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Former Maryland lawmaker Tawanna Gaines sentenced for federal wire fraud Former Maryland lawmaker Tawanna Gaines sentenced for federal wire fraud
(about 4 hours later)
Former Maryland delegate Tawanna P. Gaines was sentenced to six months in prison Friday for one count of federal wire fraud.Former Maryland delegate Tawanna P. Gaines was sentenced to six months in prison Friday for one count of federal wire fraud.
U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang delivered the sentence after hearing from character witnesses who urged him to show leniency.
Gaines, a Democrat from Prince George’s County, resigned before pleading guilty in October. She admitted to using more than $22,000 in campaign donations to pay for dental work, hairstyling, an Amazon Fire TV stick and other personal expenses.Gaines, a Democrat from Prince George’s County, resigned before pleading guilty in October. She admitted to using more than $22,000 in campaign donations to pay for dental work, hairstyling, an Amazon Fire TV stick and other personal expenses.
Gaines apologized to her family, her constituents and to the people of Maryland before the judge handed down her sentence. The 67-year-old apologized to her family, her constituents and the people of Maryland before receiving her sentence.
“I took my oath very seriously, but I fell short,” Gaines said.“I took my oath very seriously, but I fell short,” Gaines said.
After serving her prison term, Gaines will be on three years of supervised release that will include two months of home detention. She must surrender to authorities on Feb. 24. After serving the prison term, Gaines faces three years of supervised release that will include two months of home detention.
More than a dozen supporters, including several lawmakers, wrote letters to the judge asking that he consider her long service to the state as he deliberated her sentence. Many described their shock at learning about Gaines’s misuse of campaign funds and described how out of character it seemed. Gaines must pay $22,565 in restitution. Under state law, the conviction also means she must forfeit her pension.
More than a dozen supporters, including current and former public officials, appeared in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt or wrote letters asking the judge to consider leniency. Many described their shock at learning about Gaines’s misuse of campaign funds and said it seemed out of character.
One supporter, Judge Michele D. Hotten of the Maryland Court of Appeals, spoke of her friendship with Gaines and told the court “we cannot measure a person by one single incident.”
“We have to measure the totality of the person,” Hotten said, “and in my estimation, Ms. Gaines is a wonderful, contributing member of the society.”
In letters, several Democratic and Republican state lawmakers agreed.
“It is really hard for me to fathom how she let herself get into this situation,” wrote Del. Wendell R. Beitzel (R-Garrett). “I believed, like nearly all of my colleagues, that she was least likely of the members of the House to get caught up in a problem of this nature.”“It is really hard for me to fathom how she let herself get into this situation,” wrote Del. Wendell R. Beitzel (R-Garrett). “I believed, like nearly all of my colleagues, that she was least likely of the members of the House to get caught up in a problem of this nature.”
House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) told the judge she’s considered Gaines a close friend since Gaines became a member of the House in 2001. That friendship, Jones wrote, “is something that I continue to value.” House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) told the judge she has considered Gaines a close friend since Gaines became a member of the House in 2001.
“She was always willing to go the extra mile for her Prince George’s County constituents,” Jones wrote.“She was always willing to go the extra mile for her Prince George’s County constituents,” Jones wrote.
A former volunteer in Gaines’s office, Shirley Brown, wrote that when she learned of Gaines’s arrest, she thought, “That is not the Tawanna Gaines I know.”A former volunteer in Gaines’s office, Shirley Brown, wrote that when she learned of Gaines’s arrest, she thought, “That is not the Tawanna Gaines I know.”
“She was always willing and ready to welcome constituents into her office to listen to their concerns,” Brown wrote. “Also, she very fairly and open-mindedly listened to those who wanted her to hear their position on an issue, even if it was different from her position.”“She was always willing and ready to welcome constituents into her office to listen to their concerns,” Brown wrote. “Also, she very fairly and open-mindedly listened to those who wanted her to hear their position on an issue, even if it was different from her position.”
Many supporters noted Gaines’s devotion to her children and grandchildren and said a prison sentence would be devastating for the family. Prosecutors had asked for an eight-month prison term, while Gaines’s defense attorney had asked for home detention.
Gaines’s daughter and campaign treasurer pleaded guilty in November to a count of federal wire fraud. Anitra Edmond, 43, of New Carrollton funneled more than $35,000 designated for the “Friends of Tawanna P. Gaines” campaign committee into funds for her personal use, federal authorities say. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang acknowledged Gaines’s many supporters and said he did not think incarceration was necessary to deter her from further offenses. He also noted the former lawmaker had not sold her vote, did not live lavishly and was a primary breadwinner for a household that included her son and grandchildren.
Jones said Thursday she will support legislation that would bar any family member from serving as a campaign treasurer in the future. The House speaker said that “it makes it cleaner” to exclude family members from handling political contributions because “we tend to not be as overly cautious with our family members.” “I do believe this was a lapse of judgment in an otherwise honorable life and career,” Chuang said.
The judge said her sentence was meant to reflect the seriousness of the breach of public trust and deter other officials from corruption.
Chuang told Gaines that “at this point in our history, trust in government and our public officials is very low, perhaps dangerously low,” a circumstance that could “jeopardize democracy itself.”
“So now more than ever, those in public service must carry out their duties in a way that validates and builds the public trust in our system of government,” Chuang said. “And stealing from your campaign fund, like any public corruption, does the opposite.”
In November, Gaines’s daughter and campaign treasurer, Anitra Edmond, 43, also pleaded guilty, to funneling more than $35,000 designated for the “Friends of Tawanna P. Gaines” campaign for her personal use. She is scheduled to be sentenced in February.
Jones, the House speaker, said Thursday she will support legislation that would bar family members from serving as someone’s campaign treasurer. She said that “it makes it cleaner” to exclude family members from handling political contributions, because “we tend to not be as overly cautious with our family members.”
Erin Cox contributed to this report.Erin Cox contributed to this report.
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