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Maryland Lawmaker Accepted Over $33,000 in Bribes Prosecutors Say

Cheryl Diane Glenn, a veteran Democrat legislator from the northeast’s 45th district and chair of Baltimore’s House delegation, abruptly resigned last week. The public learned why – Federal authorities on Monday unsealed charges against Glenn for allegedly taking more that $33,000 in bribes in exchange for various legislative actions, including voting to increase the number of medical marijuana grower and processing licenses available to an out-of-state company, CNN reports.

Cheryl Diane Glenn, 68, represented Baltimore as a Maryland state delegate until her resignation on December 18. Glenn had become a leading advocate for legalizing marijuana in Maryland and the state’s medical cannabis commission is named after Glenn’s late mother, Natalie M. LaPrade. The criminal information charges her with honest services wire fraud and bribery charges, the  US Attorney’s Office said.

The allegations relate to Glenn’s positions on medical cannabis and liquor licenses.

“Miss Glen allegedly solicited and received bribes related to marijuana, opioids and alcohol. These substances affect the health, safety and well-being of thousands of Marylanders every day,” U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur said in a statement.

“We expect our elected officials to put the interests of the public above their own. We do not expect them to sell their office to the highest bidder,” Attorney Robert K. Hur continued. “The US Attorney’s Office will hold accountable those who betray the public trust for their own greed.”

According to federal prosecutors Glenn is accused of soliciting and accepting bribes from March 2018 to February 2019 and taking steps to conceal them. She is accused of taking $33,750 for voting to increase the number of medical marijuana grower and processing licenses in Maryland and liquor licenses in Baltimore and “Promising to lead the effort to change the law in order to provide a preference for Maryland residency to in-state medical marijuana license applicants; introducing legislation that decreased the number of years of experience required to be a medical director of an opioid maintenance therapy clinic; and introducing legislation that created a class B alcohol and liquor license in District 45.”

Glenn, is scheduled to appear in federal court in Baltimore on Jan. 22. If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the honest services wire fraud charge and five years for the bribery charge.

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About Catherine Smith

Catherine Smith is a newcomer to Washington D.C. She met and married an American journalist and moved to D.C. from the U.K. She graduated with a B.A. in Graphics, Media, and Communications and worked in design and retail in the U.K.

Photo: Getty Images

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