After former at-large Prince George’s County council member Mel Franklin resigned and pleaded guilty to felony theft and perjury charges this summer, multiple council members say the charges do not represent the rest of the governing body.
Franklin resigned from his seat on June 14. Six days later, he was charged in the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court with multiple counts of felony theft scheme, embezzlement and perjury related to alleged misuse of campaign funds, The Diamondback previously reported.
Some county council members hope to keep their constituents’ trust as a few county residents cast doubt on the body’s integrity.
At-large county council member Calvin Hawkins had worked with Franklin since 2018 when the pair became at-large council members. Hawkins described Franklin as “one of the more brilliant elected officials that you will come across” and an advocate for local minority-run businesses.
Hawkins was “troubled, devastated [and] shocked” when he learned of Franklin’s charges, he said, but reaffirmed his trust in the rest of the council.
“One individual’s act doesn’t indict the other 10,” Hawkins said.
[Former Prince George’s County Council member pleads guilty to theft scheme, perjury]
But Hawkins stressed that the county council still needs to rebuild trust with its citizens. Rebuilding this trust will increase transparency so constituents will know more about council actions that might not have previously been in the public eye, he said.
Franklin pleaded guilty to the felony theft scheme and perjury charges on Aug. 26. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Nov. 13, The Diamondback previously reported.
Franklin did not respond to a request for comment.
Jolene Ivey, District 5 county council member and the council’s chair, said she was “surprised” and “disappointed” at Franklin’s charges.
When a public official is charged with a crime, many people assume all elected officials “can’t be trusted,” Ivey said.
Ivey, who won the Democratic nomination in the special election for Franklin’s vacant seat, said it is “extremely rare” for an elected official to be accused of a crime. Most elected officials are simply trying to do their jobs, she said.
“We’re all just doing our best,” Ivey said. “We really need to be thinking about how most elected officials — nearly all elected officials — are just hard-working people who are trying to make their communities better.”
[Prince George’s County officials hope to limit illegal guns, pinpoint repeat offenders]
Some county residents were disappointed in Franklin and hope the council will work to regain the community’s trust.
P.J. Brennan, a College Park resident, said while he doesn’t believe the charges against Franklin represent the entire council, council members should take action for people who have lost trust.
The council must “reinforce” its ethics to constituents in the county, Brennan said.
Aaron Faulx, a Ward 2 council member for the Riverdale Park Town Council, said he does not have trust in certain elected officials, including Franklin.
“I think we as constituents and people need to ask and have representation that is not corruptible,” said Faulx. “Here we are in Prince George’s County, with that occurring once again.”
Like Faulx, Riverdale Park resident Levi Shanks said although he trusts his council representative, Eric Olson, he does not have much faith in the rest of the council.
The charges are concerning, Shanks said, especially during a time when many people already question governing institutions’ ethics.
“It’s easy to pan [the federal government] off as corruption at a higher level, but you always try to have faith in local politics,” Shanks said. “When it happens at a local level, it’s even more devastating.”
