Legal team for Baltimore’s Marilyn Mosby, husband call federal investigation a ‘witch hunt’
A lawyer says Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby and City Council President Nick Mosby are 'unfair targets of unnecessary scrutiny'
The legal team for Baltimore’s top prosecutor and her husband, who is also an elected official, is speaking out after federal prosecutors launched a criminal investigation into the two.
State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby and City Council President Nick Mosby are subjects of a probe after a grand jury issued subpoenas on the former’s campaign and businesses connected to the couple, according to a report from Baltimore Sun.
The Mosby legal representation is now calling the investigation a “witch hunt” and “politically-motivated.”
The couple’s lawyer, A. Scott Bolden, issued a statement denying any wrongdoing on the part of the Mosbys. He wrote that, because they are “progressive change agents,” they have become “unfair targets of unnecessary scrutiny.”
“This is a political witch hunt in its purest form, and both of them will vigorously, and fully defend themselves,” he said.
In an email to the U.S. Department of Justice, provided to theGrio by a source, Bolden also stated that he feels that the federal investigation is “politically motivated” after observing “troubling misconduct” by investigating agents, naming former Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning and Assistant United States Attorney Leo J. Wise.
WBAL-TV reports that Marilyn Mosby is suspected of using campaign funds to pay personal legal fees. The couple’s bank statements, tax returns, canceled checks and credit card statements dating all the way back to 2014 have are all being sought for review by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice.
A federal grand jury subpoena was also issued to Union Baptist Church as well as the pastor of Bethel AME, Rev. Patrick Clayborn, to investigate whether or not Nick Mosby made financial contributions to the churches.
READ MORE: Marilyn Mosby seeks to overturn 790 convictions led by corrupt cops
Much of the attention of this investigation stems from Marilyn Mosby, who’s in her second term as state’s attorney, and overseas travels she took to criminal justice conferences, as well as private travel businesses.
Back in October, the Internal Revenue Service had put a lien on the couple’s home due to three years’ worth of unpaid taxes.
Although it is unclear whether or not the lien was paid off, Nick Mosby has stated the debt came due to “unplanned expenses after a series of family tragedies” after he had to withdraw money from his retirement savings. He says he paid off the amount in December.
Marilyn Mosby said she wasn’t aware of the lien.
Bolden says that Schenning and Wise have been engaged in a “smear campaign” against Marilyn Mosby by “improperly leaking” information regarding her “prosecution of members of the Baltimore Gun Trace Task Force.”
“There is no question that the investigation against my clients is frivolous, politically-motivated, and arises from the animus both Mr. Schenning and Mr. Wise have against State’s Attorney Mosby,” Bolden wrote. “Their animus is further demonstrated by the fact that they have intentionally revealed facts of a secret grand jury investigation to the media in an effort to harass, degrade, and embarrass my clients.”
READ MORE: Marilyn Mosby confirms 25 Baltimore officers have been accused of using excessive force
According to Fox News 45, many community activists are calling for the resignation of both Mosbys, including Jovani Patterson, who lost to Nick Mosby in the November election for Baltimore City Council president. He made a statement during a Friday press conference.
“Crime is through the roof, school systems failing, our tax structure is doubled than what it should be, we’re rejecting jobs, our economy is suffering and we have our politicians flying around, vacationing taking advantage of the city, taking advantage of the citizens,” Patterson said. “That’s you. That’s me.”
He continued, “Is this the image that we want to have on our city? Investigation after investigation of our top officials and then ultimately see them getting walked out the door doing the walk of shame?”
Both Mosbys have been advised by Bolden not to speak on the matter. However, Bolden stated that his clients will fully cooperate with the investigation “to fight for the truth to come out.”
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