Former Maryland Councilman Pleads Guilty to Campaign Finance Charges

Published on August 26, 2024

Jamel “Mel” Franklin, a former member of the Prince George’s County Council in Maryland, pled guilty on Monday to campaign finance and perjury charges, according to an announcement by prosecutors. Franklin, who previously served as chair of the council and resigned shortly after his indictment in June, was accused of embezzling $133,168.67 from his campaign to his personal bank account to pay for “personal loans and credit card debt, his personal rent, personal subscriptions, and cosmetic procedures for him and a close friend,” after which he allegedly falsified information on the expenses with the State Board of Elections. He appeared in state court on Aug. 26 to plead guilty to a felony charge of theft and a misdemeanor charge of perjury in exchange for other charges against him being dropped....

Continue reading on website
Other news

RNC Sues Detroit, Alleging City Did Not Hire Enough Republican Poll Watchers

August 26, 2024
The Republican National Committee (RNC) is suing the Election Commission for the City of Detroit, alleging it failed to hire enough Republican poll watchers for the state’s Aug. 6 primary election.Michigan election law requires that the Board of Elections commissioners appoint “an equal number, as nearly as possible” of election inspectors from each major political party in every precinct.The city

Appeals Court Turns Down RFK Jr. Bid for Injunction Against Google

August 26, 2024
A federal appeals court on Aug. 26 declined to block Google from removing Robert F. Kennedy’s videos, ruling that Kennedy has not shown that the California-based company was a state actor when taking down the videos.Kennedy’s lawyers said in a request for a preliminary injunction that Google was acting on advice from government officials when it removed multiple videos for allegedly violating the