Jack Johnson has been sentenced to 7.25 years in jail, 3 years of probation and a $100,000 fine. 
From 2002 to 2010, Jack Johnson served as the County Executive and it’s going to take about that much time to clean up the corruption and bad branding he’s left behind.
Throughout his sentencing session, Jack Johnson’s defense team cited a laughable non-diagnosis of Parkinsonism, violin laced tales of an anxiety disorder and alcoholism. Translation: Jack has been shaking, stressing, and drinking since he was caught. And catch them they did.
Johnson told the courtroom, ”I have lost everything.” ”I’ve lost everything. My reputation, everything I’ve worked so hard for.” He also asked forgiveness from God and this county. Jack said that he plagued by what he’s done.
The transcripts of Jack Johnson’s phone calls are crazy! I mean crazy! He knew he was being investigated but continued in some Herman Cain-esque deal making up until the FBI was at the door and Leslie’s drawers were drooping. Jack was setting up deals with PGCo hospital administrator, Kenneth Glover, that involved consulting work for Johnson to the tune of $15,000 per month and Jack had also planned on starting a senior citizens home to bilk the federal government out of more funds via illicit contracts.
Judge Messitte, who presided over the sentencing, said of Johnson that this was not a single act of bribery, not a single misstep, was not a simple wrong turn…these acts were a deliberate march down a long path of kleptocracy.
Wow. That sums it all up. Jack Johnson exploited this county’s resources and ruled as a thief.
I’m from Washington “this bitch set me up” DC, so I know a lot about the shame that wayward politicians inflict on their constituency. As invested as I was in my city, I was more invested in seeing Marion Barry get his ashy behind out of office and out of the public eye. Didn’t last long but that’s another posting. Now I’ve moved to Prince George’s County and am facing much of the same.
Jack Johnson, for whatever twisted reason, chose to malign and bilk the county that supported him. He lived up to every stereotype there is for the out of control, in need of colonization Black person and FOR THAT he should serve all 7 years, pay back the county every last dollar he stole, and be forced to move somewhere else.
I wonder if he’d be so plagues, so sorry, if he hadn’t been caught.
Yes, we will learn to forgive him and his wife because we all make mistakes and have been afforded grace and mercy on a daily but there is a cost for willful disobedience and malicious greed practiced over the course of a political career in which you were charged to do what is best for the residents of Prince George’s County.
Pay up Jack.
