Last Sunday, Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge 50 (Worcester) announced it will be officially backing State’s Attorney challenger Beau Oglesby, a Republican who is currently a prosecutor in Caroline County. Additionally, the lodge endorsed Republican Sheriff candidate Reggie Mason, current deputy sheriff in Worcester County, and Republican Delegate candidate Mike McDermott, a member of the Worcester County’s Sheriff’s Office.
In a press release this week, the lodge explained why Oglesby was the pick over incumbent State’s Attorney Joel Todd.
“Beau Oglesby is a proven prosecutor. He has worked with State’s Attorney’s offices in Wicomico and Caroline counties. He has been endorsed by Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis and Worcester County Chief Deputy Sheriff, Reggie Mason, and Caroline County States Attorney Jonathan Newell,” the lodge wrote in a statement.“Beau Oglesby was the chief prosecutor in many of Sheriff Lewis’ drug cases when Sheriff Lewis was a Maryland State Trooper. [He] was recognized by the Wicomico County Drug Task force for his outstanding efforts in prosecuting drug dealers and asset forfeiture. Beau Oglesby has the drive to keep Worcester County safe by prosecuting criminals.”
The lodge did not make an endorsement in the State’s Attorney race in 2006 when Oglesby lost to Todd in one of the closest and spirited elections in Worcester County political history.
That fact is noteworthy, according to Oglesby, who added he has also received the official support of Ocean City, Berlin and the state lodges of the FOP. Oglesby also expects the FOP lodges in Wicomico and Caroline counties to give him their support in the coming weeks.
“This is an endorsement that means something. To dismiss it otherwise would be disrespectful to law enforcement,” Oglesby said. “Four years ago, the Worcester lodge went middle of the road. They sat it out as far as endorsing. Here we are four years later, I get their endorsement. What does that tell you?”
Todd said he was not only disappointed that partisan politics seemed to play a role in the FOP’s endorsement but also that the process that was presented to him did not play out as originally proposed.“I have learned from a member of the lodge there were a grand total of 11 members of the lodge present and voting the night the endorsement was handed down. I don’t think 11 members is very representative of the law enforcement community in general,” Todd said. “Additionally, I think it’s an example of putting partisan politics over public safety. They have endorsed two other Republicans, both of whom they answer to on a daily basis. I don’t really think it means anything, and I’m sorry to see them put partisan politics ahead of public safety.”
According to Todd, he was still expecting a questionnaire from the lodge as another part of the endorsement process when he read that Oglesby had garnered the lodge’s support online.
“I read it on their Facebook page that they met in September and made an endorsement, and I have yet to receive the questionnaire that the president of the organization assured me I would be receiving,” Todd said. “All I can tell you is, in my opinion, 11 people hardly represents the bulk of county law enforcement.”
Oglesby flatly dismissed Todd’s claims that the endorsement is not representative of the law enforcement community.
“This is a not a few rogue police officers or malcontents who are voicing their displeasure. This is the unanimous support of my candidacy by all of the county FOPs. These are the men and women in law enforcement who are in court day in and day out. Who better to know what’s going on in the court system and how the incumbent and his office is handling criminal cases? Their support is the primary reason why I am running again,” Oglesby said. “If they told me, ‘Beau everything is okay,’ I suspect I would not have run. They reached out to me continually and told me we need a change and that I’m the guy to do it. That’s the primary reason why I continue to come back and run these campaigns.”
Todd stands by his office’s prosecution rate and believes his crackdown on crime is on display every day. Furthermore, Todd said he was not surprised to hear Oglesby’s claims that it’s a signal for change.
“I’m sure he would say that. What I can tell you is I’m not running to be attorney for the FOP or attorney for any police agency. I’m running for re-election as the people’s attorney,” Todd said. “My client is justice, not the police. Unfortunately, from time to time, more often than people realize, I’m called to write letters to police chiefs letting them know when something has gone wrong in the courtroom or during the investigation of the case. On a less frequent basis, we are actually called to do criminal investigations into police officers. If by doing justice, it means I lose support of the police unions than so be it. I sleep well at night knowing I have done what’s in the best interest of justice, and I will continue to do that.”
Oglesby said the officers he speaks with routinely want to see crimes prosecuted fully and for the plea bargains and frequent deals Todd signs off on to come to a halt.
“I think it’s certainly a recognition that they are dissatisfied with the incumbent and the way his office is being run,” Oglesby said. “You have to remember here’s a guy who has been at the State’s Attorney’s office for 25 years now, 16 years a State’s Attorney, and not one FOP or any organized unit of law enforcement supports him.”
