In response to calls from throughout the city for an explanation of her actions and her plans for her future in office after her conviction Tuesday on one count of embezzlement, Mayor Sheila Dixon made this statement Thursday:

"I am reflecting on the trial's outcome, talking with advisors and reviewing my options. I understand that the trial has engendered a range of strong feelings among citizens who, like me, love Baltimore City. I deeply regret that the citizens of Baltimore have had to go through this ordeal with me.

"While I recognize that the issues before me go beyond the courtroom, my attorneys have advised me to limit my comments while the legal process continues.

"In the meantime, my administration and I will continue to do the people's business without interruption, and we will continue to act in the best interests of the City."

First, one would hope that Ms. Dixon regrets more than the fact that the citizens of Baltimore had to witness her trial and conviction. Even if she disputes the legal finding of guilt against her, even if she sticks with her story that she thought the blank envelope of gift cards that wound up on her desk was an anonymous present from a boyfriend, one would hope she might be able to cough up some regret for how she handled herself in office. She might regret not asking any questions about where the cards came from. She might regret ever getting into the business of soliciting them from developers doing business with the city. She might regret the completely unaccountable Holly Trolley tour. She might even regret ever having dated Ron Lipscomb in the first place. But forcing the poor citizens of Baltimore watch their mayor go through a difficult couple of weeks is the least of it.

Second, she says she recognizes that "the issues before me go beyond the courtroom," but apparently she doesn't care. The mayor is sticking with the advice of her lawyers in how to manage the courtroom issues and ignoring the citizens' legitimate desire to hear her explain her actions and justify her decision to attempt to stay in office. If she wants to "continue to act in the best interests of the city," providing real, honest answers to the people would be a good place to start.

Readers respond

She's a complete joke. As she has demonstrated time and time again, she only cares about herself and the size of her bank account. If she was really interested in acting in the best interest of the city, she would step down and stop embarrassing Baltimore and the entire Democratic Party. Somebody ask President Obama about her actions and see what he says.

I h8 SheilaShe assumes that she's "serving" and acting "in the best interests of the city." She hasn't done that since Day 1 of her time on the City Council or as mayor.

David HinksShe states, "I deeply regret that the citizens of Baltimore have had to go through this ordeal with me." Ordeal? WITH you? How about Baltimoreans' having to wipe some more egg off their faces nationally due to her faults. She may as well have given the standard, "I'm sorry if I offended anyone."

SaturnV4321The mayor needs to stop listening to her lawyers and start listening to her constituents. Any tough road out of her predicament is only being made more difficult by her lack of answers to the voters. Her lawyers let her down more than once in the trial. They are now doing her irrevocable harm in their political consulting role.

OutkastArticle 11, Section 6 of the Maryland Constitution:

Section 6. Removal of mayor.

"The Mayor shall, on a conviction in a Court of Law; of willful neglect of duty, or misbehavior in office, be removed from office by the Governor of the State, and a successor shall thereafter be elected, as in case of vacancy."

That is the ONLY LAWFUL option.

DawlrisHow long will it be until The Sun calls for her resignation?

I am saddened by the way the situation has been handled. As someone who voted for the mayor, it pains me to say this, but she really has only one honorable option now.

I encourage her to engage in all legal options, but considering the conviction and the little-mentioned upcoming perjury trial, I don't see how she can continue to serve.

JLSIf the corrupt mayor really cared about Baltimore, she would resign immediately!

MikeBYou regret going through this ordeal with us? I wasn't charged with a theft. I wasn't on trial.

Step aside, Ms. Dixon. Put a stop to the use of your title as leverage. Put a stop to using the mayor's office for your personal gain.

Michael LongMayor Dixon, you are doing the right thing. Stay in office and please continue to fight for your people. Roads that were never paved for years are now paved. Wells Fargo has to rethink how it treats African-Americans. The only reason you are in this predicament is because you are standing up to the GOOD OLE BOY system of ABUSING African-Americans.

It's a joke to this that taxpayers' money is being wasted for $630.

ChanceAs for the idea of her interests being somehow at odds with the broad public interest, I am reminded of what a Maryland cabinet secretary once told me when I suggested a similar conflict: "Conflict of interest? Doesn't conflict with MY interest." The cabinet secretary was merely joking, of course, as opposed to the mayor, who apparently continues to confuse her legal strategy with her public duty. That's a bad joke for (and on) the citizens of Baltimore. Little wonder the president was heard to declare on the still-open mic following his pre-inauguration speech at War Memorial Plaza, "Let's get out of here" (before the mayor shows up).

Old TimerWhile I understand Ms. Dixon's reluctance to say anything that might indicate a modicum of guilt, she has put our city in an untenable situation. Our national reputation is in tatters. People everywhere think "The Wire" was a reality show rather than a fictional drama.

Baltimore used to enjoy the reputation of a "Renaissance City." People from all over the world came to visit our Inner Harbor, Little Italy, the Science Center, the aquarium and other attractions. That is all behind us. The specter of crime and an inability to cope with it covers everything.

The only way we are going to start to regain our footing as a city of national prominence is to show that we as citizens will not tolerate exposed corruption in our midst. Yes, Ms. Dixon has done some good things for Baltimore. But for the past 11 months, she has been focused on her trial(s). In the meantime, the city's murder rate has begun climbing again, we are bracing ourselves for another $130 million in cuts from an already butchered budget, and our mayor is going to be distracted for many months to come by another trial, an appeal of the trial just concluded, a possible appeal of the trial yet to come ... you get the picture.

While it is indeed unfortunate to see anyone fall from grace, the height of that fall is always determined by the level of remorse. In Ms. Dixon's case, we don't even see an effort at modesty as she continues on as if nothing has happened.

Liz H.