something that goes on all across the country. It's bipartisan, but what they have in common is the industry. It's a crooked business.

[Festivito]

31. There are Dems who steal 1,000's, while Repubs steal Billions.

PGC, MD, seems a vastly overpowering Dem bastion, which can mean the battle over whom is elected comes at primaries where few people vote, thus putting in power strangely connected candidates who get their campaign money early and quietly in the election season.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

42. P.G. is widely known as a bastion of black community power. Many blacks

move out of D.C. and into P.G. County to look for palatial homes, a better way of life. The schools are bad in P.G., despite high taxes, but better than D.C. schools. But there are major problems in the County as well. Poor public services, pockets of crime and poverty, and other challenges. However, the University of Maryland is there and there is a thriving business culture, despite all the challenges. P.G., Montgomery County, and Baltimore City are Democratic, if not liberal, communities. No Democrat seeking office at the state level or presidential contender can win Maryland without winning these three very populous counties. Outside of these three, the rest of the state, except for Howard County, is quite rural and quite conservative. So, Democrats count on these three areas to win state-wide or national office. But P.G. County is a very, very interesting place with a complex culture and history. In fact, there was a book written about the county as a place where educated, successful blacks can live and prosper:

http://www.amazon.com/P-G-County-Connie-Briscoe/dp/0385501617

[24601]

35. I'm sure there's a perfectly logical explanation that we'll get in a few

days. "Entrapment - Repugs set me up."

We just moved to Florida from Maryland. PG county is by no means one of the rich jurisdictions like Montgomery or Howard. PG county struggles with poor schools and budget woes. It's definitely a one-party county and the lack of internal oversight can of course lead to major problems.

[Imajika]

37. One party county...

Yup, that is a problem. In this particular case the Democratic party entirely runs PG Country. It is a shame there isn't a responsible opposition party that could at least act as a check on absolute power in places like PG.

One party rule anywhere is bad. A decent 3rd party in places like PG, maybe Green party or something, would at least provide voters a different option and help to check one single party from entirely dominating a county like this.

I basically hate 3rd parties whenever they siphon votes away from Democrats in competitive races against Republicans, but in places ruled entirely by Democrats a progressive party would be very useful in providing some oversight.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

39. I used to live in Prince George's County (not affectionately known as "P.G. County")

and you couldn't pay me a million dollars to move back. The county is crawling in corruption. A few years ago, the voters had something to do about it: a great guy named Rushern Baker ran against Johnson and lost. And now we see just how corrupt this mo-fo is. But, I hope no one is surprised. He and Mike Steele have a chummy relationship.

I hope this fool gets everything that's coming to him!

[bigworld]

46. More arrests among PG police dept. this morning

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/15/AR2010111503261.html?hpid=topnews

Running drugs, untaxed cigarettes, etc. Hearing going on now.