Leslie Johnson to resign from council seat

Prince George's County Council member Leslie Johnson, who represents District 6, submitted a resignation letter to County Executive Rushern Baker III on July 5, five days after she pleaded guilty in federal court for her involvement in the corruption scandal surrounding her husband, former County Executive Jack Johnson.

Johnson has agreed to leave her post as of July 31, just before the council's August recess. But council members voted in closed session July 5 to call for her immediate resignation.

"It's unfair to citizens to have someone who's admitted to public corruption charges serve for even one more day," District 1 council member Mary Lehman, who represents Laurel, said. "The charge is directly related to the public office and the public trust."

Lehman said the corruption scandal has been a "tragic" for both the county and the Johnsons, but she believes the county will recovery from the devastation.

"It's an extremely important first step in turning sort of a new page and just starting a new chapter in Prince George's County," she said.

Baker issued a statement July 5 saying he also believes Johnson should resign immediately.

"Council Member Johnson has made the right decision to resign prior to her sentencing date in October," Baker said in the statement. "However, by waiting to the end of the month, she has effectively delayed the residents of District 6 of valuable time needed to fill the vacancy. No delay is necessary; furthermore, it is crucial that a new council member be smoothly transitioned into the office as soon as possible."

If she had not resigned, Johnson would have lost her voting rights on the council upon her sentencing, scheduled for Oct. 13, and had to forfeit her office, according to the Prince George's County Charter.

The charter also requires the council to provide a special election to fill any district seat that becomes vacant. Baker said he hopes both a primary and general special election will be completed by mid-October.

In its closed session, the council also voted to restrict funding to Johnson's office, which includes money used to pay for her county-issued car and cell phone. District 6 staff members' salaries will continue to be funded, but the employees will now report directly to the council administrator.

Johnson was arrested last November, shortly after she was elected to the council, for flushing a post-dated $100,000 check down the toilet and stashing nearly $80,000 in cash in her bra as FBI agents knocked on the door to her Mitchellville home. On June 30, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit witness and evidence tampering.

Court documents from the case against her husband later revealed that the $100,000 check came from Burtonsville resident Mirza Hussain Baig, a Laurel physician and president of Laurel Lakes Primary Care. Baig owns Laurel Ventures, a commercial residential development company that has operated in Prince George's County since 1992.

Jack Johnson pleaded guilty in May to witness and evidence tampering charges, and to involvement in an extortion conspiracy relating to his official duties as county executive. His sentencing is scheduled for September.

The investigation of Jack Johnson involved a pay-to-play scheme in which developers allegedly provided money, gifts and other valuables in exchange for his assistance as county executive on development projects.