YESTERDAY'S NEWS COMES BACK – OVERNIGHT:  Remember the indictment of six Baltimore police officers in the death of a black prisoner, Freddie Gray?  Remember how each was exonerated by an African-American judge?  Remember the woman who threw the six officers to the mob, despite a lack of evidence?  Well, this gem is now back in the news.  I wonder how she'll get out of this one.  From WBAL: 

Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of perjury related to a COVID-19 financial hardship withdrawal and a false statement on a loan application.

A federal grand jury returned the indictment Thursday charging Mosby on federal charges of perjury and making false mortgage applications, relating to the purchases of two vacation homes in Florida.

According to the four-count indictment, on May 26, 2020, and Dec. 29, 2020, Mosby submitted "457(b) Coronavirus-Related Distribution Requests" for one-time withdrawals of $40,000 and $50,000, respectively, from the city of Baltimore's Deferred Compensation Plans.

Prosecutors said, in each request, the indictment alleges that Mosby falsely certified that she met at least one of the qualifications for a distribution as defined under the CARES Act, specifically, that she experienced adverse financial consequences stemming from the coronavirus as a result of "being quarantined, furloughed or laid off" or "having reduced work hours" or "being unable to work due to lack of child care or "the closing or reduction of hours of a business I own or operate."

In signing the forms, Mosby "affirm(ed) under penalties for perjury the statements and acknowledgments made in this request." The indictment alleges Mosby did not experience any such financial hardships and, in fact, her gross salary in 2020 was $247,955.58 and it was never reduced: "Rather than experiencing a reduction in income in 2020, Mosby's gross salary in 2020 increased over her gross salary in 2019, which was $238,772.04."

The indictment further alleges that on July 28, 2020, and Sept. 2, 2020, as well as on Jan. 14, 2021, and Feb. 19, 2021, Mosby made false statements in applications for a $490,500 mortgage to purchase a home in Kissimmee, Florida, and for a $428,400 mortgage to purchase a condominium in Long Boat Key, Florida.

The indictment alleges that by falsely executing a "second home rider," Mosby could obtain a lower interest rate on the mortgage for the Kissimmee property than she would have received without it.
WBAL-TV 11 News reached out to Marilyn Mosby's office and is awaiting a response.

COMMENT:   Obviously, we make no judgment as to innocence or guilt.  It's sad.  Mosby is not without her talent, but in the Gray case she made it clear she was answering the demands of the mob when she went after those six officers.  It was one of those moments that contributed to the law-and-order crisis in Baltimore, a city having trouble finding qualified officers to patrol its streets.  At one time Mosby was seen as a rising star.  She is no longer.  Prosecutors are supposed to serve justice, not the mob, or cheering television commentators.  I guess she just forgot.

January 13,  2022