Pleaded guilty to extortion, tampering charges Former Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson has been collecting benefits thanks to a loophole in Maryland’s pension law that officials are now trying to close.
Johnson began receiving payments for his $49,552.32 per year pension in January, despite admitting to accepting up to $1 million in gifts for steering taxpayer dollars to crooked developers while serving as county executive for eight years.
Though Johnson committed his crimes and was arrested while in office, he entered his guilty plea to two federal felony charges of extortion and tampering with witnesses and evidence in May, well after he resigned on Dec. 6.
Public officials in Maryland are denied benefits only if they’re convicted of a crime while in office.
Del. Ron George, R-Anne Arundel County, is drafting legislation that would close the loophole by denying pension to public officials convicted of crimes that were committed while in office, no matter when the conviction occurred. Johnson’s pension was first reported by the Annapolis Capital.
“The fact is that if somebody thinks that they’re going to be convicted, they’ll go ahead and resign because they know they’ll still get their pension,” George said.
Johnson’s pension draws upon more than 23 years of public service, including his two terms as county executive and the state’s attorney for Prince George’s County, according to Mike Golden, spokesman for the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System.
George’s legislation would only deny officials benefits earned while they committed wrongdoing — in Johnson’s case, he could still collect pension from his time as state’s attorney, but would receive no benefits earned as county executive.
Any money lawmakers contributed to the pension fund would be returned to them, George said.
Johnson’s wife, Prince George’s County Councilwoman Leslie Johnson, also pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to commit federal witness and evidence tampering. She admitted last month to stuffing $79,600 in cash in her bra and underwear and flushing a $100,000 check down the toilet at the instruction of her husband.
A guilty plea while in office would have eliminated her from receiving benefits, Golden said, but the newly elected councilwoman had not served the requisite five years and was ineligible for her pension regardless of the charges.
Eliminating certain portions of an employee’s pension could be tricky, Golden said, though officials are still drafting the bill.
However, the law would not apply retroactively to Jack Johnson, meaning he will continue to receive pension checks.
George said he hopes the bill will hold public officials more accountable for their actions in the future.
“Certainly Jack Johnson’s wrongdoings were blatant. He really abused the office, and we shouldn’t say we’re going to keep paying you for the rest of your life,” George said.
George said he plans to prefile the bill for the 2012 legislative session.
