Neither Mayor Sheila Dixon nor her high-profile attorneys appeared in court Tuesday for her scheduled arraignment, after Dixon filed paperwork that allowed her to miss the hearing.
Baltimore Circuit Judge John Miller is now deciding whether the same judge will hear the corruption cases against Dixon, developer Ronald Lipscomb, and City Councilwoman Helen Holton.
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Lipscomb, Holton nor their attorneys appeared for the arraignments, because of the filings.
Dixon, 55, a Democrat in her first term as mayor, is charged with perjury, theft, fraudulent misappropriation, and misconduct in office — the result of an investigation that has spanned more than five years and been considered by at least eight grand juries.
The indictment alleges that while Dixon was City Council president she did not disclose gifts that Ronald Lipscomb gave her in 2004 while they were dating, including travel, lodging and a gift certificate used for fur coats.
The indictment also alleges that Dixon collected gift cards from Lipscomb — president of Doracon Contracting Inc. — and another developer intended for needy families, but instead used the cards to purchase a video game system, CDs and DVDs for personal use or gave the cards to staff members.
Holton, a Democrat representing District 8, was indicted on charges of bribery, perjury, malfeasance in office and nonfeasance in office.
The charges against Holton stem from a payment of $12,500 made by Lipscomb’s company in 2007 for a political survey for her. At the time, Holton was seeking re-election and requested the invoice be sent directly to Doracon — and the company paid the bill, prosecutors said.
Lipscomb’s company was seeking tax incentives at the time on projects in which his company was a partner, prosecutors said. Holton then failed to report the gift on her financial disclosure statement to the city’s ethics board, prosecutors said.
Lipscomb was charged with bribery related to his company’s alleged payment of the invoice from Holton.
All three have maintained their innocence. Dixon’s attorney has called the charges “ludicrous,” and Lipscomb’s supporters have accused State Prosecutor Robert Rohrbaugh of going on a “witch hunt.”
