What an Indictment

 

It’s an indictment and not a conviction, but - - wow - - what an indictment. From the Baltimore Sun:

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s former top aide, Roy McGrath, faces dozens of federal and state criminal charges that he misled officials into paying him a six-figure severance, embezzled funds for personal purposes and illegally recorded phone calls with the governor and other members of Hogan’s staff.

More from the Sun coverage:

Former Hogan chief of staff indicted on charges of secretly recording governor on phone calls, embezzling funds, Pamela Wood, Justin Fenton Baltimore Sun

This is one worth reading even if you’re trying to get by on five free articles per month. You may recall how it started. I sure do. From August, 2020:

Responsibility Village Green/Town² 

McGrath used the transition from his job with the Maryland Environmental Service as an opportunity to fund his own personal nest egg. His response when caught showed a profound misunderstanding of how tax dollars work and, in essence, a profound disrespect for taxpayers. This was not a small error in accounting, or a legitimate misunderstanding of his job benefits. This was intentional.

The subsequent investigation turned up a good deal more than the initial discoveries, underscoring just how intentional McGrath’s actions were from the very beginning. I’m still pondering how Governor Hogan figures in this story. I’m sure he would like us to believe that this inconvenient tale of graft (that just won’t seem to go away) has nothing to do with him. I’m still contemplating these two possibilities:

1. Hogan was completely ignorant which means he isn’t a very good judge of character or an effective leader.

2. Hogan knew and it wasn’t a deal-breaker to him because his idea of business doesn’t preclude this kind of self-dealing. And that really calls into question what kind of leader he is.

When you think of the arrogant and dismissive attitude used by Governor Hogan whenever he makes pronouncements about Baltimore leadership, it kind of makes you think. What is Hogan’s gold standard of leadership, exactly?

The Sun article gives Delegate Marc Korman and Senator Clarence Lam an opportunity to underscore the oversight role played by the General Assembly in requiring an investigation. It’s absolutely true, and also ironic, when you consider Hogan’s tendency to delegitimize that elected body. 

What you barely see in this article, because it is news and not an exercise in self-congratulation, is that none of this story would have come to light without journalist Pamela Wood.*  If you know where to look, though, it’s there.

McGrath, 52, served as the Republican governor’s chief of staff for 11 weeks in the summer of 2020, resigning just days after The Sun reported that he’d negotiated a lucrative payout when he left his prior state job.

All through the piece you will find links to other articles which provide the Sun coverage of this story as it unfolded. There are at least twelve of them. I haven’t checked them individually but I would guess that most, if not all, are written by Pamela Wood. Her tenacity and outstanding investigational skills shine here.

Of course I’m grateful for the oversight of the Maryland General Assembly. But, for Heaven’s sake, if you don’t have a subscription to the Baltimore Sun, please get one if you can afford to. This is exactly why local journalism is so crucial.

Act now: they appear to be running a special.

*Wood grew up in Howard County and is a graduate of Howard High School.