Residents say potential candidates not suitable A field of candidates is already lining up to replace Leslie Johnson on the Prince George’s County Council when she leaves in October,
but voters say none of her potential replacements are suitable to lead the district any better than Johnson can.
The Mitchellville Democrat pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy to commit federal witness- and evidence-tampering charges, including stuffing $79,600 in cash down her bra and flushing a $100,000 check on the instructions of her husband, then County Executive Jack Johnson. While her resignation is inevitable, she is allowed to remain in office until Oct. 13, when she is scheduled to be sentenced in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt.
County Executive Rushern Baker has called for her immediate resignation, as have half of Johnson’s fellow council members, who argue that now is the time to wipe the slate clean. A special election will be held to replace Johnson once she steps down.
Residents might be more eager to see Johnson leave the council if they thought any of the candidates eager to replace her could do a better job, said Sandy Pruitt, who leads Prince George’s People for Change.
Among those rumored to run are Derrick Leon Davis and Arthur Turner, candidates Johnson defeated in November, and former Councilman Samuel Dean, who lost a bid for county executive to Rushern Baker last fall.
“I’m not all that anxious to get this election going unless we get a new person in who’s going to implement change,” Pruitt said. “With most of the people who are attempting to run, we’re going to get the same old services.”
Residents of Mitchellville, Upper Marlboro, Forestville and other areas within Johnson’s district said they’ve grown to appreciate the work she’s put in as a council member.
“I don’t see any harm in her staying on until she has to leave,” said Douglas Edwards, a community activist in Johnson’s district. “We have done a lot worse in Prince George’s County than Leslie Johnson, especially when it comes to constituent services.”
Since her arrest in November, Johnson was not assigned to any council committees and was denied a privilege allowing council members to guide development deals through the zoning process, restrictions that have limited her duties on the council.
Pruitt blames the rest of the council for stripping Johnson of her powers and not giving her constituents any leadership to replace the gap left by the council’s actions.
But Johnson has excelled despite the setbacks, making herself and her staff open and available, residents said.
“When we’ve had a concern and picked up the phone, we had her undivided attention,” Edwards said.
Added Pruitt, who opposed Johnson during elections last fall: “If she wasn’t doing a good job, we would have been after her a long time ago.”
