It looks like Maryland Del. Tiffany Alston still has a chance of keeping her seat.
The Prince George’s democrat was removed from office last month after she pled guilty to misconduct charges for stealing $800 from the General Assembly to pay an employee at her private law firm.
Her conviction was reduced to probation last week after she finished community service hours and now, according to the Washington Times, her attorneys are arguing that this reduction means she should keep her seat.
Prince George’s Democrats have already nominated their pick to fill her now questionably vacant seat, but Gov. O’Malley has asked them to withdraw their pick until the attorney general’s office looks into the matter and issues a final opinion on whether Alston should be allowed to return to the Assembly.
His letter to the county’s Central Democratic Committee indicated that he agreed in part to have the attorney general’s office investigate and issue a formal opinion because of the “likelihood of litigation in this matter.” Last week the Washington Post reported that Alston suggested her seat was robbed from her and she is prepared to sue to continue serving in the House.
The county Democrats are expected to comply with O’Malley’s request
The man the Democrats nominated to replace Alston—Greg Hall—doesn’t come without his controversy either. Hall was a drug dealer in the 90s and was part of a shooting that left a 13-year-old dead. The charges against him were later dropped when tests concluded the bullet that killed the boy did not come from Hall’s gun.
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Hall turned his life around and became a family man who runs a successful business and is involved in local politics. But still some are questioning whether he actually deserves this seat.
First step though—making sure the seat is actually vacant.
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