There have been some new revelations this month involving the ongoing federal investigation(s) into the affairs of Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby and her husband, City Council President Nick Mosby. The power couple has been under the media microscope for a variety of reasons for several years now, but it’s looking increasingly likely that the feds may be moving toward some sort of official indictments. After having somehow forgotten to pay their taxes, there was already trouble brewing. Ms. Mosby’s frequent “business trips” out of the state on the taxpayers’ dime for activities that seemed to have very little to do with the city’s business have also been subject to scrutiny. One clear sign that the Mosbys may realize they could be in hot water is the revelation that some sort of legal defense fund has been set up on their behalf. There are a few reasons that this is a curious development, but neither the Mosbys nor their attorney has much, if anything, to say about the formation of the fund. (Fox News Baltimore)
Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby has dodged questions two days in a row about a legal defense fund launched for her and her husband, City Council President Nick Mosby and now, reports indicate a new online fundraising effort to bolster the bank account.
The Baltimore Sun reported an online fundraising account, launched on the website Donor Box, was soliciting donations for the legal defense fund with various amounts as options to give.
A. Scott Bolden, Mrs. Mosby’s attorney, confirmed to FOX45 News on July 30 that the defense fund had in fact been created and was launched in June to raise money as the federal probe in Mosby’s finances continues. Bolden said he had no comment when asked how financially successful the fund had become thus far, promising more information to come.
I understand that seeing a story about possible official corruption involving Democratic elected officials in Baltimore is about as unusual as a seagull stealing a hot dog. After all, two of the four mayors prior to the current City Hall occupant left office early for a stretch in the crowbar motel after being convicted of corruption charges. (And one of those two came within a handful of points of being returned to office again this year.) But Marilyn Mosby and her husband have a long and storied history in Charm City. And parts of that history raise questions about how and why a legal defense fund for them would pop up.
Let’s not forget that Marilyn Mosby and her husband mysteriously forgot to pay their taxes on several occasions, crying poverty as an excuse. But at the same time that all of this drama has been playing out, the local media revealed that Ms. Mosby purchased more than a million dollars worth of vacation property in Florida last winter. Nick Mosby is paid $128,583 a year as City Council President while his wife brings in $238,772 a year as State’s Attorney. They are easily in the top ten percent in the nation in terms of household income. And those vacation properties in the Sunshine State are surely worth a pretty penny in financial leverage.
So with all of that in mind, why would they need a legal defense fund? Even their attorney admits that the arrangement is “unusual,” but claims it’s required to fight off the baseless “harassment” of his client by the federal government. After telling reporters a couple of weeks ago that he would get back to them with more information he has refused further comment. We also have no idea how much money the defense fund has raised or who may have donated to it.
There’s nothing illegal about setting up a legal defense fund to help pay a person’s attorney fees. (Assuming the money is all accounted for, that is.) But when you’re such a highly placed official in a major city who is charged with ensuring that the laws are enforced and the guilty are held to account, let’s just say that the optics of this stink. There is almost certainly a lot more to this story than we’re hearing so far, and perhaps we’ll find out more of the details when the federal investigation is finished. But this is Baltimore we’re talking about. I wouldn’t put anything past these people at this point.