Todd said a simple Maryland Judiciary Case Search online confirms Oglesby also agrees to plea bargains in similar cases away from Worcester County.
“It’s not practical to prosecute every case, and he knows it, and it’s proven by what he does in Caroline County,” Todd said.
Todd added there are four current murder prosecutions underway in Worcester County, and voters need to realize these cases will likely go to trial after the election.
“To my knowledge, my opponent still has not tried one murder case,” Todd said. “I’m experienced and knowledgeable on how these cases need to be prosecuted and that’s important to realize.”
www.md.coastdispatch.com
29 comments:
I can't trust Oglesby. At
Catrino's party/fundraiser for his campaign for the Sheriff's Office, Oglesby was in a couple of posed pictures, arm and arm with Catrino. That tells me he was supporting Catrino. I guess once he realized that Catrino didn't have a chance against Mason that he switched who he supported. He plays on both sides of the fence.
Here is the link to see the pics yourself.
http://www.catrino4sheriff.com/photos-and-video
Well then you obviously know absolutly nothing about politics, 2:04.
Republican candidates show up at other GOP candidates fundraisers all the time as do democratic candidates. Doesn't mean he supports him personally. It means he support the party.
Hang in there Todd. The majority of us think that Oglesby is just like the handful of hardheads like Lewis and the nine knuckleheads at the meeting.
Definitely hang in there States Attorney Todd. You have mine and my daughter's support. No one else cared to listen after the suspicious death of a loved one. You did. In fact, more then once. You reassured us that you would do whatever you could do. Although the process took 2 years to have the other county open up any kind of an investigation or request an autopsy, you Sir, never hesitated! The other county, in fact, Salisbury has yet to question the last person who saw our loved one alive. We only wish that this happened within Worcester County and not Wicomico, because I believe we would have more answers today if this was so.
Oh and yes, we did also talk with Beau. Guess what he said. He'd get back to me. I'm still waiting....
also tried to tell Todd a few years ago that alot of cops, naming several county sheriffs, were on the take and involved with McDermott's hayday of an election. Hope he's listening now. They can be a vengeful bunch. Better watch out for a few of them have bad tempers!
I'm still on the fence with this one. I could care less which group endorses whom. Personal stories are more persuasive to me.
One thing I do blame on our the court system is the crime and deterioration that's occuring in parts of the county. Questions like why for the upteenth time has Honiss Cane III been given a free pass? An explanation of what concerns the citizens would be helpful and not turning this into a "the other guy does that too" would benefit not only the candidates but the voting public.
I am also resentful that some other blogs have turned into nothing more than a trash the candidate we don't like forum. The hysterical rantings of some are more comical than anything and do nothing to further their candidates reputation within the sensible voting community. As a matter of fact they seem to diminish the respect we should all have for the Office of the State's Attorney.
These ranting do not help the candidate, and in some cases turns respectful people off. The candidates for states attorney need to run on their accomplishments which includes conviction rates and other issues related directly to public safety.
I feel sorry for both candidates. Todd's campaign has been hijacked by a handful of lunatics hell bent on destoying Oglesby's reputation. Personally I believe due to this Oglesby is gaining quite a few sympathy votes.
anon 7:21 am
Oglesby will get no sympathy votes. He's a liar who claims he has anonymous police support when the reality is under 40 cops voted. The rest were shut out intentionally so there pal Beau could win the vote.
Oglesby doesn't pay his bills has never prosecuted a murder case, child abuse case, rape case. In fact, he's defended violent criminals as a defense attorney and even put a murder charge on the Stet docket.
He's a manipulator and he won't get my vote.
Now another blog (liar grinch) has a post up about Oglesby. What the liar fails to mention is the defendant Patrick Leon Dixon was convicted a few months before those charges of stealing and other things and was sentensed to 30+ yrs in prison! It's all on the judiciary and happened in Caroline Co if anyone cares to look it up themselves.
So why don't those cops who were "intentionally shut out" get out and support their candidate. And I don't believe for one second they were shut out intentionally as you claim. They could have attended the meeting in which this was voted on had they wanted to so to say it was intentional is misleading and down right dishonest.
Gee whiz! As a "on the fence" voter calling someone a liar and a manipulator does not endear me toward the candidate you support, obviously Joel Todd.
Personally I could care less if Beau Oglesby has ever tried a murder case or the other cases you mention as he will have the ability to hire those who have experience trying those types of cases.
