ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today released the following statement in response to the announcement of federal indictments of 80 defendants involved in a racketeering conspiracy at the Eastern Correctional Institution in Westover, Maryland. The indictments resulted from a corruption investigation conducted by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Maryland State Police, working with the FBI and other federal partners:
“The indictments announced today are a clear victory in the fight against corruption, and I want to thank all the hardworking federal and state law enforcement officers whose tireless dedication and sacrifice made it possible. This morning, I spoke with Maryland U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein and personally commended him for his work and partnership with our state investigators to successfully execute this complex operation.
“While running for office, I made it clear that the systemic corruption that had been allowed to take hold in our state prison system was unacceptable, and I promised Marylanders that our administration would combat it head on. Today, together with our federal partners, we have taken decisive action to make good on that promise.
“I hired Secretary Stephen Moyer with the directive to aggressively root out corruption in our state correctional facilities, and that is exactly what he has done. From closing the notoriously dangerous Baltimore City Men’s Detention Center to the many actions taken over the course of this investigation, our administration has been and will remain steadfastly committed to stopping this kind of illicit criminal behavior.
“I want to publicly thank U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein, the FBI and other federal authorities, Secretary Moyer and the Maryland Department of Corrections, and the Maryland State Police, all of whom worked tirelessly, and at great personal risk, to see justice done.
“Under this administration, Maryland will remain unafraid to target corruption and criminal behavior of all kinds.”
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ReplyDeleteGOVERNOR HOGAN, THREE OF THOSE who were at ECI, and doing bad things with inmates.....are now running Wicomico County Detention Center
now he needs to work on the whole state gov't,not just the correction system whether you are a prison worker or a politician,anyone getting kickbacks should be thrown under the jail maybe trump will get some help cleaning up the corruption in this country AND why isn't al sharpton in jail?????? the donald did the legal thing with his taxes and mr. sharpton is enjoying the fact that he owes 26 million in back taxes and is not ion jail
ReplyDeleteMost people and voters are over this divisive issue. Not a very smart thing for Trump to be doing.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Hogan will strategically place a few operatives at the county level of government in departments of Economic Development & County Commissions. Taking Bribes weakens protections of constituents who placed confidence and trust in these officials but instead are getting the opposite.
ReplyDeleteThis is what happens when we have hire trash because of race,sex and whatever else the state says u don't have enough working at one place.then when u want to fire somebody you can't. The whole system needs working over damn Democratic Party mad this mess
ReplyDeleteRemember when ECI was marketed for Somerset County as an economic miracle, bringing hundreds of good jobs and lots of money to the economy there?
ReplyDeleteHas anyone seen the economic miracle yet?
What we have seen, with ECI as at least a contributing factor:
1) The emergence of nationally present gangs in surrounding towns, especially Salisbury;
2) A spike in welfare recipients from Baltimore and the rest of the state as convicts' wives, girlfriends and children move here to be closer to their men (and they very often don't leave after he's released);
3) Increased crimes, including gang murders and drug trade, as a result of #s 1 and 2;
4) Increased problems in schools as a result of #s 1 and 2;
5) Increased short term housing rentals as #2's people skip from one rental to another (often leaving unpaid rent and destruction behind);
6) An unparalleled fear factor among long-time residents;
7) A large spending increase in law enforcement and social services, with seemingly no amount sufficient to maintain good balance.
Bringing a large prison to the Shore was a mistake. But you know what? They'd do it again if they had the chance, and for all of the same reasons, even knowing that it would end up making this the Land of Less Pleasant Than It Was Living.
Black lives matter.
ReplyDeleteHogan please close this prison and send the inmates out of md.
ReplyDeleteThe O'Malley administration was advised of similar problems when he was governor with the Somerset county detention center and ECI and they choose to disregard it. Why does anyone still think that the democratic party has any credibility at all? Corruption is the new normal for the democrats thanks to Obama and Hillary.
ReplyDeleteActually if I read correctly this investigation started three years ago.....before hogan was even in office???
ReplyDeleteAnonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteActually if I read correctly this investigation started three years ago.....before hogan was even in office???
October 5, 2016 at 9:38 PM
I don't know one way or the other but let's be glad he followed it through even if he didn't start it.