What the Salisbury Grinch blog fails to mention is that just a month before the attempted murder charges were put on stet, the defendant was sentenced to 30 yrs in jail for other crimes.
The defendants name is Patrick Leon Dixon and the cases above are the indictments of 2/25/09 and 3/12/09. All this occuring in Caroline county.
The grinch's post is misleading and totally dishonest (as are most of his posts-LOL).
You don't care if he's ever tried a murder case? You might care if it was your child who was the victim.
And yes, the cops were shut out. The non Oglesby supporters were told the vote was gonna be in October an then it was snuck in the September meeting and the proof is there were only 11 people there!
I don't get it. The previous poster commented that under 40 cops, and now it's down to 11 cops voted.
It really doesn't matter. What the cops who didn't get a chance to vote should do is sit down and write a group letter in support of their candidate and SIGN IT and send it to all the newspapers in the county.
ANON posters blabbing about it just ain't going to work.
It was 11 people for Lodge 50 alone. The 40 number includes those 11 and 6 for Berlin and about 20 for OC. So under 40 is correct and that is hardly representative of all the cops in the county.
I can and will put in a good word for Mr Todd but due to the scary and obsessive nature of alot of the other blogs will not elaborate as to not give any clues as to my friend's identity.
Mr Todd went out of his way and above what we imagine are his duties in regards to a concern a friend of mine had. This was no where near this election time, so has nothing to do with him trying to gain votes and wasn't such a published case as to win him publicity and that's all I'm going to say but you can take my word on it.
The 30 year sentence was before the stet so why did Beau stet an attempted murder charge? You don't stet a violent crime like that! He could have got the guy more time! That is just bad prosecuting and laziness.
Should we even go there, 8:43. In the quest for fairness on the part of both candidates, the same could be asked about Jermain Wright, murderer. In Worcester county he plead to murder and other charges so in exchange was given a 15 yr sentence. Talk about violent! Read up on this. Last year after he was release he was caught stealing and had to go back to prison-Thank God.
Was this just bad prosecuting and laziness? Who knows but I do know if the victim were my daughter I would not be too happy about the murderer and sodomist only receive a 15 yr sentense because he was so cooperative and plead.
You don't know the facts of this case. Wright was sentenced to life after Joel got a conviction in 1999.
An appeal court overturned the conviction, based on jurors having read a newspaper article detailing sex convictions for Wright that was given to the jury mistakenly by a court baliff.
Because the state lost their main witness in the case, when Wright was retried in 2001 he was convicted of second degree murder and he was sentenced to 30 years again, all but 10 suspended.
When he got out he violated his parole and is now serving the remainder of that 30 years.
It was never put on the STET docket. He was convicted twice by Joel's office and the bottom line is the guy is in prison.
Okay 9:03 do you happen to know the "facts" of why the Oglesby's case was put on the stet docket? I doubt it and until you do I wounldn't question why as you can see there are circumstances that the public is not aware of.
Folks, make up your own mind about who to vote for. This is the same bunch who sat on the Sheddy case for over 2 years and got ticked off when Todd had the State Police come in and make an arrest within two weeks. "Todd made us look bad" "Lets get him out of there"
Oh yeah those wonderful state police who were going to put junior away for 30 years!
I doubt if this has anything to do with the Sheddy case, which quite frankly I'm sick of hearing about. If you all knew anything about Worcester county politics you would know that the majority of those in LE campaigned heavily for Beau Oglesby in 2006.
I agree with 6:08. The grinch's bashing is just hurting Mr. Todd and helping Oglesby.
Grinch isn't bashing, he's telling the truth.
OK 9:36, I agree. If you don't know the facts then don't speak about something. Tell the same thing to the Joel haters. They don't know the facts either, but they think they can bash him on Joel's record all they want but we dare go after Beau's record and suddenly, "oh you don't know your facts". What a bunch of hypocrites. Oglesby can't hide it. He defended violent criminals he is not a career prosecutor and the more he says the more of a liar he is. That's not what we want in a state's attorney.
I don't believe that Oglesby has ever claimed to be a career prosecutor. As a matter of fact I remember reading after he lost the election 4 yrs ago that he was going to go into private practice. It's not some big secret as I'm sure it was in the newspapers. So to call him a liar is totally dishonest on your part. Coming from someone who defends the grinch that doesn't surprise me one bit.
"he's telling the truth" meaning the grinch.
Hell will freeze over when he starts telling the truth. He's in cohoots with thsoe others who tend to stretch the truth, tell half truths, omit pertinent facts and out and out make stuff up.
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